MY HOLIDAY

For the first time in a long time I went on holiday:) The month of May 2008 is one month I wont forget in a hurry, I actually had 13days away from work. That might not seem like an amazing number of days away but if you consider that in over two years I have not had a break from work save the one month period I was between jobs then this is a pretty long holiday.

Anyway where did I go for this break, one guess,no not the US, no not China, no not Yankari. I went to Uganda! Uganda, well I actually went for a conference but seeing that I did not come in touch with anyone asking me questions pertaining to their health it was a holiday!

Uganda was really fun, I did not get to see its many parts save the capital Kampala so I can't give you a words and opposite list of the differences between Naija and Ug. All I can say is that its sometimes a good thing to visit another african country sometime.

We stayed at the Speke Resort where the last commonwealth Heads of Government meeting was held and the place was a beauty to behold. Everywhere was so clean, from the reception to our rooms. What impressed me was the attention that was paid to detail by the hotel management. Examples- There were women whose jobs included pulling out dry leaves from the hedges, they weeded around the base of coconut trees. The grass was lined with white sand of course it was properly mowed, to make it look more appealing. The landscaper did a great job. The hotel is located by the Lake Victoria and its simply an architectural masterpiece!

Anyway asides chilling in Munyonyo where the resort is located I did some exploration of the town. Melody a friend of mine at Makerere University had asked if I had eaten 'rolex'(The food at the resort was sumptuous and should be a topic for another blog) but Melody was convinced that I cannot say I had been in Uganda if I had not tasted a rolex.

So one evening (about 10pm) Melody and Gloria took me to town to look for a 'rolex'. We walked for about an hour down the streets in munyonyo looking for a rolex stand. When we finally found one I was almost dropping with exhaustion, my relief at finally finding the 'rolex' stand was shortlived when Melody and Gloria declared that the man selling it did not have all the ingredients that were needed to make a fantastic 'rolex'. I could not groan seeing the eagerness of my guides and off we set off to look for a 'rolex' maker that would meet the standards.

One thing that struck me was that we could walk the streets so late at night. My persistent enquiries to our safety was met with smiles and reassuring words in their soft lilting accents that nothing could happen to us. My Lagos/Niger Delta street savviness did not include strolling any streets this late at night! Finally we boarded a bus to 'cant remember the name of the place' where we met a rolex maker and yes he had all the ingredients. Thank heavens!

The 'rolex' is a Chappati which is rolled round eggs,green pepper, carrots, cabbage to give it the name rolex! Rolex is from rolling. The worth of a rolex is a standard for how expensive things are by university students in UGanda. 'What the price of that watch could buy me a months worth of rolex'is an exclamation you frequently hear by students decrying the high prices of goods.

Well my rolex cost 700UG.shillings and finally I could taste a rolex and claim I had eaten one. Ill leave you to taste one I wont tell you how good it tasted. I finally took a boda-boda(equivalent to our okadas and equally as dangerous) back to the hotel at about 12midnight where everyone was wondering where I had dissappeared to.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself but towards the end, guess what I was missing naija, yes I actually missed naija. So the saying East or West Home is best is certainly true for me. I encourage everyone who has not had a holiday in a while to take one, it would do you more good than you thought possible! Cheers.