[Photo: Matke Inn Guard dogs (the one in the middle ISN'T one of the guard dogs!)

WEEK 5
We attended Zana Presbyterian Church again and Andrea cooked the meal at Lyn’s flat – her first cooking for six weeks! What’s more, we survived! Steve & Gill from Brentwood were with us and the afternoon passed quickly as we discussed interesting topics such as surge protectors, beds (construction and making of) and water filters.
Monday was a quieter day. No language lessons, letter writing, reading and lesson preparation. When slightly cooler, we went for a slightly walk with Ann (our hostess) and the two compound dogs. They are guard dogs and bark fiercely until you enter the compound and they transform into very friendly animals who love to be stroked.
Back to the language lessons on Tuesday, mainly on numbers. But numbers means time and money and bargaining. It’s one thing to ask how much a pineapple (nanasi) costs but understanding the reply is something else! How about alifualu turusu kalitawu sillingi? That’s 1450 Ugandan shillings of course.
We successfully set up a radio phone so that when we get to Arua we should be able to connect to the internet. Andrea has ordered our bed. I’ve heard there’s an Ikea in Kampala. Wouldn’t that be easier methinks? Probably, and also much much more expensive.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were repeats of Tuesday – except that we covered different things in the language lessons. Andrea knows how to buy and bargain for things in the market but I know how to get her there and back using public transport. Well, I will know how to do it if I have my notebook with me! In getting directions a version of “left-hand” and “right-hand” is used. I found this amusing as “left side” is igi ria and “right side” is anda ria so I suppose I’m left (behind) and she’s (always) right! Some members of our family thought that already.
I learnt to ask for help, especially with things about the car or mutoka. The word for “broken” is andra! So I suppose that if the mirror on the right side is broken it would be “Ma mara andra anda ria"! Sorry about the emphasis on language, but I do need the practice.
Anyway, the broken right side (andra anda ria) i.e. Andrea, returned from shopping with a gas cooker and some other kitchen-type bits that I wouldn’t know how to use. So we have a cooker, a bed and the loan of a kerosene fridge. Yes, it is a fridge that works with a burning wick and we have seen one working. Ask a physicist how it works. One of the Matoke Inn guests is clearing out things from storage and also sold some items today. Andrea called me over to look at tools, kitchen equipment and cotton material – so I ended up with some books!
The dogs took us for a walk on Wednesday but we were adventurous and went a different way. What courage! On Friday Andrea suggested that we walk the dogs by ourselves i.e. she was prepared to take one of them! Both were very well behaved, with Shuna, the older dog looking after us all to make sure we didn’t get lost.
Saturday found us in Entebbe for a very pleasant and relaxing lunch a local hotel. We also bought a kerosene lamp. Not very exciting, but could be essential! I had and short drive of the vehicle we are hoping to buy. I spite of the comments from the back seat, there were no problems and it is easier to drive than I expected.