I would really like a pet African goat.  They are very cute.  They also seem to be fairly docile. Outside the towns at least every home seems to have at least one goat, and they are often to be seen along the edges of the road munching and playing.  However, some have unusal ways of getting about.  A few weeks ago I saw a goat wrapped around the waist of a boda boda (motorbike) driver - a bit like a belt. It was hanging on in there perfectly quietly!  Last weekend, on my way back from Jinja, I saw a goat sittng on the lap of a girl who was having a lift on the back of a bicycle - the goat was lying perfectly still and was very well behaved!  The idea that their milk could be used to make cheese is usually greated by whoops of laughter.  Mind you, cheese here is pretty grim so no wonder people find it strange that I like cheese very much.

I've mentioned African birds in much earlier posts. Whilst having lunch yesterday I noticed a streak of blue flying across the gardens.  This is the fellow reponsible - the flash of blue increases when it opens its wings.  As you can see it was also raining!

Staff here found taking a photo of a bird very strange!  Photos are usually only taken of people.  There's limited interest in wildlife, I'm not very good on birds but can name the common everyday ones - no one has been able to tell me the name of any bird yet when I've asked. 

Talking of unnamed creatures - the weird creature that featured in a recent post (the one that lives under a drain cover) remains unnamed.  I have tried to discover more about them but failed - I did poke one with a twig to see what what happen, but, predictably I suppose, it scuttled off home.

I've mentioned the lizard who lives in the window a few times. The lizard has acquired a partner - I thought I would share a photo of them. There's usually at least one of them hanging about.  My bed is under the window so I can often hear them scuttling about.  When it's quiet that is.  I don't think 'noise pollution' as a concept exists here.  Last night there was a combination of 80s cheesy music, thudding base overlaid with arabic prayers.  The music was still going strong at midnight, at the weekend it's still playing when I wake up.

I discovered this week that people can be given whatever names a parent chooses - for both first and last names.  There doesn't have to be a family name that is used for each member of the family and passed through generations.  Sometimes children that come to the hospital are given very negative names, with meanings like 'cursed' or 'death'.  This is due to the perception of the parents of the child's condition.  At the hospital the parents are often encouraged to change such names to ones with more positive meanings.  It is also possible to go through life without your birth being registered. If you are not registered at birth you can register yourself later in life if needed.

Coming up to my last week in work now so trying to tie up loose ends and get things ready to handover....