Yesterday we finally managed to do something touristy! We met a very nice man with a boat at the market a few days ago, and Emerson has been begging to go back and take a boat ride ever since. I have been putting him off for getting all sorts of other more business-y things done, and I thought finally we had a day where we could go. It seemed even better for a boat ride because the day was overcast and hopefully wouldn't be too hot and bright.
Our previous night was late, and Emerson woke up late. Then we had to deliver some supplies to the school, which is in the market area near out home. After that I checked email at the internet cafe, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was working better first thing in the morning. Then my plan was to go up to the orphanage, but Emerson threw his first round of fits in the internet cafe, which involved screaming at me and throwing the plastic lawn chairs around as we were leaving. I was very upset and embarrassed, especially as I have heard Africans are strict with their children, and the Ugandan children don't seem to throw fits in public (although for that matter, you don't see American children throwing fits all the time either; you mostly notice when your own child does). At any rate, everyone here seems more amused with Emerson than I am. I don't know if that's because he's considered little enough to get a free pass, or if children with fluffy blond hair are allowed to get away with behavior that ordinary children aren't, or simply because bad behavior always bothers the mother more than anyone!
At any rate, I figured we couldn't do the 20-minute walk to the orphanage like that, and so we went home. By the time Emerson was calmed down, it was too late to get to the orphanage before they went inside for their lunch and bath and nap, but we were well rested and fed and cuddled, so I thought we would try and get our boat ride in.
We went down to the market, but we couldn't find our friendly boatman. We sat on the concrete steps and watched the busy port and the birds overhead for a while. The boats are all shaped like giant canoes, the larger of which have outboard motors on the back, and some of the smaller ones are paddled by three men. The concrete docks are shaped like an F, with the first dock containing the fish market, and the second one seems piled with huge mounds of sand and rock, which men are busily shoveling into boats that are pulled up. In the spaces between the docks, boats pull in and discharge passengers, firewood, goats, bags of bananas, coal, and all kinds of other things. Meanwhile, several kinds of birds, large and small, whirl overhead and dive for fish. It was quite fascinating.
After a few minutes, our friend showed up, with his boat loaded past the gunwhales with firewood. He was pleased that we wanted to go out, but since it would take a long time to unload his boat, he found someone else to take us out. I was quite disappointed about that, since the first man was friendly and spoke English quite well, so I think we would have heard all kinds of interesting stories as we went around, but I couldn't think of any way to refuse the new offer (especially since Emerson was so excited about going out). Also, the boat ride cost more than I had expected; about $35 or $40.
Finally, we were headed out into the lake, with Emerson bundled into a too-large lifejacket. (To my great surprise, he started to complain, then said cheerfully "I guess I'll just have to live with it!") I guess I didn't plan the outing very well; if I had known how much wildlife was involved, I would have brought the bigger camera. First we went by the island, which apparently has "only wild animals," although we saw some people by a boat-landing place, and then went over to a large dock which hosted ferries, which apparently come from Kenya and other countries, and travel all day and all night to get here. We also saw a number of small fishing-canoes, with the three men paddling mightily through the waves of the great lake. They leave behind soda bottle floating in the water, to hold up their nets.
The most interesting part was the swampy area on the far shore. The plants were striking and beautiful, and there were so many birds! We saw plunging birds and fishing birds and fluttering birds and duck-like birds, and little round messes in the trees that must be bird nests. Hawks swirled high overhead, and every post and pillion of old structures in the water had a bird perched on each one.
And for the highlight of the trip, we saw a crocodile! I didn't see his full body, but a sudden splashing and whooshing onto land, that was obviously a low animal, and the boat driver asked if I'd seen and confirmed what it was. It was very fast!
When we were back at shore, since we were already in the market I picked up some produce. Emerson was cheerful during the boat ride (actually, he fell asleep for part of it), and he made it through the market, but on the walk home he started to get grumpy again.
So, have I told you about chapatis? They are a street food, something like a cross between a tortilla and a pancake, and you can eat them plain or have them made into a Rolex, which is rolled up with eggs and possibly vegetables. Since they are made and served piping hot, I decided they are safe to eat. Emerson didn't want one for a while, but then he had one and thought it was the best thing ever and now all he ever wants is to eat a chapati. He had wanted one that morning, and not gotten it because of throwing chairs, so I thought he had somewhat learned the lesson, but he hadn't, because he threw even worse fits going home. He wanted his chapati right now this second, and I told him that we would go home, change out our things, put beans in hot water for dinner, and head right up to the orphanage. We would get a chapati on the way out the door again.
I will spare you all the details. He threatened to run away, wouldn't hold my hand (by this point we were on the little-trafficked road), etc etc etc, and once we got home he wouldn't come in. After half an hour or so of this, it was too late to get up to the orphanage and get back in time for dinner, so I had to decided to just make dinner and have an early bedtime. Emerson finally came in and asked if he could have his chapati now, and got an ABSOLUTELY NOT, and there was a great deal more screaming. I was pretty frustrated myself, because we had missed all our chances to go to the orphanage for the day. Already I haven't been able to give the girls, and the other children, the ability to trust that we will come at a certain time, and not being there at all seemed more than a little unfair. Then Emerson got all distraught that we hadn't gone to the orphanage too -- although of course it was all because he refused to go every time we had the chance! So we had dinner and bed and promised to get up there in the morning.
After all that, I wasn't sure the treat of a boat ride was such a good idea after all, especially since I hadn't even been well prepared. But at least I got to see a crocodile!
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