17th

Trying to extend my stay (again) in Uganda having various conversation
on the phone with UK. While waiting for calls, I take a BodaBoda
(sitting behind a motor-bike taxi) into Jinja to use the internet,
scary ride specially on the way back since he is not wearing any
eye/head protection and seems to have something in his eye. The road
and traffic is pretty bad, dodging potholes while avoiding
head-on/rear-ending crashes with other road users. The internet is
substantially quicker in town, and although I walk along hundreds of
souvenier shops, not once am I accusted, unlike Egypt where they would
literally block your way. The only interest in me is from the BodaBoda
drivers, but I have my guy waiting for my return outside the foreign
exchange office. On the way back he tells me he is a third year
medical student. My timing so far has been poor, hoping this would
change from China onwards. they are quoting me 1000 sterling to
reroute me, not worth it for one week stay. Air companies can also
cancel my whole booking if I miss one of my main flights, not good. I
decide to stick to the original schedule, this means;
18th fly from Entebbe to Nairobi, 8 hour wait at the airport, fly to
Istanbul, arriving 9 a.m. Overnight stay and fly on the 20th at 23.35
to Osaka for 4 days, fly on the 25th to Beijing. I am not particularly
looking forward to this, likely to be very tiring and I have to watch
the luggage closely in Nairobi airport.
Town is much livelier than the small resort we are at, tempted to stay
but it gets dark as soon as we are back, probably for the best.

A chat with a biker on camp informs me that I could have hired a bike
for $5 from one of the BodaBoda drivers, too late and having seen the
road may be best that I did not.

Dinner consisting of Matoki (mashed savoury banana and chicken with a
cup of local tea flavoured with Ginger (pronounced with G as in garden
in both cases). Get harassed by this guy encouraging me to let his
sister who works there to take my for a village walk in the morning so
she can supplement her Uni costs, I tell him to leave me alone,
basically. Beer at the pool hall, some of the flies (didnt notice this
the other night) get so "drunk" near the light that they fly faster
and look like leaving traces behind them a little like fire works.
Various usual suspects present, in different stages of drunkenness and
possibly high on Ganja, mostly drink what looks like soft drinks but
usually topped up with potent local brew.
One of the players takes about 10 minute to discuss his account with
Richard and his wife, meanwhile his opponent and rest of the present
just stand there with no expectations of comments about resuming the
game.
Richard is strangely talkative, I am guessing he's been on Ganja,
rabbiting away about his ambitions and business plans, cant hear a lot
of what he says, got to be careful not to nod at the wrong time in
case I am accepting some kind of business proposition. I accept a
smoke form him, but Malerone effect kicks in and have to make a quick
visit back to the campsite. After I return he suggests I take a look
at a music video he has done (he doees Rap too!) round the back of the
hall. I follow him and while watching the video am suddenly aware of
how much I have let my guard down, standing in a very dark back
alleyway, with about 8 guys around me, aware of couple of them closely
behind me too, feel a bit stuppid trying to assess the risks.

I hand in my phone and battery charger to the bar for charging. $10
spent on the south african converter was a waste, may be if I was
travelling in South Africa in hotels etc it would be useful. In the
morning I
leave it behind in my tent plus and old T-shirt and big padlock that
doesnt fit my case. Have managed to recharge at the reception of
campsites, there were also sockets on the truck.