Johannesburg is hot. The majority of my perspiration, however, is caused by my apprehension of my trip to Uganda as it grows all the nearer. You see, my passport is en route supposedly, after I left it miles away in Grahamstown. This is a rookie error for someone who has travelled six or seven other countries. This only adds to the embarrassment. But, all is not lost. I have, overnight, become a devout believer in same-day courier services.
A belief that I learnt, was based entirely on misguided faith, and not on fact. However, this faith seems misguided. It turns out, that instead of same-day shipment, one must make provisional arrangements² the day before in order for this service to take effect.
This however, only adds to the anticipation of our trip, which a colleague,Richard and I have been working on for months. In a few days, we will meet in the Entebbe airport and make our way to Gulu after a brief stay at I.C.U Backpackers in Kampala. One hopes the name doesn’t imply the sleeping arrangements. A third member of the group, Saskia will join us. She will be the primary writer on the trip, as Richard and I double up on photo and writing. We have made a number of contacts with NGOs in the country, and will be spending time with them on their missions. One of which is to revitalise the Acholi people found in the North, who have been subjected to years of terror by the Lord’s Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony.
So here I sit, in the sweltering heat of Johannesburg, waiting for a passport which will arrive in the morning, if all goes to plan, leaving me with a few hours to catch the Gau-Train to the airport. Suspense for breakfast, heartburn for lunch.
