Three weeks in - school, birds and a day in Kampala

We are still at Forest Park.  Our house is sooooo close to being ready.  Surely in a few more days we will be in and can finally unpack our suitcases.

Jenny has had 2 weeks at the primary school now and I go with her each day.  It's a 20km, 45 minute each way trip - half on bitumen and half on reasonable gravel.  The house will be about 10 minutes closer.  I've become used to the driving (Jenny is still to tackle it) but can never relax for a second as many drivers are totally reckless and unpredictable.  The worst are the large intercity coaches.

I spend my time at school learning to code iPhone/iPad apps in Swift and helping sort out the occasional IT issue for the staff.  My aim is to develop an app based on the Kagera Reading Program (erftz.blogspot.ug/p/kagera-reading-program.html).  We'll sell it to the rich private schools in East Africa and use the profits to print and laminate copies for the poorer schools.

I quite enjoy being at the school and it's nice that the kids mostly don't seem to pay me any particular attention as they are fairly used to foreigners visiting.  Once we are in the house I expect the routine will vary however.

Katuuso Primay school.  Three wings visible here with another one out of sight.  

I'm slowly adding new birds without any real birding effort - 113 species so far with 7 lifers - Northern Black Flycatcher, Cassin's Honeybird, African Pied Hornbill and Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike.  Last weekend we went to Mpanga Forest where for UGX10,000 ($4) each we can walk along a variety of trails through remnant primary forest.  This is about 30 mins relatively easy driving from home and will become my new regular patch.  We heard more than we saw but were hampered by the presence of 6-7 motorbikes on the trails.  Hopefully this isn't a regular occurrence.

Hamerkop

African Dusky Flycatcher

African Pied Hornbill

Vieillot's Black Weaver

African Golden-breasted Bunting

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike (male)

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike (female)

Broad-billed Roller

Yesterday we psyched ourselves up and drove into Kampala (22 km) to the School for Life office.  Our objectives were for Jenny to sort out some admin tasks, to get cash (UGX4,000,000 - $1500) for rent, furniture purchases etc and to get the car serviced.  We missed the turnoff to the northern bypass and had to drive through central Kampala.  This was an experience we could have done without but we survived.  We had the first decent coffee and bread in 3 weeks and got the cash.

The car took forever as they kept finding things that needed to be fixed.  Nothing too serious but it meant we didn't get it back until nearly 6 pm.  The drive home on the bypass and then the highway was therefore mostly in the dark and only someone who has driven in Kampala or similar at night can imagine what this was like.  We both had several stiff drinks (red wine followed by vodka or whisky) to recover.  The good news is that the car is now running beautifully.

I think we will keep a bag with a few clothes etc in the car so if this happens again we will stay the night in Kampala.  Driving at night is simply too great a risk to ourselves and others.

Today we slept in and are relaxing in the bar while watching several noisy and colourful groups celebrate school graduations etc.  No weddings this weekend.  Tomorrow we are thinking of a trip to Mabamba Swamp (0.092011°, 32.372589°) and a boat trip in search of Shoebills and Papyrus Gonoleks (google them!).