My first trip to Gulu

Walter, my friend who is like a brother is an Acholi. Acholi is Southern Luo dialect spoken by the Acholi people in the districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, in Northern Uganda, which is where Walter and his family live. I was told we would be going there to visit his family. I was again excited about traveling through Uganda, this time to his ancestral home. He mentioned that the trip would take more than 8 hours. I was overwhelmed by the journey I would be embarking on. 12 hours later, I was like a nervous wreck, shouting with fear due to the darkness of the road. This was not a European road tour with well-lit roads. No gullies every 500 yards, this was a rocky dark road that seemed never-ending.

In actual fact, it was more like a dirt track than road in 2014. It was the most frightening road, but it was also a very exhilarating journey. As we proceeded to Gulu the big lorries carrying cargo from Uganda’s many borders, Sudan, Kenya, and Rwanda would take up nearly all the road beaming their lights, all different colors lighting the road. Most cars would have to stop as these drivers were hungry for the road. I now know why drivers in Uganda say DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT TO GULU.