In Kampala [written earlier today]

10:30am, 6/19. Kampala, Uganda.
[This is actually a real post, though written a few hours ago. Connectivity issues]

I've just arrived at Jon Gosier (founder of Appfrica.org, Question Box CTO)'s house, although he's not here right now. I'm writing this in his living room, waiting for him to get back from a meeting. Will post it up when I get a chance to go online. All told, it's been 56 hours since I left Berkeley. I'm exhausted, although I slept pretty much on the last flight, so I'm at least functional today (for the moment, at least).

I feel like I've seen so much in the couple of hours since I landed, I really don't know where to begin, and I'm sure I won't be able to get everything down in one pass, so you may have to bear with me if some of the detail doesn't come out until another post or two down the line once the initial shock subsides.

I suppose I'll start with the plane ride, since it happened first. Not a whole lot to report, although it was quite comfortable and we were in fact again served both dinner and breakfast, both of which were quite palatable. Nothing fancy, but as good as plenty of things I'd make on a school day and be pleased with.

I sat next to a young women in the middle of a Master's at the London School of Hygiene. She's from Uganda (Western part originally, has lived in Kampala) and did her undergraduate there. This was to be her first time home since leaving for London for school, and it was clearly very significant to her. She's doing nursing, I think, but also public health/nutrition, and wants to do her thesis on infant nutrition/feeding and HIV, which sounds really interesting. I actually don't know anything about mother-child HIV transmission, and it's something I hadn't thought much on before. It sounds like interesting and very relevant research. She was really interesting, and it was cool to meet someone in her position. She wants to come back and do development work in Uganda or the nearby region when she's done.

The airport at Entebbe was very small, especially compared to the enormity that is Heathrow. It's surrounded by lush and distinctively unfamiliar greenery. The humidity and warmth were immediately evident, although it's not that hot. It's maybe 80 now (10 am). The smells were distinctive and different as well, and difficult to place.

Customs and immigration was quick and pretty painless, especially as I already had a visa. The only people to process were those on our flight, some of whom were residents, some needed visas, etc, so it was very smooth.

Jon had sent a car to pick me up (and paid him ahead of time! I didn't know this, and expected to have to pay him. I also didn't have any idea how much to tip, but as I only had very large Ugandan bills I tipped him a few dollars US, and probably higher than I should have). It was exciting to have somebody with my name on a sign at the airport. Probably the last time I'll see that in a long time...

The drive was pretty intense. The traffic there is pretty ridiculous, pedestrians and boda-bodas (mopeds) all over the place, passing is done whenever opportune, and so forth. Speed limits seem relatively nonexistent and dictated by conditions. This also goes for lanes, merging, etc. I never felt directly endangered, but it was still quite an adventure. I find driving in the US sufficiently stressful -- driving there would drive (heh, sorry) me to madness. Also, I can't yet comment on overall air quality, but the air on the roads was dreadful. The drive was probably roughly equivalent to a pack of unfiltered cigarettes. Catalytic converters and other modern emissions control stuff that we're used to -- especially in California, with its relatively stringent laws, are definitely not the norm here. The blue-grey of untreated exhaust hangs heavy over the roads, and the smells of diesel and gasoline exhaust vie for your attention, depending on whether you're closest to a huge scary truck or a boda-boda is darting suicidally down the center divider, practically brushing your elbows.

The sights from the drive, too, were fascinating, and I saw far too much to begin to describe. The drive into Kampala from Entebbe is about 40km, and takes maybe 45 minutes. Some of the drive is countryside, and then it's increasingly urban; the city starts fairly gradually. Right outside the airport at Entebbe (or part of it, I guess, but not right by the commercial terminal), was the UN airfield. There were a number of their big transport planes and a couple of big helicopters parked, all white with UN stenciled on. There was a also a big stack of UN shipping containers, presumably from the delivery of some kind of aid supplies, though I'm not sure what they've provided there. There were also some giant tent-like temporary hangars or something.

A lot of people were out and about, but I suppose it makes sense, it was mid-morning on a weekday. At various intervals along the road there were houses, rows of attached shops, shacks, and so forth. There were a couple of outdoor markets, as well. Many of the buildings look similar, often of some kind of brick construction or at least foundation, with a sort of stucco-textured exterior. For some purposes and in some places there were many roughly nailed-together wooden buildings as well; these also serve as add-ons to more permanent buildings.

I saw a few larger structures under construction; it didn't look all that different than here, but (quite conspicuously) the scaffolding, rather than manufactured, fit together metal parts and whatnot, was much rougher and was mainly wood lashed or somehow held together.

The phenomenon of 'branded' buildings is shockingly commonplace; it seems like every strip of businesses has one painted the bright red of Coca-Cola, yellow of MTN, or purple of Zain. Cell phone marketing was extremely prevalent other than these as well (note that two of those companies, MTN and Zain, are mobile providers). Everywhere along the road you saw billboards as well as business' signs advertising cell service and deals. Warid was a major advertiser, though their buildings and shops seemed less prevalent.

I also saw lots of little MTN booths, selling airtime as well as advertising payphone and charging services. I couldn't say for certain whether they were villagePhone, PayPhone, or other pay phone system-based, but it was pretty excited. I didn't take all that many pictures, because I felt a little funny (especially with the window down) but I did snap one of the first cell tower I saw.

I suppose the heavy branding presence of mobile providers has to do with it being one of relatively few products based upon major brands: in the US, we're bombarded with advertisements for all many of things, but mainly for branded chain businesses in a variety of fields: food, services, cars, electronics, and so forth. Yet here I think it's safe to say that the majority of services are performed by small businesses, and this is likely extends to a lot of the goods and services that are provided by large companies in the US and therefore advertised heavily. The new-ness, hipness, and excitement surrounding phones is much greater here, as well, and may be comparable to the marketing we see (mainly by handset manufacturers) for their high-end smartphone products in the US (Apple, HTC, Palm, etc).

I think I'll get an MTN SIM card soon; it would seem in poor taste to use another provider after all the research I've done on their Village Phone system, and given that they're still Grameen's telecom partner with AppLab projects like Question Box. Anyway, I'm sure their rates are competitive (they have to be) and their coverage should be best. Also, while not terrifically cheap, they've got data service, which I fear I'll need, at least to an extent, though that will depend on the office internet and the availability of internet cafes and such. Still, especially given that I can tether my phone to my computer for data, unless I end up living in a house or something where a bunch of people share a fixed-line internet connection, I definitely won't get a connection for where I live. So it'd be a combination of the cellular and residential internet utilities I've become accustomed to paying for as it is (and, of course, a tiny fraction of the speed of either, but that's another story).

Anyway, this by no means encompasses my experience so far, but it's a start, and I'll have lots more to say once I actually meet Jon and see the office and whatnot, as well. Hopefully I'll get to actually post all these, too; they're starting to pile up.