Yet another Fort Portal power cut on the morning of my departure for Lake Bunyonyi means a hot shower is not forthcoming plus I have to complete my packing in the light from my headtorch. We have been told to be at the bus office for 5:40AM, though the bus doesn't show until nearly an hour later and we don't depart Fort Portal until a further thirty minutes after that. The bus isn't completely full and in fact only one other passenger joins Sonja and I in the five seats at the very back. We learn that Ugandan speedbumps are extremely [View Full Entry]

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I leave Kampala in a torrential downpour on a bus that, despite having a supposedly fixed departure time, waits around until it is full. The first two hours have competing attractions. A well-dressed salesman somehow spends this entire period giving a pitch for various Chinese medicines. Unlike in the UK or US where he would be ignored - and quite possibly requested to shut up - by all passengers, here most are actually paying attention and he makes a few sales. The competition is the series of amusingly amateurish music videos playing on the bus's lone TV. The nadir is reached [View Full Entry]

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South of Fort Portal lies a region of crater lakes formed in the distant past. It's supposedly a pleasant area to hang out in hence - since I'm all about hanging out - it has some appeal. As I am breakfasting in Fort Portal I meet a pair of young Aussies who are doing a Cape Town to Cairo trip. They are heading to my own intended destination, Lake Nkuruba, so we agree to share transport there. Our accommodation choice is, of course, the sole offering from the WLP. I'd stumbled across some forum threads stating that a rival camp next [View Full Entry]

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Hi again, sorry for the delay but have had no access to a computer for past few days. Will try and update now. Thanks again for the messages, it is so nice to have so much encouragement. The day after the staff training Fiona and I returned to Samaritans Purse and travelled with Susan to the bible ministry, one of her staff was at a local village church teaching Pastors how to tell bible stories and relate to their congregations, as they have very little training. We then drove bush for a while, and up a narrow dirt road to the [View Full Entry]

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We arrived back to Acholi Inn on Friday, and were warmly greeted by all the staff members, waiters, chef - it felt like we were returning to long lost friends. Our mate Carl Gaede from Wototo came to meet us and the three of us hired a car and driver to visit Wototo childrens home. For $40US dollars we got to ride in a clapped out car, with no window windows or air cond, or suspension. One of doors nailed shut! I have to say it was one very uncomfortable trip and Fi and I felt every pothole , our backs [View Full Entry]

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On Friday, we sadly farewelled Gulu. Got a lift to the local airstrip, no terminal no office just an outdoor table and chairs and a bloke that carried our bags out to the 'airstrip'. Fiona and I started to feel just a little nervous about the small Eagle air plane, which finally arrived an hour late. The flight went well, and it was beautiful flying over Northern Uganda which such an amazing view of all the mud huts and compounds, lovely green landscape and red dirt. Georgia very much in my mind as she turned 16 today, and was spending it [View Full Entry]

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As per standard operating procedure for bus companies in Kenya, I'm told to report to the office half an hour before departure. I'm staggered to arrive at this time and find that I am the last passenger to check in and, once my backpack is stowed and I'm on board, we depart 20 minutes early. Is this Africa? The bus or the driver or the road or possibly some combination of all three are not that great, and every bump sees me having to hang on to the armrest to avoid heading skyward. However the bus is also not even half [View Full Entry]

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Wow, I apologize for taking so long to update this thing. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for four months. Time has really flown by! I’ll have to do several blogs to catch up on everything that has happened. I have successfully finished my first term at the high school. As far as I can tell, the students enjoy my teaching and seem to understand me pretty well. This first term was really kind of a trial run. I hadn’t a clue what I was doing or what to expect. So hopefully next term I will be a bit more [View Full Entry]

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I have to tell you about the church service we attended on Sunday. There are hundreds of churches in the area, and EVERYBODY goes to church often for the whole day. We chose to go to Wototo Church as some of our new friends went there. I couldnt believe it, as we walked up the path I could hear very loud worship, and I recognised the songs - They were singing Hillsong songs, which some of you may know, were written and recorded by Sydney people with the Hillsong church. They absolutely worship with abandon and joy, and it was nice [View Full Entry]

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Hello to all our friends and family I am in the middle of a break of staff training, and had a quick loan of the computer at Samiritans Purse. The training on parenting is going well, and the participants are such joyful learners. I just wanted to let you know that we are getting your messages, have recieved yours thanks Dad. Abbey you are a naughty girl, and Sam thanks for the beautiful verse. Happy Mothers Day to you Mums out there, and I will try and borrow the computer again tomorrow. Liz, they are in the middle of the creative [View Full Entry]

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