Renewing the Visa again!

Today deserves a post for sure. Highlights:

7am this morning we discovered the car wasn’t working.  We need to make the trek somewhere to renew our passports again and we opted for Lira. It is more remote and we don’t really know the place but we have had so much trouble with immigration in Mbale and the road is terrible. Anyway, we needed to go a few hundred kilometers. Car: clearly not working. We opened the hood and laughed because what are we going to do but stare at the engine? But amazing!! A few minutes later, with  two pliers, a hammer and a rag we managed to start the car!  (Dad, you would be so proud of us. We’ve learned a few things about repairing things here- start with something you can strike things with.)

Beckie had spoken with the Immigration Officer in Lira a few days ago and she told us to come at 8. She arrived in her office at 10 am. But she stamped both of us for two months without hesitation. So at least we don’t have to worry about that for a while again.

We had heard of several pools and soft serve ice cream in Lira so needless to say we figured if we were driving all the way we may as well make it enjoyable. Well….. not a single one of the pools were open for various reasons. And we hunted and hunted for the restaurant with the ice cream.  Nearly 20 km later and turning around twice we finally found it! But they didn’t have any power so no ice cream.

We came home sometime after 4 so all the school kids who regularly come over were waiting at our gate. After riding in the car all day some activity seemed nice so Beckie and I brought out a ball and a pretty rocking game of handball commenced. We were all soaked in sweat by the time we called it a tie. Some of these kids get lunch at school but some don’t so I brought out a plate of muffins- somehow they managed to eat 3 dozen in a matter of minutes.