Today we rose at 5.20, not very joyfully, and were driven to Kampala in just over six hours, which is pretty good time and about two hours less than the journey out. This afternoon we were fatigued, despite one of us having slept most of the journey, and we had a stroll around the Kabaka's (pea-soup-like) lake and adjacent slums and relaxed at the hotel, enjoying the wi-fi and swimming pool, if not the disco.
I am very thankful to have arrived safely as it's the road travel that frightens me most about coming here, and if you look at the statistics you will know why. Some of the roads are in good condition, though peppered with severe speed bumps, but many are poor. Sections of the road we travelled today, which is the main one to the south west and the borders with Congo and Rwanda, are very badly potholed, no doubt partly due to the heavy vehicles using. In many places the usable tarmac is down to a single lane, with dodgy verges that are driveable with care. In Uganda one drives on the left. Or the right if necessary, or the verge. Most overtaking takes place on the right. The official speed limit is 80kph, 50 in towns, but it is rarely observed. There were a few police with speed guns out today but in their white uniforms they are easily spotted at a distance. (The gecko over my head has just captured a dragonfly nearly as big as itself, so I got distracted then.) Anyway this arrangement of roads leads to a terrifying game of "chicken" being played as everyone tries to stay on the best bit of road as long as possible before swerving aside to avoid a collision. The long distance coach drivers however never swerve aside so everyone has to get out of their way, and they are going pretty quick. When they crash it really is carnage. When there are numerous bikers, cyclists (often with unwieldy loads), pedestrians (mostly children), cattle, goats, and indeed actual chickens using the road as well, it becomes alarming. Charles is a pretty good driver and I was more worried that we would hit one of these other road users than that we would come to harm, but as I say, we were thankful to have got here safely. Two more days driving to be done, on what we hear is a much worse road! In Kampala, there is near gridlock and the only rule of the road I can see is whoever gets there first has right of way. In Italy, traffic lights are merely advisory, here the few that there are, are just for decoration.
Tomorrow we get a lie-in until 6.30, we are being collected at 7.30 to go to Guiding Star school and meet those preparing for their leaving exams, no doubt say a word of encouragement and pray for them, before going to church with Gertrude.