Just a Day Trip - in Uganda

Just a day trip - The life in a day in Uganda..

May 6, 2014

5:30 am came very early and was still pitch black outside when, rap rap rap on the door, "time to go". I hurriedly, jumped out of bed, dressed in my usual skirt and shirt, the attire for women in Uganda, flip flops (I now wish I had packed that second pair) and my protein bar and water, one trip to the latrine and off we go in the farm truck with Richard. This trip from the farm to Kampala is to finish up the shopping that was not completed due to the "Holiday". The AIDSpirit team was also leaving on their nice comfortable bus today to go to some meetings in Kampala and head to the airport. The drive for me and Richard was on good road and we made fairly good time and 5 hours later made it to the bank. We needed some bank statements, to deposit some patient fee money and also to withdraw some of the budget for medicines and supplies. This took about an hour although the line was not long. Next we traveled to joint medical stores to pick up mosquito nets, de worm, medications, some supplies like gloves, safety boxes and jik (the clinic staff needed and was doing without). I had agreed to bugying some children's antibiotics as well. I had a list of needs like mosquito nets, weighing scale and apron for the AIDSpirit sickle cell clinic and nurse also. Surprise of all surprises was the bill and the long list on the order that was an extra sneak, even though 1,000,000 shillings was paid for out of the clinic budget and I had the additonal for mosquito nets and small items was another 600,000 shillings and they would not let me turn any of it back once it was packed. This is a wholesale medical store and pharmacy. So, there it is and yes, will go to good use, but I feel a bit of a pushover! I paid the bills, then while waiting for the AIDSpirit order to be packed we went to our next stop, planning to come back and pick up the medicines and supplies later. Since one can get stuck in a jam for hours, time must be maximized as much as possible, so I am always pushing to accomplish something else while "waiting", the name of the game in uganda...waiting! Next stop was the Nice House of Plastic for the 1000 cups for the school outreach we do with hygiene sanitation, handwashing and clean water. It has been three years since we did an official outreach but have provided all the classrooms and teachers of the Katamarwa primary and secondary school with bio sand water filters and they are using them well! Denis, our trained bio sand technician, has kept them serviced and last maintained and checked them in January. We also will provide 10 more bio sand water filters to replace a couple of broken ones and provide more for the community. Denis and Geoffrey are in school in Jinja now so another young main being trained up by Richard has been trained for this project. I also needed to stop at the bookstore to buy some more books determined to be helpful to the primary girls sponsored and nursery school, so this was a trip to the "mall" and aristoc. Following we journeyed back to joint medical stores and parked the truck with 9 boxes, 1000 cups and two bags of books, soap and jik in the back and paid a security guard to watch it while Richard and I footed it to a taxi to take us deep downtown Kampala to the Nakasero market where all the action is! The streets shops are all crowded and bustling with noise and people and cars and trucks and bodas (motorcycles). We weave in and out on foot, Richard confident and telling me to "walk, not run" across the street, so I don't get hit and me praying I don;t get run over! Ha! It is actually quite fun. We came to the usual fabric shop spot to find it torn down! So, we ventured to another building and I settled in with a very nice lady and chose colorful fabric for the apron order the AIDSpirit team made and also more aprons for us to sell this summer at farmers market. Ranae sent me with a list and a package of goodies and patterns for Suzan, the tailor and the ladies! They are excited! A stop for poplin and off we go buried with bags of fabric! Our truck was safely watched, we deposited the fabric, and set off to see about meeting Charles to give the AIDSpirit supplies, when Angie called informing us they were still at 1000 cups and could we meet them. So off we went through the jam and made it in time to exchange books and teaching manuels they had for us and supplies and mosquito nets I had for them. It was great to see them off and ready to go to the airport. I was a bit sad however also to see my lovely good, fun and positive energy friends go! Especially, since now I wil be on my own in this amazing and vast country, with its difficulties and at times simple ease of living, manuevering as best I can with the Africans. It is at these times, I now realize....I will be living and moving through the country just like an African. Travelling on the public bus and footing it because of the cost etc, and with minimal food at times (which is good for me!). I relish it for now, remembering the days of ole...back in 2003, my first visit on my own. After another 5 hours, we made it to the farm at 11:30 pm. You would think my behind with all the extra padding would absorb the bumpy roads and potholes but it was so uncomfortable and I was so happy to stand up and walk. Poor Richard had to drive the whole day and amongst all that Kampala traffic and late into the night. He is amazing!

So, as you can see, "Just a day Trip" in Uganda is quite an adventure! I am in my element but first a day of catching up and rest. I relish being back in my tukle on the farm...peace and tranquility

Nadine