Impressions of Uganda

I’m not really sure what I expected from Uganda…probably dry savannas.  What we got is lush and green and massive tea plantations.  There were miles of banana groves and miles of potato fields  and beautiful mountains and an amazing Crater Region filled with small lakes.  The portion of Uganda that we are visiting is definitely in the rainy regions.

It has rained almost every night.  Usually not long but always intensive.  Occasionally there are afternoon rains.  One day we had at least three and maybe four showers.  Another day it was showers off and on throughout the afternoon and into the evening.  Each was hard and short – 15 minutes or so.   

As a Third World Country we are seeing a lot of what we saw in our travels in Asia…few cars, lots of motorcycles and bicycles with massive loads of things being transported to market and people walking (seemingly in the middle of nowhere), also often carrying massive loads.  In the tiny villages and small towns, the roads are lined with entrepreneurs set up along the roadside and small businesses working out of very small shops.  And the clusters of motorcycles loitering at the intersections…these are not lazy lads with nothing else to do.  They are motorcycle taxis waiting for fares. 

So much is done manually.  We have seen massive brick making operations where people are digging the clay or putting the clay into molds, one brick at a time.  Fields are usually worked by hand and people make huge bags of charcoal to sell.  They seem to be an industrious people.

Banana/plantain fields are everywhere and bananas and plantains are a staple.  The gardens are huge and the markets are filled with vegetable and fruit vendors with massive amounts of both.  We have seen huge amounts of shelled and cob corn (they prefer white corn, not our yellow) and sorghum and millet drying on plastic sheets along the road. 

And I truly believe that, at least in the area we are visiting, no one goes to bed hungry…there is so much food around.  In fact, our guide said that at the end of the day the parents (Mom’s) are often beyond annoyed with the kids because the kids aren’t hungry for dinner.  They have spent the day grazing.  Eating whenever they got hungry.  Snacking on the fruit in the trees or the veggies from the garden.

And the people are so friendly.  The children especially all gaily wave and yell hello as we pass by in our boldly labeled “Tourist Vehicle.”  (Although some are now in “Tourist Mode” and yell “give me money” as you drive by.)

Uganda is very much and interesting country to visit and to see.  And, of course, the wildlife has been amazing.