Author Topic: Useful info for those going to Uganda  (Read 8085 times)

Offline kill

  • Posts: 922
Useful info for those going to Uganda
« on: July 07, 2007, 17:43:27 »
Flights.
Assuming your flight is booked, you have the option of booking your kayak on the plane or just showing up with it on the day. I winged it last year and got away for free. This year I booked it on. Up to you.
If you have a seperate flight to and from London, ask the nice guy at the airport in Entebbe on your return journey to put the boat on all flights to Dublin. You wont see your boat until Dublin and you wont have to pay for it. He may tell you to appreciate his good service. $10 will do.
Your paddle is FRAGILE.
Try to keep your boat to about 20kg.

Money.
The currency in Uganda is the Ugandan Shilling. American Dollars are also accepted. You're best to change to Ugandan Shillings when you get there or else you'll get shafted on the exchange rate. When you're changing Irish money to American Dollars before you go, make sure only to accept $50 dollar notes. The exchange is better for higher notes.
Mastercard does not work in Uganda. You MUST have a VISA if you want to get money out. This may be difficult for you students as there's no such thing as a student VISA. Your best bet is to put yourself on a second card on your parents' account and stick your money in there.

Injections.
You need pretty much every injection going to get to Uganda. You'll need this to be done at least 3 weeks before you go.

Other medicines.
You can buy everything in Uganda over the counter.
There are various types of anti-malarials, Doxycyclene, Malerone, Larium being the most popular. You normally have to start taking these a week or two before you go until 2 weeks after. Be aware that doxycyclene makes you photosensitive so you'll have to be a bit more careful in the sun. Also be aware that some of these may affect contraceptive pills. Either way, it is adviseable not to get too friendly with the locals. The best way to avoid malaria is not to get bitten by mosquitos. Make sure your tent has a mossie net, cover up at night, and use deet or an equally powerful insect repellent.
Any cuts are liable to induce a fast and painful infection. Bring a lot of disinfectant, iodine, plasters and bandages, scissors and tweesers.

Clothes.
It is warm in Uganda. The temperatures are similar to a hot Irish summer. It also rains a lot. A light rain-coat is a good idea. Plenty of skin-revealing clothing for day-time exploits and some long-sleeved tops and pants for evening time. Socks are good too. This is not because it is cold but because mosquitos come out in the evening and their favoured spots are wrists and ankles.
Runners are good but smelly. Have them for evening wear. Sandals and flip-flops are also good. Make sure they don't graze your toes as a tiny graze can become an unpleasant infection. High-heels are pointless and space inefficient.
There is a clothes washing service available in one of the camp sites.
Your clothes will all come home with a lasting orange tinge. It is a good idea to bring clothes that you don't mind giving to the locals on your return.

Contact.
There are plenty of e-mail places and they're really cheap. You can also buy a sim card for your phone cheaply and use it over there. I don't know about other networks but o2 doesn't work there. It does work in Dubai though, if that's the direction you're going. Bring your charger, it can be used behind the bar.

Food.
You will end up buying your food cooked for you. There is no need to bring any cooking equipment. You can either buy everything at the bar or in local restaurants, The Green Light being a favourite for a mellow, mellow night.
Drink bottled water only, including brushing your teeth. It is cheapest to buy a heap of them in the local town and keep them in your tent. Otherwise you can buy them in the bar if you want your water to be cold.

Transport.
A Taxi to NRE should cost about $50. Negotiate this price before you sit in. He may charge you as much as $100 or more. Keep pushing for fifty. If any Taxi driver says he'll take you for that price, don't be afraid to take that taxi driver.
Standing in an airport, with a canoe and paddle, the chances are that the taxi will know where to drop you. You are first going to Jinja, then Bujagali, all pronounced phonetically.
Another option is to e-mail Jamie jamie@kayakthenile.com and he may be able to pick you up if he has a load coming from the Airport or from Kampala. This will be more than 10 times cheaper.
If you are arriving at night, there is a hostel in Kampala where it is wise to spend the night before continuing.  Jamie will let you know.

Gear.
The usual, boat, paddle, spare paddle if you have one, a good spray-deck, a good helmet (contrary to popular opinion the river does contain rocks and they are sharp and the water is powerful), a good bouyancy-aid, air-bags.
The water is warm. This means that a cag is not necessary. Any thermals are a good idea as they keep the sun off your skin. Booties are not essential but they help if your climbing on an island to do an inspection. Shorts are optional but most other people prefer if you wear them and I pity you on the boda-boda ride home if you don't have any on.


Any other relevent information or questions, post them below.

Offline Pia!

  • Posts: 747
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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2007, 09:08:19 »
Quote
This year I booked it on

Did you now? I thought it was me who spent nearly an hour on the phone to british airways trying to book through our kayaks

Offline SafeDee

  • Posts: 443
Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2007, 13:14:20 »
are there any book shops?!harry potter...

Offline Pia!

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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2007, 11:06:33 »
I was on Larium for over a month on 3 different occasions and its fine- apart from giving you messed up dreams (some of them are actually really cool cos they're so vivid! ;D) and wrecking your stomach if you take them without food.(never heard of any arm twitches!) If you've got them i'd recommend taking them with milk and eating a banana afterwards to stop them from burning your throat (they don't have a coating on them so they tend to burn as they go down) otherwise you're gonna be in a bit of pain for a day. Also, i used to get drunk immediately after taking them and i didn't notice any side effects (but thats just me-other ppl may react differently!) :-X

Siobhan, my doctor wrote me a prescription for 48 malarone without any hassle- he didn't mention anything about restrictions and said they were probably the best malaria tablets out there as people seem to have very few side effects with them. It's not dangerous to take them for longer than 28 days, is it?

Just adding to Dr.Siobhan's list
I'd recommend bringing Diorlyte for dehydration cos we will (most likely) be drinking lots over there 
Immodium is good for diarrhoea
TCP spray on plasters (or any other kind e.g. compeed) cos they're completely waterproof and won't fall off like a normal plaster


Offline JODY

  • Posts: 1,161
Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2007, 11:14:30 »
I think the safest thing to do Pia is just not go to Uganda, its just gonna be boring & the weather will be crap & you wont get much paddling done.... oh wait thats Ireland. Now SHUT UP i'm in work & getting very jealous >:(

 8)

Offline kmck

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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2007, 11:26:18 »
Diarrhoea, you get it for a reason and your body generally can take a  day of it without to much of a problem, just starve yourself drink plenty of liquids and slowly introduce food the next day. Unless you really need to travel then yes take some kind of drug other than that you are generally better letting it run its course.

Offline Pia!

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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2007, 12:16:02 »
Well if you like getting the squirts then let nature run its course, but for me personally- i don't wanna be suffering from it at the top of a huge, scary set of rapids on the nile! Who knows what could happen? (lets just say if peegor was in that situation we'd have to call him Poogor)

Jody- you're probably right. I mean i'm really torn between going to lovely warm, sunny uganda where i can paddle all the time and staying in this crappy office where i have to try and placate angry >:( customers all day. Its a difficult one all right! What are you talking about- no paddling in Ireland?! IT HASN'T STOPPED RAINING!!! Speaking of rain, if anybody is going paddling will you let me know? Thanx!

Offline JODY

  • Posts: 1,161
Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2007, 12:29:52 »
(lets just say if peegor was in that situation we'd have to call him Poogor)

Maybe we should start calling you Pooa.... it seems like you have a bit of an obsession ;)

Broken head - not allowed in boat til August :'(
Ignore me i'm just angry cause i didnt get paid AGAIN >:(
On the bright side (i think) at least i'm not going back to college in Sept :-\

Have fun with all that Diarrhoea & those nasty bugs over there :P

Offline kmck

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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #8 on: July 10, 2007, 14:07:17 »
Is this a suitable size stick for poking?

Offline caz

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Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2007, 12:36:39 »
by the sound of things yer going to be spending the entire time bombed off yer boxes  either way. *swallows pill* this dyoxalariumacide is guuud shit.. heh. 

i woke up yesterday morning with a tiger mosquito on my face, in sligo, no joke!  :o

Barbie

  • Guest
Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2007, 11:43:34 »
I took malarone last summer for 6 weeks. I had no problem getting a six week prescription and i got it on my pharmacy card along with an awful lot of other stuff so the price of it wasnt an issue. larium is a risky drug to take and there is no way of knowing who it will affect. I had no problems from malarone except my hair thinned a little but it grew back. A year later i have no long term side effects that i know off.

Barbie

  • Guest
Re: Useful info for those going to Uganda
« Reply #11 on: July 31, 2007, 11:46:11 »
oh and about the squirts - if your in a developing country you are far better to take something to stop it. Its not like having a little bug in ireland. It can be really debilitating and hard on your system. Better to take something before it gets a hold.