I spend every morning at the orphanage and very little changes. I look after the children, although tend to look after the same children...in fact if I had room in my back pack when I leave Jinja I would definitely be trying to sneak a couple of them in to bring home with me as they are so adorable.

Anyway, Tuesday I spent all morning there but Wednesday we had the opportunity to go to the hospital, which was hugely insightful.

The hospital has different buildings for each ward and so not unlike England but there are so many more people visiting it in comparison to the UK. Given that alot of people have to travel some distance to reach the hospital many relatives and friends stay over. They sleep outside or in special rooms I think and then at daylight all come outside to wash their clothes and blankets etc and cook for themselves - the basic diet being corn and ciappatties (I have no doubt that I've spelt that wrong!). It was just so incredible how busy it was! Joseph, one of the guys took me around the hospital. I must admit it was so bizarre just how easy it was to walk in and out of the wards it is with so little security. I walked through the malaria ward and the emergency ward and although we spoke to the sister in charge of the TB and AIDS/HIV wards we were advised only to enter if we wore a mask, for our own safety. Given that we didn't have one we decided to abstain.

On Wednesday evening we had "irish night"...

Irish night

Irish night

Irish night

At the end of last week, quite a few of the girls left as well, which was actually really sad, particularly as three out of the four who left on Friday had arrived on the same flight as me. Alisha, Becca and Emer together with Claire, who's spent 4 weeks in Jinja, all left for a night out in Kampala Friday and then to join the Taste of Africa Safari on Sunday - which I'll be doing in a months time. Dylan also left to get his hair braded that night and so that just left 5 of us.

My first lot of housemates

We all decided to go for chinese and I must say this was probably the nicest evening so far...the food perhaps wasn't the greatest but it was actually really nice being in a smaller group and just chatting and getting to know each other a little better.

On Saturday, Luke left early to spend the weekend doing a gorilla safari in Bwindi - also where I'll be going in a few weeks time - and so that left four of us so we headed to the resort to sun ourselves and chill out...I just love the fact that despite supposedly travelling, I can still find a really nice hotel with a lovely pool and huge sun loungers to sunbath! I had such a good day and finally indulged in a plate full of fresh fruit which was lush...considering Uganda is so green and has loads of fruit I actually haven't had that much salad or vegetables or fruit unless we go out for it, perhaps because carbohydrate based foods are so much cheaper?!

We spent Saturday evening at 2 friends, that being Lisa's last night and had a really nice meal. We also had two new arrivals, Sophie and Liam, and Dylan returned looking like an extra out of Cool Runnings with his newly braded hair! Sophie is coming to the orphanage with me, which is good as otherwise I would have been all on my own, Emer, Alisha and Becca having all left on the Friday. Liam's come to do football training and take over from Luke and Ben. Both seem really lovely and will just fit in. I love the fact that we get new arrivals and that there's an overlap of people - you get to meet so many more people and the weeks are just different from each other because of the different people you spend time with.

Yesterday we went and had lunch at Bujagli Falls, where I'll be camping when I'm on my overland safari and get to do the various activities. I've decided that I'm saving quad biking and rafting for the safari but intending to ho horseback riding and mountain biking before I properly leave Jinja. Although I was planning to do the bunjee I really don't think I have the guts and would hate to pay nearly 50pounds and that not jump so I've decided to the jet boat instead which cruises the nile and looks amazing! Will keep you updated!

Lunch was really good and the view is just incredible...I really will at some point upload my photos so people can actually see where I am, what I've seen and who I'm leaving with!

I'm going to head off the the solicitors in a minute as not been seen last Tuesday as I've been so incredibly busy. Hopefully I'll get to do more work than I did last week...I went in and he handed me a petition, which I was really chuffed about because I thought at least it's matrimonial which I can do but we only spent about 20 minutes discussing that and the rest of the 2 odd hours talking about England, how much I get paid over there and how much the guy really wants to marry a muzungu (a white person)...however I assured him that I was not in the slightest ready to get married just yet!

I've probably forgotten loads in this blog but will no doubt be talking about this trip for months to come...you poor people!

written by  Laura_Smith on June 22, 2009 from Jinja, Uganda
from the travel blog: Laura's little summer break
Send a Compliment

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Hi, just read your most recent blog. I did look earlier in the week but for some reason didn't see it. It was really lovely to hear you this week. It's a shame you didn't take your mobile. I've paid your credit cards. It's a good job you mentioned the HSBC, it had come but I'd not realised it was a payment invoice. It's done now and in good time.

Sounds as though you're really having fun - you'll probably need a holiday to recover when you get back. I have to say it doesn't sound as though your in deepest africa, what with the nearby resort and your Irish evenings - sounds a bit like Majorca!

Have just come in from garden, I'm definitely going to get a gardener, I'm too old for all this now. Have just picked peas and dug up fresh potatoes so at least its quite productive this year. The weather has been very hot and it's just started a heat storm. In fact a lad was hit by lightening in Birmingham yesterday! Rick nexy door was talking today about the campaign to try to stop the travellers getting planning permission for that field. Hes says as soon as one gets it there will be a pecedent for others. I've tried to be objective but he's got a point. There have been a couple of burglaries as well - Alan the postman told me last week and he says its only since the travellers have been around - Not that he's saying its them!

Rick says he and many others would move - cut their loses and move. As i say he's got a point.

Tom's just come off phone. He phoned to ask if dad was passing this week whether he would drop in his VANISH. Apparently he was at a concert this week and spilled something down his top - surprise surprise! He sends his love but says from the feed back from Claire(he hasn't got his email on yet!) he thinks you need to be more careful especiallt with this lawyer guy. He was quite concerned for you. He's got his first exam tomorrow so he's a bit tense.

No doubt you will have heard the tragic news about Michael Jackson. It's a tragedy and I don't thinks the whole story has emerged yet. Though how they can say there is no foul play when they haven't even had the toxicology yet beggers belief; particularly as the doctor that was with him when he collapsed did a runner! Well, whatever the outcome it's a very sad end to a troubled life.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend and the engagement party - though it did seem a bit odd that his mother took you to have a dress made! Be CAUTIOUS !!!

Better go now and start supper. Hope I haven't bored you too much with the mundane issues of country life.

Speak/blog soon. Luv you loads Mom xXx

written by  SPUD on June 28, 2009

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Mum, you're hilarious...do you realise that when you comment everyone can read it?! Well for those of you who have hope you've enjoyed reading not only about my week but also about my mother's!!!

written by  Laura_Smith on June 29, 2009

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