TravelWorld International Magazine Summer 2024

Man watching the kids playing
ver a week after arriving, we
boarded a bus to leave. On the
trip, I saw why Winston Churchill
mentioned Uganda's scenery. I
saw rolling hills, baobab trees,
and the impressive Lake Victoria.
Armed soldiers stationed around
the bridge over the Nile ordered us
not to take pictures. If we did, they would
take our cameras. I believed them. I had
expected the river to be wide and muddy.
Here, not far from its start, it reflected
the blue sky and was narrow. Trees and
greenery surrounded the historic river.
Kampala’s Balikuddembe Market (the
Owino Market) encompasses over 17
blocks. The smell of street food radiates
from the center of the capital city. One can
hear the sounds of sellers and shoppers
from blocks away. People come from
neighboring countries to shop. With
the ability to accommodate over 50,000
traders, it is the largest market in Uganda.
The sun sets over a
village in rural Uganda.
A tailor makes dresses that are
often sold at markets in Kampala.
Around 300,000 customers from all
different social backgrounds and incomes
visit daily. Like-new clothing from
designers like Gucci and Calvin Klein sells
for one-half retail price. Watch people
bargain for appliances, electronics, and
even their groceries. It's a perfect place for
people-watching because it's where many
different cultures merge.
Bikes are often used like
trucks in Uganda.
An outside meat market that
makes Americans cringe.
Street vendors are scattered throughout the
market. Want a snack? Try some nsenene
fried with onions, chili, and salt in their
own oil. I am told they taste like fried
chicken skin—I'll never know. Nsenene
is Ugandan for grasshopper. Or would
you rather have a variety of fried animal
organs?
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Many of us want to eat where the locals
eat. There's a way that you can do many
times better than eating at a local dive in
Kampala. How about shopping for dinner
with a local family? Then, you go to their
home to cook, eat, and visit with them.
Google "Viator cooking class Uganda" to
create a memory that will last forever.
NOTE: I visited Uganda a few years ago. Now, the U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory. Study their site
at www.travel.state.gov before traveling there. Regardless of your destination, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment
Program (STEP). That program provides you with alerts and makes it easier to locate you in an emergency.
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