Why do I always seem to run into tear gas when I need to use the toilet.....? Maybe that's just because I'm little miss weak bladder.
So today has been a roller-coaster of emotions already and Mugs hasn't even arrived! So I excitedly woke up at 5am this morning-I couldn't sleep as I was too excited about seeing Mugs for the first time in 4 months. I boarded the coster from Busaana to Kampala rucksack in hand and butterflies in the tummy. The butterflies soon turned to jelly as we approached the centre of Kampala and the tear gas. The taxi park was blocked off and our driver was driving round all the back streets trying to find a way to get into the taxi park to drop us off. The whole city was chaotic so we kept hitting more chaos, burning tyres, tear gas and people running from the police. This was far worse than my previous experience. We got dropped off on the main road and fprtunatly I was with my Ugandan room mate Maureen who knows Kampala well. Me (with my giant rucksack) and her attempted to walk to the other taxi park to continue our journey. Sadly everywhere we went was more of the same. Maureen was amazingly calm and collected guiding us to a quiet part of town. From there I found someone to take me to a street where the taxis going to Entebbe were-meaning I could avoid the taxi parks and get out of Kampala sharpish. Heading out of Kampala the cu\ity was ablaze. Roads were blocked with everything imaginable-trees, shops, dead animals, rocks, burning tyres. Our taxi sped past these, the sounds of gun shots and chaos all around. I was fortunate to have got out of the city by the sounds of it. Maureen called to say she was hiding in a strangers house as there were no taxis to her home. The image of Kampala was very familiar-it looked like the riots you see across the world on the news. I avoided the worst of the tear gas this time but still got an eyeful before leaving.
I arrived in Entebbe safely and felt incredibly relieved. I found a coffee shop and a TV showing the wedding. I'm not sure if it was the tear gas, homesickness or relivef but watching the wedding I was feeling a little teary. I relaxed there for a few hours with some nice Danish girls with a real coffee and a smoothie. Entebbe is a beautiful place on the banks of lake Victoria....I'll be keeping a close eye on the news to arrange travel for the next few days so don't worry I'll be staying well clear of the tear gas. Mugs arrives in just a few hours so I best go and shower and eat before he gets here!
I hope you are all enjoying wedding fever over there in the UK-made me proud to be British watching all the eccentrics in Hyde park! And what was Tara Palmer-Thompkinson's hat all about?!
Big love to you all
xxxxx
Friday, 29 April 2011
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Tear gas and that end of term feeling
So I blogged about my amusing bus journey to Jinja last week. From there I travelled to Hannah's placement (Namwewa) and then Emilie's placement (Bumanya). It was a long ol' journey but really worth it. Hannah's placement felt like a little holiday home. Her and her placement buddy Lastone were amazing hosts and I had a lovely time, going for a long walk in her village, visiting the home of one of her co-volunteers from the community and eating some tasty food. I wanted to stay for longer but alas I had work waiting for me. Then I went to Emilie's placement on the back of a bicycle. Emilie's house is pretty big and surrounded by chickens!! It was really nice to see her placement too and we had a little fashion show with our newly tailored outfits (photos to follow soon).
The journey home ended up being even more eventful....in Jinja taxi park I found tear gas (the stuff they use to disperse riots!). They use it everywhere here but for me it was my first experience of the lovely stuff! So I was on the taxi and kept hearing people saying "tear gas" followed by chat in Luganda. I assumed they were talking about Kampala so sat there blissfully unaware until everyone suddenly got out of the taxi. I got up to go but the conductor said "you sit" so I did and we sped off towards the taxi park. My initial thought was they're going to kidnap me in the taxi! Then we entered the taxi park and my eyes started stinging. People were running in all directions and I was trying to work out where the tear gas was coming from. Not knowing where was safe and where wasn't I jumped straight into a taxi which was going on to Kayunga (on my way home). Between taxis I got a proper taste of the tear gas. My eyes were watering and my nose was stinging-despite this there were the usual taxi conductors trying to help me to find my way-very sweet-and I found two men with bottles of water so I splashed my eyes to relieve them-which I was really grateful for. Sat on the taxi I was begining to wonder if it was safe to sit there.....but knew I would have to cross the main road to get to anywhere I knew so though sat in a metal box surrounded by people was safer than roaming the streets and getting lost. In these situations most people have a "fight or flight" reaction. For me it was fight flight or feed....I was hungry and knew that was making me feel worse so I bought some samosas from a man in the taxi park to calm the nerves!!! Fortunately the taxi filled up quickly so we left fairly quickly but not before we saw the military came in with their guns and sticks and bayonets! They looked pretty scary. In contrast the rioters were just young lads running around armed with water bottles and hankercheifs (to protect themselves from the tear gas). We sped out of the taxi park passing more exploding tear gas cannisters and crowds and military police and out of Jinja. I was never really in any danger (life in the taxi park was continuing half as normal-eg I could get samosas!) but still it was an experience I'd rather avoid in future. The protests (over high food and fuel prices) continue but I'll be trying to keep out of the way so don't worry about me.
In other news I went to church on Sunday (the first time in years I think!). I was invited by my friend in the trading centre. It is such a big part of life here I though how could I not try it at least once. It was a baptist church and I really enjoyed it. Can't say I'm converted but the singing and dancing and fancy outfits were the image of Africa I had before I came so it was really nice to see. I might go again but in the mean time have to keep defending and reasoning my atheism!
I'm spending Easter on an island in the Nile, swimming, playing frisbee and walking. Then have a few days back in Busaana before Mugs arrives and we start our wildlife adventure. Needless to say I'm super excited about that!
Life on placement has been fun. I've made lots of friends in the community including the health centre in charge and a 14 year old named Rebecca. There has been a definite end of term vibe so life has been more relaxed and cheerful.
That's all for now-I'll try and put up some photos soon (riots in Jinja permitting!).
Big love xxx
The journey home ended up being even more eventful....in Jinja taxi park I found tear gas (the stuff they use to disperse riots!). They use it everywhere here but for me it was my first experience of the lovely stuff! So I was on the taxi and kept hearing people saying "tear gas" followed by chat in Luganda. I assumed they were talking about Kampala so sat there blissfully unaware until everyone suddenly got out of the taxi. I got up to go but the conductor said "you sit" so I did and we sped off towards the taxi park. My initial thought was they're going to kidnap me in the taxi! Then we entered the taxi park and my eyes started stinging. People were running in all directions and I was trying to work out where the tear gas was coming from. Not knowing where was safe and where wasn't I jumped straight into a taxi which was going on to Kayunga (on my way home). Between taxis I got a proper taste of the tear gas. My eyes were watering and my nose was stinging-despite this there were the usual taxi conductors trying to help me to find my way-very sweet-and I found two men with bottles of water so I splashed my eyes to relieve them-which I was really grateful for. Sat on the taxi I was begining to wonder if it was safe to sit there.....but knew I would have to cross the main road to get to anywhere I knew so though sat in a metal box surrounded by people was safer than roaming the streets and getting lost. In these situations most people have a "fight or flight" reaction. For me it was fight flight or feed....I was hungry and knew that was making me feel worse so I bought some samosas from a man in the taxi park to calm the nerves!!! Fortunately the taxi filled up quickly so we left fairly quickly but not before we saw the military came in with their guns and sticks and bayonets! They looked pretty scary. In contrast the rioters were just young lads running around armed with water bottles and hankercheifs (to protect themselves from the tear gas). We sped out of the taxi park passing more exploding tear gas cannisters and crowds and military police and out of Jinja. I was never really in any danger (life in the taxi park was continuing half as normal-eg I could get samosas!) but still it was an experience I'd rather avoid in future. The protests (over high food and fuel prices) continue but I'll be trying to keep out of the way so don't worry about me.
In other news I went to church on Sunday (the first time in years I think!). I was invited by my friend in the trading centre. It is such a big part of life here I though how could I not try it at least once. It was a baptist church and I really enjoyed it. Can't say I'm converted but the singing and dancing and fancy outfits were the image of Africa I had before I came so it was really nice to see. I might go again but in the mean time have to keep defending and reasoning my atheism!
I'm spending Easter on an island in the Nile, swimming, playing frisbee and walking. Then have a few days back in Busaana before Mugs arrives and we start our wildlife adventure. Needless to say I'm super excited about that!
Life on placement has been fun. I've made lots of friends in the community including the health centre in charge and a 14 year old named Rebecca. There has been a definite end of term vibe so life has been more relaxed and cheerful.
That's all for now-I'll try and put up some photos soon (riots in Jinja permitting!).
Big love xxx
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
On the buses: Uganda
Hi all,
I'm just passing through Jinja but thought I'd pop a little post here about my journey....
This morning I left placement at around 6.30am to get on my coster (cross between a bus and a mini bus) which leave from the road near my house to Jinja each morning. You know it's leaving as you hear the conductors shouts "Nile o Jinja Jinja Nile" followed by horn hooting etc! So along I go and there is Mr Yellow. Mr Yellow is one of the boda boda drivers (motorcycle taxi). He likes yellow-in fact I don't think I have ever seen him not wearing yellow. He had yellow trainers (ala Olly Carr) and is in some form of yellow t-shirt/tracksuit top. His motorcycle is also mostly yellow-I guess in terms of road safety yellow is supposed to be good? Judging by the scars on his face though I don't think the roads have been kind to him. Just another reason not to use the boda bodas-even though in some circumstances, for example when you've been sat on the back of a bicycle for an hour, with a 5 ft 2" man huffing and puffing and moaning while getting gently sprayed by the sweat flooding from his face followed by shouts of "mzungu you are too heavy", it is tempting to use the boda bodas. It takes some serious determination to convince people you don't want to go on a boda boda! However I am very proud of my boda virginity and want to keep it!
So back to Mr Yellow and this morning. I was greeted as always with "American lady" . It's got a bit late now to try and tell him I'm not actually American but English but hey ho. He helps the coster driver to shout for business so after greeting me and seeing me get on he then uses me as advertisment for the coster. Not quite shure what he was shouting-my Luganda isn't quite up to scratch yet, but the bus erupted in laughter and then lots of people began staring at me. There were lots more shouts including the words "muzungu" and "dollar" again not sure what he was saying but it seemed in good humour. The coster was full so it was time to leave....no wait not quite full- room for an old man, his chicken (still alive and tied up by the ankles), about 20 more kids, a matress....the list goes on. More and more people and bags and animals began piling in. In the seat in front of me was a lady and about 5 kids (too many to count). The all of a sudden I heard a cockerel cry and realised she had her chicken with he too. The something dripped on my foot-who knows if it was child dribble, baby wee or chicken excrement.....I don't think any is particularly better than any of the other!
So now it was time to leave (I'd already been on the coster around 45 mins by this time but if you get there too late you get one of the "seats" that fold out in the aisles where you spend the whole journey at an un-natural angle wondering if the seat will make it to Jinja with you. In order to start the coster the conductor (who I will come to in a moment) has to roll the coster forwards to enable the engine to be started. After a few tries the engine fires into action, the smell of burning fuel is delightful in the morning. Then it cut out. We try again and the engine this time sounds back to it's old self-chuggy but steady and off we go. Along the way we stop to pick up more people, sacks of rice-anything goes. I'm pretty sure if you waved it down with a wardrobe they'd find a way to accomodate you-in Uganda there is always a way.
So the conductor..... this morning he was looking particularly fetching with a lilac furry hat with ear flaps. I wish I'd taken a photo. The fashion here (which mostly consists of 2nd hand UK clothes) is truly breath-taking at times. This hat was clearly a women's (maybe even a childs) woolly hat-worn inside out. The ear flaps were neatly tied around the guys head with the label sticking out of the top. The fake fur was neat and clean....but I couldn't take him seriously! Other imported fashion include men wearing body warmers, bright pink and again clearly belonging to a women. "Hard men" wearing tin tin t-shirts and the other day I saw a man in the health centre with a toys r us employees shirt! Next time you take your clothes to the charity shop and wonder who will ever wear them-they are here.
We're making good progress on the journey (one advantage of the coster being full, there is no need to wave crazy hand signals out the windows to tout more business) until there is a clunking noise below. We stop and they realise the exhaust has fallen off. Mr lilac furry hat and the driver hop out to examine the problem. They find some rope (made of plant fibres) and within 5 mins we're back on our way-rather impressive really! Then we stop and the driver becomes the conductor and some new guy joins the team-the second driver. This one however is not used to the somehow dubious gearbox and frequently fails to find the gear, kangeroos up the hills almost stalling and crawls up other hills in clearly the wrong gear. He seemed scared to take it out of the gear for fear of not getting it back in again (probably true as each gear change resulted in an almighty crunch-I could just see my Dad's face cringe each time!).
Then as we get nearer Jinja, money changes hands, people fight over the prices and then some people get off at the first stop and from no where a giant suitcase appears through the window. There is a scramble for seats as we approach the police check point and the conductors tell everyone to sit down. I ended up with an 8 year old boy sat on my lap and we crossed the Nile into Jinja.
The place I usually get off at came and the conductor remembered offering to stop-nice personal service, but this time I was heading into town. I climbed over people seats, chickens etc and arrived safely at my destination.
Next I'm off to Kaliro district to visit Hannah and Emilie in their placements (but I stopped for a break in Jinja after the excitement of the first journey)!
This week has been good-I feel really settled, me and Maureen have bonded so have nice chats and we have our evening ritual of dedicating songs to one another on 94.8 FM for Kampala-there is a really nice atmosphere in the house.
That's all I've got time for today.
Hope all is well back home,
Ness
x
I'm just passing through Jinja but thought I'd pop a little post here about my journey....
This morning I left placement at around 6.30am to get on my coster (cross between a bus and a mini bus) which leave from the road near my house to Jinja each morning. You know it's leaving as you hear the conductors shouts "Nile o Jinja Jinja Nile" followed by horn hooting etc! So along I go and there is Mr Yellow. Mr Yellow is one of the boda boda drivers (motorcycle taxi). He likes yellow-in fact I don't think I have ever seen him not wearing yellow. He had yellow trainers (ala Olly Carr) and is in some form of yellow t-shirt/tracksuit top. His motorcycle is also mostly yellow-I guess in terms of road safety yellow is supposed to be good? Judging by the scars on his face though I don't think the roads have been kind to him. Just another reason not to use the boda bodas-even though in some circumstances, for example when you've been sat on the back of a bicycle for an hour, with a 5 ft 2" man huffing and puffing and moaning while getting gently sprayed by the sweat flooding from his face followed by shouts of "mzungu you are too heavy", it is tempting to use the boda bodas. It takes some serious determination to convince people you don't want to go on a boda boda! However I am very proud of my boda virginity and want to keep it!
So back to Mr Yellow and this morning. I was greeted as always with "American lady" . It's got a bit late now to try and tell him I'm not actually American but English but hey ho. He helps the coster driver to shout for business so after greeting me and seeing me get on he then uses me as advertisment for the coster. Not quite shure what he was shouting-my Luganda isn't quite up to scratch yet, but the bus erupted in laughter and then lots of people began staring at me. There were lots more shouts including the words "muzungu" and "dollar" again not sure what he was saying but it seemed in good humour. The coster was full so it was time to leave....no wait not quite full- room for an old man, his chicken (still alive and tied up by the ankles), about 20 more kids, a matress....the list goes on. More and more people and bags and animals began piling in. In the seat in front of me was a lady and about 5 kids (too many to count). The all of a sudden I heard a cockerel cry and realised she had her chicken with he too. The something dripped on my foot-who knows if it was child dribble, baby wee or chicken excrement.....I don't think any is particularly better than any of the other!
So now it was time to leave (I'd already been on the coster around 45 mins by this time but if you get there too late you get one of the "seats" that fold out in the aisles where you spend the whole journey at an un-natural angle wondering if the seat will make it to Jinja with you. In order to start the coster the conductor (who I will come to in a moment) has to roll the coster forwards to enable the engine to be started. After a few tries the engine fires into action, the smell of burning fuel is delightful in the morning. Then it cut out. We try again and the engine this time sounds back to it's old self-chuggy but steady and off we go. Along the way we stop to pick up more people, sacks of rice-anything goes. I'm pretty sure if you waved it down with a wardrobe they'd find a way to accomodate you-in Uganda there is always a way.
So the conductor..... this morning he was looking particularly fetching with a lilac furry hat with ear flaps. I wish I'd taken a photo. The fashion here (which mostly consists of 2nd hand UK clothes) is truly breath-taking at times. This hat was clearly a women's (maybe even a childs) woolly hat-worn inside out. The ear flaps were neatly tied around the guys head with the label sticking out of the top. The fake fur was neat and clean....but I couldn't take him seriously! Other imported fashion include men wearing body warmers, bright pink and again clearly belonging to a women. "Hard men" wearing tin tin t-shirts and the other day I saw a man in the health centre with a toys r us employees shirt! Next time you take your clothes to the charity shop and wonder who will ever wear them-they are here.
We're making good progress on the journey (one advantage of the coster being full, there is no need to wave crazy hand signals out the windows to tout more business) until there is a clunking noise below. We stop and they realise the exhaust has fallen off. Mr lilac furry hat and the driver hop out to examine the problem. They find some rope (made of plant fibres) and within 5 mins we're back on our way-rather impressive really! Then we stop and the driver becomes the conductor and some new guy joins the team-the second driver. This one however is not used to the somehow dubious gearbox and frequently fails to find the gear, kangeroos up the hills almost stalling and crawls up other hills in clearly the wrong gear. He seemed scared to take it out of the gear for fear of not getting it back in again (probably true as each gear change resulted in an almighty crunch-I could just see my Dad's face cringe each time!).
Then as we get nearer Jinja, money changes hands, people fight over the prices and then some people get off at the first stop and from no where a giant suitcase appears through the window. There is a scramble for seats as we approach the police check point and the conductors tell everyone to sit down. I ended up with an 8 year old boy sat on my lap and we crossed the Nile into Jinja.
The place I usually get off at came and the conductor remembered offering to stop-nice personal service, but this time I was heading into town. I climbed over people seats, chickens etc and arrived safely at my destination.
Next I'm off to Kaliro district to visit Hannah and Emilie in their placements (but I stopped for a break in Jinja after the excitement of the first journey)!
This week has been good-I feel really settled, me and Maureen have bonded so have nice chats and we have our evening ritual of dedicating songs to one another on 94.8 FM for Kampala-there is a really nice atmosphere in the house.
That's all I've got time for today.
Hope all is well back home,
Ness
x
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