Freelancing in Uganda

Casey and Sarah's life and travels in the heart of Africa.

The Shortest Weekend Ever

The TASO Annual General Meeting (AGM) is in Kampala this weekend and all the regional offices are sending at least over 50 delegates each. Sarah and I were supposed to be two of 63 headed from the Gulu Branch to hear about the successes, failures and future direction planning of this organization. We were gonna meet at TASO Gulu HQ at 5:30 AM and be on our merry way. We even brought a dozen bananas, 3 litres of water and fried peas to snack on for the 4 to 7 hour trip to Kampala.

At least that was the plan.

Here’s a list of what went wrong:

  1. We arrived at HQ at around 5:34 AM expecting to be amongst the first individuals to arrive. Based on our experiences in Uganda thus far, delays were to be expected so we were certain that we’d be leaving around 7 AM. We notice no bus and asked the security guard what’s up. The bus left at 5:30 AM sharp and is meeting more people at the Gulu Bus Terminal. Hope is well and alive!
  2. We hopped on a Boda Boda (a motorcycle taxi) and hightailed it to the bus terminal. Keep in mind that there are two in town, about three minutes apart from each other, so it didn’t matter which one the Boda dropped us off at. We got to the first bus park and hopped on a ghostly quiet bus headed to Kampala. We then realized, after talking to the driver, that this wasn’t for TASO. It’s okay; there’s another bus park down the street!
  3. Upon arriving at the second terminal, we saw a few TASO staff members. Okay, let’s head to Kampala. Right? Right…? Nope. The bus left without us. After a few angry phone calls, the news broke to us that TASO ordered a short bus (fitting for the situation) leaving when it was full and stranding nearly half of the staff supposed to head to the AGM. Sarah, Ellie (an awesome colleague of ours from Notre Dame in the States) and I decide after some deliberation that we’ll bite the 50,000 shilling round trip and head to Kampala, regardless of TASO. Finally, a happy ending!
  4. Dear reader, are you ever wrong. As three of the last people onto a coach to Kampala, we were given some pretty terrible seats. Sarah was squished between two people in the six-seater back row but the real problem was where I was seated. Now, being a veteran of public transit throughout university and other travels, I have become accustomed to sitting wherever a seat was available. Not keeled over in the fetal position with a jagged piece of seat metal poking into my abdomen (hello tetanus!) just because two people in a three-seater wouldn’t move two shopping bags and shift over. I asked in English, used hand signals with kind facial expressions and finally stared them down. No movement. So in frustration, I got off the bus realizing I didn’t want to go through all that trouble just to throw away some money in Kampala without any semblance of a plan once we got there.

Sarah, Ellie and I are now planning a trip to Kampala next weekend away from the logistical nightmare that is TASO’s travel planning department. As for now, I’m gonna get a couple of hours of sleep and then some breakfast atCafé Larem with Sarah and Ellie.

The next post won’t be so embittered. I promise.

Casey