Life in Mbale isn’t difficult, especially when compared to other towns in Uganda. There are (small) hotels, restaurants (if you don’t mind waiting 2hrs), and supermarkets (picture a country general store…not Publix). But when school let out for a whole week, the teachers knew exactly what we wanted….a trip to the city!
Not having our own vehicle, Jennifer, Crystal and I got up at 6:30 am to catch the 7:00 am bus to Kampala. It turns out the 7:00 am actually left at 8:30 am – so we sat on the parked bus and watched as the town around us began to wake up. We were finally on our way and I was sitting next to a window which I opened for fresh air when I felt something crawling on my hand. I look down to find a baby roach making its way up my arm. Calmly I flick it to the ground and smash it with my sandal. I look over at my friend who shrugs her shoulders and offers some hand sanitizing gel.
Somewhere along the way our driver pulls over for a bathroom break. Only – there are no facilities….folks just get off the bus and do their business on the side of the road and then we load up. (I just held it.) Further down, it is almost time for lunch. The driver pulls over and our bus is immediately surrounded with men and women selling roasted beef and chicken on sticks. These are shoved in our windows as the sellers shout their prices. (I got out a granola bar from my backpack.)
Four hours after leaving Mbale, our bus reaches Kampala, our destination. Or at least I think this is it. Everyone else has disembarked, but technically, the bus hasn’t reached the bus park due to heavy traffic. After sitting on the empty bus for several minutes I go to the front and confirm with the driver that this is actually where we should get off. It is intimidating to leave our quiet bus because outside there is only mass confusion. Cars are everywhere going in every direction – there are no traffic lanes. Bicycles are weaving in and out of the parked traffic and car horns are constantly filling the air. Being three white girls – we attract attention right away and before I even step foot off the bus, a taxi driver has grabbed my bag and is leading me to his car. We haggle over the price, but soon we are on our way out of the confusing city center and toward our get-a-way guesthouse.
Whew! That’s just the first few hours of our trip – I need a break and will post more later.
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