A DAY IN MY LIFE; BUSY AF!

It's one thing to wake to a rainy morning but a whole other thing having to move, do work around Kampala in the heavy down pours -especially when using public means.

Giving You Me

 Before you start to mind about the tight traffic that comes with this weather, there are other serious stuff that you have to consider, like getting more cash in to your bag because you are most likely bound to pay double for the usual fares! Maybe you are wondering why this is so but if you studied a bit of economics, you know the relationship between demand and supply.
These taxi drivers know very well that even if one was to move from City Square to let's say DTB Kampala road, they will definitely have to use a taxi, no body dares to walk in rain, the heavy flows, cars splashing dirty water straight to your nice black trousers,...or even the wind blowing off your sorry umbrella! It's a hustle.

Completely real....raw,...

While I sat in this old rugged taxi, well I didn't have an option, the drizzle drops that hit me as I walked out of the stationery was such a subtle warning like "hey, the showers that are coming down are still charging and warming up, jump into whichever damn taxi that comes by" and so I did. I had hardly settled in when light fog covered off all the wind shields, and boom, the heavy rain was here. I was moving from Ntinda to Kampala which should take me at least 50 minutes so I decided to get my phone and write something for you guys.

 A minute into the writing, this lady comes in and she has to sit next to me, that's usual, no problem, the heck is she has some woolen cardigan on and it's dripping wet! We are four people in a row so she has to squeeze in, the end product is, my whole left side is wet! I tried pushing a bit to the right but damn, she then makes herself comfortable since I'm the tiny one. I was being sandwiched by two people, the wet and cold, the dry and unbothered! I definitely got out with a jacket that had a faint smell of a cloth that was locked up half dry in a suitcase for days. That was just quarter of my day's travel.

 At 11:07 am, I hopped into another taxi to Entebbe, the rain had calmed down a bit, we only had little droplets hitting the glass and trickling downwards to form various "riverlets"(word from Patie's Dictionary) which I observed with bored eyes. My "seatmates" were fine this time, everyone minding their business and I had enough space to type on my phone without elbowing no body. Plus, I always cross my tiny legs while seated(it gives me a sense of relaxation and security), whatever that may seem to you! It's always a bustle making it from "kaja" that stuffy pavement(You have people doing whatever is humanly possible to entice you to buy a trouser at 10-15k, another taxi conductor is calling you all kinds of 'relative names' directing you to his taxi, a business man whistling in your ears to clear way for the heavy luggage weighing on his broad shoulders and some random lady raising her hand up to sell ice cream in a ramshackled bucket) to ShopRite clock tower junction. If you have not experienced this, you are either  damn rich ✌️(you never take a taxi to Ebbs) or you don't know nothing, absolutely nothing about life happening down town. You need to see some of these things to appreciate what you have, there is all kinds of business and hustling down these Kampala corridors.

Okay folks, it's 11:28 and we have just made it to Entebbe road, now you know what I'm talking about, traffic! See, I'm seated in here, and will be for more than an hour. Sometimes I find my mind wandering off to various issues and by the time I get to my destination, I'm completely off topic. Like "Oh, to which office I'm I supposed to deliver these documents, Public Affairs or Communications department?" Haha, I hope that doesn't sound like a disillusion, but yes, it happens so I have to 'reset' before I get to the check point. That's the nature of my job, I love it but it embarrasses me sometimes, (that's a story for another day)

I Love Me Some Cool Sights!

When my work at CAA was done, I left for Kampala, the rain was no more and the clouds were clearing up a bit. Long journey it is when you are "taxi-ing"(That's my term, never use it out there) because you don't control any thing, the stop overs and all that, even when the driver wants to take a "pee-break", he might as well use some more minuets to say hello to his "kyana" while you guys wait up!
 Just when I thought my day was getting done, my boss called me and asked me to meet another client, this was at 4:45pm. So I got outta the taxi and got a 'boda b' so I can show up before 5pm.( You will hardly find anybody in office beyond this time or if you are lucky enough to, they will be in the 'chilaxing' mode😉) and you might not get served to your satisfaction. I hit the 'deadline' and managed to accomplish that task too. Gosh....

I call up my boss and notify him about the results and guess what, this is what he had to say,"so are you taking a taxi? In my heart I was like okay, it's 5 something and traffic is tight like crazy, I need to get home not go back office! He insists thus," I know there is traffic, just get a 'boda b' so you have everything filed at office today." I swallowed hard and said," Alright, I will."

More Of My Shots For You!

So apparently, my day had like another quarter to go and it's 5:57pm. I get going, all the way to Kiwatule (if you are not used to these places or know nothing about Kampala-Uganda, it's hard to understand what i'm talking about) Long story short, I did what was needed and at 7:14pm, I'm in this fair taxi heading home with an exhausted body but lively mind. While the flickering lights of the trail of cars in front of me dazzle my eyes, I get my hands to use and try to complete the article so my adorable readers can have it by Friday noon.

The sky is a mixture of sky blue and hues of grey, the atmosphere is cool and darkness is setting in. There are two, three ..ohh, five stars in sight, and I have an hour till I get home. Love y'all, this is a typical busy day in my work life, I hope you enjoy and maybe somehow relate to it. Catch you next Friday, till then, be safe and take care of yourselves.