Another Birthday! Happy birthday to my dear brother Tony!

DAD!! All the best on your 61st, wish I could be there!

On Wednesday March 12, 2003 I returned to Nairobi for the second time. This time just Douglas accompanied me from work. We took the 5:30 am flight once again and arrived into Nairobi by 6:30. By 7 am we were out of the airport and in a taxi on our way to the hotel. We stayed at a hotel called the Landmark. The Landmark is a pretty posh hotel that is nicely situated just a block away from where we were working. After a small rest from the travel Doug and myself head out for our first day of work.

The first day went over well, and left Doug and myself with our first free evening in Nairobi. We decided that for our first night on the town we would check out Carnivores. We hired a taxi to take us there and paid him royally. He took us for 1000 KSH which is roughly 13 USD. Anyway on arrival we were greeted promptly by the receptionists and shown to our seats. Carnivores is a giant of a place, which has a night club as well as a huge restaurant. Even with all of their space they were still full (with practically all whites non the less). Anyway the way Carnivores works is that you pay a flat rate and you are treated to as much meat as you can handle. Basically they start you off with a few pieces of bread and a potato soup then go right into the meat.

After quickly eating the bread and soup we were brought a big hot metal plate each and a platter of sauces with a cute little Carnivore flag on top. We were instructed on which sauces were for which meats and finally were told then when we had enough to eat to remove the flag from the top of the sauce trey. Once the waiter left our first taste of meat had arrived. A man carrying a big sword that had pieces of chicken on it came our way. He placed the sword on our plates then slid a piece of for each of us to eat. This was the beginning of a feast. Every few minutes a new waiter would arrive with a different type of meat stuck on a sword. The helpings that they were giving us were relatively small but the frequency of the waiters really made up for this. Anyway we started off with your standard meats: chicken, beef, pork, and goat. Then things began to get a bit ‘wild’. Zebra was the first of the game meat we were treated to. Then some crocodile, then eland, then warthog, then antelope, then more chicken, then wild bore, then more beef, then then then…

By this time Doug couldn’t eat any more and decided to stop. As for me, I probably should have stopped as well, but there were still a few meats I hadn’t tried. I continued to push forward stuffing myself fuller and fuller. I really don’t understand how I fit so much into me, but I did. Finally before I was about to quit the manager of the restaurant visited our table. He wanted to inquire on how we liked the place and if we needed anything. I told him that I would really like to try some ostrich. He told me it wasn’t on the menu but he would could a small piece up just for me. 10 minutes later a waiter arrived with his sword plunged into a slab of meat. He sliced me off a handsomely large chunk of ostrich saying courtesy of the manager. I indulged myself on my last piece of meat for the night. What a treat it was actually, probably the meat I enjoyed most (along with the eland). After finishing big bird we finally took down our flag.

Once I took down the flag I knew I had ate too much. The overeating in combination with the lack of sleep I had started to throw me into feelings of nausea and faintness. I could see colors of the rainbow rushing past my eyes, as the hundred smells of meat filtered through my nose. I needed something, anything to sober me up from all this meat, and the fruit juice I was drinking just wasn’t doing it. The waiters must have sensed my state; either that or they were just on cue as they brought us the dessert menus. I quickly picked out a strawberry sherbet from the list and told the waiter to make it quick. He arrived back prompt with our sherbets and I dug in immediately. Although I was still stuffed half way up my esophagus the cold watery ice creamed seemed to ease my stomach. After eating half the sherbet I felt good enough to be able to move from my seat (after paying the bill of course) and walking myself to the dance floor.

Wednesday night at the Carnivore is rock night, which translates into MTV pop night. What can you expect though, its not like rock is really a huge musical genre out here in Africa. Anyway after listening to songs from artists like the Offspring, Shania Twain, Three Doors Down, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers Doug and myself decided it was probably time to get some sleep.

Thursday saw work come and go with another highly productive day. That night I took Doug to a very nice Ethiopian restaurant. We ate some sizzling goat rib tibs, which was quite delicious. During our dinner there was even some live Ethiopian music sung by a beautiful Ethiopian girl. Anyway Doug enjoyed his first ever Ethiopian experience and after having a few drinks we headed back to the hotel to call it another night.

Friday was the last day of work at CAFS (organization in Nairobi we were doing the work with) for us, where we basically just wrapped everything up. In the afternoon CAFS had invited us to take part in their woman’s day celebration. The dress code was African traditional, but they said we were exempt since they had just told us of it. We attended the ceremonies and were treated to some excellent singing, dancing, skits and poems. Probably the highlight of the event was a skit performed by some school children. First they did a song in French (CAFS is a Multilanguage organization with another office in Lome) followed by a skit (well parts were also sung) about woman rights. They did a fabulous job after which they quickly ran off to catch their school bus. The rest of the performers were good with two standout poems by a professional poet from Nairobi, and a lady from CAFS. After all the performances the director of CAFS was honored (the director is a she) and the special guest gave a speech. Finally a cake was presented and the event turned into a social one.

During the social event it was decided by some of the younger employees at CAFS that they were going to take Doug and myself out for a night of dancing. They agreed to meet us at the hotel at 9:30 where we would go together to a club. They arrived promptly at the hotel and without any long delay we headed out for the club. The clubs in Nairobi seem somewhat similar to those in Kampala. Doug and myself had a good time dancing it up.

The next day after not enough sleep Doug and myself headed off to Arusha on the 2 pm shuttle. We arrived in Arusha around 7 pm. That night after settling into the hotel we decided to eat a very Arusha style Nyamachomo (bbq). We went to a place called the VIP club. Basically the way the BBQ’s work in Arusha is that you order how much meat you want in kilos. We decided on half a kilo of chicken, half a kilo of beef and some ujali (maize flour mixed with water to form a white solid) and roasted banana. After that meal I remembered why I loved Arusha.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. Spent Sunday by the hotel pool where I got a really good burn (Kloppster the lobster) from too much time in the sun. We also ate Nyamachomo a few more times. Anyway Wednesday we head back to Nairobi (on the way saw a few antelope and a few zebra) where we caught the last flight of the night back to Entebbe.

Once again I had another fun and successful time in Nairobi and Arusha. Just on a side note I wanted to say that Nairobi compared to Kampala is REALLY developed. It is amazing what a war can do to a city/country. Nairobi is also a lot faster, and a lot crazier. The matatu’s (minibuses used as public transit) there is no maximum passenger law so you will see matatu’s with 20+ people in them (in Kampala max occupancy 14) and the conductor hanging from the outside of the bus because it is so full. Also the matatu’s don’t have to be painted a standard color (in Kampala they have to be white with a checker box decal going around it) so you find the matatu’s painted up in really cool designs. As well a lot of the times you will find them very pimped out with running boards, spoilers, fancy running lights etc. It was quite cool to see. I actually really enjoy Nairobi as a city and think it gets a lot of bad press, granted I have only seen the city from the good side (nice hotels, take taxis everywhere, good restaurants). Anyway I will still take the security and friendliness of Kampala any day.

And wedding wishes. Happy birthday to Norbert, and congrats to Meddie on his wedding!

To Klaus in Germany. I wish you all the best today and for a year of happiness and prosperity.

Last Tuesday I went under the knife for the first time here in Uganda. Actually probably my first ever operation (beside the removal of my wisdom teeth) I have ever had. Anyway the reason for the operation was that I had what is called a ganglion cyst on my wrist. Basically it is just the sheath of my tendon getting weak and in effect ballooning out to form a nice round lump on my wrist. I had had it for a few months now, and was hoping that it would go away on its on. After consulting a doctor I decided I might as well have it removed. A ganglion cyst is actually nothing to worry; in most people is just an aesthetics problem. With me however it was causing a dull pain when I would use the computer, thus in effect making work a bit of a pain. Anyway I went to the International Hospital on Feb 25th for its removal. They took me to the waiting beds and told me to wait till the surgeon was ready. Then they brought me a gown and told me to get into it. I found this quite funny how I had to wear a gown when all they were doing was making a small cut on my wrist. Anyway I complied and soon after they came for me to do the operation.

They wheeled me out of the waiting beds on a stretcher (another thing I found a little over the top) and into the operating room. The operating room reminded me of something out of a WW2 movie. Kind of an ad hoc room that wasn’t overly well ventilated or lit. I had full confidence however in my surgeon. He started by giving me a local anesthetic around the cyst itself. Then once the anesthetic took effect he began to perform the surgery. The doctor told me that if it ever hurt I should tell him. He then began cutting a small slit over where the cyst was. After he made the incision he asked again whether it hurt, I had to reply with a no due to the fine job he did with the anesthetics. Anyway after making the small incision he then went on to cut open the cyst and drain it of all the fluids inside. After he had fully drained the cyst of all the fluids he went on to scrape the cyst off of the tendon itself. This was actually the only point in the operation that caused me a bit of pain. Especially since I could feel him tugging away at the cyst to get it off. Finally however he had it removed and finished up by stitching up my tendon and my wrist and applying the proper bandages. Afterwards he showed me his stitching job and the cyst itself. It was funny actually how small the thing was that he removed. The cyst when it was in my wrist must have at least been a good inch large. Now that it wasn’t stretch out and filled with fluid it was possibly a millimeter large.

After the surgery I was wheeled back into the waiting beds where they instructed me to rest for at least 30 min before they would let me go. I rested the time they wanted, then paid my bill and headed out of the hospital. All in all a highly successful operation (as far as I can tell), and I should be fully healed within a few days from now. Will likely have my stitches removed this Tuesday.

Saturday I met with Ali, Gordon, Portman and Meddie at a Mosque in Wandegeya at around 11:30am in preparation for Meddie’s introduction. In the Buganda culture before you marry a woman you must first be introduced to her family. This event takes place at the brides parents place. His friends and relatives will escort the groom to the bride’s family and will present them with gifts and also negotiate for the daughter. In the end if the family accepts the groom he will then be invited for a big feast after which he has permission to marry the daughter. Anyway upon arrival in Wadegeya I changed into my kanzu, a traditional dress like article of clothing that is commonly worn now for traditional Buganda events such as this. After hanging around the mosque for a good 2 hours we finally departed with a caravan of cars.

We arrived at Zamzam’s (Meddie’s fiancé) parents house at around 2:30. We then got organized and lined up in single file one line for the men, one for the women. Then we waited. It was now up to the bride’s family as to when they would accept our presence and allow us to enter their property. We waited a good 15 minutes before being invited onto the property. On our walk in roses were pinned to our jackets. We walked through into a big crowd (maybe 150-200 people) of people seated in a semi circle waiting to inspect us. We took our seats across from the main crowd of people and then things began. Basically what takes place next is a long process of questions, tests and other events to see if the bride is truly worthy of the groom. Both the bride and groom have spokespersons who do all the talking.

Anyway the event went on for a good 3-4 hours. In between question periods there was singing and dancing as well as other local music. Also when questions or requests were not fulfilled correctly the groom’s spokesperson had to pay a fine to the bride’s family. The bride’s spokesperson was actually quite excellent and made the event incredibly fun as he really worked the groom’s spokesperson. As well his Luganda was very advanced, and at times the grooms side could not understand what he was requesting, causing a big turmoil and guessing game to incur. Eventually (after having to pay several fines) after Meddie presented the Zamzam’s family with a load of gifts (including yes a cow and goat) he was accepted by the bride’s family and he and Zamzam cut the cake. Actually a funny joke the bride’s family said after receiving the cow was something to the effect of “Is that cow out there for me? Oh it is, well why don’t you untie it and let it roam with the hundred of cows I have out back. Basically saying it was very kind of you to bring us a cow even though we already have hundreds of them. After the cutting of the cake all the important people in the crowd were pointed out (when the prince of the Baganda kingdom is in the crowd you have to do these things) and a few speeches followed. Afterwards Meddie selected 20 of his closest friends (yeah I was one) to join in eating a special meal in the bride’s house. The rest of the people ate outside. The meal started with everyone eating a coffee bean, which meant that the bride’s family accepted us. After that they brought on the food. It was a huge meal of extremely well done local cuisine. I ate and ate and ate, and when I couldn’t eat more I still ate. Finally we had finished eating and it was time to go.

All in the entire introduction was an excellent event. Even though it was all in Luganda I still got the feel for what was happening. This is a ceremony that I would love to take part in when I get married (granted that would probably mean I would have to merry a Ugandan). Anyway it was truly fun and I hope I can attend another one someday in the futur