On the Road to Nairobi Episode III – Town of Busia, Kenyan border

Around midnight, the bus finally reached the border checkpoint. Everyone got off the bus and trudged along to the immigration office which was a building that was no bigger than 10x10.  Right outside, there were a swarm of money changers who cry out "Do you need dollar for visa?" or "I offer good rates."

A firm wave of the hand or a No usually did the trick.

After paying the visa fee to Kenya ($25) and receiving the visa, I went and used the restroom.

Coming out, I was accosted by a man who demanded that I pay 10 Kenyan Shillings which is roughly 8 cents. I fumbled for my coins and finding none so I handed him a 100 Kenyan Shilling bill and asked for change.

Then, he reached into his pocket and handed me 50 Kenyan Shillings while reciting "because you are my brother, I'll have small change for soda" with a crooked grin. I quickly snatched away the bill and handed him 10 Shillings from my friend.

Lesson #3: Be careful when you meet your new brothers and sisters.

On the Road to Nairobi Episode II – Midnight express to Nairobi

We decided on Akamba Co. for our transportation which operates typical coach bus that seats 44 people. We were unfortunately seated towards the back of the bus which meant that every bump would be amplified and send a shock wave through our bodies.

The entire night was spent in agony as the road to Nairobi was filled with cracks and potholes that made the roads look like a half completed jigsaw puzzle.

After 3 hours, we stopped for water and bathroom. I got off the bus and looked for a sign but instead saw a stream of people disappearing into bushes. I followed a man thinking he would lead the way but found him happily going about his business in a shaded area.

Lesson #2: When you gotta go, you gotta go.

On the Road to Nairobi Episode I – Shopping in Kampala

After three hours on a small 12 seater van that was meant to seat 8, we arrived in Kampala.

We needed to grab dinner and purchase some food before we boarded our night bus to Nairobi around 7 PM. The drive was scheduled to take 13 hours so having some snacks seemed like a good idea. In downtown Kampala, there is a shopping outlet area with a cluster of several stores. The largest of them is called Nakumatt store which resembles a miniature Wal-Mart. I am guessing that this store’s size would be roughly a quarter of a Walmart’s.

Once we had arrived at the store, I remembered that I needed calcium pills to supplement my diet. This is because a typical Ugandan meal consists of rice, matooke (mashed plantains), potatoes, sweet potatoes, beef or pork with sauce, cassava, and sometimes eggs.

Food is very carb heavy and lack protein - but most importantly calcium is missing in their regular diet. You will see many elderly Ugandans who suffer from osteoporosis and other bone – related ailments…

Going back to the Nakumatt story, I found some cupcakes, macademia nuts, and water. I also found a bottle of 30 calcium pills imported from US that cost 30,000 UGX which is $15 USD. Nearby store employee explained that taxes and transportation costs just made things very expensive. Worse, the pills only amounted to 30% of recommended daily dosage which meant I needed to take 3 a day. But I decided taking 1 a day should be sufficient so I grabbed two bottles.

After paying for the items and exiting the store, I ran into Scott, my fellow intern, who offered to give his extra calcium pills. So I decided to return one bottle and keep one just in case I needed some extra pills.

Here is where things got screwy. I went in and approached the employee at the Returns store counter

Me: Hi. I am looking to return this item that I purchased 5 minutes ago.
Employee: (Grimacing) What’s wrong with the item?
Me: Nothing. I just realized I don’t need two bottles and need just one.
Employee: (After some hesitation) Ok. We can refund this item. I’ll go ahead and issue a store credit.
Me: Actually, I’ll take cash since I don’t live in Kampala and it is very unlikely that I’ll need to spend 30,000 UGX…
Employee: That’s store policy. We can’t give your money back.
Me: No, on your receipt it only says that returns after 7 days are invalid. I don’t see any prints about store credits.
Employee: I can’t help you – talk to the manager over there.
After five minutes:

Returns Manager: May I help you?
Me: I need to return this item.
Returns Manager: What’s wrong with it?
Me: There is nothing wrong with it. I have too many pills and I just need one bottle.
Returns Manager: Did you open it?
Me: Does it look like it’s opened? (Already getting riled up) The plastic band is still attached.
Returns Manager: Ok… Let me issue a store…
Me: Nope I don’t need a store credit. I don’t live here. I don’t need to buy 30,000 worth of stuff from here.
Returns Manager: It’s policy.
Me: Policy only works if two parties agree upon a condition and both parties are aware of the condition. The whole credit only policy is news to me. I don’t see the policy announced anywhere and it’s not on the receipt.
Returns Manager: I understand but it’s policy.
Me: Nope, you are not understanding me. I have been told about this policy five minutes ago. Unacceptable.

At that point, another guy in green lumbers in and talks to the Returns Manager rapidly. I got really pissed and decided to repeat my story. I told him I won’t leave until I got my cash back. I emphasized my position with some nice language illustrating my frustration.

Green guy seemed to get irritated and walked over to a counter without a word and grabbed the money and handed to me.

Lesson #1: Don’t take things for granted or you will find unnecessary drama.

Kampala - Capital of Uganda / Methods of Transportation

Kampala is the capital of Uganda with a population around one million. This city has all the amenities that you would expect in a bustling city - from fast internet cafes to different restaurants that serve Chinese, Thai, and of course Southern Fried Chicken.

One interesting topic is methods of transportation. The locals as well as mzungus (foreigners) travel by these three options:

• Boda bodas – Small mopeds or motorcycles that can be found in almost every street corner. Bodas are considered most dangerous since the drivers have utter disregard for traffic laws and incoming traffic. Drivers often are self taught and have no insurance / license to operate the vehicle. It is true that the bodas weave in and out of traffic jams but they will get you to your destination the fastest. The name boda boda comes from the fact that many years back, bicycles ferried passengers between borders of countries because the distance (no man’s land) between the borders were kilometers apart. These drivers called out “Boda Boda” (border border) to potential passengers – now the bicycles have been replaced by scooters.

• Matatus (taxis) – Matatus are small mini buses that officially carry 14 passengers (though frequently the driver will try to squeeze as many as possible), and travel along the same routes. The buses are about the size of Honda Odyssey vans and are usually white with a blue stripe around them. There is always a driver and a conductor who will hang out of the side window calling for passengers or calling out the destinations. While safer than bodas, matatus are still somewhat dangerous as drivers also speed and often drive recklessly.
• Special Hires (also called taxis) – White sedans that lack meters or markings. These are like taxis in the US and you can also book one by phone if you happen to know a drivers phone number. They drive around town and will call out to potential customers. These are probably the safest method of transportation but will generally cost the most.

Interestingly enough, most cars here in Uganda are Japanese. 90% of cars are Toyotas and rest are Nissans or Datsuns.