Friday 7th April - The Good Life Continues!! My first two weeks is up and boy, what a time I've had.   I'm two dress sizes down and am no longer that pale muzungu although there's still four dress sizes to go!   I am still the fat crazy muzungu though and everyone still stares at me wherever I go and shouts out "Hello" and "How are you" or just "MUZUNGU"!!!   When I walk from my house up the hill to the orphanage, (Yes, I did say walk UPHILL!!), I am like the pied piper of Kesese with literally 50 street kids following after me and holding my hand in the hope that I have one of my many prized lollipops with me.
I buy them in bulk. ..100 for £1.00, I think I can just about afford that and the smiles on those faces say it all.   I know that sweets aren't the best thing for them but what the hell; fresh fruit is their daily bread and how reassuring in life that there are still kids out there who are so easily impressed with the simple things in life.
Most of them had never seen a muzungu before and those that had think that they only drive cars and tell them to go away. They are stunned that I smile, wave, laugh and chatter with them or sing God Save the Queen out loud. I really should be made an emissary of muzungus! Unfortunately, not all Ugandans are quite so happy with me! I nearly came home on Wednesday due to "diplomatic relations" shall we say with a few unwholesome characters whom chanced to get in my line of fire, well I never was one to mince my words!   I had tried to charter a private flight out of here in order for the jungle drums not to get wind of my imminent escape but not being quite a matter of life or death, decided on a not so discreet taxi for the 500 mile journey to the airport.   (1 did find a pilot who was willing to come and pick me up from here although there's no airstrip but he wanted $1320 for the privilege!).
Within three minutes of booking the taxi, the local hospital doctor who looks after the children and Edward rushed to the house to try and stop me from leaving!   They succeeded but only just by sorting out the situation and providing me with the required level of protection shall we say!
Today, I was walked around the town in the company of the local magistrate, deputy commissioner of police, (only the deputy I'm afraid!), the local spiritual guidance reverend, Edward and another chap who I'm still none too sure what his position is.   I was taken to see the bank manager by the magistrate and a bank account here is being sorted as we speak! I'm sitting here at the house in hot sunshine with a fruit bowl that you wouldn't believe!   Huge fresh pineapples are extortionately priced at less than 30p each whilst passion fruit are 50p for 20!   I have a choice of different bananas.   Little tiny sweet ones (Mevou), big yellow ones (Mitoki) or green ones for cooking virtually anything with! Water melons, paw paws and mangos are abundant and I now haggle for fresh vegetables at the marketplace and buy "greens", similar to baby spinach for 3p a lb and fresh tomatoes at £2.50 for 20kg.   Who needs tinned at that price!   I was however very spendthrift the other day when 1 bought 50kg of rice for £20.00 but it makes a change to sweet potatoes at £6.50 for 50kg or the dreaded bears that cause chronic wind at £30 for 200kg! I think I'm cooking chicken tonight as a chicken was shoved over the wall yesterday by one of the neighbours as a gift for me.   Unfortunately it's still walking and scratching around and I'm none too sure as to whether I have to wring its neck and pluck it or not!   Obviously someone will at some point but then again that's nothing compared to the goat in the house story! I'll tell you on my return!!   Another chicken is due today apparently from another "friend'" but I don't want to overload the diet with meat twice in a week!
I am living at a place called base camp a couple of miles out of town which is at the bottom of the Rwenzori mountains otherwise known as The Mountains of the Moon.   I might as well be on the moon at times but the storms are amazing to watch but not so great to be caught up in but you soon steam dry afterwards!
The equator is HOT but the locals complain that it is cold at the moment as it is winter but unfortunately the very profuse mosquitoes, (umbos) don't care what the season is.   No glorious 12th just open season on everyone. Malaria is rife here so it's a good job I have my malaria tablets.   I bought a kettle to make boiling the water a tadge quicker than by more "Traditional" means (I had to buy it in Kampala as they had never seen one here before!) as typhoid is a real threat and there are rumours of cholera further north of here. I have already taken a couple of the children to the hospital for injections due to their malaria episodes and one poor girl, Mary who is one of the HIV positive children, for a very bad burn from an accident.   We are organising for several of the children to have full-blown aids tests as they are showing some worrying signs.   It's heartbreaking how we expect these innocents to live through so many hells in just one lifetime without complaint.   It's just normal to them, which is why just by making them smile is totally encompassing and awe inspiring.   They really are very special and I am so lucky to be with them. Well on that note, it's back to a dried bean, vegetable and fruit lunch with tomato and avocado salad with no dressing other than green lemon juice.   I might even allow myself a special treat of a slightly sweetened yoghurt "in a plastic bag" before climbing up to The House of Hope for when the children return from school.   They are very happy now that they have 1 fresh egg a day, bananas and as of tomorrow a small glass of fresh milk a day.   To them it is a luxury.   For me it means I will continue to provide this luxury for them and watch them hopefully beat the odds and grow up into adulthood and a better life than they were originally entitled to. To all of you out there please know that despite the odds, you have brought about that change.   Thank you. Oh well. Off to catch that chicken! Kathryn xxx
Tuesday 28th March - Africa Time Continues!! Well folks , I’ve been at it for a week now and it still hasn’t sunk in that I am in a different world compared to the U.K.   On Friday morning I was informed that despite only arriving 18 hours previously after that amazing journey, I was to return to Kampala at 5am the following morning as I had been invited to supper by a friend of Edwards.   Now I’ve travelled some miles in my time for a good meal but the thought of that journey being repeated again by bus was not any where near my idea of a good meal unless I was the personal guest of Marco Pierre White and a limo was provided! Anyway.   Off we set and this time the bus was only 6 hours but over the bumpiest roads and I was sitting above the wheels.   I was not in the best frame of minds seeing as I had to complete the return journey the following day. We arrived at the bus station and Edward informs me that he has some meetings to attend to whilst he’s here in Kampala.   Anyway, hours later of traipsing round and the buda buda rides, (that’s me on the back of a moped with no helmet mum, in very mad traffic!) we are finally picked up by his friend who is a real doctor and will be returning to Kesese with us tomorrow and informed that we were going to Lake Victoria for a swim and a meal.   They didn’t inform me that another friend owned a house there on the lakeside and had his own fishing business.   Hence pina coladas and freshly baked fish on his gardens that lead right to the edge.   He is an American and also returning with us. Edward has had several meetings with government officials and with myself and Clinton the American we are looking at moving the orphanage at some point in the future away from Kesese which is in the wilds, right on the equator and not the best of areas to say the least.   But hey, I love adventure and I am the only white in town.   However I am learning the language with the basics and the people on the whole but especially the children) are very smiley especially when I reply with simple Rugandan language.   You have to be careful as there are so many different tribes with their different languages so I must not insult anyone by using the wrong language.   The different tribes all have their defining features and I’m slowly getting there! I came here to cook and run the soup kitchen but am now deeply involved in the orphanage administration regarding the day to day running, future projects such as a counseling unit for beaten women and street kids of which there are many thousands.   Expansion of a chicken/egg farm which at present has 70 chickens but we need more so that we can not only provide food for the orphanage but set up other small workshops in which to train the children raising enough money to pay for so many things needed by the kids.   The soup kitchen had to close because there wasn’t enough money to even feed the kids that were at the orphanage never mind on the streets. The street kids steal and are then beaten by the stall holders but Edward stands up for them and will not tolerate the bad treatment they receive.   These are just kids we’re talking about stealing a banana to try and stay alive with no food source, no money or shoes.   There are no benefits out here!!   It’s similar to Dickension London I presume. I am still here in Kampala on Tuesday afternoon and apparently now return to Kesese in the morning with the others.   I can’t wait to see the children.   I have missed them so much and look forward to a change of clothes and all the other accessories I would have bought including the lap top had I known I would be away from my house for more than one night!   I sent 2 emails the other day from an internet café but neither arrived.   I have sent 20 texts but only 2 have got through and now will try a different café to send this one.   If not phase 2 kicks in and I fax a copy of this email from a local hotel (Yes - It did kick in on yesterday's report!).   Once I get back to Kesese it becomes MUCH more complicated!   Email doesn’t exist and I’m not sure about faxes but if the worst comes to the worst then I send a disc to Kampala on the bus where it will be picked up and emailed off.   A 500 mile courier service for only 1pound 50p!   I need to speak to Uganda telecom direct in order to get a connection/line system set up from my laptop and due to the area of Africa I am in this will be very slow so may have to wait for my next visit to Africa.   Hey, it’s Africa time out here and the fact that I have established the connections I have in less than a week is a miracle in African standards. Edward spends so much time in running and funding the orphanage and his children from the orphanage in higher education and other than a handful of workers called Uncles, he organises everything.   This is why I am now going to be doing admin rather than cooking. It’s what he is desperate for as well as taking some of the daily burdens off his shoulder.   I start doing the food shopping in the market on Friday and must find the best value vegetables and beans, barter and agree a price and then organise delivery to the orphanage by buda buda.   You ought to see 50kg of sweet potatoes on the back of a 50cc moped going up a hill.   Then again you should see Edward and I on the back of a moped behind the driver going down hill!! I have given the shoes out to the children who just couldn’t believe it.   There are only 4 pairs to find.   So Sue if you could look through what we’ve got upstairs I need a few pairs of shoes - 2 pairs of size 2, 2 pairs of size 3, 2 pairs of size 4 and 1 pair of size 5 - one of which is for a very thin foot.   No heavy shoes required.   Sandals and trainers are great!   Any problems with postage ie. The cost let me know and I’ll buy some shoes out here as I have promised the ones that did not get shoes that I have not forgotten and will get them.   Their sad little faces to think they may be left out. My phone number has changed yet again so please text or call on 00 2567 1202 2400 anytime although I can still pick up messages on my old number.   If you can’t get through it’s because it’s Africa so just keep trying.   Who knows when the phones or electric will be working!!! Tom, As discussed on our dodgy phonecall could you please get a Panasonic all singing all dancing fax/copier/telephone and text machine.   It costs around 180.00 pounds.   Order on my switch if necessary from Amazon to save a journey etc.   And it would be great if you can text me on my phone rather than yours!. Oh well, I’m heading out of the city to the lake for more pina coladas before the long trek back tomorrow.   At least I’ll be in a 4x4 not a bus!!   This girl knows how to travel in style with a bevy of beautiful men to drive me and protect me in this harsh bush environment.   Or is it the other way round!! I’ll write with more news soon but just remember it’s Africa time out here and I’m a working girl!! Love to all and hugs for Alfie Kathryn xxx
Monday 27th March - Africa Time! My latest news taken and faxed for me direct from Lake Victoria Hotel! Well, I finally made it to Entebbe and then the story began.   Being a Westerner I am used to things at a slightly different and somewhat more organised pace and way of life.   I arrived at 7am and then in a jiffy I was whisked off in a taxi, and then a mad minibus to Campala.   I thought that the traffic was bad in London but at least they drive on the same side of the road as each other! We arrived at the main bus station to await our bus to Kesese.   And waited we did, and waited and waited ... finally 4½ hours later when the bus was finally full we set off and kept going and going … for 8½ hours! It was dark and in the middle of a storm but we finally made it to The House of Hope.   A total of 14½ hours travelling after I had landed. That was my first initiation into Africa Time!! After I arrived the children came in and all bowed, curtsied and shook my hand.   Not a peep from them other than very quiet hellos and welcome Madams.   I was then left with these very shy children, (or so I thought!), all by myself when they lined up and started singing.   Such beautiful singing and such sad words about why children suffer in this world of Aids and War.   They sang about following a "good path", so that they may hopefully grow older and have a better life.   I cried my heart out whilst trying to smile at these wonderful happy children with all the very young ones piled on my lap for hugs and hand holding.   Thinking, "Why am I crying when it is these children who have lived through hell and not me and that because they were smiling the least I could do was be strong for them. They bowed, curtsied and left and I was left thinking what quiet little beautiful souls they are and then the following day arrived.   I went up the hill for lunch with them and they were very shy until two of them were asked to walk me back to my house.   I gave them a drink and we started chatting and laughing and then I gave them five skipping ropes to take back for everybody to play with.   Those two little girls come back every afternoon but now they bring them all back!   Running and screaming and hugging and singing.   Blowing bubbles and having their photos taken and then all pushing to get a better view of the camera.   Children who all need just a hug, a kind word and a smile to make them happy.   The natives think I'm a crazy "Muzungu" but are very happy because the children come alive when I am myself with them.   No more bowing and calling me Madam. Just happy lively children who in the face of adversity are being what they should be.   Children. The new Worldwide modem that I bought for the lap top does not cover the area where I am so I am only available in the very odd internet café such as this one so hold your emails but text me if you can.   It is quite lonely at school times being the only white in the town but I think they are getting used to me!   Then the children arrive and I love every minute of being here with them! Until next time Bera Burungi !!
Monday 20th March And now for my first posting or personal blog ! Well it's finally happening. The Ostrich is flying back to Africa tomorrow.
I have my lap top all set up so will be sending back my diaries onto this page on my website - So you can all keep up with me.   That's if I can charge up the laptop and I've got a reception signal !! Please don't send me personal emails until I've confirmed that the power is on (Personal Emails to Hope 'at' TheOstrichInn.com) as I don't want to waste the battery energy if I can't charge it. I will buy a digital camera at Heathrow on the way out and learn how to use it on the plane but I won't send back photos until I have discovered an internet cafe or similar. I'll be back in 6 weeks or 3 months, depending on how I feel !! Think of me on Wednesday morning flying over Kenya at 6.30am.   Thanks for all the donations and gifts.   I have enough to support the whole orphanage for at least 2 months in food, education and medicine as well as put shoes on all their feet with plenty to spare for the homeless orphans in Kesese. They've been warned that I'm on my way !! Love to you all Kathryn   xxx