Well I have arrived safely in Kampala, Uganda, after an hour or so plus delay leaving Addis. Other than the delay and showing up at the wrong terminal to check in (the driver assumed I'd be flying 'international' and I assumed flying out of Ethiopia counted as international as well - Africa, after all, is not 1 country). It wasn't a big deal as I was early and again in the end, the flight was late. As in Canada and many other parts of the world, everything at the airport is ridiculously overpriced. I had some Ethiopian Birr left so I enjoyed a last macchiato before my flight.
Anyway, I arrived in Entebbe, a city about 32km from Kampala and was greeted by a young driver, dressed in a smart hugo boss suit. The stature of Ugandans, compared to the generally smaller Ethiopians, is what I noticed first. Then I noticed all the police by the side of the road, wearing white uniforms so easy to see. Then I noticed them pulling us over - for speeding it turns out (they claimed to have clocked the speed with a radar gun I never saw, but it's possible - note, I have since seen a radar gun). It turns out, it took a bribe to get out of the situation - no ticket was ever issued despite us being right next to the police station. I wasn't sure what the protocol was in this situation. I did not pay the bribe, I stayed in the car. I had only about $2 worth of Ugandan Shillings on me anyway. The young driver had to get a money transfer via SMS to pay them off. I have since learned this is both common and uncommon. The bribe is significantly cheaper than ticket but the Country Manger here swears she would never pay a bribe and insist on an official ticket. Hard to know what approach to take.
There are lots of businesses here that are the same brand as in South Africa - MTN mobile network, Spur restaurant, Stoney's Ginger Beer, Standard Bank. There is also a lot more upbeat music and dancing than in Ethiopia. Uganda reminds me a great deal of Ghana actually - the trees bearing tropical fruit, the dirty/dusty roads, the heat, the landscape. I saw a family of baboons again but still not fast enough with the camera. The land in Uganda is quite fertile and there is a mixture of prosperity and poverty that is quite evident - especially in Kampala, the capital city.
Oy, I called this quick first impressions. Okay there you go. The BEST part about Uganda (a country whose anti-gay movement/laws are up there with Russia's - both are on my 'boycott' list of sorts) is the presence of Nissan 1400s - the make of mine and Tara's beloved Notorious BIG Le Roux.
Anyway, I arrived in Entebbe, a city about 32km from Kampala and was greeted by a young driver, dressed in a smart hugo boss suit. The stature of Ugandans, compared to the generally smaller Ethiopians, is what I noticed first. Then I noticed all the police by the side of the road, wearing white uniforms so easy to see. Then I noticed them pulling us over - for speeding it turns out (they claimed to have clocked the speed with a radar gun I never saw, but it's possible - note, I have since seen a radar gun). It turns out, it took a bribe to get out of the situation - no ticket was ever issued despite us being right next to the police station. I wasn't sure what the protocol was in this situation. I did not pay the bribe, I stayed in the car. I had only about $2 worth of Ugandan Shillings on me anyway. The young driver had to get a money transfer via SMS to pay them off. I have since learned this is both common and uncommon. The bribe is significantly cheaper than ticket but the Country Manger here swears she would never pay a bribe and insist on an official ticket. Hard to know what approach to take.
There are lots of businesses here that are the same brand as in South Africa - MTN mobile network, Spur restaurant, Stoney's Ginger Beer, Standard Bank. There is also a lot more upbeat music and dancing than in Ethiopia. Uganda reminds me a great deal of Ghana actually - the trees bearing tropical fruit, the dirty/dusty roads, the heat, the landscape. I saw a family of baboons again but still not fast enough with the camera. The land in Uganda is quite fertile and there is a mixture of prosperity and poverty that is quite evident - especially in Kampala, the capital city.
Oy, I called this quick first impressions. Okay there you go. The BEST part about Uganda (a country whose anti-gay movement/laws are up there with Russia's - both are on my 'boycott' list of sorts) is the presence of Nissan 1400s - the make of mine and Tara's beloved Notorious BIG Le Roux.
Notorious look-a-like
Lira Town
Mandatory Dancing
A very very very warm welcome
Farming group in a field of early stage sunflower - grown as a cash crop for oil
Sorry I couldn't reorganize the photos. Also, the reporter that came along on the field visit took my camera to take photos for me...so I'm in A LOT of them. This will not be good for CPAR fundraising but I guess is good for my memory.
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