Is there a Doctor in the house?

The journey in was fine(ish).  A bit of VISA faff, after my ‘deferred’ outcome from the first application, so I asked our Uganda Lawyer to intervene (because there is no email / tel no).  But that was fruitless, so another application for a different class was made, and despite an offer (request?) for a bribe from ‘our guy’ in the Immigration Office (declined by the way), I got there in the end.

Fast forward.  Unusually my bags were a ‘space’ issue rather than the traditional ‘weight’ issue.  But I got there in the end, despite the 100 litres (capacity of bag #1) of knitting for newborn babies.  Because the 5 (yes five) laptops were in my backpack (12kgs in its own right).  Which became a problem at customs.  Apparently ‘used’ computers are banned from being ‘imported’ into Uganda.  Really?  Uganda, widely recognised as the most refugee friendly country in Africa since the 60s, has decided that aid workers bring ‘aid’ into the country was unwelcome.  They would accept one as mine, but were set on confiscating the other 4.  Hey, it’s for a charity I implored.  No.  So I decided it was mine plus a spare (she bought that, so now just 3 at risk) and then I just played dumb (not hard, right?).   We had a bit of a ‘mexican stand-off’, some consultation with her supervisor, a patronising lecture, but they wilted.  Mission accomplished!

Rewind.  It’s been a while since I heard “Is there a Doctor in the house?”, but I heard it today!  So, there was a bit more to it than that (obviously).  Sitting down the back on my Emirates flight from Dubai into Entebbe late on in the flight, there was lots of rushing up and down the aisle from a couple of the cabin crew.  Then came the tannoy; ‘if there is a Doctor or Nurse… or Midwife onboard, could they make themselves known’.  I have to admit to being sceptical over the midwife bit, that’s like anyone with any medical training.  Anyway the rushing around carried on for a while, the announcement was repeated, and I started to wonder if someone dies will they divert?  Well I was way off the mark because some 30 minutes or so later a lady was being wheeled down the aisle in a wheelchair, with the cabin crew shouting; ‘give her a clap, she’s just had a baby!’.

So many questions, but mother and baby are well.  I believe.