Jinja, Uganda II

It's been nearly two weeks and I'm still in Jinja. Mostly I'm being sick, and when I'm not sick I'm kayaking but I'm also reading and driving to town for Indian food. I found a restaurant with awesome paneer pasanda in Jinja called Leoz.

I spent time with a guy from Pennsylvania who was learning to kayak, an interesting guy who has been working in southern Sudan for three months, and a French Canadian doctor who nursed me back to health. On Monday an Israeli friend from Cape MaClear, Malawi arrived at the campsite and we all took a bike ride together to Itanda Falls. A topical storm hit on the bike trip and our group of four got separated. I relished in the chance to bike around in the rain to find everybody.

I met the local owner of a hair salon who took me to a bar in town. She apologized for taking me to such an awful place as we entered. Within ten minutes a woman took a swing with a beer bottle at another girl's head. They went to town on each other brawling on the floor. I was ushered outside. The girl I came with informed me that they were prostitutes fighting over me. Two more prostitute brawls ensued over me and I wasn't really in the mood to buy, so we left.

I had a great time with Shannon on the weekend. We had a chill day in the village touring my friend's school and a local medical clinic. Good conversation. I had previously met a boy, Joseph, who invited us to his place and we took the chance to explore his farmhouse. Sunday was an action packed day on the river which I describe here. Looking forward to our upcoming adventures in Rwanda.

Last night I took another chance to go visit my "Uncle Ward". He treated me to the best matoke and beef which I've ever had. We exchanged new stories and outlooks about business and girls and Uganda and life. He embraced some of the ideas which I brought up for a business in the local kayaking sector. The evening provided some more depth and layers on an already intriguing character. Ward is shown here outside his Jinja home.

What is up with Ernest Hemmingway's The Sun Also Rises? Bunch of miserable droning. Wasted generation indeed. I just didn't get it.

Was planning a kayaking expedition down a piece of the Nile with Luke and Baron, but have been discouraged by the recent paddle incident. We'll see.