Human geography I've been to a few African cities, so I was surprised when my first impression of Kampala was that it was a really nice place. It's actually built on seven hills and it seemed to have everything: clean water from the taps, electricity, new buildings, shops and fancy restaurants. Despite having guards with guns outside the big buildings the city felt quite safe and calm. Then I wandered down the hill and things got a lot more hectic with loads of street vendors, traffic going in all directions and millions of people everywhere. I carried on wandering to the slums, and saw the reality of life for many people in Kampala. Here people live squashed together in makeshift houses without water, electricity or sanitation. There really is a huge divide between rich and poor. Travelling around Uganda is an experience I don't want to repeat in a hurry. Most people get around in taxis, which are not actually taxis as I know them but shared minibuses. In the cites they carry 12 people and leave when they are full. In the rural areas they leave when they are well and truly stuffed! At one point I found myself bumping along a rough, muddy road with a chicken on my lap, a goat on my foot and a mad driver at the wheel refusing to slow down despite the fact one of the wheels on the bus had blown! I also had a scary ride on the back of a bicycle taxi (called a boda-boda because they used to carry people over the border). I hired a car after that, but I'm lucky. Most Ugandans can't afford to have a choice. Ugandans belong to a huge number of different tribes including Baganda, Teso and pigmies. In some parts of the country there is still fighting between tribes, and some groups use child soldiers. Most tribes have their own language although many people also know Swahili or English so they can communicate with people from other tribes. About half of Ugandans are Christian, one third follow traditional religions and there are a few Muslims. Most people earn their living by farming. Many people suffer from a lack of food or water and lots of children don't go to school.