The Bare Necessities - of Packing

The week before departure to Uganda, we really do have to concentrate on getting the packing ‘right’ – it is not our favourite activity, to be honest. Despite our best intentions of ‘travelling light’, it never seems to work out in practise – and we often look like extras from ‘Cheaper by the Dozen or as if we are emigrating permanently.

Most of the ‘usual’ items (clothes, toiletries, shoes, books, insect repellent) stay in Uganda, which makes packing simpler - in many respects. However, we do find ourselves needing to take out some rather unusual items. They are either unobtainable in Uganda or they are much more expensive there. Or, they are just much easier to source here and make life ‘on the other side’ much easier.

These are some of the more obscure items that have made it into the packing this time…..

1 x full size educational skeleton

Plastic sewing needles

Marmite

20 deflated footballs

12 mini digital timers (for Connect reading tests)

Packs of AAA batteries

Strepsils &  Sinex

1 x projector

Ikea paper napkins

Travel cups

4 laptops

Cadbury’s mini eggs

Upper body torso with detachable organs

200 wonderful African wildlife story books  - in sets of 10 for read aloud sessions.

Hot cross buns

200 piece jigsaw puzzles

9 lovingly hand-crocheted baby blankets

Usborne phonics readers

1 x heavy duty tow rope

Dog worming tablets and flea treatment

Easter story picture books

Definitely “Buddy the Budget Skeleton” is the most unusual 'extra' this time. He is destined for the ‘off piste’ science lessons this term at Connect Gulu. Melissa has lots of plans to keep him very busy. For now, he has been carefully repacked and wrapped in the colourful baby blankets to ensure a comfortable flight – and hopefully a hassle-free, 'under the radar' arrival at Entebbe.