Perched on the Equator in East Africa, the Pearl of Africa lets the continent’s wild beauty run free. It is a cultural melting pot with over 40 ethnic groups, each with unique customs, traditions, and languages. A land of contrasts, from snow-capped peaks to sunbaked savannas, the land has something to offer everyone, for the bold and laid-back alike.
Uganda is a hospitable and stunningly beautiful country. Encounter the Mountain Gorillas in all their majesty, delight in a birding safari, cultural tourism, and decadent delicacies like the Rolex, Nsenene (Grasshoppers), and White ants. The destination of endless discovery has a lot on its menu.
But to enjoy your holiday when traveling anywhere, the Pearl of Africa inclusive, there is something that shouldn’t be left at home, common sense. I’ll start with the obvious, refrain from displaying expensive jewelry or large amounts of cash unless you are willing to share, this is a sure way to invite unknown stakeholders of your Items or money.
Be aware of your environment, especially in crowded places like a pub. Do not leave your phone on the table unattended when going to the Men’s or Women’s room. Apply insect repellent to wade off, especially mosquitoes. I advise you to follow all the personal safety rules that kept you fairly risk-free on your other travels to different destinations.
Hiring a vehicle for self-drive is usually a good idea. With a self-driven vehicle, one can plan their trip according to their preference and schedule. It also offers comfort and space, which shared transportation will not.
In Uganda however, especially in the Capital, Kampala, this might go against the norm. Ugandans are usually mellow and compassionate people, that is, until they get behind the wheel of a vehicle and step on the accelerator. Almost immediately a fast metamorphosis takes place and they become a totally different person (take extra caution with the Subaru drivers). It is like another entity has taken over their being.
Uganda has good traffic laws, but they seem to be there to broken or ignored. There is minimal and selective enforcement by the traffic, and although lately there seems to be a change for the better, I wouldn’t give them my sticker of approval just yet. On Uganda’s roads, what you learned in driving school back home will have you questioning whether that teacher was the genuine article or took you for a ride, for the drivers here seem to have gone to alternative driving school.
And then there are the Boda-Boda (motorcycle taxi) acrobats that will appear out of nowhere, everywhere, and squeeze in and out of the tiniest of crevices when you least expect them to, especially if you are their passenger. It is no cliché when I say it is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
While crossing a road, please make sure to look both left and right, twice, even when the road is a one-way road. In Uganda, the motor vehicles and drivers rule, and the pedestrian is often time looked at as a nuisance. Crossing the road can indeed be a high-risk activity.
Also, be on the lookout for open utility holes (manholes, I wonder why they are so named) that seem to appear at every other corner. You do not want to fall into one of them while you are on holiday, business, or at work.
The debate on the safety of night travel still rages on, with a loud minority, whom the opposers have labeled the ‘mistaken’ minority, arguing that the only safe night traveling to do is between Kampala and the airport, and the silent majority proposing otherwise.
Having been ranked 6th in a recent global alcohol consumption survey, the loud minority argues, the debate is a no-brainer. They maintain that this mean feat weaves into a night-time drunk driving culture. The silent majority asserts that it is drunk thriving.
Here are my two cents on voluntourism, a concept that sometimes goes wrong. We need to first understand the local issues, and then prioritize empathy over ‘Likes,’ focusing on listening to and amplifying the voices of the marginalized communities.
Some of these campaigns label Africans as powerless victims passively waiting for someone to come and rescue them, which could not be further from the truth. In fact, Ugandans are one of the most entrepreneurial people on earth, with a new business enterprise opening up every day. In 2018, 18862 new businesses were registered.
But ultimately, you will have to visit Uganda and be the judge of that. Karibuni Uganda.
