Best. Flight. Ever. (and first impressions)

We were both a little nervous getting ready to leave for Uganda - it always really starts to sink in as you go to board the flight.  No going back.  I foolishly had two coffees to calm my nerves, and as we got on the tram to the plane I was literally jittering (with either caffeine, nerves - or more likely, both).  But standing on the tram we got to talking to two men from Oakville, Ont. who were headed back to Uganda for their 5th or 6th trip - they kept telling us how much they absolutely loved it there.  Whew!  Okay, starting to thnk at this point maybe it wasn't toooo silly deciding to take off to Uganda!

We boarded the plane, and Jenn & I couldn't get seats together, so we sat a few rows apart.  We went to sit in our seats only to find that we were literally engulfed by a Ugandan Children's Choir.  Kids from the ages of 7 to 14 who had been touring the US for the last 9 months going from place to place to sing and dance their little hearts out.  I was sitting beside Lydia & Sandra.  They were both dolls!  We spent the first 45 minutes of the flight talking about their choir, what they thought of the US, what I should expect in Uganda - it was just wonderful.  I couldn't stop smiling!  I met their choir director, Pastor Moses, who gave me his card and invited me to call him once we got to Kampala so that Jen & I could arrange to go see the kids sing!  We're currently set to go next Sunday.  I can't wait!

It was the first time that these kids had ever been away from home, and they were all clearly anxious to see their families again.  As the plane started descending the kids murmuring became louder and louder, until it was excited talking all over the place.  Then, as soon as the plane touched down they all started whooping and cheering!  It was the best landing I've ever had (though this had nothing to do with the pilots' skills... it was also one of the bumpiest landings I've ever had!)  As we taxied toward the terminal, the whole choir started chanting "East or West, home is best!" over and over and over!  It was such an incredible first impression, and such a great way to enter Uganda!

First impressions:

- it is SOOO hot here.  SO SO hot.  Like mumsie suggested, I really am giving the Rolph sweat glands a workout here!

- the people are great - You can't walk down the street without people saying hello.  Yesterday we decided that we would tour Entebbe on foot (from 11am until about 1:30 pm... probably the silliest idea ever with our lily-white skin and the hot, hot African sun).  We couldn't find our way around quite as easily as we'd hoped, but ended up meeting two men who offered to walk us to the hotel that we were looking for (a hotel with a swimming pool... a much, much needed swimming pool!).  So we walked and chatted about Ugandan politics and marraige and religion and other really interesting things for about 20 minutes.  Fred & Amos made us promise that if we came back through Entebbe that we would be in touch.  

- the landscape is beautiful.  Our guesthouse looks out over a little forest of palm trees, and there are birds everywhere.  Some nice ones... some not so nice (like these birds that are just huge and seem to really enjoy digging through the garbage - Hank, I wish you were here to help me figure out what these things are!)

Today, we're getting picked up by Patti, the OT department head, and we're off to Kampala to settle in and explore!

Hope everything's going well back home - I'm thinking about you! (also, can someone give Grandpa Wolting a giant birthday hug for me tomorrow?)

(this has been my favourite sight so far - a little junk in the trunk, even on clothes models.)