Spent the weekend after safari in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. Said goodbye to helen and Duncan which was very strange knowing that in less than 2 weeks it will be me leaving!
Kampala was like visiting another country altogether, with high rise buildings, cars EVERYWHERE, western food and crazy boda boda drivers. Spent the day on Friday eating delicious western food like pizza, pancakes and good coffee. Had a luxury pedicure with a foot bath and everything, and Sofia risked getting her hair cut which I thought went surprisingly well, she wasn't so keen.
In the afternoon we went and found the craft markets and spent a ridiculous amount of money on souvenirs and tat! The hotel we were staying in had hot, powerful showers too which we both really appreciated, especially Sofia who hadn't just been on safari.
On Saturday we caught a public taxi which is called a mutatu (muh-tah-too) and looks like the mystery machine from Scooby doo. We had to first find the appropriate taxi in the madness that was the taxi park and when we boarded, so did another 15 people to sit on the 12 seats - safe to say it was a tight squeeze. Took the mutatu to the equator where we were very touristy taking pictures stood either side of the equator and visiting yet more craft shops. Also saw demonstrations of water spinning in opposite directions on different sides of the equator and straight down exactly on the equator - who knows whether it is legitimate or not?! Liked the idea that on the solstice days you weigh 3% lighter stood on the equator!
Catching a bus home was more of a challenge as we had to hail them as they sped along the road. About 5 drove straight past because they were full, one stopped and tried to convince us to get on even though he was already overfull but we turned down that offer and thankfully the next one was only half full so we caught that one. Spent the rest of the day wandering aimlessly around the streets of Kampala taking in the sights and smells of such a busy city and dodging the wild motorbikes. Finished off the day with chicken fajitas (om nom nom nom)
Before our return to Hoima on Sunday we went to Watoto church in the centre of Kampala. It was definitely an experience as everyone had so much energy and it is run by Americans so is very modern with flashing lights and sound systems and all that. This was great but both Sofia and I were a bit thrown by the fact that so much money had clearly gone into it yet we have met so many people that can't afford food and are lying on hospital floors to deliver babies due to lack of beds.
I shouldn't have enjoyed the journey home yet I did. I was wedged between 2 people on the back row of the mutatu with very little leg room and the drivers don't slow down for the speed bumps so I regularly bumped my head on the ceiling but it is all an experience :)
Got back to the reality of Hoima with orange dust everywhere because it hadn't rained for a couple of days. Visited the mustard seed and let them rub their grubby hands in my hair and up my arms and hold my hands because they are just too lovely to deny anything.
Had a lovely welcome home from little eve who came running into my arms and told me she missed me :') she's had her hair done in loads of little bobbles all over her head to - its adorable. Then had a less welcome cold shower and beans and rice for dinner!
Had lots of babies at the clinic this week and also been able to do things like print them new posters, to replace the orange-tinged, blood-stained ones that they currently have.
Braved going to Hoima hospital again yesterday which as ever was a crazy day! It started surprisingly gently with very few mothers in labour and no major complications. Did a ward round with Charlie and found a mum who was pregnant with twins and according to her dates was 36 weeks but according to a scan was 26 weeks so that was a curious case and may be due to growth restriction in-utero, dodgy scanning or bad recollection of dates. Went back to labour ward to find a girl had come in who had a baby in breech position with feet coming first and no foetal heart beat. Decided to let her deliver naturally to save the trauma of going to theatre but the delivery was pretty challenging too as the feet and most of the body could be delivered fairly easily but the head, being much bigger, got stuck and the arms were extended above the head. Eventually managed to get the baby out, wrap it up and put it in a box as is customary with dead babies.
Whilst we were delivering that baby another baby was delivered and according to the midwife was fine but as soon as Sofia saw it she knew that there was no way that baby was okay - it was blue and floppy! Sofia and Charlie spent over half an hour attempting to resuscitate the baby but then decided it was in vain and baby wasn't going to make it. When we told the grandmother of the baby she burst into tears and was devastated which is so rare to see here. She kept asking us how she was going to break the news to her 17 year old daughter, the mother of the baby, and then crying. It was absolutely heartbreaking :'(
We then had another woman come in who was enormous so we suspected she had twins but it turned out to be just one MASSIVE baby whose shoulders then got stuck and the local midwife dealt with it very badly, just pulling on the babies head. She ignored all our protestations and slapped Charlie and Sofia's hands away when they tried to interfere. Predictably the baby needed resus as the chord had been really tight around its neck and we were worried we were going to lose that baby too but thankfully the little giant came back to us and we took her over to the neonatal unit for more help.
Popped my head into theatre to see what was going on and ended up watching the end of an amputation of a boys leg that had been severely burnt because he had been walking bare foot during a storm and had been struck by lightening! It was pretty gross to watch but also fascinating watching the surgeon stitch the skin, muscle and fat back up. Thankfully, i think, I didn't see the part of leg that was chopped off - I don't think that would have been a pretty sight.
In the evening I had a full body massage (for £3.50) to relax me after the stresses of the day.
I am currently acting as mum to the 3 girls I live with because both their mum and dad are away in separate places so that should be fun.
It is very strange to think that in 10 days time I will be home and wishing for sunshine whilst I am currently sat sweltering in the heat!
Lotsa love xxxxxx
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