I am going to miss chips mayayae,Tuk tuks and my swahili lessons.We its that time when you have say good bye to your friends.
i have quiet many friends in dar who have helped me in one way or the other and i would like to thank them for being there for me and making dar feel like home.
To you all lovely people Karibu sana Uganda.
Kwaheri
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Is it tommorrow or today?
Hey People,
Its been another very interesting day here in dares-salaam.Right now i am abit tipsy coz i just had a few shots of barcadi and kilmanjaro.So the things written in this blog spot doesnot belong to me but to the beers that i have taken.Our Neighbour is marrying tommorrow (i think its now today) and he invited us for the Barbeque.
Any way i have had enough as usual so it looks like i am wriiting in arabic or chinese but whatever it is i have to sleep.
Its been another very interesting day here in dares-salaam.Right now i am abit tipsy coz i just had a few shots of barcadi and kilmanjaro.So the things written in this blog spot doesnot belong to me but to the beers that i have taken.Our Neighbour is marrying tommorrow (i think its now today) and he invited us for the Barbeque.
Any way i have had enough as usual so it looks like i am wriiting in arabic or chinese but whatever it is i have to sleep.
Back Home in the car trunk!
19th Feb 2008.
The cool breeze,numerous beaches,breath taking sceneries,chips mayayai and the long distances connecting towns.Oh yeah i am in Dare-salaam now!
Its been an exceptional day, I have had a wonderful time with the team.We had discussions about SolarNow,updates,changes and next steps.New exciting projects have been introduced will fill you in when implementation starts.
Very interesting have been the extra curricular activities that we did.Lunch with the team was awesome from knowing different colleagues’ tastes to the amount of food they eat.It is always evident that I eat more than the rest because of my size and also the fact that its one of the talents that makes me proud.
Then the team took it to the kitchen to prepare dinner.Me and Alex took lessons from Miep on kitchen hygiene, how to slice onions,tomatoes,egg plants and opening tuna tins.I noticed that mzungu cooking is more structured than African cooking and more spices are used.
We had dinner and headed to the slip way to get some drinks and un wind.It was a great evening.We had a range of drinks from Kilimanjaro,Serengeti to water and wine.
At midnight,being the only ones in the bar,it was time to leave.We were 7 and the car that we have is a 5 seater so I ended up in a trunk with another Canadian friend who is also in dar doing a project on bio fuel.Seating in the trunk is funny but we enjoyed.It was accompanied with an intellectual discussion on how culture affects work and what would be the state of african countries if they did not get aid from donors.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Trip to Nairobi.
Its Friday 15 th February at 11:45 pm.I am in Nairobi seated at the scandinavia office waiting for the next day to jump onto the next bus to my final destination which is Dares Salaam.
My other three colleagues that I have travelled with have checked into marble hotel and I have opted not spend a night at the bus offices.Not that I donot have money like it used to be on my earlier trips but its because of the images that keep flashing in my mind of burnt houses and hundreds of people who were left homeless due to the political unrest in kenya.
From Eldoret,Burnt forest and molo hundreds of people are treking to find a place to sleep,others are stranded on the road side waiting for a good samaritan to give them a lift to where?No one knows.
Burnt forest and molo are dry places with a sparse population.I did not see many shops or trade centres,places to dram water so I kept wondering how the people around those places survive.But just like any one who doesnot have many options they alwayts find their way out.
For those of us who think that we are suffering because we donot have school fees,cant afford to buy meat for their family,stop complaining because there are people who have no place to stay,food,money and donot even know what to do and where to start from.
It’s now Midnight,I have more six hours to embark on the journry to do.What will I do in these six hours ,read the richest man in babylon,take some power naps or even strike a conversation with my neighbour!
12:15 am I look for the Richest Man In Babylon,a book I had just bought and couldnot find it.I searched all my luggage and it was no where to find.Ok this now reduces on my to do list for tonight.
12:35 am, the power short circuits and every one rushes out of the scandinavia booking office/bedroom/Lodge where people are sleeping.The Mum’s were looking for their kids and the kids looking for their mums all screaming Mummy………..,mummy,mummy,son,daughter………….. Son, looking very traumatised.
Great!i exclaimed ,I have just lost my book,power has gone off and have not gone to sleep in the hotel with My friends.How bad will it get?Will find out tommorrow.
NEXT DAY.16/02/2008.
Its 4:30 am and every one cannot pretend to be sleeping any one.The seats/beds are very hard,its freaking cold and my closest neighbour is snoring just like a lion trapped in a cage.We are looked in the place and cannot get out.All the people are so bored,pissed off and sleepy with nothing to do.Ok,I have an idea of what we can do.How about watching Prison Break I ask My neighbour ,”what have you been waiting for”?, he replies. Pulled out my laptop and started watching.
6:00 am, laptop battery runs low in the middle of a very interesting scene when scoffield is mid way his recent escape attempt from sona.
My other three colleagues that I have travelled with have checked into marble hotel and I have opted not spend a night at the bus offices.Not that I donot have money like it used to be on my earlier trips but its because of the images that keep flashing in my mind of burnt houses and hundreds of people who were left homeless due to the political unrest in kenya.
From Eldoret,Burnt forest and molo hundreds of people are treking to find a place to sleep,others are stranded on the road side waiting for a good samaritan to give them a lift to where?No one knows.
Burnt forest and molo are dry places with a sparse population.I did not see many shops or trade centres,places to dram water so I kept wondering how the people around those places survive.But just like any one who doesnot have many options they alwayts find their way out.
For those of us who think that we are suffering because we donot have school fees,cant afford to buy meat for their family,stop complaining because there are people who have no place to stay,food,money and donot even know what to do and where to start from.
It’s now Midnight,I have more six hours to embark on the journry to do.What will I do in these six hours ,read the richest man in babylon,take some power naps or even strike a conversation with my neighbour!
12:15 am I look for the Richest Man In Babylon,a book I had just bought and couldnot find it.I searched all my luggage and it was no where to find.Ok this now reduces on my to do list for tonight.
12:35 am, the power short circuits and every one rushes out of the scandinavia booking office/bedroom/Lodge where people are sleeping.The Mum’s were looking for their kids and the kids looking for their mums all screaming Mummy………..,mummy,mummy,son,daughter………….. Son, looking very traumatised.
Great!i exclaimed ,I have just lost my book,power has gone off and have not gone to sleep in the hotel with My friends.How bad will it get?Will find out tommorrow.
NEXT DAY.16/02/2008.
Its 4:30 am and every one cannot pretend to be sleeping any one.The seats/beds are very hard,its freaking cold and my closest neighbour is snoring just like a lion trapped in a cage.We are looked in the place and cannot get out.All the people are so bored,pissed off and sleepy with nothing to do.Ok,I have an idea of what we can do.How about watching Prison Break I ask My neighbour ,”what have you been waiting for”?, he replies. Pulled out my laptop and started watching.
6:00 am, laptop battery runs low in the middle of a very interesting scene when scoffield is mid way his recent escape attempt from sona.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Happy Day
Today i have every reason to smile all the way.
One because my boss was very impressed with the project materials that i developed.It took me alot of thinking to come up with them and in the end i felt i deserved a thumbs up and here i am just recieved an email saying "Julius you did a wonderfull job with Business development tools,I am very impressed"!
Two,the second last born recieved his results for Primary Leaving Examinations and he got 13 points which is a second upper grade!He is called Joel a very smart boy,i truelly believe he is a star in the making.Watch out for him.
These 2 things are all i needed to make my day.I am thnking of where to go and celebrate,catch a smirnoff or Bell with My friends but i am really tired after those wild trips of mine in Lira,Arua and Masindi.
I think i need to sleep,may be i will party in My dreams!
One because my boss was very impressed with the project materials that i developed.It took me alot of thinking to come up with them and in the end i felt i deserved a thumbs up and here i am just recieved an email saying "Julius you did a wonderfull job with Business development tools,I am very impressed"!
Two,the second last born recieved his results for Primary Leaving Examinations and he got 13 points which is a second upper grade!He is called Joel a very smart boy,i truelly believe he is a star in the making.Watch out for him.
These 2 things are all i needed to make my day.I am thnking of where to go and celebrate,catch a smirnoff or Bell with My friends but i am really tired after those wild trips of mine in Lira,Arua and Masindi.
I think i need to sleep,may be i will party in My dreams!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Adventour Gets tough!
For the last one week i have been travelling like crazy,doing more than 200 Kms in a day.It started on Tuesday morning when i jumped on to the bus to Lira.This has been my second time in Lira,i wasnot so anxious about getting there like the first trip.Lira was good,i met very enthusiatic solar dealer who made me feel that i am actually a messiah to his business.
Friday 18 Jan 2008,at 6 am i hit the road to get the next bus to Arua,Just like any unfamiliar destination i couldnot wait to get there.First i boarded a very small car (Corona) coz i wanted to get there fast only to notce that it can actually take the number of people that fit in a matatu!Oh my we were already 5 on the back seat but the driver was saying push up,Mwesikemu or Mwegyelane in Kinyarwanda so that he can fix more people.THat was it for me i had to go for the bus.
The bus dropped me in Karuma at 7:30 am and i had to wait for another one to Arua.The bus took long to come but finally it arrived.Believe me ladies jumped into the bus before it stopped,mean while the gentle me was waiting for it to stop only to realise that it doesnot stop.I ran after it thanks to my long legs i got in.
It took us 5 hours to Arua,by that time it felt like i have been racing with Inzikuru.Every part of my body was aching(not every part sorry!) and i was starving,you know what i did next.
AFter i checked in at california Hotel,its a very nice rooms,spacious and clean,the only issue was that the cooks are only good at cooking chips and chicken.
Arua is a very busy town due to its proximity to southern sudan.It has so many sudanese people and the natives(Lugbara's).Sudanese are tall and dark and if you know me tall and dark can best suit my appearance.The ironical part is that i am actually more brown than them,which led to the people refering to me as Brown sudanese which i got used to and the power rationing!
5:00 am monday morning,actually today am in abus heading to Masindi.I had to be dropped off at Kagitumba and then proceed to Masindi.
Now i am in Masindi,i have finished official business and now hanging out on the internet.Oooh i forgot to tell you this i got into an argument with the boss of the hotel where i am staying.Imagine he tells me i cant use my laptop coz power is very expensive.But i thought i had paid him.He insists that i only paid for accomodation nothing more,nothing less.I cant even shower twice in a day.
But dont you worry i have alread showered and wont need to shower till i get back to Kampala.No need to hold your breath for my neighbours in the bus!
Friday 18 Jan 2008,at 6 am i hit the road to get the next bus to Arua,Just like any unfamiliar destination i couldnot wait to get there.First i boarded a very small car (Corona) coz i wanted to get there fast only to notce that it can actually take the number of people that fit in a matatu!Oh my we were already 5 on the back seat but the driver was saying push up,Mwesikemu or Mwegyelane in Kinyarwanda so that he can fix more people.THat was it for me i had to go for the bus.
The bus dropped me in Karuma at 7:30 am and i had to wait for another one to Arua.The bus took long to come but finally it arrived.Believe me ladies jumped into the bus before it stopped,mean while the gentle me was waiting for it to stop only to realise that it doesnot stop.I ran after it thanks to my long legs i got in.
It took us 5 hours to Arua,by that time it felt like i have been racing with Inzikuru.Every part of my body was aching(not every part sorry!) and i was starving,you know what i did next.
AFter i checked in at california Hotel,its a very nice rooms,spacious and clean,the only issue was that the cooks are only good at cooking chips and chicken.
Arua is a very busy town due to its proximity to southern sudan.It has so many sudanese people and the natives(Lugbara's).Sudanese are tall and dark and if you know me tall and dark can best suit my appearance.The ironical part is that i am actually more brown than them,which led to the people refering to me as Brown sudanese which i got used to and the power rationing!
5:00 am monday morning,actually today am in abus heading to Masindi.I had to be dropped off at Kagitumba and then proceed to Masindi.
Now i am in Masindi,i have finished official business and now hanging out on the internet.Oooh i forgot to tell you this i got into an argument with the boss of the hotel where i am staying.Imagine he tells me i cant use my laptop coz power is very expensive.But i thought i had paid him.He insists that i only paid for accomodation nothing more,nothing less.I cant even shower twice in a day.
But dont you worry i have alread showered and wont need to shower till i get back to Kampala.No need to hold your breath for my neighbours in the bus!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A stone throw in to southern sudan
Believe it or not i am in Arua,its in west nile region in Uganda.its a very busy city contrary to what i thought.
I had to seat in abus for close to 5 hours to get here.On my way i noticed that people are reconstructing the war torn areas,my eyes could not miss the small towns that had 10 people in one area with a church,school and clinic surroundung them.The houses are so distant.
The people are very friendly and smilig despite their past history.Business is booming given the fact that its close to Juba which is every Business Man's dream.
Sudanese cross over to lira easily to get foods and other essentials and this makes the prices soar high.
The language is amazing,they speak very fast with alot of emphasis.I am tempted to think that they are quarelling even if they are having a cordial freindly conversation.
Power cuts here are part of the days schedule and theyu are blaming it on the crisis in Kenya,i donot know how?.Its making life hard for me because i have nothing to do apart from working 0n my laptop and listening to a collection of music i have ranging from
Rwandese,UTAKE,slows,RnB,Old skool and all the other genres.
I am so fatique coz of the long distances that i have been travelling since tuesday.For me its fun seeing new faces and culture but rquires adaptability and adventure!Its fun being here and now that i have an appointment in the next 1 hr i need to go eat some kalo,rush back to my hotel (california Hotel) and hit the road.So catch you then,probably i will be in Masindi.
I had to seat in abus for close to 5 hours to get here.On my way i noticed that people are reconstructing the war torn areas,my eyes could not miss the small towns that had 10 people in one area with a church,school and clinic surroundung them.The houses are so distant.
The people are very friendly and smilig despite their past history.Business is booming given the fact that its close to Juba which is every Business Man's dream.
Sudanese cross over to lira easily to get foods and other essentials and this makes the prices soar high.
The language is amazing,they speak very fast with alot of emphasis.I am tempted to think that they are quarelling even if they are having a cordial freindly conversation.
Power cuts here are part of the days schedule and theyu are blaming it on the crisis in Kenya,i donot know how?.Its making life hard for me because i have nothing to do apart from working 0n my laptop and listening to a collection of music i have ranging from
Rwandese,UTAKE,slows,RnB,Old skool and all the other genres.
I am so fatique coz of the long distances that i have been travelling since tuesday.For me its fun seeing new faces and culture but rquires adaptability and adventure!Its fun being here and now that i have an appointment in the next 1 hr i need to go eat some kalo,rush back to my hotel (california Hotel) and hit the road.So catch you then,probably i will be in Masindi.
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