Kampala

When I arrived at Kampala I stayed at a nice B&B up on TANK HILL, it was very much NGO central with both VSO and Oxfam having compounds up there. My main concern was to gain a visa from the embassy. As it happens obtaining the visa was relatively easy. Just a quick trip to the embassy, fill out the forms, pay the money (quite a lot!) and it was ready the next day. I was expecting a lot more hassle than that, especially after trying to get a visa in London before leaving. They wanted all sorts of information including bank statements, criminal record checks etc. additionally they wanted to keep my passport for 5 days minimum (over the Christmas period, so more than likely longer). What with our trip to the Caribbean coming up I was not going to risk it.

There are several types of transport in Uganda and Africa in general. At the lowest level it is simply a backie on a push bike, these are generally seen in the smaller towns for moving around cheaply and easily. Due to Western diet these are generally out unless the destination is downhill. The next level up is known in Uganda as “Boda Boda”. This is simply a backie on a motor bike and much more my style. They can vary immensely in speed and safety depending on the bike and driver. Some are very fast and you feel yourself holding on for dear life as you weave through the traffic, but at least you don’t sit in it. The embassy trips were generally pretty good, but you do have to question why on one occasion the driver had a helmet and I didn’t, additionally he was missing a wing mirror. I would like to tell you how fast we were going, but the speedo was out as well!

The next level of taxi would be the car, invariably cracked windscreens, but probably the safest way to travel and one I would recommend from the airport. They are more expensive, but for longer distances better.

On the long distance front there are also ‘Matatus’ or Japanese 4x4 vans crowded full of people. These have an awful reputation of crashing, but they are everywhere and the most economic form of transport. There are also bus services and coaches for travelling between major towns.