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First Ugandan friend!
And we hadn't left Europe! My 5 year old daughter Luna and I spent a month in Uganda. We had the
most wonderful experience, I’d like to share a few of these experiences
with you:
1 Luna was delighted with our first days, as while I washed clothes
outside in a bath tub, she found a three legged cat and a pig sleeping
outside our room. A few monkeys on the roof and a goat which had been
bought for a wedding but as it had too much personality everyone wanted
the goat to stay alive.
2 We took a matatu (shared taxi) through tea plantations and papyrus
to arrive in a town called Jinja where we then walked to the Nile in
order to take a boat to its source where on an island we saw a monitor
lizard. On shore we took a boda boda (motorbike taxi) to Bujagali Falls
(adrenaline capital of East Africa.)
3 Worked in a nursery for a day then spent the rest of the day with
the director bashing out ideas on how to improve the nursery. This was
quite a challenge.
4 Luna’s main ambition was to see a giraffe. At first we were told you
had to be ten to go on Safari but she quickly charmed all the staff in
the complex and thankfully we saw giraffes, I saw my elephants! We also
saw Ugandan Kobs, many other deer, lions, hyenas (a rare sighting),
baboons, crocodiles, some incredible birds and hundreds of hippos (Luna
now speaks hippo, much to the guides amusement) Our campsite was full
of warthogs and maribu storks which delighted Luna. We concluded our
trip with a walk to Murchison Falls, the world’s most powerful falls.
5 Set off on Holy Saturday to Mpigi, the town were Tom Wankwasi, who
you’ll remember was our guest last month, lives. Everyone travels back
to their villages on this day and the matatus are very full .It didn’t
help, having to break our journey in order to buy a dress for me as I
had received a last minute message saying trousers were forbidden in
their church. I also noted that buying live poultry was the order
We're in Africa!!!!
Our huge delay in Nairobi but at this point we were both soooo excited we were in Africa! of
the day so before we went to meet Mma (Tom’s mother), I thought buying
a cake and a cockerel (more expensive then hens) would stand us in good
stead. I was right. Everyone was very happy when we arrived holding the
cockerel, whose legs had been tied up with a straw. (an easier job then
might seem once they stop fighting you.) He was eaten the next day.
6 Easter Day: Since we arrived in Mpigi, there hadn’t been any
electricity and the tropical rain was making it even darker when the
alarm went off at 0530. The service was at 0700 and I was unsure where
the church was. When we entered the church (that Father Robert is
developing links with), it was relatively empty and as the rain slowed,
I turned round to see every pew packed. Unfortunately our Lugandan let
us down but the intonation of the priest’s voice helped us follow the
service. Two hours later, we all emerged into the wonderful sunshine,
everyone looking so smart. Women mainly wearing Gomasi (traditional
dress) and men, suits.
7 Arriving at St John Leonard’s school, St Paul’s sister school, we
were greeted with great excitement by the children. Luna was in P1, the
class I taught the first morning. When I was called to eat my maize
porridge, I left Luna alone. All the children ran up to her to poke her
skin, stroke her hair. They’d never seen a Mzungo (European) child
before. Understandibly, Luna was in tears. But after the wobbly first
few days and the fight to sit next to her resolved, she has made some
incredible friendships. The school lacks so many materialistic things
which I hope we can help with, but they certainly don’t lack heart and
soul. Our time there was so wonderful, Luna was even happy sitting
exams. It would take us 20 minutes to walk to school and some 90
minutes to walk back as the children introduced us to their family and
friends. On very rainy days, the walk became much harder work as we
trudged through the mud. I’ve yet to work out how you arrive still
looking smart like the other teachers.
Entebbe
At las we are here, having crossed the Equator twice today! The day we left was the last day
of term. I had to give a speech with a three year old attached to my
hips (he wouldn’t let go). The children performed songs (how many 5
year olds can claim to have had a song composed for them) and
incredible dances.(I wish my body would move like that, had tried
earlier to the children’s great amusement). And the children gave us so
many homemade presents, baskets, bags, mats, fruit, sugarcane, cake and
eggs.
8 On probably the wettest day of our stay, we went to Mabamba Swamp
in search for the Shoebill in a dug out canoe. We were so wet and cold
but our patience was rewarded by the sight of this most incredible
bird. Our female shoebill was fishing which seems to require two hours
of concentration in order to catch that lugfish. She seemed almost
prehistoric but with a glint in her eye to match that knowing smile. We
were able to get very close indeed. Hannington, our guide, was so
knowledgeable, he pointed out some 25 varieties of birds
Our journey into Kampala!
We decided to treat ourselves to a taxi and it was a nightmare to get into town, as every road was blocked thanks to a visit from the South African president! which were not
many due to the rain. Uganda is an ornithologist dream destination.
9 A trip to the Equator was a must. We got off the matatu on a very
dusty stretch of road seemingly in the middle of nowhere then we saw
two big circles marking the line of the Equator. We had fun jumping
between two hemispheres, weighing less and then we paid a nominal fee
to see water spin three ways. Clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere,
anti-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and straight down on the
Equator.
10 Back in Kampala, we were taken on a tour of the slums under a
scorching sun which we realised was lucky as most of the slums are
impenetrable after a heavy rainfall to the point of destroying some of
the houses. The sanitation was non existent; many of the children were
orphaned due to AIDS. We met some wonderful families, bright children
who, through no fault of their own, were HIV positive. Most people
would despair at being in such a situation, we were amazed at how
welcomed
we were made and what wonderful optimistic smiles these
children had. And our guides, young men barely out of adolescence,
decided that something had to be done and formed AFFCAD (Action for
Fundamental Change and Development) to help the vulnerable people
living where they grew up. They seemed almost like guardian angels
rising out of the slums to help those in need.
11 We made some incredible friends. A special mention must be made to
Evelyn whom we both miss terribly. Not only was she wonderful to us but
she sells beautiful bags, clothes and jewellery for Kikati which is a
non-profit organisation run by an Australian woman to enable vulnerable
women to regain control of their lives and pay for their children’s
education.
12 We ended our trip staying with a friend who showed us a very
different side of Kampala, a world of incredible artists, musicians,
dancers, a varied international cuisine, shopping malls and a great
bookshop.
Ugandans are some of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met
with the most incredible smiles which will remain
forever in our
hearts.
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His Dudeness
Ralf Kreuze
Thanks for the blog
Hey there, finally managed to submit a comment, so here it goes. I guess I am the first one to comment on it. Nice photos and nice story. Now just keep it up :)