Okay. So I'm seven hours ahead. It's rare that I'm awake and free when other people are.
So, when Mason sent me an email and I was like "Woa, he's awake, I'm awake!" I thought it might be nice to revisit Instant Messenger.
How foolish I was. Foo-Lish.
Not only does my connection stink, but I'm left at this end, feeling annoyed, unsatisfied and generally so distant because having this urgency of concurrent awakeness, along with the lack of proper connection reminds me how far away from everyone I know and love.
And it hit me. Again. The sadness. The distance. I'm suddenly tired, and I'm contemplating closing and locking my door and taking a nap. I'm supposed to be working for another 30 minutes, and I just can't do it. I have gotten some stuff done today.
Annoyingly, the Volunteer Handbook that I spent time updating seems to refuse to open on the director's PC.
The weather is finally clearing up today too. I sort of wish that more time had elapsed, so that I could go to the mailbox and fetch letters and have all my spirits lifted. But alas, it's too early for that.
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Ah well
I need to learn the African timetable already.
My appointment that was supposed to be at 2 pm hadn't shown up yet. It was already 4 pm.
I just called him and he informed me that they (the printers) were "still finalizing compartments of my order"
Uhh.. okay. I said, in my nicest tone, "Please, in the future, if we have an appointment for 2 pm, can you call if you are going to be delayed?"
But still. Argh.
I've been waiting for this guy all afternoon. Wtf?
So, he's "leaving Kampala in a half hour" ... he's not gonna get here til like, 6 pm!
My appointment that was supposed to be at 2 pm hadn't shown up yet. It was already 4 pm.
I just called him and he informed me that they (the printers) were "still finalizing compartments of my order"
Uhh.. okay. I said, in my nicest tone, "Please, in the future, if we have an appointment for 2 pm, can you call if you are going to be delayed?"
But still. Argh.
I've been waiting for this guy all afternoon. Wtf?
So, he's "leaving Kampala in a half hour" ... he's not gonna get here til like, 6 pm!
The Rest of the Endless Evening
Anyway, I want to cover my bases. Plus, all the relatives that are reading this don't need to read how drunk off my ass I got.
So, we're at the Lake Vic at the bar, and we're sitting J, L, Me. I'm sitting next to this flight attendant who flies for Safair. He's totally doofy looking and has got huge metal braces, and he's totally trying to hit my shit.
I'm sort of mocking him, mostly because I can, and also because I'm just not interested at all. Eventually, I migrate away from him towards J and her friend G, who wants to work for CSWCT.
J is dying to go to Kampala, to see her friend "Nobert" who is soon moving to the UK to be with his muzungu wife and son. To my horror, L invites Gavin the Doofy Steward to come with us, and they're holding hands on the way to the taxi stand, and we go to get into the car, and J just takes the front seat, with the claim "I get car sick". So me, who's got the biggest ass of the bunch, is stuck in the back seat with G, L and Gavin. J, who's a waif, is in luxury in the front.
What's worse, L and Gavin start making out in the car and like, fondling each other. I'm sitting next to L, and Gavin is drunk, and he keeps inadvertently fondling ME! GAH!
FINALLY we get to Kampala, to a pub called "Bubbles O'Leary"... basically, a haven for Whiteys. I think every white person in Uganda was there.
I was already buzzing, because I'd had 3 drinks at Lake Vic, but Gavin bought me another Bell at Bubbles and then bought all of us shots. So, now, well, I'm drunk.
I start talking to this dumpy 40's-ish guy who works security at the UN merely because he looks like he could use someone to talk to. Eventually I skitter off, and befriend another J and this girl B, who work in Kampala, J for the IPS.
They're heading to Rouge, and they've got Nobert in tow, so we follow. Rouge is BUSY and HOPPING. Really. I spend some portion of the evening scoping out this guy who looked like a total dork, but didn't actually feel compelled to talk to him. I danced quite a lot, but still felt slightly out of place.
L and Gavin disappeared after a time, and J was with some tall handsome guy. Although he was the excuse for coming to Kampala, we saw little to none of Nobert, so [shrugs] don't ask me about that either ;).
I had oodles of fun dancing, because they played a nice mix of Ugandan music and white pop/dance music. I loved the dancing, and danced with J 1, J 2, G, B, and really, just anyone who was around. Usually when I go out, it reminds me of my teenage years, and makes me feel a little old.
But at Rouge, I didn't feel old. I felt new. Because I wasn't rehashing old memories... I was dancing at a nightclub in KAMPALA, UGANDA... in AFRICA. Like... when have I ever done that before? ;)
I got pawed a bunch on the dance floor, and this one guy just wouldn't take the hint as I found excuses to dance AWAY from him. I went to sit down, because it was just too warm, and he came over to try to mack. THANK GOD G came over and scared him away. But then, I think, because I was so grateful to see him, that G got sort of the wrong idea.
Also, he was probably drunk too! It was around 3 am, and I'd drunk all I wanted to. I'd eaten almost nothing during the day and had drunk quite a lot, so my stomach was feeling mega funky.
I'd also danced just about enough for the next month. I was sweaty, and tired, and I said so to J.
Now, J complained while her dad was here that he had endless stamina and that he kept her out too late. I hoped this meant that she was reasonable. After all, we'd been out in Kampala for a little over 3 hours, and had been partying since 8 pm. That's 7 hours of fun. Isn't that enough?
So when I came to her, hoping to leave, and she called back to me over the din "It's still early!" I wasn't quite sure what to do. It would be really bad if she hated me and thought I was a party pooper.
I sat down, had some water, and hoped that my stomach would calm down. It didn't, but after about an hour, J was like "Let's go!"
However, she meant going to a third club. As she phrased it to me "Don't you want to go? You might never get another chance while you're here!"
[sighs] So I went to Silk with them. She told us in the cab that there was a 20,000 Ushs cover charge. Whhhhat? That's like, $10. I don't even pay that in the US.
But we were already there, so J paid the cover with the intention of me paying more of the cab ride on the way home. Or something.
I went to the bathroom, hoping for respite. J had said she wanted to stay at Silk for an hour, so I was resolute that I wouldn't suggest leaving until 5 am. Funnily, the club was all "trendy" and there was see-thru toilet seats with barbed wire inside them.
Also, they showed the fashion channel and there was a LINGERIE show, so they're watching mostly-naked skeletal white women parade up and down the catwalk as their "ambience" on the televisions. Quite odd.
G kept leaning in and saying "Let's tell J we want to leave" and I kept saying "no, no, not until 5 pm"
Around 4:55 am, J asked if we wanted to tour the whole club. Silk has three levels, one for the "kids", one that's called Silk Royale, and then "Silk Lounge" which is the very exclusive high-end section (that we were in)
So, we walked through and wow, they loved blacklight. Silk Regular had already closed because hell, it was 5 am. I figured, though, that a facility-tour was a perfect end-of-the-evening experience.
I can't imagine I looked good. My stomach was in knots, and I wasn't sure whether I was going to pass out or vomit. I hadn't drunk in about 2.5h now, but I still felt like ass. What was going on?
Once in Silk Royale, J is like "want to stay here a bit?" to which I finally stood up and said "no, I'm really tired. I want to go home" Then she looks at her watch and is like "Oh, you must be tired because it's 5 am!" and chuckles, as if she just realized it.
We walk back downstairs, and, as we pass the Silk Lounge again, she's like "Sure you don't want to go in for a bit more?" I really just wanted to scream at her then. Not even Paris Hilton parties like this anymore. Come ON.
I started walking towards the door with hopes that she'd get the damned hint, but everyone just moved SO SLOWLY. Cabs were rallying for our business, and they were negotiating, and again, I just wanted to scream. I just wanted to GO!
Luckily for me, I just fell asleep on the way back to Entebbe.
I think I ended up paying for all of the cab, which, in retrospect, uh, I shouldn't have had to, but I just didn't care. We came in and I crashed into my bed, thinking that sleep was immediate.
I figured, anyway, that I'd get to sleep late the next day, a Sunday, where nothing was planned.
Ha!
Was I wrong.
At 8:30 am (read: 2 hours after I'd fallen asleep) J's alarm went off. Amazingly, she'd already woken up because she had to pack to go back to the forest. And she'd left her alarm clock on. And she wasn't in the room.
It just went off over and over and over again. She finally came in and turned it off.
Hate. Hate. Hate. Die.
At 10 the dogs started barking, the two puppies playing with each other. I screamed, hoarse and cracking "Shuuttttuuuppp" but they didn't stop.
With people coming in and out, packing, I just gave up. I went downstairs, did email, LJ, etc and had some tea.
YAY! Precious sleep. preeccciooousss.
So, I went upstairs to sleep.
So, we're at the Lake Vic at the bar, and we're sitting J, L, Me. I'm sitting next to this flight attendant who flies for Safair. He's totally doofy looking and has got huge metal braces, and he's totally trying to hit my shit.
I'm sort of mocking him, mostly because I can, and also because I'm just not interested at all. Eventually, I migrate away from him towards J and her friend G, who wants to work for CSWCT.
J is dying to go to Kampala, to see her friend "Nobert" who is soon moving to the UK to be with his muzungu wife and son. To my horror, L invites Gavin the Doofy Steward to come with us, and they're holding hands on the way to the taxi stand, and we go to get into the car, and J just takes the front seat, with the claim "I get car sick". So me, who's got the biggest ass of the bunch, is stuck in the back seat with G, L and Gavin. J, who's a waif, is in luxury in the front.
What's worse, L and Gavin start making out in the car and like, fondling each other. I'm sitting next to L, and Gavin is drunk, and he keeps inadvertently fondling ME! GAH!
FINALLY we get to Kampala, to a pub called "Bubbles O'Leary"... basically, a haven for Whiteys. I think every white person in Uganda was there.
I was already buzzing, because I'd had 3 drinks at Lake Vic, but Gavin bought me another Bell at Bubbles and then bought all of us shots. So, now, well, I'm drunk.
I start talking to this dumpy 40's-ish guy who works security at the UN merely because he looks like he could use someone to talk to. Eventually I skitter off, and befriend another J and this girl B, who work in Kampala, J for the IPS.
They're heading to Rouge, and they've got Nobert in tow, so we follow. Rouge is BUSY and HOPPING. Really. I spend some portion of the evening scoping out this guy who looked like a total dork, but didn't actually feel compelled to talk to him. I danced quite a lot, but still felt slightly out of place.
L and Gavin disappeared after a time, and J was with some tall handsome guy. Although he was the excuse for coming to Kampala, we saw little to none of Nobert, so [shrugs] don't ask me about that either ;).
I had oodles of fun dancing, because they played a nice mix of Ugandan music and white pop/dance music. I loved the dancing, and danced with J 1, J 2, G, B, and really, just anyone who was around. Usually when I go out, it reminds me of my teenage years, and makes me feel a little old.
But at Rouge, I didn't feel old. I felt new. Because I wasn't rehashing old memories... I was dancing at a nightclub in KAMPALA, UGANDA... in AFRICA. Like... when have I ever done that before? ;)
I got pawed a bunch on the dance floor, and this one guy just wouldn't take the hint as I found excuses to dance AWAY from him. I went to sit down, because it was just too warm, and he came over to try to mack. THANK GOD G came over and scared him away. But then, I think, because I was so grateful to see him, that G got sort of the wrong idea.
Also, he was probably drunk too! It was around 3 am, and I'd drunk all I wanted to. I'd eaten almost nothing during the day and had drunk quite a lot, so my stomach was feeling mega funky.
I'd also danced just about enough for the next month. I was sweaty, and tired, and I said so to J.
Now, J complained while her dad was here that he had endless stamina and that he kept her out too late. I hoped this meant that she was reasonable. After all, we'd been out in Kampala for a little over 3 hours, and had been partying since 8 pm. That's 7 hours of fun. Isn't that enough?
So when I came to her, hoping to leave, and she called back to me over the din "It's still early!" I wasn't quite sure what to do. It would be really bad if she hated me and thought I was a party pooper.
I sat down, had some water, and hoped that my stomach would calm down. It didn't, but after about an hour, J was like "Let's go!"
However, she meant going to a third club. As she phrased it to me "Don't you want to go? You might never get another chance while you're here!"
[sighs] So I went to Silk with them. She told us in the cab that there was a 20,000 Ushs cover charge. Whhhhat? That's like, $10. I don't even pay that in the US.
But we were already there, so J paid the cover with the intention of me paying more of the cab ride on the way home. Or something.
I went to the bathroom, hoping for respite. J had said she wanted to stay at Silk for an hour, so I was resolute that I wouldn't suggest leaving until 5 am. Funnily, the club was all "trendy" and there was see-thru toilet seats with barbed wire inside them.
Also, they showed the fashion channel and there was a LINGERIE show, so they're watching mostly-naked skeletal white women parade up and down the catwalk as their "ambience" on the televisions. Quite odd.
G kept leaning in and saying "Let's tell J we want to leave" and I kept saying "no, no, not until 5 pm"
Around 4:55 am, J asked if we wanted to tour the whole club. Silk has three levels, one for the "kids", one that's called Silk Royale, and then "Silk Lounge" which is the very exclusive high-end section (that we were in)
So, we walked through and wow, they loved blacklight. Silk Regular had already closed because hell, it was 5 am. I figured, though, that a facility-tour was a perfect end-of-the-evening experience.
I can't imagine I looked good. My stomach was in knots, and I wasn't sure whether I was going to pass out or vomit. I hadn't drunk in about 2.5h now, but I still felt like ass. What was going on?
Once in Silk Royale, J is like "want to stay here a bit?" to which I finally stood up and said "no, I'm really tired. I want to go home" Then she looks at her watch and is like "Oh, you must be tired because it's 5 am!" and chuckles, as if she just realized it.
We walk back downstairs, and, as we pass the Silk Lounge again, she's like "Sure you don't want to go in for a bit more?" I really just wanted to scream at her then. Not even Paris Hilton parties like this anymore. Come ON.
I started walking towards the door with hopes that she'd get the damned hint, but everyone just moved SO SLOWLY. Cabs were rallying for our business, and they were negotiating, and again, I just wanted to scream. I just wanted to GO!
Luckily for me, I just fell asleep on the way back to Entebbe.
I think I ended up paying for all of the cab, which, in retrospect, uh, I shouldn't have had to, but I just didn't care. We came in and I crashed into my bed, thinking that sleep was immediate.
I figured, anyway, that I'd get to sleep late the next day, a Sunday, where nothing was planned.
Ha!
Was I wrong.
At 8:30 am (read: 2 hours after I'd fallen asleep) J's alarm went off. Amazingly, she'd already woken up because she had to pack to go back to the forest. And she'd left her alarm clock on. And she wasn't in the room.
It just went off over and over and over again. She finally came in and turned it off.
Hate. Hate. Hate. Die.
At 10 the dogs started barking, the two puppies playing with each other. I screamed, hoarse and cracking "Shuuttttuuuppp" but they didn't stop.
With people coming in and out, packing, I just gave up. I went downstairs, did email, LJ, etc and had some tea.
YAY! Precious sleep. preeccciooousss.
So, I went upstairs to sleep.
Like the Race
Wednesday, 10:30 am. The power came back on, amazingly. Everyone is surprised, and the rain is finally letting up from torrential downpour to moderate flow.
I've also got a good list of things to do today with power. Hurrah for electricity! YAY Edison!
I've also got a good list of things to do today with power. Hurrah for electricity! YAY Edison!
Ha!
Someone clearly had a rougher night than I last night during the blackout, because there is candle wax ALL over the toilet seat.
***********
In other news, happy birthday to
dshadow!!
***********
The power came back on just as I headed off to a slothful sleep last night after being unable yet again to stay awake for our record Star Wars marathon. Unfortunately, when the power goes out, we turn off all the UPSes in the office because, without power for SO long, they cheep and eventually scream and well, it's horrible and annoying.
Thus, although power was returned, the router plugged into a UPS wasn't back on, so I couldn't surreptitiously download my 7 emails. Just as well, because, by the time I had woken up, the seven emails had turned into 18. I downloaded 9 of them, but now the remaining nine has turned into eleven!
I feel so loved.
The trouble being, of course, that it's taking forever to get those 11.
*************
Something that no one ever expects anyone to say who lives in Africa:
I'm freezing.
Absolutely, totally freezing. After I moved rooms, I had relinquished my guest room blanket, and had been using just a sheet. But last night, I curled into the tiniest ball that I could make and shoved my hands into any warmth that I had left and just chattered through most of the night.
Today is a big rain day, which means that any day visitors that had wanted to go to the island will just have to wait. It's not safe to travel out on the lake when there's thunder and lightning.
Last night was particularly fun, mostly because it was unexpected. I didn't realize the power had gone off until my mac display settings change. When it's plugged in, the screen doesn't go to sleep for a long time, but when it's on battery power, it goes to sleep probably not even 2 minutes after your last input. Ohhhhh teh d0rk.
Another evening without power seemed so unappealing, and Terry was planning on going to Lake Vic for dinner, so I just decided I'd come along!
Lake Vic, being a big hotel, has tons of generator power, so an outtage there is really no big deal. So, we walked over, and ate some food.
I ran into Gavin, the guy Liz had picked up Saturday night, which was ass-awkward, especially considering he was already wooing another young fool. Those airline stewards! They hide under the cover of effeminacy, but really, they're dangerous!
Also, the power just went out. Damn. I'm told that a daytime outtage usually spells doom because it means they're "working on the line" during the day and it'll be out until 6 pm. Hmph.
I'm glad I got most of my net stuff done this morning.
Okay, back to last night. After dinner we boda boda'd to the Four Turkeys. I got my second marriage proposal since I've been here from my driver, but for some reason, I still have no urge to be Mrs. Boda Boda.
The Four Turkeys is basically a bar with a pool table in the back. We went and had two more drinks, and had great discussions about mostly everything. It was nice to have conversation. *thunder crack*
We looked for boda bodas to take home, but there were none, so we walked a bit and finally a single guy came and I hopped on, after trying and succeeding with some price negotiation.
I got home, and the power was still out and Annie had waited up for us, worried that I didn't have a key to the front door gate (I did) but it was so nice of her to do. I've been in her shoes!
We headed upstairs to the common room and started on Hoth, but it was sadly not to be, as both Terry and I started falling asleep before even seeing an Imperial Walker. Not a good sign!
Either way, it was quite a nice night. Provided the power returns, we'll watch Empire again tonight!
And today, I need to figure out what work I'll do with no power. Bah. Stupid Outtage.
***********
In other news, happy birthday to
dshadow!!***********
The power came back on just as I headed off to a slothful sleep last night after being unable yet again to stay awake for our record Star Wars marathon. Unfortunately, when the power goes out, we turn off all the UPSes in the office because, without power for SO long, they cheep and eventually scream and well, it's horrible and annoying.
Thus, although power was returned, the router plugged into a UPS wasn't back on, so I couldn't surreptitiously download my 7 emails. Just as well, because, by the time I had woken up, the seven emails had turned into 18. I downloaded 9 of them, but now the remaining nine has turned into eleven!
I feel so loved.
The trouble being, of course, that it's taking forever to get those 11.
*************
Something that no one ever expects anyone to say who lives in Africa:
I'm freezing.
Absolutely, totally freezing. After I moved rooms, I had relinquished my guest room blanket, and had been using just a sheet. But last night, I curled into the tiniest ball that I could make and shoved my hands into any warmth that I had left and just chattered through most of the night.
Today is a big rain day, which means that any day visitors that had wanted to go to the island will just have to wait. It's not safe to travel out on the lake when there's thunder and lightning.
Last night was particularly fun, mostly because it was unexpected. I didn't realize the power had gone off until my mac display settings change. When it's plugged in, the screen doesn't go to sleep for a long time, but when it's on battery power, it goes to sleep probably not even 2 minutes after your last input. Ohhhhh teh d0rk.
Another evening without power seemed so unappealing, and Terry was planning on going to Lake Vic for dinner, so I just decided I'd come along!
Lake Vic, being a big hotel, has tons of generator power, so an outtage there is really no big deal. So, we walked over, and ate some food.
I ran into Gavin, the guy Liz had picked up Saturday night, which was ass-awkward, especially considering he was already wooing another young fool. Those airline stewards! They hide under the cover of effeminacy, but really, they're dangerous!
Also, the power just went out. Damn. I'm told that a daytime outtage usually spells doom because it means they're "working on the line" during the day and it'll be out until 6 pm. Hmph.
I'm glad I got most of my net stuff done this morning.
Okay, back to last night. After dinner we boda boda'd to the Four Turkeys. I got my second marriage proposal since I've been here from my driver, but for some reason, I still have no urge to be Mrs. Boda Boda.
The Four Turkeys is basically a bar with a pool table in the back. We went and had two more drinks, and had great discussions about mostly everything. It was nice to have conversation. *thunder crack*
We looked for boda bodas to take home, but there were none, so we walked a bit and finally a single guy came and I hopped on, after trying and succeeding with some price negotiation.
I got home, and the power was still out and Annie had waited up for us, worried that I didn't have a key to the front door gate (I did) but it was so nice of her to do. I've been in her shoes!
We headed upstairs to the common room and started on Hoth, but it was sadly not to be, as both Terry and I started falling asleep before even seeing an Imperial Walker. Not a good sign!
Either way, it was quite a nice night. Provided the power returns, we'll watch Empire again tonight!
And today, I need to figure out what work I'll do with no power. Bah. Stupid Outtage.
Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Rocky First Day
I had my official first day of work today. I planned to pick up my first Long Stay Visitor.
Liz told me that she was coming tonight at 9 pm. But when we got a call this morning saying she was waiting on the pier to go to the island, it was rather surprising.
As it turns out, she was supposed to get here on Saturday and there was just some sort of miscommunication between she and Liz.
So, we didn't have accommodation for her on the island, and things were a bit manic and frantic.
Oh, and into that having to negotiate all this while in the middle of the staff meeting!
If I was expecting more respect here than I got before, I was mistaken. I don't know whether it's an African thing or whether it was because I was super new and junior, but people just kept talking OVER me. Like, not even interrupting. It was as if I wasn't talking.
And yea, it was a little unsettling.
Overall, lots for me to do but I really do just have to sit down and suss everything out first.
I was also pleased to finally find a way to upload pictures, too. It brings things full circle.
What I didn't expect was being called to dinner around 7! I guess it's because of Debby's return to the house, and my unfamiliarity with it, but she cooks dinner and we sit out on the veranda and eat and drink wine.
MY GOSH was it fun. We laughed and laughed, and Debby told absolutely wild stories about her incredibly interesting life, and really, I think it might be the most fun I've had since I got here.
Also, it was far better than my usual dinner of Nothing.
So, I intend to do some real work today, and maybe tonight finish the third episode of the webcomic.
I'm glad people enjoyed the pictures! I'll endeavor to take more soon!
Liz told me that she was coming tonight at 9 pm. But when we got a call this morning saying she was waiting on the pier to go to the island, it was rather surprising.
As it turns out, she was supposed to get here on Saturday and there was just some sort of miscommunication between she and Liz.
So, we didn't have accommodation for her on the island, and things were a bit manic and frantic.
Oh, and into that having to negotiate all this while in the middle of the staff meeting!
If I was expecting more respect here than I got before, I was mistaken. I don't know whether it's an African thing or whether it was because I was super new and junior, but people just kept talking OVER me. Like, not even interrupting. It was as if I wasn't talking.
And yea, it was a little unsettling.
Overall, lots for me to do but I really do just have to sit down and suss everything out first.
I was also pleased to finally find a way to upload pictures, too. It brings things full circle.
What I didn't expect was being called to dinner around 7! I guess it's because of Debby's return to the house, and my unfamiliarity with it, but she cooks dinner and we sit out on the veranda and eat and drink wine.
MY GOSH was it fun. We laughed and laughed, and Debby told absolutely wild stories about her incredibly interesting life, and really, I think it might be the most fun I've had since I got here.
Also, it was far better than my usual dinner of Nothing.
So, I intend to do some real work today, and maybe tonight finish the third episode of the webcomic.
I'm glad people enjoyed the pictures! I'll endeavor to take more soon!
Monday, August 1, 2005
The Endless Evening™ (aka Saturday Night)
It all started with a plan to go to "Lake Vic" ...i.e. the Lake Victoria Hotel for dinner. It was, essentially, both Julia and Liz's last night, and we thought it might be nice to go and have dinner.
What I didn't know, was that much, much more was being planned!
Julia had spent the last couple days in Kampala, and she had bought new Belly Beads.
Belly Beads are a traditional Budanga custom, of wear strings of seed beads around your waist, and the more beads you wear, the more womanly "aura" you're supposed to have.
But you have to graduate to new strands, and it's bad luck to have even numbers of strands. Julia had been wearing the same beads since she got to Uganda, which was years ago! She decided it was time for a change, so she had bought strings of beads in Kampala and thought that it would be nice girl bonding to all put some on.
Which is why I am wearing my very first belly beads. I'll graduate soon, probably! But whee for now!
After that, we went to "eat" at the Lake Vic but really, it was code for "sit in the bar and drink"
Oh, and I forgot to mention that, for the first time since I was in Kampala in 2002, I rode a bodaboda (the motorcycle taxis). In Kampala, there is CRAZY traffic, and really, riding it was terrifying because he weaved between cars and really, I thought I might die. But Entebbe is a much smaller town, and there is almost no traffic, and riding the boda was justexhilarating! The air was cool, and we went fast, and I was this time, wearing pants instead of a skirt! Yay!
Anyway, we got to the bar and there were a bunch of drunk guys from Safair there (another South African Airline).
I've lost my train of thought. I'll finish this entry in a bit.
What I didn't know, was that much, much more was being planned!
Julia had spent the last couple days in Kampala, and she had bought new Belly Beads.
Belly Beads are a traditional Budanga custom, of wear strings of seed beads around your waist, and the more beads you wear, the more womanly "aura" you're supposed to have.
But you have to graduate to new strands, and it's bad luck to have even numbers of strands. Julia had been wearing the same beads since she got to Uganda, which was years ago! She decided it was time for a change, so she had bought strings of beads in Kampala and thought that it would be nice girl bonding to all put some on.
Which is why I am wearing my very first belly beads. I'll graduate soon, probably! But whee for now!
After that, we went to "eat" at the Lake Vic but really, it was code for "sit in the bar and drink"
Oh, and I forgot to mention that, for the first time since I was in Kampala in 2002, I rode a bodaboda (the motorcycle taxis). In Kampala, there is CRAZY traffic, and really, riding it was terrifying because he weaved between cars and really, I thought I might die. But Entebbe is a much smaller town, and there is almost no traffic, and riding the boda was justexhilarating! The air was cool, and we went fast, and I was this time, wearing pants instead of a skirt! Yay!
Anyway, we got to the bar and there were a bunch of drunk guys from Safair there (another South African Airline).
I've lost my train of thought. I'll finish this entry in a bit.
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