A RIVER AMONG STRIVERS
The Nile River You know exactly what I’m talking about: THE NILE RIVER. The Nile is one of the most famous
rivers anywhere on our planet, and rightfully so. While all rivers are important for people and
wildlife who live nearby, the Nile looms especially large, both literally and figuratively, stretching
across a vast amount of space, and flowing with gallons upon gallons of water for perhaps
eons. But what exactly makes this descending body of water stand out? Let’s see.
It is the longest river on Earth.
The Nile flows north for about 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles), from the African Great Lakes
through the Sahara desert before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. It goes through 11
countries—Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya,
Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt—and drains 3.3 million square kilometers (1.3
a million miles), or about 10% of the African continent. Impressive!
There’s more than one Nile.
The Lower Nile historically flooded in summer, which mystified early Egyptians, especially since
it almost never rained where they lived. The Nile has three main tributaries: the White Nile, Blue
Nile and Atbara. The White Nile is the longest, starting with streams that flow into Lake Victoria,
the world’s largest tropical lake.
It emerges as the Victoria Nile, then traverses swampy Lake
Kyoga and Murchison (Kabalega) Falls before reaching Lake Albert (Mwitanzige). It continues
north as the Albert Nile (Mobutu), later becoming the Mountain Nile (BahralJabal) in South
Sudan, and joins the Gazelle River (Bahr el Ghazal), after which it’s called the White Nile (Bahral
Abyad). It finally becomes just”the Nile” near Khartoum, Sudan, where it meets the Blue Nile.
Third: People spent centuries searching for its source.
Do not drink and drive
There’s a reason Johnnie Walker walks
He walks because he listened to the sage advice of his four cousins
Two of whom were whisked away to jail
The other two were whisked away to the hospital
On account of whiskey
Do not be filled with many a wine and many a spirit
Be filled with the Holy Spirit
It is the only spirit that binds us
Do not station yourself in every bar
Like a wild Redbull that no one can bar
The waiters and waitresses
Who can’t wait to see you fall
Will shoot at you
With single shots and double shots
They will punch and punch you
Whenyougetdowntheywillhityou
With club after club after club
And every club will be tastefully different
Black man! Black woman! Watch out!
Or you will black out
But worry not if you blackout
Because black shines brightest
And as you shine and burn
Cool down that insatiable throat
With the only beer that flows down like the Nile
The
Nile Special Lager!
