Buying Art in Kampala

Art Lovers;

Ugandan Art scene is really vibrant and getting more so each year. The prices for the top artists range anywhere betwwen $300 to $1000, depending on the canvas size and the medium used.

However, you are much more likely to get a better deal if you buy directly from the ‘artist’ instead of the galleries. A good place to start is investing in the ‘Uganda Arts Diary’  published each year and available in bookstores (Aristoc), craft shops (banana boat) and the various galleries.

In addition to profiling most of the top artists and their work, ‘Uganda Art diary’ provides the contact details of all the featured artists – providing you an excellent opportunity to directly engage and negotiate with the artists.

The top three art galleries in Kampala are as below;

• Afriart Gallery –  Block 56, Kenneth Dale Drive, Off Kira Road – Kamwokya,  P.O.BOX 5961, Kampala
  Tel: 0414375455,  Mob: 0712 455 555ttp://afriartgallery.org/category/blog/

• Umoja –  Plot 85 Kiira Road, Kamwokya, Next to Prestige Driving School, Tel: +256 434 660484, Mob: + 256 752878400/752957865 E-mail: info@umojaartgallery.com
• Karibu Art Gallery – Bukoto Kisasi Road, Between Kabira and the market Tel: + 256 785 085 698, 782 747 762; jjuukoods@gmail.com

Some of my favorite artists include:

David Kigozi

Tagga Nuwagaba

Donald Wasswa

Murchison Falls National Park Safari: Rogers, Rayan and I

Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls National Park:A snapshot 

If you are in Uganda for any length of time, a trip to the d Murchison National Park for a safari and to see the Murchison Falls is a must. Located in North western Uganda, Murchison National Park is Uganda’s largest conservation area with host of large game and bird species. The park is the most popular Safari destination for the tourists and nationals alike. One of the main reasons being that it is only 5 hours away from Kampala. Queen Elisabeth National Park, another great safari destination, is much farther and requires more than a couple of day’s commitment to explore the Park.

A cursory glance at the information material on the Park shows, that the Park has hosted many famous people dating back to the early 1900s; Winston Churchill visited Murchison Falls in 1907, Edward the V11 in 1930s, Ernest Hemingway in 1954, and the Queen mother in 1959, just to mention a few.

The Murchison falls has also been the background for many movies shot in the 1950s; the African Queen, starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, being one of them.

In the time that I have been in Uganda, I have visited the National Park twice. Each time it has been an amazing experience.

Booking the trip: Paara ‘the place of hippos’

My first trip, last October, with my nephew Rayan, was a complete adventure.

I was new in Uganda, had never been farther than Jinja and had absolutely no idea what to expect. Rayan was also visiting Africa for the first time and had never been on a Safari. Our twenty-six year old driver, Rogers (the protagonist in this account), had been up to Masindi, many years ago with his school, but not beyond Masindi to the National Park.

This meant our planning had to be impeccable. We were told that the 5 hour-long journey was not without its perils. The road through the National Park was pretty treacherous and cars had to be in top condition to avoid any mishaps.

Booking the safari itself was fairly easy. A trip to the Marasa Safari Company in the industrial area (complete address below) resolved all accommodation issues. The staff at Marasa is fairly knowledgeable and helpful. The Park has many lodges managed by Marasa and we were given several options.

Paara Poolside…

We decided to book Para lodge, known as the jewel of the Nile and considered the best option both for the game and boat safari. It is also known to have the largest concentration of wild life in the Park. In the local language Para means ‘the place of hippos’(True to its name, we  would later find hordes and hordes of hippos, submerged in the Nile Victoria, around Paara).

As soon as we booked with Marasa, we were given a comprehensive information pack; Map with a timeline, accommodation details, safari timings, etc.

Preparations: Rogers’ mad obsession

Booking done, the week before the trip, Rayan and I got busy with shopping for food supplies, packing the right clothes, books, cards etc. and gathering more information on Para and its surroundings; the more we read the more excited we got. Rogers on the other hand, for some odd reason, was obsessed with getting the right music for the car journey. Both Rayan and I were taking our own IPods but did not have the heart to tell Rogers. We played along with his mad search for appropriate music and even gave him a list of our favorite songs (needless to say the music later played in our car was only Rogers list).

In hindsight, there was something ominous about Rogers’ whole music obsession and general state of excitement.

The Journey to Paara: Disaster in the National Park

Map in hand, we set off really early in the morning to avoid the traffic jam. Our aim was to get to Masindi in three hours (as suggested by the map) and then cross the national park in another two hours; in time for the ferry crossing through the Nile to Para Lodge.

At the lodge our boat safari was booked for 2.30 in the afternoon. So if we could cross at 1 O’clock, we would have enough time for a leisurely lunch, before setting off on a 3 hour river safari.

Rogers, working on his own timeline, and keen to beat the 3 hour record set on the Map, stepped on the accelerator, despite my constant appeals to the contrary. Passing through Luwero, we turned off the Gullu road, just beyond the Kafu Bridge and reached Masindi, well before time. Roger was euphoric.

on our way to Paara near Masindi

After Macindi, we turned on to a dirt road towards the National Park gate. The Map showed we still had another 85 kms to cover through the National Park to reach Paara. At the Park entrance we were told that the speed limit is 40km per hour and it would take us around 2 hours to get to the ferry crossing and to Paara.

The beauty of the park, the weather, the wild life, the fauna, is difficult to describe. We passed through thick green forest to ever-changing undulating landscape; wild grass, flowering shrubs, giant ant hills, families of chimpanzees –and of course the glorious skies. The conversation in the car, mostly between Rayan and I, was getting more and more fantastic; the impossible seemed possible – ‘destiny, fate, divinity….all had conspired to put us on this road’…a life lesson was being taught…everything made sense…..and inside the little black RAV4, life was perfect…… soon we were exhausted by our endless (one hour) elation. In the background, Rogers continued to blare nineties top hits and swerving the car around frighteningly huge fissures and splits in the park road. 

Rogers; minutes away from disaster…

Rogers was on a high of his own…..my constant reprimand to slow down was met with great cheer and ignored the very next second. We continued to drive in this state of euphoria with not a car in sight; Rogers humming and lip singing along old hits and Rayan and I chatting – suddenly we found our car hurtling down the narrow road, inches away from a huge split in the road, Rogers had stopped singing, the car was heading for a deep trench along the road; In that split second I thought of injuries, emergency numbers, nearest hospital….and of course ….Paara……and then the inevitable crash….the impact was on Rogers side…I instinctively knew that Rayan and I were fine; I went through a sick fear for Rogers…but the next minute when I saw him emerging from the car unhurt ..… I knew I wanted to kill him….

The trip was ruined, the car was stuck, we were miles away from civilization, and the ferry was leaving in half an hour….I found myself laughing and threatening to kill Rogers in the same breath…..Rogers was clearly traumatized and fully aware of the gravity of the situation…

Ironically, we were also in the most beautiful part of the National Park…..

I could not  forgive Rogers…….. …suddenly he started circling the car and repeating, over and over again, ‘Sheeba, I will get us out of here’…..he managed to open the car door and get back into the car…he started reversing but the car remained in the trench….with only two right side wheels engaging with the ground it seemed like an impossible task…. I heard the car doors scratching against the trench walls and I wanted to cry.

Rayan was equally distressed but tried hard to remain calm and kept urging and guiding Rogers….suddenly we found Rogers backing onto a rock jutting out of the trench…..and a few tries later the car was out of the trench…

This was indeed a miracle, but the three of us were too traumatized to be happy. We quickly jumped into the car to get to the ferry crossing in time. I was still angry with Rogers and decided to drive the car myself for the remaining part of the journey.

Back in the car, it took us sometime to notice that our car was full of tsetse flies (pronounced sesse). These are larger than horse flies and feed entirely on blood and are a serious health risk, causing what is commonly known as sleeping sickness.

The flies started attaching Rayan and Rogers. Rogers with his nerves already frayed by the crash started fighting back by slapping various parts of his body to get rid of the flies  (which was a hilarious sight)……the flies were too many to be fought siting in the car. We all stepped out again, found rags in the back of the car and started swatting the flies…the battle was won within five minutes and we resumed our journey to the ferry crossing.

Within half an hour, we reached the Nile Victoria with Paara visible in the distance and joined a long cue of cars waiting to cross over to Paara.

Paara: The Lunch : Making peace with Rogers

Paara was every bit as charming as described in the brochures. Constructed in the 1950s, it has maintained its old world charm. You can easily imagine Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart checking in at the reception desk with their elaborate luggage.

Paara reception desk..

We were advised to proceed quickly to the dining hall for lunch. The good thing with Paara is that although the drivers have separate accommodation, they have the same dining privileges and eat with all the other guests.

When we reached the dining hall we found a much recovered Rogers already seated and enjoying the elaborate buffet. My anger had dissipated as soon as we arrived in Paara…and in the dining hall, I made my peace with Rogers. 

The Boat Safari: The death roll

The boat cruise is only a five minutes’ drive from Para. Rayan and I arrived to find all upper deck seats occupied. We settled ourselves downstairs. The boat took of right on time. The weather was perfect, the bar offered free water and a selection of other beverages for sale.

Rayan enjoying a drink…

As expected the Boat had an experienced guide on board. As the boat moved away from the shore  into deeper waters, the guide  gave us a brief history of Murchison falls and what to expect on the journey to the Falls.

We were told that we would see a lot of wild life; hippos, water buffalos, rare aquatic  antelope, giant forest hog, Uganda kob, waterbuck and many rare species of birds. The water was full of crocodiles but since it was really hot, the guide felt the crocodiles may remain submerged in water and we may not be able to see them on this trip.   

Within 5 minutes of the journey we found families of hippos basking in the afternoon sun. There was much excitement on the boat. People moved freely between the lower and upper deck to get the best possible view and take pictures. The boat got really close to the hippos, and we were able to take many good shots. Hippos were mostly submerged in water but as the boat got closer we found hordes and hordes of them emerging out of their resting places and moving to the shore. This was the best time to take a photograph as you got their full form and size.  We were told that despite their cute image, hippos were the number one killers of humans in Uganda.         

Hippos walking away from the boat

  We also  passed many water buffalos sitting alone along the Nile bank. The guide explained that the lone buffalo is usually an old male who has been kicked out of the herd as the female takes up with a younger male, more capable of  leading the herd. The old buffalo, now herdless and alone, stays around the bank, half-submerged in water to protect himself from predators like the lions and the leopards. Locally he is refered to as the ‘Old Loser’ which Rayan and I thought was really cruel.

The old loser..

Having seen many hippos, water buffalos and rare birds, Rayan and I were really keen to see some crocodiles.  Suddenly we heard a huge commotion on the upper deck and people pointing at some movement on the far right of the boat. Before we could figure out what all the excitement was about the guide announced that a dead hippo was floating on its back and over fifteen crocodiles were heading towards the Hippo. He further told us that the hippos and the crocodiles coexist quiet happily, its only when a hippo dies that the crocodiles will come to feast on it. This was more excitement than we expected. The scene was at once riveting and revolting.         

A crocodile ripping away at the hippo carcass

 The carcass was soon attached by several crocodiles, emerging from nowhere. We ran from the lower deck to the upper deck to get a better view.

We saw a whole army of crocodiles heading towards the carcass and our boat moved slowly in the direction of the gruesome scene. We stopped only a few feet away from the scene, which was right out of the national geographic channel.

We got enough time to take all the pictures we wanted en route to the Falls. The water quality changed drastically as we moved closer to the Falls and the Nile surface got covered with foam. The boat stopped close to a collection of  huge rocks jutting out from the water for us to take pictures. Turn by turn we were helped on to the rocks for photographs.     

Nile surface covered with foam as we approach the falls

Me and Rayan; Photo opp during the water safari

Picture taken, the falls admired  we headed back to Paara. It was getting cooler and we were beginning to get tired and hungry. We saw many animals on our way back  but the  atmosphere in the boat was more subdued. The professional photographers however remained focused on the ever changing scenery and would not miss a single flutter in the trees or ripple in the waters. 

We came back to the shore to find the banks just below Paara busy with animal life. The cars parked to take guest back had monkeys happily parked on top of cars waiting to welcome the guests. We had an early dinner and sat out around the pool with a big group of French soldiers  and watched a local group perform traditional singing and dancing. We retired early as we had scheduled a game safari the following day at dawn.

The Game Safari : Who is watching whom?

The game Safari turned out to be a completely different experience; We left in a long convoy from Paara, mostly the French soldiers we had met the night previous. The game safari was far more strenuous than the boat Safari, especially at six in the morning. We were amazed to find so many different animals and bird species in the n National Park. However, we realized that a seasoned guide is extremely important for tracking the big game and navigating through the Park. 

Uganda Kobs

giraffes that love to stare

I found going through miles and miles of Savannah a completely novel experience and seeing animals running around freely a privilege. Nothing is more exhilarating than spotting big game like an elephant or a lion.  Our guide was successful in tracking down herds of elephants but we failed to spot any lions or leopards, known to be more reticent.   

However, the most fascinating part of the safari was the animals curiosity about humans; especially the Uganda Kobs and the Giraffes; posing and staring straight  at the cameras and the silly people behind the cameras.

On our way back, both Rayan and I vowed to return to the National Park and stay at the Chobe lodge, a newly refurbished lodge a two-hour journey from Paara. The lodge is known for its amazing setting and a constant view of the hippos and other wild life.

Marasa Africa
Address, City, State, Country Plot 96-98, 5th Street Industrial Area, PO Box 22827, Kampala, Uganda

Kampala, Uganda
Office Phone 256 (0)31 2260260
Mobile Phone
Fax 256 (0)31 2260262

Food, Food, Food: Learn to eat the Ugandan way

Matoke

I must confess, that even after 9 months in the country, I have not taken to the Ugandan cuisine as I expected. The food seems extremely bland to my South Asian palate, accustomed to an assortment of spices and herbs. Also, since it is really heavy on starch, it is very hard to incorporate into a weight loss diet.

Matoke (boiled or steamed raw green bananas) is the most popular starch form consumed in Uganda, usually served with a sauce of groundnuts (peanuts).

Although bananas are available in abundance in almost all parts of the country, these are still consumed obsessively; if not as matoke then as a fruit or dessert.

Don’t be surprised if you are served bananas with tea instead of biscuits in government meetings.

If you stay in Uganda for any length of time you will also get accustomed to road side vendors selling fried or roasted grasshoppers, considered quite a delicacy. However, these are seasonal, and should be eaten fresh (advice from the locals). You will often find night guards, especially in rural areas, with strange contraptions/ grasshopper catchers outside the guard rooms to catch this delicious free food.

This free food for some, fetches a good price in Kampala.

My family, my two sisters, my younger sister’s husband and kids, came to visit me over Christmas. I told them about the fried grasshoppers sold everywhere and how I was tempted to try these but did not have the stomacht for it.

Just a few days before their departure, we went to Nakasero fruit and vegetable market. After a quick trip to the fruit and vegetable section, I led them to a stall where huge heaps of roasted grasshoppers were being sold. My elder sister, Simbal, decided it was time to overcome all fears, starting with eating the crispy green creatures. Although she did not admit at the time, I could tell she felt a bit queasy afterwards.

I would certainly not recommend the grasshoppers to the weak hearted

My brave sister sampling fried grasshoppers in Nakasero market

The following extract from Uganda visit and travel guide is a very good summary of staple Ugandan diet.http://www.uganda-visit-and-travel-guide.com/ugandan-cuisine.html
Ugandan Food:Main dishes are usually centered on a sauce or stew of groundnuts, beans or meat.

The starch traditionally comes from ugali (maize meal) or matoke (boiled and mashed green banana), in the South, or an ugali made from millet in the North.

Cassava, yam and African sweet potato are also eaten; the more affluent include white (often called “Irish”) potato and rice in their diets.

Soybean was promoted as a healthy food staple in the 1970s and this is also used, especially for breakfast. Chapati, an Asian flatbread, is also part of Ugandan cuisine.

Chicken, fish (usually fresh, but there is also a dried variety, reconstituted for stewing), beef, goat and mutton are all commonly eaten, although among the rural poor there would have to be a good reason for slaughtering a large animal such as a goat or a cow and nyama, (Swahili word for “meat”) would not be eaten every day.

Various leafy greens are grown in Uganda. These may be boiled in the stews, or served as side dishes in fancier homes. Amaranth (dodo), nakati, and borr are examples of regional greens.

Ugali is cooked up into a thick porridge for breakfast. For main meals, white flour is added to the saucepan and stirred into the ugali until the consistency is firm. It is then turned out onto a serving plate and cut into individual slices (or served onto individual plates in the kitchen).

Fruits are plentiful and regularly eaten, as in the Western World, as snacks or dessert. Europeans introduced cake and this is also popular.

Some traditional Uganda food names
Ugali – usually from maize but also other starches, regional names include posho and kwon. Ugandan expatriates make ugali from cornmeal, masa harina or grits

•Groundnut – peanuts are a vital staple and groundnut sauce is probably the most commonly eaten one.

• Sim-sim – sesame – used particularly in the north, roasted sesame paste is mixed into a stew of beans or greens and served as a side dish, sesame paste may be served as a condiment; a candy is made from roasted sesame seeds with sugar or honey.

•Matoke – Mashed plantain that used as opposed to mashed potato. Usually used in a main course.

Ugandan Snacks
•roasted groundnuts served in a spill of paper

•samusa (samousa, samosa) — Indian samosas have been completely assimilated into the local cuisine, as have chapati and curry

•mkate na mayai (bread and eggs). Originally an Arab dish, it’s wheat dough spread into a thin pancake, filled with minced meat and raw egg, and then folded into a neat parcel and fried on a hotplate.

•nsenene is an unusual food item: a seasonal delicacy of a type of grasshopper

•nswaa served similarly to nsenene but made of white antUgandan Beverages

Pombe is the generic word for locally made fermented beer, usually from banana or millet. Tonto is a traditional fermented drink made from bananas.

Waragi is the generic term for distilled spirits and these also vary, see for example Uganda Waragi a brand name for clear or yellow gin.

Tea (chai) and coffee (kawa) are popular beverages and important cash crops. These can be served English-style or spiced (chai masala).

Coca-cola, Pepsi and Fanta all made inroads in the Ugandan market and soda became very popular.

All Muzungu’s look alike – My trip to Masaka

Sitting in Bukomansimbi, one of the newer districts carved out of Masaka, my colleagues and I try to explain to the focal person on immunization, Busa James, how reaching every child with immunization is the main thrust of the newly introduced, Reaching Every District (RED) strategy. Busa seems to be in complete agreement, and tells us that he has recently completed training in Kampala on the very strategy I refer to. Delighted to hear this, I quickly tell him, that in fact, I was one of the trainers and had taken the session on community mobilization.

This piece of information prompts an unexpected grin from Busa, who then says ‘see Madame, the problem is that all you Muzungu’s look alike, I did think you looked familiar’.

What follows is much mirth at my expense. My colleagues, Tesfaye and Beatrice, find this very amusing and try not to laugh too hard.

This also sets the tone for the whole visit, the ice is broken and Busa has become a friend. Busa assurs us that by the next visit all eligible children in his district will be registered.

But now he wants a favor from us. One of the Health Facilities, in Bigaasa sub county, has run out of gas (the refrigerators for the vaccines run on gas as electricity supply is unreliable), although he has a spare cylinder he has no means to transport it to the facility. In short, he wants us to take him there; along with the cylinder.

The Cylinder safely loaded in the UNICEF car, we set off on what seems like an endless journey, through rows and rows of banana trees interspersed and often sheltering, the ‘sun shy’ coffee groves.

Coffee groves under the banana trees

On our way to the health facility, we come across many clusters of homesteads but strangely all houses seem to be deserted or locked. Upon inquiry, Busa  tells us that this is a coffee growing community and in the morning the occupants are busy in their gardens picking coffee. The coffee grown in this region is sold at UXG2000 per kg. which is much lower than the UGx 7000 paid for the Arabica coffee grown in West Nile. However, in the West Nile looting of the coffee groves is a common occurance, which is not the case in  Bigaasa

Cylinder delivered, facility monitored, and the nursing assistant interviewed, we set off on our journey back to Masaka.

Busa – mission accomplished

The usual sight – women and children waiting for services

In Masaka we arrive back to our lovely hotel, Brovad, in a quite side street, away from the hustle and bustle of Masaka market place.

The rooms are clean and spacious and food quite good. However, today we have different plans.

While in Kampala, we were told that Masaka had a really nice Danish restaurant which was a ‘must visit’ for all Muzungus. Hence, work completed and lunch time approaching, we set off from Brovad towards Frikadellen.

On a five minutes- drive from Brovad, tucked away, off the beaten track, Frikadellen, is indeed a piece of heaven. Located inside an old house with overgrown vines and creepers, guava laden trees and flowering shrubberies, Frikadellen is feast for the eyes.

Frikadellen, a little piece of heaven.

Craft shop.

We seat ourselves outside, under the trellises, covered with flowering creepers and go through the Menu. The menu is as amazing as the place itself. I miss my brother in law Lars and wonder what he would think of the food.

While we wait for our food, we decide to explore the craft shop located on the premises. To our surprise, the quality of many of the items is superior to what is found in Kampala, and prices more reasonable. We advise each other on what to buy, Shopping done, we return to our table to enjoy one of the best meals in Uganda.

My order, pancake with avocado and tomatoes, is fabulous, as is my colleagues food. We later have amazing coffee and leave the dessert out, for the next visit.

My visit is complete, although we have one more day in Masaka.

Addresses:Café Frikadellen,
One Mutuba gardens, Masaka
07824545092
Ebaat227@gmail.com

Hotel Brovad Ltd.
P.O Box 556,
Plot 6 Circular Road,Masaka.
Fax: 0481-20997
Mobile: 256 – 772- 425666 / 256 – 752 – 425666

E-mail: hotelbrovad@utlonline.co.ug

On the border with Kenya – ‘Karita Health Center’ in Karamoja

Setting an example of excellence

Nestled between Kapchorwa, Bukwo and Kween districts in Uganda and Pokoti district in Kenya, Karita Health Center 111, is at the fore front of serving the underserved border communities, both in Uganda and Kenya. It is one of the facilities supported by UNICEF through the Danish Natcom, Sports for life project. The Health Centre came into the limelight in October 2012, with fresh measles outbreaks reported in Amudat district, Karita sub-county.

Sister Alirach Jane and her team; a ray of hope to an underserved community on the border with Kenya

Reaching Karita, after a three hour long journey on a rain washed dirt road, my collegue Eva and I braced ourselves for the many management challenges associated with remote health facilities. A cue of patients, mostly mothers, waited outside to get their children immunized.

“Mothers wait patiently for vaccines”

“ Little mom” mobilized for immunization”

Sister Alirach Jane, in-charge of Karita HCIII, reassured the patients as she steered the monitoring team into the health facility. To the teams’ surprise, the facility exhibited all the signs of a well- managed unit.

Sister Jane promptly produced documents and other evidence to address the many queries of the monitoring team. Even before the monitoring visit was complete the team was impressed by Karita staff’s effort. Sister Jane updated the team on the micro planning exercise and pointed to the mapping neatly displayed along with other charts, league tables and outreach plans (The team noted that the last outreach was clearly highlighted as 4th January 2013).

She indicated the hard to reach communities on the catchment area map; a stubborn and resistant village was identified as Renoi that had recently been disarmed, ‘this is the same area where the measles outbreak originated, these people move across the border easily to avoid vaccination of their children’, explained Sister Jane. However, the outbreak was successfully managed amid huge logistical and human resource constraints.

The well managed vaccine control book, complete with batch numbers and the completed HMIS forms was additional indication of Sister Jane and her teams’ hard work. After going over the impeccably maintained minutes of the Village Health Team meetings, the monitoring team was clear that Sister Jane could play a bigger role to bring other facilities up to mark on various management indicators.

Sister Jane has been the in-charge of Karita HCIII since August 2009. Before Karita, she was working in Akullu HCIII, in Nebbi District. She is a registered midwife by qualification and came to Amudat in August 2009 through a UNICEF supported initiative to equip the district with qualified health workers. She continues to serve this remote community everyday with the untiring resolve of a true professional.

Our last communication with the District Health Officer (DHO) Amudat confirmed that a plan was underway to give her a mentoring role with other Health Facilities in the sub county

Ladies! Are you looking for a good hair salon?

Look no further: My top 3 hair salons in Kampala

1. Mira’s Salon: My Rating:
Located in Kabira Country Club, this salon provides the best cuts, coloring and other hair treatments in Kampala. The ambience is serene and private. The salon strictly adheres to an appointment schedule. So book an appointment before going, walk- ins are not always entertained. Cuts can be booked with Mira who is amazing, or her assistant Jeffery, who is also very good. I find the place very reasonable for a quality salon. Wash and dry costs around UGX 30,000.
Phone Number: 0774047200

2. Swisscut: My Rating 
Located in surgery, Acacia Avenue, this salon also has great stylists. Its proximity to Rocks & Roses, a lovely café with amazing cakes and sandwiches, makes it a good choice on a day when you are pressed for time and want a quick bite to eat afterwards. The salon will most often take walk ins as they have more stylists than Mira. However, compared to Mira’s salon the charges are really steep; around UGX 450000.
Phone Number: 0772505750

3. The Studio: My Rating 
Located on Kira Road, Kamwokya, the Studio offers much more than haircuts and hair treatments. Run by Nandini Shukla, the salon is excellent if you are looking to pack hair, nails, facial, waxing etc. in one trip. The salon space is really well utilized and the staff is very welcoming. The ambience is friendly but professional. Wash and dry at the studio will cost you around UGX 40,000.
Phone number: 0714387994

My top 5 Restaurants in Kampala…

1. Yujo Japanese Restaurant in Nakasero – Amazing food, book in advance, my rating: *****

2. Mediterraneo Restaurant on Acacia Avenue in Kololo – Best ambieance in town, my rating:*****

3.The Bistro in Kismenti in Kololo – Great for brunch, my rating;****

4. Prunes Cafe Wampewo Avenue Kololo – Great for Saturday brunch, my rating:**** 

5. Pardis Iranian Restaurant Phillip Road Kololo, my rating:****

Hello from Kampala!

Nine months in Uganda and still happy

I moved to Uganda last year in June, to join UNICEF Kampala office, from Pakistan. Few months before my move, I spent endless time surfing the net, browsing through countless websites, to get a quick picture of life in Uganda and more specifically, Kampala. I came across a number of good websites, the Inter-nations, lonely planet and others; with tips on accommodation, children’s schooling, shopping etc.

However, I still found personal accounts of friends and colleagues, who had lived in Uganda, far more useful and interesting. Their passion for the place, the people, the colors and flavors of Uganda was not only more intriguing but ultimately more helpful in preparing me for the Muzungu experience.

Muzungu; a term used to refer to all foreigners in Uganda, the Pakistani equivalent of a Gora

Those of us who have spent most of our lives in one country, often find ourselves fascinated by the newly arrived Gora/Muzungu’s ability to quickly absorb the most superficial symbols of the local culture and create a completely new fringe life around it.

Equally fascinating is the response of the local trade to this culture and the horde of products and commodities that emerge as a marriage between the local craft and foreign design ; the products thus fashioned, have the distinction of being at once clever and naïve, something like the newly arrived Gora/Muzungu.

Hence, as I chronicle my life in Kampala, I am fully aware that my account is more about the ‘Muzungu experience’ than an authentic reflection of local life.

WHY BODA DIARIES??? Because, like so many other things in life, I never thought I would ever (do it) ride a Boda or accept it as a normal means of transportation for any sane human being…..

 Boda; a motorbike taxi, notorious for killing and maiming more people than Idi Amin and yet a popular means of transportation for the local and the Muzungu alike…….