Uganda

Uganda is called The Pearl of Africa by some. I have been before but only as far as Entebbe and Kampala. This time my business was at Jinja, on the road between Kampala and Kenya, near the source of the Nile River.

We flew up on a Saturday, via Johannesburg as usual. The main flight takes 3 hours and 50 minutes. It was uneventful. We got to Entebbe just as the sun was setting. The airport is right on the lake (1st photo) and the pilot executed a wide turn over the water before final approach, giving us stunning views.

We had heard various versions of whether we needed a visa. The last time I visited I needed one, but was able to purchase it at the airport for 50 USD. This time we were told we had to get it in Pretoria before leaving (for around $150), but when we phoned the SA high commissioner in Kampala he said this wasn't the case. Anyway, we didn't have time so we decided to take our chances. There were four of us. I had $100 cash but unfortunately the other three hadn't been able to draw any forex, so I had to pay for myself and 1 other and then leave my passport with the immigration officer while I went through to look for a cash machine. The third one (StanBic) worked and I was able to draw 500 000 UGX (Ugandan shillings), enough for 2 visa's (110 000 UGX each and enough to pay for meals and other things for 5 days).

We stayed the first night in the Airport Executive Hotel, in Entebbe. Actually it is more of a guest house. Basic, affordable and adequate. (6th photo). Just 10 minutes' drive from the airport. We ate a good dinner in the garden - it was warm enough to sit out. I reaquainted myself with Nile Special Beer (which is actually brewed under licence from SA Breweries, but is certainly produced locally). They even had free wireless internet in the rooms and a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport. The next morning, we had a hearty English breakfast, including fried egg and sausage and something called "African tea" - this comes in a teapot but already has milk added - in fact I think it is brewed with the milk in already. The tea is Ceylon, locally grown I would imagine, and it has a fair amount of ginger in it. Not everyone likes it, but I do.

It was Sunday and there was music coming from 2 doors down the road so I went to have a look. There is a large church under contruction, called the Miracle Centre. The drummer had arrived first and started warming up and gradually the rest of the musicians drifted in. By 9 am, when we left, the place was rocking. I met a guy with a Bible whom I took to be the pastor. He invited me to stay but I told him we were on our way to Jinja and couldn't.

The trip to Jinja was fairly long but uneventful. The traffic was not too bad as it was Sunday. We picked up two others on our way through Kampala, where they were staying. The countryside reminded me a lot of Natal - green, rolling hills, quite a lot of sugar cane. I guess we took around 2 and a half hours to get there. Jinja is a small town on the banks of the Nile. It is also the site of a large hydro electric plant (Photos 2 and 3). Our hotel was on the far bank, just a little downstream, and was called the Nile River Resort. What can I say - it was lovely. The rooms were separate, semi-detached units, spread out along the banks of the river gorge in three rows. There was a pool, a tennis court, a gym. Fish eagles called from the gorge. I could hear the dull thunder of the river over the rapids. I felt like I was on holiday.

From various vantage points we had good views up and down river. Just a little downstream I discovered a bungi-jumping platform and watched in fascination as a youngster hurled herself off the top and bounced up and down a few times before being lowered into the waiting boat down below (photo's 4 and 5). I think she was Australian. 25 years ago I might have joined her.

Our meeting started on Monday afternoon and continued through till Wednesday afternoon, so there wasn't much time to do a lot of sight seeing. On Tuesday evening I went for a 30 minute run up the road toward Jinja town. The kids on the side of the road chanted "wazungu, wazungu" (white man, white man) as I passed and some of them ran with me for a short distance. I did not feel unsafe, even though it was dusk. The guy at the hotel had assured me that there was no danger and I believed him. In fact the biggest danger was probably being hit by a vehicle, since the road is quite potholed and the vehciles tend to go onto the verges frequently to avoid damaging their axles.

On the final night we had a bit of a party - barbeque by the pool with some local music and dancing. I was too tired to take full advantage and went to bed around 9.30. Must be getting old.

And then it was time to head home. Our bus left at 5 pm for Entebbe so we hit the rush hour traffic going through Kampala - I shall never complain about Cape Town traffic again! Fortunately someone had thought to give us two 5l casks of wine for the bus and so the trip was lively. There were about 10 of us heading back to SA, staying at the hotel that night. I had my usual vegetable curry, washed down with a local beer called Moonberg (?) which was very nice. Some of the others ordered the fish and were a little surprised at the size of the tilapia which was served - easily a foot long and served complete with head and tail. But very tasty - I had a little.

Next morning we were up at 4 to get the 7.20 plane to Johannesburg. Finally made it back to Cape Town at 3.10 pm, tired but thankful that the weather had behaved and glad to be home. Cape Town and Jinja are such worlds apart - it is really crazy to be in one one day and the other the next. Such are the oddities of modern travel. I would really like to go back with my family for a longer and more relaxed visit.