Planes, Taxis and … Mutatas

If you thought the phrase was “planes, trains, and automobiles” you were mistaken. I have finally arrived in Entebbe Uganda, after about 30 hours of travel. Honestly I have lost track due to the whole time changes, etc. I hopped on a 777 airplane at JFK with 9 other teachers, and we sat for the next 13 hours on the plane. Except it was impossible to be bored on this plane. There were 500 movie and TV channels, and then another 300 music channels. It was insane. And yes, Heidi, there was even a Friends channel…all Friends, all the time! What could be better than that?! Well, actually I got 3 “free” meals to go with my 800 channel choices, and anybody who knows me, knows that free meals are the best.

After we arrived in Dubai, we quickly found out that the hotel reservation we were told was made for the 10 of us, wasn’t really finalized. But we managed to still get a taxi to that Hotel, and they had enough rooms for each of us to get our own bed. But before going to bed, we took a quick tour of Dubai around 10pm. Yes, Dad, we did stick together. But crazy enough, there were like NO women out on the streets at all. That was a little weird. So after walking, or should I say swimming through the streets, we came back inside the A/C and went to bed. It was so humid that I think God made a mistake and gave Dubai the same weather that occurs in Hell. No joke, it was awful, and usually humidity and heat don’t bother me too bad (just ask Christine).

The next morning we left Dubai, flew to Ethiopia for a quick refueling, and then it was off to Entebbe. There we bought our Visas, hopped in a Mutata (like a minivan with lots of seats, which does business like a taxi), and then arrived at the Backpacker’s Hostel where we will stay for two nights. Tomorrow we get to go visit a school just down the street. That’s where Jacob goes to school, so we’ll get to meet him tomorrow. If you don’t know who Jacob is, then watch the Rough Cut documentary.

Well, that’s about it for now. I’ve been keeping bug spray on, and I’ve been told that getting a hot shower here at the Hostel is a must…b/c it’s unlikely I’ll get one in Gulu. I’m not so sure about that…

Oh, but Pete, you were wrong. The weather here is really nice. Only highs of around 80* F, 27*C or so, just like weather underground says. (Check out the weather link on the right).

Thanks for reading! Pictures will follow in a few days. It's taking too long to upload them.