A summary of week 4

Wow, I have not blogged for quite some time but will keep up with summarising the weeks as they go by, although it seems ages ago but can strangely still remember everything despite the fact that I'm doing so much every day! The time now is just going far too fast and I cannot believe that I am now nearly half way through my trip. However I won't dwell on that, although I so wish I was out here for so much longer and if there was a way I would definitely extend my trip. Anyway, money doesn't grow on trees and at present I shall continue to return at the end of August!

So this week was actually quite an emotional week - I admit I did cry however having had a few drinks that may have heightened my emotional state and as many of you know I do cry quite easily - crying reading Harry Potter being a perfect example! Anyhow, I digress, the last two of my original housemates left on Thursday and the girls who left at the end of my second week who came back to Jinja, staying up at Bujagali, also left, meaning I won't see them again until I get home. Despite seeing them every night whilst they were here and having not seen them for a week, it was actually really hard to say goodbye to them on the Monday night.

It's actually so bizarre but also really nice how quickly you become friends and so close to people in such a short time. It felt like I'd been living with everyone for so much longer than just four weeks! We keep joking that the mad house is like the big brother house but it really is. We get new arrivals nearly every weekend and people leave nearly every week and we have very little stimulation apart from alcohol and conversation and sunning ourselves (oh and our voluntary projects of course and we are allowed out the house to socialise!).

At the weekend though, the end of my third week, we did get new arrivals, Tom, Hazel, Jess and Beccy. Luke and I ended up spending the whole Sunday with Jess and Beccy having been absolutely shattered on returning from the Introduction Ceremony and despite our best intentions to sunbathe, the weather forced us to 2 friends and so we spent the whole day just chilling out and chatting. They're absolutely wicked and so easy to get on with, like all the new arrivals so far and despite feeling a bit anxious when I knew that I'd be the only 'original' when Luke and Dylan leave, the rest of my time will be really enjoyable and the new group will be different but still as good to go out with and live with!

On the Monday I went to the prison again. Every week I look forward to going there. The women are just an inspiration to women everywhere and although my intention for going was to learn more and offer some encouragement I feel that I have got so much more from the visits than they have from me. I admire them so much, their faith and belief and attitude to life and every person they come in to contact with, whether it be the prison staff, the ministry or a simple muzungu like myself!

On the evening, we headed up to Camp Site to see the girls who were on their overland safari - this being their last night before they head off to Kenya. I had such a blast up there and really can't wait to camp there in a few weeks.

Camp Site when the girls came back on their safari

A night out at Camp Site

It was really sad to see them go but I know that we'll all probably end up going to the mad ball in October and will definitely keep in touch in one form or another - thank you facebook!

On the Tuesday, again I went to the orphanage and spent the day with the children. I never thought that I would remember all their names but I can. Each one has a different personality and need and I just love it! I love the fact that as soon as we step in to the courtyard where they play they run up to us, craving for attention and to be held. However please do not get the wrong idea - the children here get so much attention, more than any normal child. There are regular volunteers here and all come with a similar thought process that all the children are orphans and need love and attention. Not all the children here are orphans. Some have been handed in to their care as they just can't afford to care for them for one reason or another and it is very likely that they will return to their families when they reach school age if that is the families wish. Others are adopted, mainly to Americans or Canadians.

Tuesday night we had a chilled out night at Flavours. This is a bar/cafe in Jinja and just within walking distance, which is great. They make the best cakes and milkshakes and iced coffees - not at all helping my cause to lose the weight that I have most definitely put on. It's also good as they have board games. Now I did consider whether agreeing to play a board game would lose me the friends that I have made but despite my hugely competitive nature I think I retained them! Luckily I managed to dissuade them from playing monopoly and we opted for 30 seconds - this most definitely being one of the best board games I've played (maybe because on the two occasions that I have played I've won - get in!).

Playing 30 seconds

On the Wednesday night we had a bbq and headed to Sombreros. WE also went to this bar, which played the best cheesey western music, something which even Somreros doesn't offer, despite it being the best club in Jinja. Sombreros mainly plays hip hop and R 'n' B - although I have discovered that the DJ has Peter Andre and Britney, those tending to be my usual weekly requests!

I must admit that I did have a bit of a cry tonight and yes vodka and Benji's cocktails may have had something to do with it, but Luke and I ended up talking to Raj, the guy who invited is to his sister's introduction ceremony and he said the most lovely things to us and I thought were quite meaningful, something I find very rare! We had such a good night though and was definitely a good night to send the boys off when they left early Thursday morning for their safari and trip through Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The rest of the week was pretty standard - well as standard as it has been these past few weeks! I continued to go to the orphanage in the morning, visiting a school on the Thursday morning. Although I'm noty particualrly activer in spreading the word of god with the bible group that I go with I must admit that I actually enjoy the singing and dancing aspect of it. I have learnt a couple of the songs and participate fully together with the children in the singing and dancing. If you're lucky I might even teach a few of you when I return!

We also went to the market on the Thursday afternoon, in particular search for friend grass hoppers but alas we couldn't find any. I have since tried them though and they are not at all unpleasant. They kind of taste a bit like prawn crackers. However I must admit I won't be swaping prawn crackers for grasshoppers just yet!

The market

We went out for dinner on the Friday night for a curry, which after waiting for about an hour - remember we are on african time and so the easiest of meals can take a ridiculous amount of time - but by the time we got it, it was good. However that could have something to do with being absolutely starving byt the time it did arrive!

As I was going bike riding on the Saturday morning and we were heading in to the forest early, we headed home rather early on the Fridya night for an early one enjoying a nice cup of tea when we returned. Oh how good intentions can be severely changed! Welive quite near a church and they had decided to put on another (I say another this happened about a month ago apparently although I didn't hear it?!) marathon church service lasting for a ridiculous 12 hours. And people, this church service isn't just singing and preaching in quiet, oh no, this is with microphones and ridiculous loud speakers so that everyone in Jinja can enjoy the hymns, the preaching, the prayers and the sermons. Needless to say I went to sleep to the sound of the church and woke up also to the sound of the church!

Now biking in the Mbara Forest was certainly an experience!This is probably the hardest thing that I have ever done! In no way did I think this would be a gentle bike ride but I did not think that it would leave me bruised, bleeding and unable to sit down comfortable for several days. The only good thing about this ride was seeing the end in sight at the end and knowing that lunch was provided - I chose a jacket potato with cheese and beans for those of you who are interested, which was really good!

Anyhow I digress...So we all met at Backpackers in the morning - all being myself, Liam, Tom, Hazel, Sophie, Benji and Nash, who was taking us. We enjoyed fresh fruit salad for breakfast and the day appeared to be quite an enjoyable one...

The start

We left for the Forest, which is I think the biggest in Uganda. We started off well on a dusty track and I just took it easy. No need to be too eager and competitive at the start of things. Also, I will admit I'm not exactly a big bike rider so wasn't eager to show off any talent or fitness level that I may have appropriate to this day out.

Mabira Forest

However it would appear that Nash was just easing us in. We ended up cycling for about 3 hours within the forest - granted something that I had indeed signbed up for and encouraged people to do with me - but never did I expect to see tree roots the size that they were, lose body weight in the amount of sweating that I did (don't get any impressions though poeple, that was body weight I needed to shed, it will be quite evident when I return that I haven't starved and eaten very well, so I am coming round to the idea of lots of comments like "you look really well" and "you look really healthy") and fall of my bike, fall down holes and cycle into trees and return with scars which I am convinced with remain with me for a long time to come! I think I can safely say that Sophie and I - she also having the same issues as myself at the back of the group - spent as much time off our bikes as we did on them and were hugely relieved to see the end in sight.

The end

However Saturday night definitely made up for it! We went to 2 friends and Santos, our chef allowed us to make pizzas with him and Ivan. This was definitely a good end to a difficult day! We had so much fun and I must say our pizzas were pretty bloody good!