From Uganda: Arrived!

I have arrived safely in Uganda after about 35 hours of traveling. All of my flights went very smoothly and my baggage made it with no problem! AND I got my visa without any trouble! I think all of the locals were laughing at how many bags I had, but I promised them most of it wasn’t my stuff.

When I made it to Ethiopia, I made friends with a girl who was from Uganda but studying in the USA. It was nice to have someone to talk to and laugh with since I had been traveling alone for so long. We were the same age and she was getting her degree in nursing so we had a lot in common. We spent a good amount of time giggling over a newly wedded Swedish couple that was traveling to Africa for the first time. The couple apparently thought we all wanted to watch them make-out and give each other “butterfly” kisses. The best part was when the couple complained to the people at the check-in desk for Ethiopian Airlines that the toilets in the airport were only “squat toilets” and that there was no toilet paper or soap. My new friend couldn’t resist but tap the lady on the shoulder and say, “Welcome to Africa!” I almost died trying to hold in my laughter.

I went from the airport to Entebbe Backpackers Hostel and booked into a dorm for the night. I was the only tourist there for most of the day until a girl from Ireland arrived in the middle of the night. It felt so good to finally be in a place where I didn’t have to climb over three people and squeeze around isle food carts to try and reach the bathroom. I took a much-needed cold shower and changed out of the stale outfit I had been wearing for so long. After assuring my mom I had safely arrived, I went and climbed into my sleep sheet and slept from 4pm to 5am soundly. When I woke up, my arms were so numb from sleeping on them… I don’t think I budged once in the night. I am laying here now talking to the girl from Ireland and waiting for the sun to rise.

Originally, I was going to fly to Bwindi this morning but Momma Eve and Denis are coming to Kampala and we are doing some wedding shopping (Eve and Denis are getting married in July and I am a bridesmaid) and getting supplies for the centre before heading back. My little sister (their daughter), Jade, is on vacation from school for the week so we are going to spend a few days with her and Eve’s family and then head to Bwindi on Saturday. I am so excited to see all of them today!

Sutter Allen, undergraduate, Human Development, UC Davis