Kampala to Iganga the treacherous way

After a good night's sleep we are both looking forward to breakfast, and bearing in mind this is a $150 a night hotel, have high hopes.

What a mistake that was! We enter the restaurant to be greeted by the usual metal tins containing stewed greens, baked beans that have been reheated so many times they are now dark brown and an assortment of unmentionable, inedible offerings.

I therefore settle for a coffee and a banana, Martin goes for some tea and a boiled egg. The coffee has a terrible burnt taste and the yolk of Martins egg is grey. We leave both. Terrible! In the meantime there is a TV blaring out some poorly dubbed African soap, and the guy on the next table is treating the place like his personal office – he has three mobile phones, one for each network as is common over here, and they are constantly ringing. Each phone has the Nokia ring tone and they are going off every 30 seconds.Very irritating.

We have organised a late check out as Martin has a few people to meet, so I have a leisurely morning doing not very much at all which is really quite nice.

We leave at 2.00 filling our bikes at the petrol station opposite the hotel before joining the road to Jinja, AKA the road from hell. The traffic is absolutely solid making it impossible for us to slip through the gaps, so we are resigned to crawling along for the first few miles behind barely moving trucks that engulf us in thick black smoke from their worn out engines every time they shunt forward. Really there is no way to describe how hellish these roads can be. You have no idea unless you have seen them. They take every ounce of our concentration and the key is to remember you have plenty of time and if in doubt,,,don't! there is normally a surprise around every corner so caution is key.

Eventually we clear Kampala and the traffic lightens, although the road is abysmal with potholes, patches and a greasy surface made even more slippery by the recent rain. Nevertheless, we make good progress and reach Jinja within the two hours we had estimated it would take to reach Kakira. The bikes are sure-footed and planted and they continue to amaze us. 

We overshoot to the entrance to the sugar plantation where we are due to visit the Tumaine children’s home. We arrive after a quick back-track and have about one hour to see the kids after they are home from school before we have to set off for Iganga and find the hotel before dark. We have a brief but intense time with the kids. Some of them Martin has got to know over quite a few previous visits. He writes… It was so great to see the young people and children again. They are all in good health and were full of news. Big hugs all round with the ones we have got to know well over the years. Much singing and dancing and some good chat and prayer with the older ones some of whom graduate from secondary school this year, futures uncertain. Pastor Nicholas was very gracious and understanding about the necessary brevity of out visit. We get away on time and ride east to Iganga arriving at dusk. 

 

 Obvious once you see it!

Martin had been told to look out for a hotel with animals painted on the walls. Paul Kabunga could not remember the name as the hotel is new. It is our only chance of a comfortable night. After much searching we were none the wiser, not an animal in sight. We stopped at a couple of petrol pumps and the guys knew the place and gave us directions….yes…directions which turned out to be…RIGHT! As darkness fell we were welcomed into the bosom of the Hotel Continental (no similarities possible!). It turns out to be full of keen people and good clean rooms. It has only been open a month. We decide to stay 3 nights and avoid the complexities of staying over with Pastor Paul. He is happy with that. And so are we.

We had a good supper and had some good banter with our waiter and all round boy-Friday Bennett. He has been giving it his all. We also met with the chef Gideon who had cooked a delicious vegetable curry. Best night’s sleep for a long time. Possibly because we have had separate rooms and certainly for Martin the lack of Paul’s snoring was bliss. That said, I’m sure he is grateful for the respite from my continual farting! (not sure about continual. This is high fibre territory at the best of times!)

 Bennett and Gideon

 

Might need to spell check the menu?!

We had a leisurely breakfast consisting of poached eggs cooked like bullets and a decidedly dodgy sausage but the pineapple and banana was good! We were able to sit in the right place to see both of the TV’s that were blasting out different programmes at the same time which meant we did not have to make conversation. One of us watched a dubbed Spanish soap and the other watched Tahiti vs Nigeria (6-1 Nigeria in case you were interested).

Martin realised that despite much clandestine pant washing almost all his clothes were filthy and covered in red mud from the journey so they have ‘picked’ his washing at the hotel. BTW 12 items of beautifully washed and ironed clothes cost 15,00 UGS  which is £4. Try that pricingstrategy at the launderette! 

Pastor Paul picked us up at around 10.00 and we went to visit his offices, meet his team and then head out to one of the St James supported communities. Poverty levels were clearly very high and we visited the home of a woman who was caring for 4 children, a fairly uninspired husband and some crops. Her main income generating activity was making mud bricks. 

 

 Brick making...no easy task. Let alone for women

Washing drying at the home we visited...seriously!

 

 Some of he intrepid women we met in Iganga

She was very impressive as she was winning against the odds in every way.  Believe it or not thanks to the local church training and equipping her for this business her lot has dramatically improved. The people we met were so positive about their future which is exactly what the ministry of the local church is about. Bringing genuine hope and practical support. 

 

 Women meeting us at the little church building

 

 Welcome committee!

  

Some children in the village

  

We took lunch at the Continental Hotel with Pastor Paul and some of his team where most of the menu was ‘not there’ or ‘out of stock’ but Bennett did his best to keep us fed with something.

We took a stroll into ‘downtown Iganga’ during the early evening and Paul carried out his ongoing threat to sample some street food. The two Mandazi he bought for 2p were  duly purchased much to the hilarity of the stall-holder women and then after one mouthful were passed on to someone who was asking us for money. At least he had a go!

 

 Street foodie!

Martin did manage to get about 10 of the stall holder ladies to crack up completely.  As he passed by he looked over his shoulder at them and then executed a perfect Norman Wisdom trip! There was an explosion of laughter at the ridiculous Muzungu! The people in town were so friendly and fun and we will return tomorrow to get fresh fruit, avocado and tomato to bring to Pastor Paul’s for supper. 
 

 

 We will be back tomorrow to buy

 

Pastor Paul could not resist!

It is interesting to note that there is such a fine line between being in the midst of the authentic culture of Africa and being shielded from it whether that be by a motorbike, a pastor or a hotel gate. There is no substitute for just stopping and getting out there to sample it all.

Here are some great scenes from our down-town stroll:

 

  

 

We rest for the remainder of the afternoon, taking the opportunity to review the blog and read the comments left by our friends and family.

Final day of ‘veeeseets’ tomorrow and a soiree at Pastor Paul’s.