The Paddle the Nile expedition has launched! Davis put-in by raft at the Nile's 'White Nile' source in Rwanda on October 27th. This was with several other paddlers assisting. She was elated to see lots of excited local people running alongside the river as she started. "As soon as they got tired more came along and took over laughing and shouting," she said.

Only a few days into the journey, they were attacked by a hippo! Hippos are well-known to be one of the world's most deadly animals, with approximately 500 people killed per year. The hippo charged them, backed off, charged a second time and then bit a massive hole out of the back of the raft. Fortunately, it was later able to be repaired.

Davis remarked that they have now entered crocodile territory and have seen a few. They had been in flat water and were soon to move into rapids. She says the camping has been good, apart from a night when they were forced to stay in their tents because of a hippo.