The Muzungu meets Wandering Trader in Kampala
Dec 3, 11
9,434 views

downtown Kampala streets. Diary of a Muzungu

Wandering Trader Marcello Arrambide wandered into Kampala last week.

Marcello is a fellow travel blogger. I saw he was in East Africa and made contact. We swapped e-mails about gorilla trekking in Uganda, what to do in Kampala, and the pros and cons of driving in Kampala. I’d said he could stay for a couple of nights. This seemed like a good idea until he told me his flight was arriving at 2 AM!

I fell asleep on the sofa and woke with a start at 6 AM to realise that he hadn’t called me from the airport for directions. Weird. Checked on the laptop and my first Twitter message of the day was from him saying (to the whole world) “your phone was off!!!”

I was secretly disappointed that Marcello didn’t come and stay with me – in a regular house – and experience what it’s like to live in Kampala these days: power on and off for 12 hours at a time every other day for weeks on end now.

My phone wasn’t off. It turns out someone had input my number incorrectly!

I located Marcello’s hotel and rocked up at 11 o’clock. The receptionist called him and he told me to go up to his room, not something I normally do on a first date (or do I?)

My friend Sheila was a bit disturbed when I’d told her that a random (male) stranger was coming to stay at my house. “It’s okay, he’s a blogger,” I mock reassured her.

Her words were in my thoughts as I knocked on Wandering Trader’s door. What would she think?

“Come in, it’s open,” I heard a man’s voice cry – and there he was, lying in bed.

“Come give me a hug!”

“Er… you’re all right,” I said, keeping my distance.

He patted the end of the bed. “Sit down.”

I sat on the chair.

“Oh God you’re so English!” he said.

So what do you say to that one?

“Welcome to Kampala!”

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9 thoughts on “The Muzungu meets Wandering Trader in Kampala”

  1. SheilaE says:

    What happened next??!! Do tell!… What does he look like????!!!
    Maybe I shouldn’t have told you to be So carelfull!!! Bring him to the Kampala Hash House Harriers on Monday for a full “dressing down” why don’t ya. On ON (SheilaE, the really suspicious one!)

    1. charliebeau says:

      Ha ha ha! check him out on http://www.wanderingtrader.com
      I’ve invited him to the Hash but no reply yet – can’t believe he’s travelled the world and not come across Hash House Harriers yet!

      1. charliebeau says:

        Seems he wasn’t brave enough to experience Hashing yet! He’s in Ethiopia now, should have connected him with Addis HashersON ON!

  2. Marlon Katsigazi says:

    Wow, your really having an adventurous time in Uganda.

    1. charliebeau says:

      hey Marlon, tx for your comment – I like going looking for adventure – but then sometimes it just comes looking for me 🙂

  3. Tom says:

    Hi Charlotte,

    Following the reminder got to checkout your blog. Will be checking it out regularly and we should schedule a meeting to discuss the consultancy on social media.

    Regards

    Tom

    1. charliebeau says:

      Hi Tom, thanks for the message. so what do you think of the blog anyway? all comments and feedback gratefully received 🙂
      I’m particularly enjoying the feedback from my Ugandan followers. Let me e-mail you separately about social media.

  4. Pingback: where to stay in Kampala Uganda

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