the road leading out of my village
the taxi park in kampala (hmmm, which one goes to entebbe?)yesterday, i began my long journey back to the usa - a trip that will have taken two and a half days by the time my plane touches down in los angeles.
i set out on foot shortly after sunrise, carrying my bags to the trading center nearby where i was able to hop on the back of a bicycle and ride up to the main road into town. once there, i waited by the side of the road for a car, chatting with a ugandan friend who is very committed to making me appreciate his religion - jehovah's witness (i have been confronted about religion more times in the last six months than ever before in my life). after about a half hour, i heard an engine in the distance and soon after a subaru-esque hatchback pulled over to the side of the road. i loaded my bags into the back, where two children were already seated. the driver motioned to me and indicated that i should sit in the front...in his seat...with him. i have seen this arrangement countless times before (from the back seat) so i did not hesitate to give it a try. there were already four people in the backseat and two in the front passenger seat, so it seemed like the only option. i tried several different configurations, most of them involving knees, feet, and/or torsos where they really should not have been. ultimately, the driver concluded that this tall white man was not going to fit up there with him, so he swapped me for one of the passengers in the back. we continued like that into town - two children in the back cargo area with my bags, myself and three other adults in the backseat, two adults in the front passenger seat, and two adults in the driver's seat.
after a leisurely breakfast in town, i carried my bags (one on my head for good measure...i am in africa, after all) to the taxi park. i want to go to kampala, but only after a stop in jinja for various gift purchases. so, i take a seat in the jinja taxi and wait for it to fill up with people. i wait...and wait...and wait. finally the driver hops in and we take off, soon bouncing and swerving around on some of the worst paved roads i have ever seen. after three hours, i am in jinja, eager to drop my bags and take care of some shopping in one of the many local craft shops. the one i have targeted is run by a woman i met previously, who is more than happy to see me, help me find the right things, and receive my payment...so happy, in fact, that she carries all of my purchases from the store all the way to the taxi park with me, about fifteen minutes away. i leave soon after on a much more comfortable ride into kampala.
i am currently sitting at the peace corps office, taking care of some business on the internets. all that remains is a mid-day feast right around the corner, a hired car ride to the taxi park shown above, a taxi to entebbe town, another hired car ride to the airport and a couple of short, 10 hour flights to los angeles!
undaunted (or perhaps only mildly daunted) by the relentless paparazzi, my sister was happily married in l.a. in a beautiful ceremony at rancho palos verdes. congratulations to her and jon, and best wishes for the future...i was so happy to be there!
the happy couple beforehand!
my sister and i enjoying the classy catering!
MARRIED!
