7/22/11
Verity just left, and it’s now just me with my books and my DVDs until tomorrow evening. I’m going to miss her terribly, especially since she and I have managed to keep each other laughing through most of this experience. I know I’ll be fine. There’s Internet, a pool, and some good food in the meantime. I’m just going to miss my friends.
Friday morning we packed and watched Sex and the City until our driver showed up right around 11. The pangs of sadness finally hit as we were driving out of Mbarara. The faces of the villagers, the clinic staff, and everyone else in between flashed through my head the whole way to the hotel in Entebbe. I wish I could describe a drive through Uganda to you. It’s just something you kind of have to be there for. The radio station is half music from the early 90s and half commercials where everyone shouts, no matter the subject. Think used car commercials except for cell phones and family planning with happy Ugandan accents. Also, there’s the occasional goat or cow that doesn’t feel the need to move off the road, and the drivers think it’s a good idea to prod them with the car to make them move. Side note: I’m tempted to look into a project on traffic safety in developing countries. Driving here is amusing and terrifying all at once. Don’t worry Mom, the only driving I have left to do is the 5 minute drive to the airport. I promise I can see it from the lobby (but surprisingly I can hear nothing which is awesome). Anyway, in the background are some of the most gorgeous mountains and flowers I’ve seen. Every 20 minutes or so there’s a dirt covered village where every store front is painted in brightly colored paint as advertisements for cell phone companies and detergent brands. In the towns where the buses stop for a minute, kids with matoke and roasted pumpkin seeds RUN to sell snacks to the travelers from the windows. Uganda is definitely an interesting place.
We finally arrived at the hotel around 4, and when we got to our room, Verity and I acted like 12 year old girls. Not only is it clean, but there’s a tv, an awesome massive bed, chocolates on our pillows, and-this is where I literally jumped up and down-an overhead shower with hot water! We ate a super late lunch, hopped in the pool, and each showered forever. We watched a little Sex and the City, had a snack for dinner, and called it a night. This hotel is the most expensive thing I’ve paid for on this trip (it’d be expensive for me in the U.S., too), but I decided the Internet, pool, and comfort were a good investment in my sanity. The reason I’m waiting around until Sunday is because most of the flights run at night here (no clue why), and to leave on Friday or Saturday would mean leaving the airport close to midnight, and I didn’t feel good about that, or having to switch flights in Nairobi that late. So until Sunday afternoon I’ll kill some time, and hopefully stay sane.
I’m thankful...
1. for my safety so far on this trip. I’ve been very lucky, and I hope that will continue to be the case over the next couple of days.
2. to be out of Mbarara. It was a good home for me while I was there, but my last few days were getting to me, especially the douchey teenaged boys that would grab my arm (I finally went postal on one, and didn’t feel bad about it), and the bodas (motorbikes) that drive too close to the sidewalk. One nicked my arm with its mirror, and again, I went postal, but he was too far away to notice. Verity and Tom were amused at my ranting, though.
3. for a reliable toilet and shower. I’m not sure it has ever meant this much to me in my life.
To my family already at Fripp: I currently hate you, but cannot wait to be there with you in no time. Save me a chair and a beer at low tide.
To the rest of you: I’ll be home Monday afternoon (if all flights are on time), and will try to call as soon as I can. It may be a week or so, since I’ll be trying to book it to Fripp, and there’s not much cell service there, either. Can’t wait to see and talk to everybody I can! Love you all!
:)Thinking of you today.
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