<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –> I never really experienced the rainy season in Kampala before I left. I suspect I will when I return for a few days at the end of November. Although for a few days, the skies just suddenly opened up and poured. And I really mean Pour, with a capital P. Without any notice, buckets can fall from the cloudy skies for half an hour and then just as […]
<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –> The other public transport we use are boda bodas, motorcycles which zoom around the city at all times making “bodabodabodaboda” sounds. Probably the most lethal form of transportation ever invented, especially in rush hour – you have not experienced Kampala without riding on a boda in rush hour, weaving in and out of cars with your legs just barely brushing the huge matatus. Prized for its flexibility and […]
<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –> Speeding around Kampala (and indeed the whole country, or maybe even the continent. At least I see them in Rwanda and Tanzania (called dala dalas) also) with little regard of traffic rules and human safety, are the mini-buses called matatus or taxis. Goes to most places in the city for a cheap price (less than 50 cents), they are officially public transport. The one we usually take back […]
<!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –> As I was getting out of the car, I bumped my head (as usual…). “Sorry! Sorry!” said Moses, the driver, while patting my head. The sorries here seem more for sympathizing than apologizing. They are ubiquous: when you drop something, when you slip on the road, when you fall while hiking… Usually, my reply would be “it’s ok, it’s not your fault.” What else can I say? (sorry […]
Living expenses in Kampala in Ugandan Shillings exchange rate: about 1 USD to 2050 Ugandan Shillings by the way, there is no way anybody is willing to exchange Canadian dollars here… rent in bwaise: 20,000 per month school fees (public): 60,000 to 80,000 per term (3 months, 3 terms per year) renting a boda boda: 10,000 per day, 70,000 per week renting a private hire taxi: 30,000 (old) to 60,000/70,000 (new) minimum wage: 60,000 per month, 2000 per day sex […]
<!– @page { size: 21.59cm 27.94cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } –> Gunshots. Buring tyres. Angry mobs. Riots have been consuming Kampala for the last three days. It was surreal to go through town on our school bus and see people pointing and shouting at us in such an unfriendly way. When one classmate took out her camera, the crowd on the opposite side of the road got aggitated. Our teacher immediately shouted, with a new note […]
<!– @page { size: 21.59cm 27.94cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } –> The Ugandan sorry Public transport: Matatus Public transport: Boda Boda Kampala pours (rain): banana leaves, plastic bags Electricity outages The Ugandan what Our daily food The hostel The mosquito nets The cold showers The Ugandan speech The fruits The Mzungus The taxi park “Cheena” The permanent African “tan” The malaria medicine: Lariam The lessons The roads African dancing crafts market Religion Atheist Rafting the Nile […]
