21 August 2008

21 August 2008 13:34

I find it ironic that Uganda's biggest export is coffee, and we have been drinking Nescafe instant coffee in the mornings. I am on a mission to procure fresh coffee and vanilla beans while I am here.

Today Denis is driving us to Lira. It is lush and beautiful here. Green and thick and the air is heavy. It looks a lot like Hawaii. The roads, as I have heard, are basically small patches of asphalt between colossal potholes. But Denis pilots the Landcruiser like a champion slalom racer and keeps the horn in constant action at the passing cars. and cows, chickens, people, etc.

21 August 2008 22:20

We have arrived at Felix and Esther's house. By Ugandan standards, it is very nice. They live among the upper echelon of Lira-ites, with electricity (most days), running water, tv... all of the modern conveniences. Even a gas cookstove that Felix gave to Esther for an anniversary or some occasion. Another gift to Esther was a red toyota station wagon that we drove across town to her garden, bottoming out on the "roads" the whole way. These roads are amazing. Like frost heaves on steroids, but the most recent freeze here was the last ice age. Right under the equator, the sun rises and sets and seven o'clock morning and night, every day, all year round, and even though there are rainy and dry seasons, it's pretty much always hot. Theoretically we are in the rainy season, but Lira seems relatively dry.

At this stage in the game I am extremely homesick. I miss my kids, my house, dog, fire, everything. I am eating trail mix because it feels normal, and when I think of the things I have eaten in the last few days I get queasy. It doesn't help that I am bleeding profusely from one of the heaviest periods in the history of estrus, but at least here at Esther and Felix' I have running water and a flushing toilet. I can't find a garbage can to save my life (pretty sure they just toss it out on the street) so I am hauling a short ton of biohazardous waste at least as far as Kampala with me.

I am so thankful for the USA. Even with our ridiculousness.