(can't thinkof a title for this one...) Kampala

Kampala is a big city. Bigger and more crowded, smoggier, but actually safer than even Dar es Salaam. We got to the outskirts of town in the bus and then sat in traffic for nearly an hour which gave us a chance to see the slightly run down shopping arcades lit up with neon, crowds and crowds of people walking along in the road to avoid stepping on the people selling things on the pavements of the streets. Motorcycles with two passengers zipped in and out of the mostly stationary higgledy piggledy cars. But eventually we arrived and we became one of the crowds walking in the road holding up the cars and avoiding the motorbikes, humming along to the Christmas songs being played by most of the street sellers.

Dave fancied a night out, given that when we’d be back between Christmas and New Year it might be quieter. So we headed to Rock Garden which is described as “one of the definitive stops on the Kampala nightshift, this cool place has a covered bar and … often heaving with people as early as 9pm. Prostitutes hang out here in droves and pick pocketing is often part of the experience”. Bit of a contradictory review that but enough to get us interested. So we spent the first half an hour of the night trying to work out which of the well but skimpily dressed girls might be a professional. I jokingly said that when I went to the loo we’d know by whichever approached Dave. And lo and behold when I got back he was being chatted up by a young girl in a tight sparkly dress and killer heels. I hung back for a few minutes but nothing embarrassing enough was happening so I came over to say hello. Lovely girl she was, we all stayed together for the rest of the evening but even now we don’t know if she was a lady of the night. There certainly were girls there who were but none of them seemed to be trying too hard and it was a nice atmosphere there. The three of us played some pool with all the other girls (those girls are good!) Dave chased them all off the table though so we had to leave

We went our separate ways the next morning to hit the shops and markets. I never made it past the markets really, apart from a really cool little gallery, but by the end of the day I’d managed to pick up some things for Dave’s Christmas presents, and some presents for home. Shopping in the markets is easier when you’re actually looking for something I think and I’ve added some new tools to my bargaining repertoire, I’d say I was now decidedly average which is an improvement

One thing about Christmas shopping is that it does put you in the mood so today was the first day I started to feel in any way festive after picking up some tinsel and a few Christmassy craft ingredients. We still have no idea how the day will turn out though…