To our great relief, we arrived on site today with our pride intact – no markers moved, thus no walls knocked down and politely rebuilt over night.  We had passed our first test!

With one day’s building under our belts (and the sort of confidence which only comes from the knowledge that one’s work had not been completely re-built overnight) the team developed some rythym and building proceeded apace.  Whilst Jano picked up where she left the previous day, somehow smearing more dirt across her face that the building, Jonty discovered that whilst he may have thought making Daba (mortar) with a cement mixer harder than laying bricks, making Daba WITHOUT a cement mixer is definitely harder than making Daba with a cement mixer.

Our luncheon adjournment was punctuated by a visit from a group from the US who had been building at the Watoto village at Suubi (home of our 2009-2012 endeavours). Upon comparing notes, it soon became apparent that T-Hen was not only famous in Uganda’s shopping precincts, but also throughout the US.  The team leader of this US group hailed from Missouri and, as the fates would have it, recognised T-Hen from (obviously spectacular) appearances on behalf of Two Hands Wines on the Food Channel (a US cable TV channel).

Following lunch, and absent any speakers for music (note to next year’s team), the walls were Alive with the Sound of Music as Rosco, Nobbs and Percy led the team in song, to the great amusement (if not pleasure) of our fellow builders – all captured for posterity by Moo, our resident cinematographic director with mounted Go-Pro.  By day’s end, both the external and internal walls were progressed to the level at which scaffolding would be required.  The scaffolding will be erected in time for the final push on Monday, our last day of building.

Dinner tonight was at the Sankofa Café.  To our great disappointment we were not able to order the famous Bean Pizza, which we had been assured tasted almost as good as it sounds.  We were informed by the waiter that a ‘Mr Hally from Australia’ was the last living person known to have partaken of this delicacy and following the symptoms which manifest themselves in and through Mr Hally, the World Health Organisation had banned all future sales of this great delicacy.  Another opportunity lost!

Rest day tomorrow and back into the building on Monday.

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