Sunday 22nd March
There was a long delay half way through our flight from
Manchester. We were meant to land at Doha to change planes for Entebbe but
there were aircraft stacking up as a violent thunder storm had earlier caused
the abandonment of four unsuccessful landings. However we diverted to Bahrain
where we sat on the tarmac, so to speak, for a couple of hours. Eventually we
took off for an hour’s flight back to Doha where we took a long-delayed flight
to Entebbe. We arrived at 1800, instead of the planned 13.35.
Fran drove us to Kampala through the heavy Sunday evening
traffic which was apparently mainly leaving the beaches at Lake Victoria. It
was frequently stop-start.
I have never experienced driving like they do here; cars,
mini-buses and boda-boda (taxi) motorbikes constantly barging in on both sides.
The only rule appeared to be “keep left”. Many vehicles were driven without
lights in the dark, no idea why. People, including young children, seem to walk
for miles at the side of the road. “Shanty” shops were in evidence at the
roadside for most of the journey.
Fran’s driving amazed me, she negotiated what appeared to be a
major road junction where there were no marked priorities or traffic lights. It
really was every man (and woman) for themselves. We had to drop off Zoe, who travelled from the UK with us, in a
different part of Kampala. The whole journey took us 3 hours to cover about 33
miles.
John and Sophie gave us a welcome meal on arrival at his house
in Ntinda and after a much needed shower I turned in about 22.30.
Monday 23rd
After a good night’s sleep both Tim and I awoke at 9.00. There
had been a tremendous thunder storm during the night which put the power out;
it is the start of the rainy season. After breakfast Tim drove us over to the
house which Fran rents with Christine, a young American lady.
Some main roads here are reasonably surfaced, but others not so
good. However, side roads are another matter; just tracks which get very muddy
after rain. 4X4 vehicles are essential here. Fran’s house is a slow 10 minutes
up a track off the main road. It is not isolated as there are other dwellings
round about.
After my much needed 2 hour post-lunch nap at Fran’s she took
me to see Arios, a 37 year old widow who lives in a single room “house” with
her 5 children, one of whom appears to be autistic and cannot speak. Arios cooks outside on a basic stone fire in
the alley way, oblutions take place in a communal area outside the back. There
is a double bed, but some of the family have to sleep on the floor. One of the
children was doing some washing in a bowl outside the front door. Despite the
dreadful conditions Arios was so well dressed in clean clothes, amazing! The phrase “We don’t know we are born” springs to mind. One of
the more humbling experiences I have had here.Tuesday 24th
This morning we went to see the Wendy Mary Medical Clinic,
named after Wendy because of the financial support she gave to get it
established. They are working on extra buildings to expand the range of
services offered, but presently there is only a dentist’s clinic operating
there.
The next humbling experience I encountered was to visit an 80
year old woman who lives in a small house built behind the clinic by John’s
team. This lady had been relocated from a shanty town where she lived with her
grandchildren, two of whom Tim’s charity is helping to fund in education; Julius
is at St David’s College. What really moved me was the way in which this 80 year old bowed almost
prostrate as we arrived. This appeared to be in recognition of the help she and
her family had been given. There were some comfortable chairs which we used;
the only nod to modernity. She sat on the stone floor, weaving on her lap.
A fantastic evening meal in a Kampala restaurant rounded off
the day nicely. However the drive to and from was fraught with heavy traffic
again. Rush hour traffic leaving the city on the way in, but I’ve no idea why
so much at 21.00! I’ve realised one
reason traffic is so bad is because there are so few main routes through the
city, and no rat runs. We saw one unfortunate lady being knocked down crossing
the road in front of a motorcyclist, fortunately neither hurt. Slightly alarming!
More to come soon...
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