Kampala revisited

Tuesday we are scheduled to visit Kampala.  I am very disappointed in the performance of the wifi hot spot device purchased the day before.  Internet seemed slow and it quit working altogether after about 3 hours.  I talk Simon into running me quickly into the Airtel shop at Victoria Mall, so I can deal with the folks there and perhaps purchase a different unit in Kampala if not satisfied.  The unit powers up fine after the clerk pulls then re-inserts the SIM card & battery, so, shaking my head doubtfully, I agree to take it again and give it a try.  Things have been good since (touch wood).

Lynette is to be dropped to her new boarding school, St. Ritah’s, which is in Kisubi. on our way to Kampala, and we are impressed by the appearance of the school grounds and buildings.  There is a nice lake view from the property.  Lynette seems anxious, but Jackie stays behind to get her registered and settled.  It seems a little sad to give her a hug good-bye.

property is sometimes sold by non-owners, hence the notice

the clan of the travelling pants

Simon, our careful driver

There are several chores to be accomplished in Kampala and, of course, they each involve visiting a different section of the city.  Kind-hearted Carly wants to purchase office supplies for each of the BKU staff.  I booked a visit to Murchison Falls National Park, and we were advised to visit the booking agents’ offices which are in an industrial part of the busy city.  Rose and I need to get to the wholesale pharmacy for clinic supplies, Victoria needs to make a couple of stops for her own business, and Sue wishes to visit a grocers for supplies.

Carly negotiating with the stationary clerk

Before reaching our first destination, we encounter the first of many traffic gridlocks and are stuck standing still in the hot sun for about 20 minutes.  It becomes apparent that we are unlikely to accomplish all we hope unless we split up at some point. Simon becomes momentarily disoriented and turns the wrong way onto a one-way street. He quickly turns around, but a policewoman calls him over to the rickety roadside police stand, where he and Rose negotiate for a few minutes. The police want to fine him $100,000 UGS but, of course, if he doesn't require a receipt, they will let him off for 10,000 UGS. I pay the bribe and we're off again.

A truck is ticketed for illegal parking

Constable boards the truck, presumably to accept payment.

Victoria & Sue are dropped at a bank, Carly & Richard go to an electronics place to purchase a printer, and Rose and I re-visit the pharmacy.  The pharmacist remembers us from previous visits, and is very friendly.  Carly catches up with us and we venture off to do a bit of street photography.  We are greeted by a fellow who proudly shows us an airline-size bottle of liquor which smells like very strong gin, sits himself down & happily guzzles the contents.

Watching the traffic, I am amazed at how all the vehicles fight for every scrap of real estate, and motorcycles weave in between cars with less than an inch to spare.  Watching the chaos, I would not be surprised to see a collision every 15 minutes, but magically that rarely seems to happen.

There is an older gent with a shoe-shine stand right outside the pharmacy.  I hire him to wash my flip-flops, and he does a very good job.  We finally have our chores completed (with the exception of the grocery run), and are all tired & hungry.  We treat ourselves to dinner at the Speke Hotel, a very upscale establishment which would not look at all out of place in Toronto or Chicago.  Sue has a steak which is quite good and Carly & I share an Indian feast of goat curry, chicken spring roles, and a few other treats.

Nocturnal street venders in the city

On the way out of Kampala we are again stuck in standstill traffic for a good half hour before finally making progress once more.  Sue estimates that, of the 11 hours on this trip, we probably spent 3 or 4 standing still in traffic jams.

Exhaused, we will have no problems sleeping tonight.