Ecconomic Culture Shock

I've always done a 9-5 (although my family would be quick to note it's always far longer than that), but I give my time to an employer, and each month they put money into my bank account, provide me a pension and other benefits.

To arrive in a country where the roads are lined with people selling what they have is totally alien to me, and I cannot comprehend the economics of it.

The thought of sitting on the pavement with a clutch of pineapples, or sugar cane, or a small fire cooking sweetcorn and being reliant on someone stopping to buy what you have so you make any income that day is incomprehensible to me.

Or waiting for a taxi, lorry or coach to stop in a layby and running with your box or drinks, or meat on a stick to try and beat your fellow sellers to close the deal with a thirsty or hungry passenger, if you are too slow, you miss out.

There are no obvious chains of stores beyond the 2 mobile operators, and one KFC. This is the land of the entrepreneur, the small businessman and the big dreamers.

We visited the local market packed with identical stalls of tailors ready to make you bespoke clothing with fabric from the next door seller. There is no Next, or River Island, or M&S with their particular market and fashion style. These tailors are reliant on service, price and quality, and word or mouth from satisfied customers to build their business.

On the positive side everyone buys local, there are no food miles here. What is sold on the road side if often walked straight out of the fields. Much to some of the group's disappointment there are no mangos, because mango season is finished. If you want furniture you buy it from the man who has made it in his workshop-come-shop in the town, with wood felled locally and bought from another local seller.

I admire the grit, sheer hard work and effort that everyone seems to put in to try and make their way in the world. Having been a company man my entire career I don't think I could do it.

Rooted in Uganda - Dave.