We got here despite rumours to the contrary,managing to con customs with70kg of rubbish including two ukuleles!
First impressions - a beautiful country with lots of superficial wealth a lot more poverty and a fair bit of real money.Very green,rains on and off,the rains are late this year ,or so some people say.
Kampala is completely barmy; random taxi drivers minibuses by the thousand,and awesomely awful roads,thin tarmac if any no shoulders and potholes that could be explored by any one with a head lamp and breathing gear,amongst this speed bumps that would put Everest to shame. Driving is hairy to say the least,taxis(mutatus) fly all over the place as the private drivers try to avoid serious collisions,lorries sort of clamber over the bumps whilst their passengers cling to the piles of tat on the top. Occasionally a policeman contributes to it as they do anywhere with the difference that in Kampala they strategically add to the chaos by directing drivers into the gaps in the traffic! The final nail in the coffin is the boda boda or motorcycle taxi which you ride at your pertil the wrong way up one way streets and lanes pass on the inside, outside over the top and carry anything from the family to a nile perch ,which is a very big fish indeed!or indeeed a three foot circular saw!There is no road rage the Matatu conductors lean out of their windows and fend people off,noone gets cross its not bad or inconsiderate driving its just what you do.
Most of the vehicles are several years old exported test failures from Japan so Toyota and Suzuki predominate,they would universally fail an MOT,so stopping can be interesting,
As Kampal has about 2.8 million people in a space the size of Plymouth you get the picture.Hotels are appearing all over the place and roads are getting mended, as the Queen is here in November,local feeling is not a lot will change. Life here is certainly exciting but I dont think I will drive in Kampala!
Sorry about the phone call Ed and Al,J put phone numbers in phone but wrong so was a bit iffy about the lack of repliesto her texts.
No pics yet as havent quite worked out how to do it here.
3 comments:
Glad you got there ok. Hope you are both well?
I can't believe you've landed yourselves with a posh house!! all this talk about living it rough in an African country! You jammy things you!
Hi guys, glas to hear you are there safe and well so long as you stay away from those matutus. We have heard from France and by the end of the week we will have a roof, unclear which week. Keep the news coming its great.
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