Great Time in Uganda, but Happy to be 'Home' in Kenya!

Hi All:

Our trip to Uganda was wonderful, scenery and people different and had lots of experiences. To get there and get back took the majority of each day, so we stayed an extra day. We had a tour the first day, then went back to the places we enjoyed the next day. Highlights:

* as we passed Lake Victoria near Jinja, Uganda, we saw two tributaries coming from the lake and then meeting together to form the start of the Nile River, which then flows to Egypt.
* Brenda, I went by a salon which said they cut 'caucasion' hair, so Trudy and I went in and had our hair cut. Had not found a salon in Kitale which cuts 'mzungu's' hair. Anyway, he asked if I wanted it layered and I said 'yes, and shorter.' Sooooo..... layered it is!! And shorter. Shows the 1 1/2" of grey which has grown out - I'll deal with that soon!!!
* On our way home in the bus we were stopped by the bad police, I think. How you tell them apart is the good police walk around the car then come on board to check things out, and the bad police make the driver come out of the vehicle and interrogate him. Reason I think they were the bad police is the bus helper got 1000 shilling bill, flashing it to us passengers, then gave it to the driver outside. That was it - on our way. That is part of the corruption here that people are just used to.
* A MALL!!! Yes, we went nuts of course! Then came lunch time and David, Candice and I headed to PIZZA HUT - pizza!!! Dane and Trudy went to a hamburger place to eat. Hate to say that pizza was one of the highlights, but it really way.
* Accommodations were fabulous. Huge house with beautiful grounds which we booked as we are a mission group. Candice and I roomed together (she mentioned that I snored - hummm, I'll have to look into that abit more!). We had a lovely western bathroom. Cost $30 US each night for each - not bad.
* Does seem to be differences in the countries. Uganda maybe more progressive. I asked the taxi driver the rate of unemployment there and he said 68%. Mind boggling.
* We went to a market where I bought a little mud hut, thatched roof manger scene with little black baby Jesus, etc. What was special is it was made by adult handicapped artists from Uganda. David bought a drum, Candice a gorgeous shoulder bag, Trudy material for a dress/skirt with African designs, and Dane a very nice shirt.
* We later went to Lake Victoria where David and Candice stuck their feet into the water. It also was in a bay so we never did see Lake Victoria without being in a little landed area.
* Money very confusing (30,000 shillings in Uganda equals 1200 Kenyan shillings). Things were very reasonable.
All in all, it was worth it going. Dane mentioned now we needed to focus again on why we are in Kenya, and I'm still in Vacation mode - can't shake it!!! It will come.

Went to MCCH yesterday and met the 'big kids.' These are students who were raised at the orphanage and now gone on to secondary school or college. Since the school year just ended for everyone, they have now come back 'home' for a month.

I'm a little disappointed in the wild life episodes - there are none! Well, we did see baboons in Uganda, but it seems as though all wild life are in national parks or are so far away from us that we will not see any.

Will hopefully add a couple of photos with this blog. They should be of:
* me getting my hair layered!
* me with my new male friend (haha: it was a statue at the Wildlife National Park for Disabled Animals. I also will add a photo of one of the cows from this park. The large thing hanging down is its stomach! Also a boat from the part which the kids got to ride in. Gershom, who is in the photo as Candice is paddling, had never been in a boat or ferry in his life - little nervous he was. He is the manager of MCCH.
* photo of a matatu (taxi van crammed with people) with live chickens on top!

Tomorrow will be December 1st. Happy Birthday Todd and Kyle (my nephew and son). I was a little 'I want to go home' the other day, but with the help of a friend and more self talk, I'm back on track again and looking forward to December as the kids at MCCH will not have school and we will be doing lots of activities with them. Christmas? There is so little about Christmas surfacing and it's so hot that it is hard to relate to all the Christmas activities going on in your part of the world. So enjoy your shopping and planning.

Love to you,
Nancy

(If photos don't get on this blog it's because I did not connect up with David who has the card reader for out camera chip. I will do it as soon as I can though.)