Jinja Pt. 2: The Tourist

So this was our weekend to act like we're not really pilgrims and that we are tourists. You know, those selfish weekends that all expats must indulge in themselves.

Well, Friday was graduation and there was tons of traffic jamming in Mukono. Regardless, a field trip got canceled, so some of us went to Kampala by taxi. I had the most delicious ice cream I've had maybe in a year. We also went to the market. It was busy in town. We were there for a few hours only.

Friday was Sam's birthday so when we came back home, I bought sodas and biscuits/nutella for the family. That was fun. It was our last day to see Papa for several weeks. He's now back in Gulu teaching.

Saturday morning we had to get to the Colline Hotel by 7:20. So Drew's mom drove me, Dean, Jill, and Drew into Mukono town. A coaster picked us up and we rode to Jinja. The rafting resort was kind of a culture shock for some of us. It was the only place that we saw all caucasians in awhile. They were smoking and drinking and whatnot. So anyway, we boarded our rafts (Drew and I pulling the weight from the front) and prepared for takeoff. The Nile River rafting is intense - many class 5 rapids, a waterfall, etc. We flipped on the first rapid (deliberate move by our guide), and the water was so warm. It felt good to be in it. The trip was over 30 km and very intense. We dominated the waterfall, but some rapids dominated us. By the end of the trip, though, we got pretty good.

On the bus ride back I met a guy from England that was on vacation with some others. He was manager of a supermarket, gone for a few weeks. He was very nice, but I was totally playing pilgrim vs. tourist in my head the whole time and feeling superior. He told me it was interesting to see all of the open-window butcheries. Then he went on a rant about how in the western nations we are so concerned with health safety that when our bodies encounter even the slightest wrong thing we will get deathly sick. His insights were very good.

The next day was bungee jumping. It was the hugest adrenaline rush. The drop was about 15 stories, and I got my head to my knees dipped in the Nile. Locals gathered at every hillside to watch from the cliffs and shores. I wished they could have the same fun as us.

After that, I didn't want to buy food from the rafting resort because it was expensive, unhealthy, not many options, etc. I walked several miles in hope to find food. I came across many of the roadside stands which provided the basic vegetables and fruits. I bought airtime from one stall, mostly out of will to support the people, and kept walking. Eventually a boda boda driver stopped me and asked me to come in and praise the Lord who made and created me at the church. It was loud in their, and I knew that if I came in I'd probably be expected to deliver a sermon or at least give a testimony, so I told him to send his greetings from me to the church. He pointed me to the direction of the marketplace, about another 2 kilometers away. I passed open fields and children yelling "Mzungu" (I never know whether to wave, because I don't want to be God to them like they think I am with my white skin, but I also don't want to be impolite - I've created a method of the smile-and-show-the-palm-of-my-hand-but-quickly-turn-around combo move).

The market was sweet. Everyone was in good spirits. I bought two samosas at 100 shillings a piece (10 cents total). They had rice and beans in them and the lady at her stall wrapped them in an old newspaper so I could carry them as I walked. I went to a gas station mart and then got a candy bar and cookies so I could finish the nutella when I got back. A biker picked me up because I was tired of walking in the hot sun. He drove me a few kilometers closer to the rafting place. On the ride, as he was pedaling, he asked if I was an explorer and I took great pride in having that question asked to me. It made me feel like a tough guy. He showed me a small fruit and asked if they had it where I was from. I asked what it was and he said it was an orange, which to me was weird because it was green-yellow and the size of a kiwi. He put it back in his pocket. I asked about his family. He is 28 and married with two kids. I asked how old his kids were and he replied, "They are doing fine." I gave him a small coin payment for the lift and continued my walk back to the resort. I met many people who asked for money from me, so you know that tourists are used to giving their money away to get kids off of their backs or something of the sort. One 16 year old even came by boda boda to the resort a few hours later to try to convince me to give him money. I said when he traveled to Mukono on his trip back home I would get him a meal on his way through.

That evening we returned home with a cake for Joshua's birthday. He is 16 now. The cake was so delicious, handmade, one of the best I've ever had (beside ice cream cakes). Kevin has malaria. I have been sleeping through the nights on a consistent basis now. My body has adapted to drinking large glasses of water right before bed.

Another week of school. Friday is Independence Day.