After setting out from home at 8.15am we arrived in Entebbe at 5.30am Ugandan time the next day. The first introduction to Ugandan life was a visit to Kampala to exchange money where the amount of people, cars and pollution were over overpowering and the street children heart breaking.

The first school visit was to St. Joseph, where a tour of the village was included. The girls in the group found it difficult to cope, especially when they saw the women collecting water and then were shown the emergency water hole. The female teacher with us was found in a classroom in tears, saying it was too much. The male teacher said "If this is where money has been spent, what will undeveloped schools be like?"

From there we had 12 hours on the bus, packed like sardines. The students found that climbing through the windows as a means of access was easier than trying to get in and out through the doors! The tarmac roads, complete with potholes finished before we crossed the mountain range to get to Kisoro, so then it was maram with hairpin bends. Eventually we arrived at dusk, to be met by all the headteachers, and we had a meal.

The next day was the official opening of the classrooms which the students had funded. The whole community were there. Dancing, singing, speeches and food followed.

The following day it was back to teaching, breakfast at 7.30 and on the bus to reach the various schools. A class of 260 in Primary 1 was a challenge but 2 of our students coped with doing the Hokey Cokey with 400! Beside the teaching some of the boys took on building work with Grantley, the husband of one of the teachers. Usually we were back in Kisoro by 6ish so this was the routine for the week until Friday.

On Friday we were picked up by 4-wheel drives at 8.30 and transported to an undeveloped school. This took nearly two hours, driving through stunning scenery, and picking up various passengers on the way. Luckily it wasn't wet that day as the school is inaccessible in wet weather. Arriving at the end of a dirt track we spotted 3 or 4 soldiers with guns in the bushes. When asked we were told that there was always someone on guard as it was such a remote area, and so close to Congo, but today extra security had been laid on for our safety!

This school was built of mud and wattle with walls or part of walls missing. When asked what happens when it rains I was told "It beats us". No water meant that the children had nothing to drink. So now A.C.E. has 9 schools.

Saturday was play day - the Muzungus (white people) played the local football team.The pitch had no markings and the cows had to be shifted off at various times but a good game was played.The students also had to do their washing as by now they were running out of clothes so bowls of water were supplied and smalls were draped up to dry.

Sunday was a 6am start to leave Kisoro. Unfortunately we broke down on top of the mountain range. We were rescued after about an hour by the school inspector who brought a mechanic and a bunch of bananas for breakfast. Twelve hours later we arrived at Queen Elizabeth National Park for our days holiday on Monday.

Early start again on Monday for a safari - we saw hippos, elephants, and buffalo, but no lions.We also got stuck in mud and had to be rescued by a landrover with a winch.

Tuesday was another 12 hours on the bus back to Entebbe and home.