Kampala's hills, traffic, and weird weather
i just got back from kampala and wow okay so it's this city that sits on seven hills overlooking lake victoria and honestly the first thing i noticed was how green everything is like rainforest green even though it's a big city with over a million people living there. someone told me that the city started as a buganda kingdom royal court and then the british made it an outpost and now it's the capital and honestly it shows like there's this mix of old buganda stuff and british leftovers and then modern skyscrapers all jumbled together on these steep hills that make walking around feel like a workout.
anyway i checked the weather before going and it was showing like 20 degrees celsius which felt perfect but someone told me that climate change has been hitting kampala hard with temps up 1.5 degrees in 50 years and now they get these crazy intense rains that flood everything. the climate is supposed to be tropical but moderated by the altitude so it stays pretty consistent year round between like 18 and 31 degrees but yeah the rain patterns are all messed up now apparently.
about getting around kampala is hilly as hell and the traffic is insane like you're either stuck in a jam or on a boda-boda motorcycle taxi weaving through everything. someone warned me about petty crime in crowded areas and to use registered taxis only and honestly good advice because the streets can get chaotic especially during rush hour when everyone's trying to get up or down these steep hills.
if you get bored entebbe is just 34 kilometers away and that's where the international airport is plus you get lake victoria beaches there. kampala itself has these famous hills each with something cool like rubaga cathedral namirembe anglican cathedral makerere university and the buganda royal courts on mengo. someone told me the food scene is all about matoke steamed bananas luwombo stew wrapped in banana leaves and this thing called rolex which is basically chapati rolled with eggs and vegetables that you get from street vendors.
health stuff you need to know malaria is real there so take your prophylaxis and only drink bottled water because waterborne diseases are a thing. yellow fever vaccination is required to enter and air pollution can be bad especially in traffic. someone mentioned that political demonstrations happen sometimes so just stay aware of what's going on.
the people there are mostly baganda from the buganda kingdom and they're known for being entrepreneurial and friendly with this mix of traditional buganda customs like drumming and dance blended with modern urban life. english and luganda are both widely spoken and christianity and islam are both big there. someone told me kampala is considered one of the safer and more stable cities in southern africa which was reassuring.
what makes kampala really stand out is that it's called the city of seven hills like rome but with this equatorial vibe that means consistent warmth and greenery all year. it's becoming a hub for east african tech startups and wildlife tourism too. the whole place just feels alive and chaotic in this good way even with the infrastructure challenges and rising costs that come with rapid economic growth.
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