Kakamega to Uganda

My last day at Kakamega I got up at 7am. I wanted to have everything packed and breakfast eaten by the time Neills was ready to leave camp around 9. This was I could hopefully get a ride with him to the main road and avoid the 2km walk with all my stuff. Everything worked out and I was on the main road just after 9. I was sad to leave the peace and tranquility of the forest, it's hard to get back into 'reality' again. I can only imagine how tough it must be for some of the researchers to spend months in the forest and then have to return to Germany.
I didn't have to wait long until I got picked up by a matatu. I'm heading the Uganda today which is only about 100km from Kakamega. I have to switch matatus 3 times before getting to the border. My last matatu would be my most memorable because I actually got the real local price this time. I know because I heard the conductor demanding the same price from everyone. I liked that I got the real price without hassle or bargaining. Sometimes when I though the price was too much, the conductor asked me 'How much do you want to pay then?' This was tough to answer since I didn't know the real price, only that I being charged too much. We came to a happy medium but I still didn't know if I was getting the real price. The last matatu dropped me at the bus stand and then it was a 2km walk to the border. I passed through Kenyan immigration without hassle or delay. There was no line up. I walked to the Ugandan customs and it was the same, no line or hassle. I asked the official for a 60 day visa instead of the usual 30 day and he complied without any problems.
I met 2 Canadians going to Kenya, they had just come by private taxi from Mbale, Uganda, where I was heading. They said their driver was going back empty and might give me a good price. I wasn't about to pay big bucks for the hour ride when I could easily get a public bus but he gave me what I thought was a fair price ( $2.50). I waited for him to drop the Canadians at Kenyan immigration and then we were off. He picked up a few other passengers but I retained the front seat all to myself. He dropped me off in Mbale, just minutes from the Mt. Elgon View hotel where I wanted to stay. I checked out a few rooms and one really caught my eye and price. The room was absolutely huge, easily the biggest I've ever had. I could fit 2 or even 3 previous hotel rooms I've had throughout the years into this one room. It wasn't filled though. It had a bed, couch, table and a few chairs, most of it was empty space but it felt satisfying to have such a big room. The toilets and hot shower were just outside my door. I ate delicious Indian food for lunch at the restuarant below the hotel and left to get my bearings and try and change money. More about Mbale next.....