I am currently bouncing down the rough roads between Kampala and Mbarara where I will be speaking to the student leaders of Mbarara School of Medicine and Technology this afternoon. I just downed some dry break and runny peanut butter with a mango juice chaser. We left this morning at 6:30am so we just grabbed what we could at a small market in route. It’s pouring down rain, which makes the journey a bit slower, but adds an element of excitement to our ride in this 1997 4-wheel drive Toyota mini van. YAHOO!
Sleeping last night was more like and adventure than a time of rest. About an hour after my head crashed into the pillow, a car crashed into the building I was sleeping in. I heard a lady scream and then a crashing sound at the same time I felt the room shake. She got out of the way in time and fortunately no one was seriously hurt. It seems like one of the guys in the restaurant below had a few too many beers and got confused with “drive” and “reverse” on his gearshift. He gunned it to head out of the parking lot and slammed into the building. Then for the next 2 hours they began hammering, chopping and scraping on either the car or the building to make needed repairs. That probably would have been enough for the evening, but then I got in to a fight with a violent mosquito that somehow snuck into my room, penetrated the bug net determined to suck all of my blood before sunrise. After an hour of fighting him off while half asleep, I finally landed a fatal blow to my own face! I could feel the remains of my adversary both on my hand and my right cheek. A quick wipe with the sheet cleared the battle field and then fell into a deep slumber for about 30 minutes before the clock struck five o-clock and reminded me that it was time to get ready for today’s journey.
I suppose I should probably be sleeping right now instead of typing, but the only thing harder to do than type while riding on these roads is to sleep.
Interruption for “funky sighting”… Oh, that was cool! I just saw a guy transporting a 20 foot ladder as a passenger on the back of a small 100 CC motorcycle (called a boda, boda here). I wish I could have got a picture of that!
OK, the vehicle is so bouncy that I think the screen to my laptop might snap off. Maybe I should try to get a nap after all!
______________
I am now in Rukungiri where I am trying to post this blog, but the internet is very slow. I will try and find a place to upload pictures tomorrow.
Glad you made it safe and sound! Get some sleep : )
Posted by: Jennifer | October 25, 2010 at 01:14 PM
Sounds like an adventurous yet typical time in Africa. thanks for the update John!
Posted by: Lancebrix | October 25, 2010 at 03:15 PM
Never a dull moment, lol! Praying good, healthy and much needed rest comes for you soon!
Posted by: Tiffany | October 25, 2010 at 10:14 PM