Kampala's business mind; The Hustle of The Ordinary Ugandan.

"I'm not good at future planning. I don't plan at all. I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. I don't have a day planner and I don't have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future." Heath Ledger

Steaming maize and yams in the early evening

Its not usual that one has to draw out a plan for when they go home. Its assumed one is going to what is familiar so there is no need for detailed plans - well not if one has been away for close to 5 years.

"Here's what you needed to have done in preparation", a friend said.

1.Send an email to 10 close friends and tell them you will be in town. Note: ask if they have a car that you can use during your stay. 

2. Tell them how long you'll be in town, what you plan to do and when you are available - so they can factor you into their plans.
I didn't have that sense of entitlement and as a result I hustled with boda-boda's and taxis.

I was soon reminded of Kampala's fast-slow pace. One boards a taxi that moves back, back, forth and forth in search of customers - 30 minutes gone. The person you intend to see has "just stepped out" another hour flies by but there are traffic jams all day long because everybody is rushing somewhere - the daily hustle of the ordinary Ugandan.
You've got to love Uganda for it's small size, I bumped into a few friends on the street - round certain corners, visit certain malls or shopping centres and you are bound to run into people you know - older, more prosperous but with the same personalities that made the friendships work in the first place.

  

Boda-boda ride - a fascination for my little miss.

I embarked on journeys that had me sandwiched between the taxi conductor and the next passenger. I carried little miss on my lap as she got wrapped up in the adventure - Alice in a different wonderland. I hoped the passengers in the seats behind me would travel further than my stop but that's when I would here "massaawo!" the conductor would slide the door open, I would instruct little miss to stay put while I disembarked but like clockwork she would follow me out and I would have to carry her back into the taxi.

Even though taxi's are a basic means of transport, they are also places for business transactions.

Hajat sitting one row ahead:

"Hello!"

"Mmm! Oyagala color kyi?"

"Eh! Purple ne white, egenda bulungi! Era kanzigye"

Man to my right:

"Hello! eh kyi kyi? Esimu ebuzze?!

"Kakati, muwe bisumaali - 2 boxes. Nina ebintu gyemaliliza"

Man in torn tshirt enters taxi while on phone.

"Eh mwana, oli ku facebook?"

"Kati noonya Catherine Nankya, ojakulaba"

"Eh! Omuwala antawanya nyo, naye she is the one"

"Naye sokon promisinge tojanbulira omunte yena - wadde enkoko"

At this point I chuckled to myself - it was a bit much but I liked the confidence with which each one engaged in conversation never concerned about the other passengers.
These three conversations represent some of the key issues in Kampala: Business;- Fashion, construction and relationships.

I agree with  Roald Amundsen "Adventure is just bad planning" and with Heath Ledger, it's good to live in the moment, you never know what the day brings. I certainly enjoyed reconnecting with Uganda's buli daily hustles thanks to my free schedule.