2nd March – day five

Hi, Jack here, as a member of the junior professionals on the trip, who have been unfairly reported on in my opinion, I was hoping to catch out some of the seniors at my first opportunity to add to the blog.

Our fifth day in Uganda started disappointingly, with the news from the powers that be in Ugandan cricket that our morning coaching session had been cancelled due to a bank holiday (announced at 11pm the previous evening!). Our quick thinking team leader decided that we should brush up upon our skills by going over a few basic skills at the hotel and ensure we were all suitably hydrated. After Jeremy’s sweep shot tutoring session and a brush up on leg spin from myself, we set off to Busoga College Mwiri school,  located not far from Jinja at the top of a very long and very bumpy track. Once again our plans were foiled by the unexpected bank holiday, as the headmaster was unavailable to meet us. We were consoled however by the stunning views from the hilltop looking out onto Lake Victoria (along with the monkeys that were hiding in the tree tops!).

A quick stop off back into Jinja for lunch saw our banana monitor and his minder haggling with the local traders over 1000 shillings, (about 30p between the 6 of us!) before heading back to Jinja Secondary school to coach the senior pupils from the local community. We arrived to greet some very hot and thirsty children who had been awaiting our arrival since 10.30! (A lack of communication between the UCA and our administrator Baker). We got to work and enjoyed a rewarding session, incorporating the coaches from previous days and the new pupils that had come for their first taste of cricket! In the midst of our hectic morning, along with my other responsibilities and concerns, I had understandably forgotten my shoes, meaning my feet were decidedly less white by the end of the day!

Another quick stop at the hotel for a cold shower and foot wash, and we headed out to Bujagali falls. Perhaps one of the most stunning and unspoiled places I have ever visited. On the banks of the Nile, as the Fish Eagles perched in the trees, we sat and rewarded all of our hard work so far with a cold beer in front of the glowing red sunset reflecting on the water.  We also managed to amuse ourselves by watching a local ride a jerry can through the rather aggressive looking rapids. Nutter!

A delicious meal at the Black Lantern with Sharon (a fellow Brit working within the education set up here in Uganda) was enjoyed by all as the frogs croaked into the night, this was followed by a brief visit into the town centre for coffee for the seniors and a water for myself and fellow junior pro Chris.  At this point we chose to retire for the evening, disappointingly missing out on a night cap of Waragi at the hotel due to a lack of communication between the bar staff (something which we are finding common in this country!), however hopefully we will all be ready for our last day in Jinja tomorrow as we head to Mbale!

Czech: Posledni cely den v Jinja, rano se vlada rozhodla, ze bude den volna, tak nase ranni koucovani se nekonalo. Jeli jsme se podivat do skoly na obrovskem kopci – Butoga College Mwiri skola. Sice nikdo nevedel, ze prijedeme, ale byly tam uzasne vyhlidky. Po ceste na odpoledni trening jsme si nakoupili banany, ananas a bramburky – zdravy obed – a odpoledne jsme stravili s jednou skupinou mladsich zaku a tremi skupinami zaku druheho stupne. Vecer jsme se jeli podival na Bujagali Falls, pereje na Nilu. Po jeste zdravejsim pivu jsme se vydali do restaurace Black Lantern, kde jsme se setkali se Sharon, Anglicankou, ktera uz tady 5 let zije a pracuje pro charitu. Cestou zpatky do hotelu jsme mijeli davy lidi, kteri cekali na vysledky voleb na starostu. Radeji jsme nas pobyt ve stredu mesta moc neprodluzovali a tak v 11 jsme meli vecerku! Zatim ahoj… V+M