6.10.14 Entebbe to Kasese via Kampala by road

Woke up early had paupau and pineapple for breakfast on the verander near the pool and wonderful lavish tropical plants and interesting bird song.  Emmanuel arrived after 6am and then my suitcase was put in the back of some other safari van by mistake – so lucky l checked it was in!  Drove to Kampala – saw interesting stick with a bovine skull on it – apparently advertising the pottery so Emmanuel thought.  Saw brick kilns in various states of deconstruction and construction, which fascinated me as they looked like castle turrets that had fallen into ruin in some instances. The other thing later on on the journey home were termite/ant hills which at one place three little boys were tapping and prodding with sticks and then eating the ants – apparently this is another delicacy – l’ll stick to marmite!

We managed to get a phone, change some money (you get a better rate for crisp new notes AND of HIGH denomination, but if spending them low denominations are good or better!).  Saw Rocca and Laura at the arts festival KLARTS14 organised by 32 Degrees East – this particular project was based at the old station where they were launching their art festival month.  Will try and catch up with her again in the 23 October for a talk and perhaps invite the Makerere University students. Emmanuel, who also liked to be called ‘Beam’, thinks the students will not travel to see the show and come to the talk unless they are provided with transport or paid to go!  A shame!  Maybe it will have to be two talks after all.

Took photos of some of the ‘boda-boda’ (motor bike) project – one bloke got on another artist’s bike and posed as if it was his – the watermelon one.  Kampala was a hot nightmare of a place to get out of with rotten air pollution and boda-bodas everywhere – traffic going in all directions at once, no road etiquette whatsoever.  So dangerous!

Then the Landrover broke down and Emmanuel couldn’t get it into gear – the fear of staying overnight in this ‘hell hole’ was palpable for both of us at this pint – as luck would have it though we got the seals replaced on the clutch/gear oil and it was then asset to go.  Emmanuel said they over charged us at 55,000/- which is around £15!  Labour costs are cheap here, if they know what they are doing.

It was a relief to get out into relative countryside with villages dotted along the way, which consisted of roadside shops in the main.

Later on we came across some baboons in the road when the swamplands changed to rain forested areas.  The eventually we ended up in tea growing areas and finally got to Pangolin.

Drongo is a darling but does bark a lot at night.

Met the other artist Eria (SANE) who seems really enthusiastic and teaches at UCL in Kampala.  He seems to be impressed that l have met El Anatsui and Bruce Onobrakpeya and exhibiting with Damien and the YBAs!!

I have got the bedroom with the ghecko which is nice.

Perlucy had a lovely supper and tea for us.

Wondered what it would be like to pour bronze down termite holes.  Bundles of sticks tied together with bark or string as a talisman – burn out.  Bury various talismans from ephemera like Giriama ‘fingos’ and plant something on top to mark the spot eg. fig tree/plant.  They have cast to 2ml thin but usually 5ml – have cast bark lizard for Stephen Gregory (artist in residence before).  Yams sound rather uniform in shape but l will check this out at the market.