July 27, 2007 

I got up when the guard knocked on my door (I didn't bring a watch or phone, so I have had to rely on staff members for wake up calls this whole trip). I checked out and stood on the road waiting for the taxi. One came down the road and I asked it if it was going to Ukunda (which was the neighboring town where I could catch a taxi to Mombassa). They said yes so I got on (thinking that we would be headed straight there). We drove about picking up and dropping off people (which I expected) but then we turned around and headed in the other direction (apparently we'd been heading in the completely wrong direction and were now on track). We past the hotel again after a while and then it was about another 1/2 hour past that to Ukunda. It was 5:30 in the morning-I hadn't had any coffee, and I had the choice to be seething and angry with the driver for failing to mention the huge detour or let it go and let be done what was done. I chose to let it go-not without a lot of effort on my part (need I remind you no coffee and 5:30 in the morning).

We got to Ukunda and the driver said that I could stay on because it was going to Mombassa. So we waited for it to fill up with people. I asked if they knew where the Akamba bus station was and a man named Dennis said that he was going there and he would help me out. I am actually incredibly thankful for Dennis, without him I probably would never have caught my bus. The taxi driver dropped us all off at the ferry boat (after about 1 1/2 hours of driving). There were masses of people on the ferry and I managed to stick with Dennis and keep from anything getting snatched (although someone pulled on my purse strap and it broke, but I grabbed it and kept moving). Once we got to the other side we took a "3-legged boda" to the bus station. Check in time was at 8:30 and we got there at 8:27. I assumed Dennis would want money for all his trouble once we got there, but he just said "Safe Journeys" and left.

I waited for the bus for about an hour-it was late and it was really really hot out. It finally came and I spent the next 9 hours staring out the window and failing to sleep. Half way through we stopped at a rest stop (that had a toilet and little shop) I got a muffin and a 2-pack of yogurt (you couldn't buy just one-I have no idea why). There was a beggar with maimed legs sitting near the bus so I gave him one of my yogurts and got back on the bus.

We were supposed to have 2 hours between switching busses in Nairobi, but ours ran late so we got there right when the other bus was arriving. They had given me a food voucher for the station's restaurant, but I didn't have enough time to sit and eat. So I raced up and ordered asking if there was anyway possible I could get my food to go. They looked at me like I was crazy (there is no such thing as fast food in East Africa) but they did their best after I explained my situation. They poured my drink into a plastic cup and put saran wrap over it, then threw my fries and "veggie burger" (mashed potato-patty with chunks of green pepper in it) in a plastic bad and sent me on my way.

I ate and tried to sleep (it was unbelievably cold on the bus). When we got to the border we all got out and filled out a bunch of paper work and then crossed over. While I was gone they raised the price of the Ugandan visa from $30 to $50 (I wasn't happy). I really had to go to the bathroom and I was uber cranky at this point (mind you I had been on a bus for 26 consecutive hours at this point). I found the latrines and there was a man standing at the door demanding 200kshs (about $3) to use the toilet. It is not that I am foreign to the concept of having to pay to use toilets, I've done it before, but I had no change on me and I was not in the mood to be ridiculously overcharged to go pee just because I was a Muzungu. We had somewhat of a heated debate that went something like this:

Man: Muzungu! You give me 200kshs to use this toilet!

Me: I don't have any change and even if I did there is no way I'd pay to use your crappy toilet.

Man: You must-give it to me. Only 150kshs.

Me: No! I won't pay. I don't even need your toilet. I will go behind the toilet (I started walking behind the building).

Man: You cannot.

Me: Oh yes. I can.

Man: Okay 100kshs.

Me: NO. (Then we had a stare down).

Man: Ok. You go. You go.

Then I used the toilet feeling vindicated and left. When I got back to the bus there was a guard standing in front of it and over my opened backpack (which had clearly been riffled through) on the ground.

He said: Is this your bag?

I replied: Yes. Why have you taken it? It is very breakable!

The guard said: I know. It is full of soap stone.

I replied: I know it's full of soap stone! It's my bag!

Guard: What are you planning on doing with it?

Me: Keep them. Give them as gifts. What else?

Guard: We think you will sell them for business. We must tax you for carrying them.

Me: Do I look like I'm going to sell them? I'm a tourist from the USA. It says so on my Visa!

The guard thought about this and then said "But you may still sell them"

"I AM A MUZUNGU! I buy things and take them home! Its what we do! If you charge every muzungu that comes through here with a craft then tourists would not come to your country anymore and you would lose money. They are just gifts and you've probably broken them - I should charge you!"

Before he could respong I grabbed my bag, whipped around and got back on the bus.

If any of this seems uncharacteristic-try spending over a day on a bus with barely any sleep or food and NO coffee and being constantly hassled. No one else was going to stick up for me, so I had to do it. I became much nicer after a good night of sleep and a good cup of coffee.

Although some of my crafts did break, I'm not sure I can specifically blame the guard - as much as I like to.

I got dropped off around 11:30 am in Mokono on Saturday. I knew no one would be home (because it was Sabbath and everyone would be at church). So I went to the internet cafe and found Festus there (I swear it is his second home). He promised someone would be home so I grabbed some food at the supermarket adn caught a taxi home.

No one was at home. I was yet again locked out. 4 hours later Lydia found me curled up on the backporch area asleep. I put my stuff away and then went straight to sleep. I was too tired to care or be angry because in the back of my mind I knew I should have gotten the keys from Festus anyways. I was just worn out and past the point of caring - 30 hours on a bus will do that to you.