Radar Detector Car Dash and Windshield Mount
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
To Kampala By Bus
On the trip to Kampala, we used the Kampala coach. It appeared to be the most comfortable with good legroom and reclining seats. I had booked two seats on the left behind the driver. In case the road turned bumpy and rough this position would give some cushion as opposed to the back seats. The engine noise however was something to get used to.
This is one of the journeys that a regular traveller should take in East Africa, at least once. The distance of 670km and 12 hours gives a variety of experiences for night and day travels. The road is smooth from Nairobi to Eldoret then narrows to Busia or Malaba border points. After the border, it is a better ride to Kampala. The sights are beautiful especially when crossing the Nalubale Power Station Bridge at Owell falls.
We had the excitement of leaving Nairobi by the night bus. The departure was for 2030Hrs but it seemed no one has the intention of ever keeping that time and so the real departure was 2130 hrs.
After the city, there is little to see in the dark countryside. The first stop is Nakuru town for the use of washrooms and purchase of snacks. In the night there is little choice in the small shop at the booking office. It is better to carry light dinner and lots of drinking water. Sitting for more than 10 hours will not be fun on an empty stomach and a dehydrated body.
The next stop is the border point. There are two border points out of Kenya to Uganda; Busia and Malaba. We used the Busia border point. We arrived there at 5am. I knew because my phone’s alarm for wake up had always been set for 5am and it had gone off a few minutes to the border. You alight and hand over your trave documents..., pass ports or temporary passes for East Africa residents not having passports.
To cross into Uganda we ran across the no man’s land under a light drizzle to catch up with the bus that had already gone ahead of us. Busia town runs a few meters into Uganda with shops offering the last products to get in Kenya especially airtime.
There is a wide good stretch of surfaced road after the Kenyan border. The countryside is beautiful in the early morning. Drop offs start at Tororo and Njinja, the two major towns to pass through on the way to Kampala. The countryside has scattered small-scale farmers growing traditional crops, mostly bananas and sugarcane.
It is now the eleventh hour since the journey started in Nairobi. We yearned for a stretch, a shower and a good breakfast. We cannot wait to get to Kampala.
Welcome to Kampala! Our welcome was not so fortunate. Unaware to us the previous night being the finals for world cup, there was two bomb incidents in the city, one at Ethiopian Village Restaurant and the other at Kampala’s Kyadondo Rugby Club.
During the day we passed the government hospital and saw hundreds of anxious people wating to know the fate of their loved ones. We knew then the gravity of the problem in the city from the extra security we were subjected to at the shopping malls the whole day long as our host took us round. We later learnt that more than sixty people died in the bomb attacks.
The return journey was on the next morning. We were up at 5am in order to catch the bus at 6.30am. The Kampala coach has two booking offices. Out of confusion or lack of communication, there were double bookings. This caused a lot of arguments and delays that made us leave at 8.30am.
We had an opportunity to see the countryside better after a relaxing night. From Kampala to the Malaba border, it is a rich and productive land. As seen in Kenya too, the smallholdings by farmers indicated unutilised potential in agriculture and much that governments need to do to reduce poverty in the rural areas.
At several stops there are a collection of foods offered for sale. Standing out was roasted chicken and other birds and meats, stuck into long sticks. They thrust the delicacies through the bus windows in attempt to raise your appetite. We thought best to keep off from roadside cooked food. We needed peace with our stomachs at the end of the journey. Bananas, fruits and plenty of water were adequate for the journey to Nairobi.
Unlike night journeys, the day travel was filled with many stops either to pick passengers or goods from the various booking offices. By the time we got to Nairobi city, it was already past 10pm, 13 hours on the road, sore joints, fitful sleep and enough experience. Home was the best place to recuperate and do a similar journey better prepared next time.
This is one of the journeys that a regular traveller should take in East Africa, at least once. The distance of 670km and 12 hours gives a variety of experiences for night and day travels. The road is smooth from Nairobi to Eldoret then narrows to Busia or Malaba border points. After the border, it is a better ride to Kampala. The sights are beautiful especially when crossing the Nalubale Power Station Bridge at Owell falls.
We had the excitement of leaving Nairobi by the night bus. The departure was for 2030Hrs but it seemed no one has the intention of ever keeping that time and so the real departure was 2130 hrs.
After the city, there is little to see in the dark countryside. The first stop is Nakuru town for the use of washrooms and purchase of snacks. In the night there is little choice in the small shop at the booking office. It is better to carry light dinner and lots of drinking water. Sitting for more than 10 hours will not be fun on an empty stomach and a dehydrated body.
The next stop is the border point. There are two border points out of Kenya to Uganda; Busia and Malaba. We used the Busia border point. We arrived there at 5am. I knew because my phone’s alarm for wake up had always been set for 5am and it had gone off a few minutes to the border. You alight and hand over your trave documents..., pass ports or temporary passes for East Africa residents not having passports.
To cross into Uganda we ran across the no man’s land under a light drizzle to catch up with the bus that had already gone ahead of us. Busia town runs a few meters into Uganda with shops offering the last products to get in Kenya especially airtime.
There is a wide good stretch of surfaced road after the Kenyan border. The countryside is beautiful in the early morning. Drop offs start at Tororo and Njinja, the two major towns to pass through on the way to Kampala. The countryside has scattered small-scale farmers growing traditional crops, mostly bananas and sugarcane.
It is now the eleventh hour since the journey started in Nairobi. We yearned for a stretch, a shower and a good breakfast. We cannot wait to get to Kampala.
Welcome to Kampala! Our welcome was not so fortunate. Unaware to us the previous night being the finals for world cup, there was two bomb incidents in the city, one at Ethiopian Village Restaurant and the other at Kampala’s Kyadondo Rugby Club.
During the day we passed the government hospital and saw hundreds of anxious people wating to know the fate of their loved ones. We knew then the gravity of the problem in the city from the extra security we were subjected to at the shopping malls the whole day long as our host took us round. We later learnt that more than sixty people died in the bomb attacks.
The return journey was on the next morning. We were up at 5am in order to catch the bus at 6.30am. The Kampala coach has two booking offices. Out of confusion or lack of communication, there were double bookings. This caused a lot of arguments and delays that made us leave at 8.30am.
We had an opportunity to see the countryside better after a relaxing night. From Kampala to the Malaba border, it is a rich and productive land. As seen in Kenya too, the smallholdings by farmers indicated unutilised potential in agriculture and much that governments need to do to reduce poverty in the rural areas.
At several stops there are a collection of foods offered for sale. Standing out was roasted chicken and other birds and meats, stuck into long sticks. They thrust the delicacies through the bus windows in attempt to raise your appetite. We thought best to keep off from roadside cooked food. We needed peace with our stomachs at the end of the journey. Bananas, fruits and plenty of water were adequate for the journey to Nairobi.
Unlike night journeys, the day travel was filled with many stops either to pick passengers or goods from the various booking offices. By the time we got to Nairobi city, it was already past 10pm, 13 hours on the road, sore joints, fitful sleep and enough experience. Home was the best place to recuperate and do a similar journey better prepared next time.
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