Return from the North

Ok so I am back in Kampala from from my trip up north and am kissing the ground. Where to start..........

Friday morning we left Mukono at 6:30 am in the dark to head to Kampala. Once in Kampala we waited for our bus at the station. We stood there for about 45 min with all the drunks who were still sleeping on the street within all the trash. (and believe me it is DIRTY here) Some of them were still drinking Gin from their little plastic bags. The 7 hour bus ride to Arua was fine. We tried to sleep but the road was too bumpy. The fun part was that every couple of hours the bus would pull over to the side of the road and all these people would swarm the side of the bus trying to sell you things through the window. Keep in mind this is a large greyhound like bus so the people have meat on a long stick that they shove in the window at you. Others sell maize (like corn), peanuts (tiny and still soft), casava (little potatoes) water, and chickens (yes, live chickens). I really liked that part because it was kind of fun to pick your snack.

Once in Arua we were greeted by Ambers contact up there. He took us to his brothers compound. They have a main house and a guest house. The guest house is almost bigger than the main house and is completely empty except for 2 single beds. They did have running (cold) water and a western toilet (that didn't flush). The funny part was that both Craig and Amber had eaten some bad food and both had the runs. It was pretty funny because we couldn't flush the toilet so they both just had to keep taking turns filling it.

Amber and I stayed at the guest house and Craig stayed at the hotel across the street. We ate dinner in the main house and got to finally watch a little TV. That was nice.

The next morning Craig and I left (again so early it was dark) to catch our bus to Gulu. During the bus ride we pulled over on the side of the road so that everyone could buy some food and go to the toilet (the bush) I forgot to mention that one the way to Arua we stopped to go pee. I did it in the trees with people all over the place. It wasn't so bad because I managed to hide myself. However this time I was not so lucky. First of all we had to pay 100 shillings to use the "toilet" Once I went in all it was, was a tiny space with bamboo on 2 sides and the ground had large stones on it. Here I am in a room with about 10 other women squatting peeing together facing each other. I have never been so embarrassed. None of them cared but I tried not to look at anyone. Here in Africa you pee where you can:)

This time we took a 3 hour big bus to Karuma where we were supposed to catch another bus to Gulu. However, when we got to Karuma they said the buses weren't coming until later in the day so we should catch a Mutatu (the small van taxis). With reluctance we decided to do that so that we could get there sooner. We paid out Mzungu price (way over what we should have) and got in the taxi. Here's were things get fun. The taxi was almost full so we thought we would leave right away. No such luck. We sat there for over an hour waiting to fill the last 2 seats. (I stress 2 seats, you'll know why in a minute) While we waited our van was surrounded by a family of baboons. That was fun to watch but the big male ones look scary. Everyone is starting to get angry at this point and are yelling at the conductor. Finally he comes back to the car with a family of 7 or 8 people. When he looked into the car to see where they would fit I yelled at him and told him that we would not fit another person in the back seat with us. Reluctantly he agreed and let us stay the way we were. The people in the front however, were not so lucky. Yes we managed to pile that entire family into our already full van. The top was loaded up with luggage and bicycles and we were jammed in there. I think there were 24 people or so. I couldn't see everyone.

Once we drove out of Karuma we didn't even get 5 km and were pulled over by the police. Of course the driver got in trouble and was told to remove some people. After a brief conversation and an exchange of some money we were on our way again, all 24 of us. Got to love crooked cops!

So we arrive in Gulu and I have to use the washroom again. This time Craig and I decide to use a public toilet. Again we pay 100 shillings and go inside. Let me tell you, this was the most fowl place I have ever been in. The smell was terrible, and don't even get me started on what was on the floor or the walls!!! I came out and immediately cleaned my hands with purel and wipes. Gross!

What you need to understand next is that we had no set plan as to what to do or where to go when we got to Gulu. We were just told by other volunteers to ask a boda boda to take us to Invisible Children and that they could direct us. So we hoped on a boda boda and they took us to the office. When we asked the guy at the gate if anyone could help us he said no one was there. He invited us is and tried to help us as best he could but he really didn't know much. However, just as we were leaving a white lady came in and asked if she could help us. She gave us info on the IDP camps and where to go. She also gave us the name of a good hotel in town.

After leaving the office we went to the hotel to check in so that we could leave our bags. To our surprise the hotel was fully booked. Luckily we found a place to stay across the street. It didn't look so good from the outside but we were so happy once we saw the rooms. Lets see........... all the things I have been missing the past few weeks. Running (luke warm) water, a shower, a large bed, no cockroaches, electricity, and even a TV! Plus I could walk around in my bare feet and not get dirty. I thought I had died and went to heaven. This hotel was considered a fancy expensive hotel by Ugandian standards and we only paid $24 per night. (we wanted to treat ourselves!)

After dropping off our bags we decided to try and get something to eat before we went to the camp. When we asked the guy at the front desk where the supermarket was, or where we could buy food, he looked at us puzzled and said there was nothing like that in Gulu. We walked around town for a bit to see if we could find anything but he was right, there was no food in Gulu. You could make photocopies, buy a fan, have your hair done, fix your car, but not buy food. We gave up our search and took a boda boda straight to the camp.

Upon arrival we were told that we must ask for the LC1 leader. So that's what what we did. At first no one knew where he was, until we ran into these old guys sitting around drinking. One of them was REALLY drunk and came up to us and started dancing all crazy. Finally one of them took us to the leader. He was reluctant at first to show us around and wanted to know our intentions. After we assured him that we just wanted to see, he gave us a tour. As expected, the camp was filthy. There was feeces everywhere and it smelled so bad. The houses (huts) were very tiny round shacks with grass roofs. I asked how many people stayed in one house and he said over 6 people in a house, depending on how large your family is. You have to understand that in Uganda children are considered to be wealth, so everyone has A LOT of them. There are children everywhere. Oh and men are allowed to have multiple wives to that just leads to more children.

Anyway, as soon as we started our tour we were surrounded by kids all wanting to hold our hand. A lot of them didn't have clothes and where just running around naked. Some had a t-shirt and others were fully dressed. The little girls who's hand I was holding was quiet sick and kept coughing all over me. (yes I cleansed afterwards) At the end of our tour the leader showed us where the women make the bracelets for Invisible Children. I was really excited because I had purchased 5 of them over the internet back at home. Here in this brick building women and young girls sit all day, from sun up to sun down, making bracelets. I asked if I could buy one from them direct because it hadn't been dyed black yet. They sold me one and I am wearing it proudly. I have a bracelet direct from the source that no one else has. Yeah!!!! When leaving the camp the leader asked if I wanted to buy his rooster, but I politely declined.

After we left the camp we went back to town in search for food again. After a few hours we managed to fine a small store that we bough dry cereal, pringles, a chocolate bar and some pop. That was our dinner. We went back to the hotel and enjoyed every last minute of our luxury accommodations.

We got up a 5 am the next morning to catch our buses back. I was coming back to Kampala and Craig was going back to Arua to meet up with Amber. We caught the same bus to Karuma and then Craig went on a different bus, which left me alone for the last 4 hours of the trip. The reason I was kissing the ground once I arrived is because I am sure I was on the death bus. The driver was crazy!!!! Not only were we driving a least 130 km/h on a back 1/2 paved road but he also kept dodging in and out of traffic. There were points where we were at a 45 degree angle and I thought for sure the bus was going to fall over. Other times we were in a ditch driving in the grass and trees. There are no words that can express how scared I was. I actually gasped out loud a few times.

Once I was alone on the bus I put on my Ipod so no one would bother me. Of course I got some guy who wanted to chat. I told him no and just kept to myself. As we started to move he invited his friend to come sit on the armrest. So now I am squeezed into my window seat while he leans on me the whole trip. The bus was so packed, all the seats were full and people were standing in the isle for the whole 4 hours. It was bad! Oh, and on top of that the lady behind me brought a rooster with her who was under my seat. Periodically he would start to crow and be all loud. Then at one of the road side stops the guy in front of me bought a live chicken out the window. After full inspection, he decided it was ok and set it down in the isle. Once we arrived to Kampala everyone was getting off the bus and the guy with the chicken is yelling "my chicken, my chicken" he asked me to pick it up, but there was no way I was going to.

So now I am here in Kampala writing you about the weekend while it is fresh in my mind. I am off to find food because as we all know now, Gulu is a crap town with nothing it it. I'm starving!