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Thursday, April 19, 2007

DAY: un-kampalaed

Setting out on a journey engenders a strange emotion, one is seized by the feeling that he is free not only from the land that he has just left behind him, but also from the time that he is vacating                                                                                                        Forbidden Colours-Yukio Mishima

 

8 o’clock saw the bus finally leave Kampala behind. The process of waiting for the bus to fill being such an unpleasant experience to ones patience, you could see the change in the faces of the passengers as they drew in the last air before shutting off the outside. Travel mood had set in. It was time to settle down in position for sleep perhaps, or pull out novels and newspapers to read, or stare out of the windows. So, we reached.

 

On land, after several hours, it feels fresh. Even with the wash of Gulu heat that welcomes us. The journey had been quite disorienting. Locked windows, the hum of built up pressure and the awfully loud music through out the journey. Yet here is Gulu town in its afternoon laze. Any venture out of shade is a sweaty mess and a dusty one too. You may think crossing Kampala roads is hard till you meet some Gulu roads. Think Ben Kiwanuka road. Then think of it worse. There is a certain unruly law at road here, bicycles, motorcycles, are the major speed traffic here, then the vehicles set in, faster. There is no time to settle in. The vehicles are mostly SUVs with tint glass, those without tint are NGO’s owned. While vehicles are not that many they drive at such scarily speeds. The pedestrian has to fit in uneasily. I stand at the bus park near a music stall listening to a song by Otim Alpha called ‘alany pa coo’, I am not alone in this idleness…there are several people waiting for buses to various destinations, the park has several taxis and pickup trucks and no bus. I am waiting for Edwin, who is give me a ride. It may be sad to say the best parts of Gulu are out of town, most times I come to this town and I think, where did I leave off last time.

NEXT on DAY…the first moments before embarking on a Pickup truck ride.

 

16:55 Posted in lolling | Permalink | Comments (8) | Email this

Comments

I always knew I had the wrong picture of Gulu. I'm not sure what I had, and I'm not sure how many time I've been corrected, but it is always a moment of `oh!' whenever I read about Gulu. I should happen there.

Posted by: The 27th Comrade | Thursday, April 19, 2007

u gotta have it! some brogrens are rappers ---tha CD is out. and from what i hear its ballistic! u gotta have it –mbu the records will take u to paradise. CB did the review.

Posted by: rolex maker | Monday, April 23, 2007

I wonder what Rolex maker is talking about...anyone offer to explain in English, perhaps, Rolex Maker?

@27th comrade, there is no right picture of Gulu...

Posted by: broccoli | Monday, April 23, 2007

I wonder what Rolex maker is talking about...anyone offer to explain in English, perhaps, Rolex Maker?

@27th comrade, there is no right picture of Gulu...

Posted by: broccoli | Monday, April 23, 2007

I can hardly contain myself with excitement to find out how riding on a pick-up struck you!

Posted by: Mataachi | Monday, April 23, 2007

and man, this was way too brief! I protest. And i wanted to ask, why brocoli, it makes you frown!

Posted by: Mataachi | Monday, April 23, 2007

and man, this was way too brief! I protest. And i wanted to ask, why brocoli, it makes you frown!

Posted by: Mataachi | Monday, April 23, 2007

There is nothing philosophical about the name broccoli. we were eating broccoli with HipFlask Swigger when I decided I should be broccoli for a short while

Posted by: broccoli | Monday, April 30, 2007

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