Driving Around the Big Bend in Western Uganda
Our car shuddered to a standstill beside a wooden sign on a deserted western region part of Uganda road. “This is fountain of the pearl of Africa”, I read as I stepped from the car into the shimmering mid day heat. We’d been heading through Queen Elizabeth National Park towards the Uganda-Rwanda border, to a town called Kisoro which boasted of a very conducive climate for a night. Unfortunately as we rounded a bend I was faced with a rock slide in progress and totally misjudged the clearance of my rented car from Uganda Self Drive, a reputable car renting company in Uganda opting to try and drive over the bouncing debris. There were a series of sickening thuds and bangs which caused my partner and I to cringe, and the car to grind to a standstill after around a hundred yards, with an alarming flow of unidentified liquid pouring onto the road surface.
We both looked under the car at the damage, then at each other then down the long straight road ahead of us. On average we’d been passing another vehicle about every half an hour and we were around an hour’s drive from our isolated hotel. Around ten miles back down the road, we’d passed a small garage at a cross roads, with a sign which read ‘this shop protected by a sawed off shot gun 3 days per week. You guess which days’. We’d also seen a hand painted sign pointing to the hills reading ‘Ghost Town Road’. That was the only sign of life and it looked like we could be waiting for some time to be rescued.
After about 20 minutes, with my partner berating me for my lack of driving judgment as we sat in the now roasting car, the air conditioner having failed with the engine, I notice a speck on the horizon, tailed by a large dust cloud.”Told you we wouldn’t wait long”, I said, trying to sound optimistic. It took around 10 minutes before I noticed that I had to do some thing very fast. I reached for my mobile phone, called the car rental company from which we had hired the car. This company is so generous that it contacted it’s area agent and with in a blink of an eye a rescue car was at our footsteps and we were 0ffered another car and off we proceeded with our journey.
Eventually we arrived Kabale town which is at the border of these two countries for at least a night before embarking on our journey. Reclaimed by a hardy bunch of artists, musicians, loners and eccentrics. Today, Kabale boasts a couple of eating options, some shops and lodgings and as we trudged, sweating into town we were greeted by the site of a graveyard with tumbledown tombstones, a few scattered dwellings in various states of disrepair…and the Starlight Theatre. An incongruous sight in this far flung corner of western Uganda, the Starlight had once provided entertainment for the miners and their families. Now it had been converted into the Ghost town’s only bar, and its appearance was so unexpected I almost expected it to fade, mirage like, from view as we approached.
There are some meals that stick in your memory. Sometimes because of their quality, but often because you were so hungry that whatever you ate would seem like a sumptuous banquet. Similarly with drinks. On an occasion where your mouth is parched and dry and you feel that you’ve perspired every last bead of sweat from your body, an ice cold beer can live as long in the memory as a bottle of the finest champagne. And so it was with the icy bottle of Shiner Bock which I threw down in one gulp in that strange little bar.
The room was populated by a number of bewhiskered characters who all looked strangely similar to the mailman… in fact one of them was the mailman! He raised an arm in greeting, while some of his drinking buddies glanced in our direction but barely raised a bushy eyebrow. It seemed that two sweaty, red faced, stranded travelers stumbling into their local bar was a regular occurrence. We sank a couple more cold beers and began to consider how we’d get back to the hotel to await delivery of the replacement car. It seemed that no one was making a water run that day so we headed back to the Main Road and continued with our journey to Rwanda the land of a thousand hills. After crossing the Rwandan border everything turned different.
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Safety Tips Driving With Kids In Uganda
A safari with children is the most exciting travel experience that in most cases comes with joy especially to the parents and their young ones. It is such an endless happiness that it takes one to have extra responsibility about the children as well have control of other drivers on the road so as to ensure safe travel. Most vehicle hand books have guidelines for driving with children and most drivers uniquely or do not pay attention to these rules and regulations thus causing road accidents as a result of poor management of kids.
Below are tips that will assist you on safe driving with children.
Position or seating arrangement
Children under 12 years must travel in rare or back seats in their appropriate child seats or buckle up their seat belts. Ensure that children two to six years are not close to the car doors as they may open the doors while the vehicle is in motion. To maintain this from occurring, make sure that all the doors are locked with central to avoid children from falling out of the car.
Buckle up
Children, who can fit well in the car seats, make sure that they buckle up very well. Do not permit your kids to drive without a seat belt buckled; seat belts have saved 90 percent of the children from dying in car accidents. Buckle up your seat belt such that your kids learn from you the adult in the vehicle. A seat belt that is put on properly can save life during a car crash as it will hold you down and prevent persons from being thrown around inside a car or tossed out via a windshield.
Secure car gear
Ensure that you work on any loose ends or odds in the vehicle for instance hanging roof material; loosen seat belts or any other damage on the car. If these happen that they are not put back well, they can lead to damage to the passengers especially the children.
Check around and outside your car
Prior starting the car first check outside and around your vehicle, most children love playing behind the car while others may hide under the vehicle. It is safe to check prior you begin driving, check around the vehicle and see if there are no children following you or in front of the car. If you hired a rental car, spend at least 10 to 15 minutes to familiarize yourself with the vehicle checking brakes, headlights, engines, radio, neat or air conditioners and mirror. This will help you avoid drastic distractions while driving.
Do not drink and drive
Most accidents in Uganda are caused due to influence of alcohol. These accidents have caused loss of live of many people and yet they can be avoided if only the drivers do not drink. Most people have been arrested by police for driving under influence which has been familiarized as kawunyemu meaning symbolizes the way drivers are tested for any alcohol by the police once stopped. Alcohol reduces driving stability, reaction time and vision causing a driver to make wrong decisions on the road. Don’t attempt this and save the lives of children on road trip.
Avoid texting while driving
It is dangerous to text while driving since this takes your attention for what kids are doing in the vehicle. Texting puts you and the rest of the road users in danger as your mind can be divided to the phone and the road as well.
Besides the usual sense of care, while driving with children, all adults need an extra sense of responsibility. If you are planning for a self drive on your next safari holiday in Uganda make sure that you a bide by the safety driving tips so as to enjoy a safe road trip in Uganda whether you desire traveling to the national park or visiting the local community. From traffic tips to personal measures, you will get to your destination safely when you obey most or even all the seven safety tips.
In conclusion, obeying the above listed safety tips while driving with children is the best way for you to ensure safety of you and your children as you enjoy the best of your safari holiday in Uganda’s attractions. Keep in mind that over speeding is also dangerous as most accidents have been registered due to this. Avoid too much excitement while on the road and concentrate on your tour. Enjoy your safari with your children!
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Motor Rentals Makes Uganda Travel Easier
As mentioned before you may have known or read before – there is no activity that is risk free. Even renting a car is risky because you might encounter some losses. Apart from being risky, it often seems frustrating and tiresome to go on long trips in deep wildness of Uganda safaris. You may come across a scheduled place where cars don’t move that frequently. Under circumstances when you experience a breakdown in such places example in deep places of Kasese or Kabale in Uganda, you’ll be in serious trouble. You’ll rarely find professional mechanics or repair shops that can help repair your car at the odd hour of the night.
Motor Rentals in Uganda won’t cause any harassment for you or make you wait for long under a crisis. All you need to do in order to avail their services is to call up their number. These services ensure much of your mental peace when you’re going out on long vacations.
Decide quickly on car hire in Uganda and how you can escape out to different destinations with ease. You’ll often need to drive your car through roads with narrow space that you actually don’t favor. Your car is precious to your heart and you take utmost precaution to preserve it. These rough and clumsy lanes are often a cause of concern for you. Resting on the backseat of your car sets you on a relaxing mood; you’ll hardly enjoy your time while you’re on the driver’s seat. There are a few good options to enjoy your time while you’re relaxing on the backseat –
Read magazines or listening to music, Check out updated online information, Discussing business through your cell phone, Indulging in funny games and Watching a movie on your smart phone
Motor Rentals allow you to try out these things as you make good use of your traveling time.
Before your flight takes off at the airport, you may find a car rental service to pick you up from your destination. You won’t have to face any questions like that of other tourists, especially when you feel tired after a long journey. Without spending much of your valuable time over negotiations, you may head straightway to your hotel and save your breath for your forthcoming meeting or sightseeing.
Replacing any repaired car, making emergency trips, opting for outdoor tours, vacationing with loved ones, going out on international trips and business trips are reasons that compel you to consider opting for Motor rentals. Instead of driving your car, it is always beneficial to try some car hire online booking regardless of all facts and circumstances.
Eventually it will help reduce your repair and maintenance costs. In order to turn your tours more pleasurable, you’ll need to hire a car when taking a trip in Uganda. Prior to hiring car rental services, you must do a fair bit of car hire price comparison. Whenever you’re going out on your leisure vacation or business trip, you’ll need to be more careful about not causing extra exhaustion on your car.
Read MoreTips for the perfect self drive car rental
While on vacation in a foreign country, it is everyone’s desire to drive in new cars: a car that commands elegance, class, comfort and respect.
It is only embarking on a self drive car rental in Uganda deal that can make your desires come true. This is the most evident and vivid way of driving yourself in very high end and posh car.
The tips of self drive car rental in Uganda are as not so complicated as manufacturing a vehicle its self. They are very simple tips to understand and comply with in order to acquire a self drive car rental and also have a good experience.
All one needs to do is hit the internet and search for good competent self drive car rental companies in Uganda and choose the one that best suits your needs. Make a good relationship with them through emailing them and also contacting them through the phone as their telephones are always displayed on the websites.
When you contact your preferred self drive car rental company then tell them about your needs then best on the needs they will know what to offer to you or come up with the best suggestion and advice that can suit your needs. This is normally done by outlining and explaining to you the available cars for your needs.
It is important to note that you are supposed to choose a car that can fit your needs and finances. For example if you are going for a family wildlife safari trip, it is advisable for you to choose a passenger van like super custom or safari van which have a four wheel drive and can accommodate all members of the family you intend to travel with. on other hand if you are solo traveler and making a Kampala city tour go for a compact car like a Toyota Premio or a crossover car like a RAV4 those two cars can best serve the latter purpose without draining your pockets.
Remember irrespective of the car that you select for yourself, you have to be responsible of it. There are some essential regulations and policies that you must keep in mind hiring a car and
When you get to the car hire agency premises or meet the car provider whether online or off, he/she will tell to issue you valid driving license and this is supposed in a comprehensive language that is acknowledge in Uganda that is English or French that can be accepted by some companies. The driving license is proof that you are able and eligible of driving a car. If you do not have one then you can hire a car with a driver. The car hire agencies have professional chauffeurs
You should always take note of the speed limit at which you are driving on the Uganda. You have to be very cautious while driving a rented car because you might end up paying much if an accident occurs by your fault. No insurance compensates for reckless driving. On Ugandan roads always keep a speed limit of 40-50 when driving on busy roads and 60-80 on highways.
Finally, you are supposed to return the car from selfdrive tour on the date and time promised otherwise you might bump into a premium fine for the late return of the vehicle.
Self drive tours in Uganda are one of the most exicting tours in Uganda and these tours can become more incredible when you go by the above tips on self drive car rentals in Uganda.
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