The Frustrations of Travelling by Bus in Kampala

OK so you would think after taking the same route to the same place 4 times, one would understand how to get there alone.  Nope, not for Amy Hanna, or anyone else I speak to trying to get around outside of Kampala on their first time.  It’s all about specifics. You see, I was trying to get from Naguru, a “suburb” of Nakasero – the down town, to a bus going to the New Taxi Park (within Nakasero), to Kikajjo, which is within the village of Natete- only 9km from Nakasero.  2 buses was all I needed. I took three and walked in between...

First, I got on a bus that told me I was going to New Park, when in fact it was going yes to Nakasero, but not directly to the New Park. I had to retrace my steps a few blocks then hang a corner and go far down the street, a 20 minute walk (I asked for directions at every block to make sure).  The city is crowded, imagine NYC with more [organized] chaos, and not many sidewalks.  The cars will run into you just the same. The New Taxi Park is similar and across the street from the Old Park, but they both function the same.  Imagine a filthy parking lot filled with buses, and people walking around selling anything you can think of, then imagine exhaust, and all eyes on your every move, as you move through a maze of buses about to run you over and not knowing in what direction you need to go to find “your bus”.  It once took me and Jonna an hour just to get out of the bus station to begin our trip outside of Kampala one day, the traffic is so bad in this city.  I asked for “Natete”, but what I should have asked for was “Kikajjo within Natete”.   I have found women and men all over the city equally pleasant towards me when I ask for directions or information. And everyone speaks some form of English, but it can be easily misunderstood.  I quickly realized my mistake, when the bus came to the main intersection in Natete and didn’t turn…

Insert:  A “taxi” in Uganda is a matatu. A matatu is a mini-bus that can seat 4 people across, in 4 rows, plus 2 people in the one passenger seat.  A ride cost about $0.25-.050 (500-1000 shilling) depending on how far you go.  If you take a matatu to go grocery shopping you can be sure that you will have no room for your groceries on the way home. You will stick your food in spaces you never thought were possible, and it will come out hot.   A “bus”in Uganda is the big one that goes from larger cities to larger cities.  For instance, I took a “bus” from Fort Portal to Kampala when I visted The Kasiisi Project in Kibale NP, 5 hours drive to the west.  That cost me $10, or 20,000shilling.  A “private hire” is what we in the States as a taxi, or a cab. They cost a similar price as in the U.S.

 I told the conductor “Kikajjo?” and he said, “oh you need to get out now and take that taxi” as he pointed up the road to somewhere where there weren’t any buses.  Luckily, though, I was familiar with this bus stage, from another incident of trying to get to the women’s co-op.  So I walked to that bus stage and the bus was empty, which means I would have to wait until it filled before we left, another 20 minutes.  Finally we were on the road to “Kikajjo”, and I recognized the road for the first 5km.  Then the road became unfamiliar – sometimes these roads all look the same.  When we were about 10 km up the road I became worried that we were suddenly on the wrong road, or we passed my stop.   Mind you, there are no signs ever, anywhere, so the road I was looking for always had a cloth banner displayed high across the street.  Unfortunately, this was recently pulled down. Dumb Amy.  As I become more anxious and my confidence was falling ever so quickly, I tell the conductor the name of the road and the organization I am looking for – Uganda Women’s Training Group; “Where they make the wine”.  The entire bus had No Clue what the mazungu was talking about. Normally every bus driver knows every back road, etc., but this one didn’t – just my luck. 

Long story longer, the driver accommodated me for a very real mazungu breakdown, and stopped the bus to try and find what i was looking for.  By the looks in their eyes, all the Ugandans in the bus felt bad for me as my eyes started tearing up, and my nose turning redder than it already was from being sunburned.  For 3.5 hours I had been travelling 9km- the time eaten up by wrong buses, walking and waiting.  I should have just walked there.  Turns out, where the bus stopped to console me was 50 feet from the road I needed. Phew! Breathe, breathe.  But when I got out, I still thought I was in the middle of nowhere, and then saw a familiar sign on the corner and felt a BIG sigh of relief, but felt like crying for another hour for my stupidity.

I have a job, among many, when I get back to the States, and that is to sell 150 items of handmade jewelry for The Training of Rural Women in Uganda non-profit organization.  If you want to buy some, please let me know! Prices will range from $6-$12 for earrings, necklaces and bracelets.