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Hi !! This is part 2 of Joy and Vanessa's trip - a little late but we have had lots happening here recently - stay posted for the next blog!!
After arriving back from the big safari with Joy and Vanessa on the Friday night we had planned to have a semi-relaxing weekend in Arusha before doing many of the day trip options available around Arusha. There are great African craft markets in Arusha and we went and bought loads of things which kept the locals happy as it’s the low season, so not many tourist dollars around. African shopping, as you would expect, is a real bargaining affair and once you get used to it, its actually quite fun. Initially you think you are offending them with counter offers of at least 75% below their starting price, but we have learnt that there are western 'local' prices and western 'tourist' prices - you know they are just trying to extract as much from you (fair enough), as you are trying to secure a bargain. Basically the rule we have found from experience is do not buy the first thing you see as you will almost certainly find it
cheaper in another stall later, and do not be worried about walking out - if they let you walk then you know your price is too low. Anyway the craft market has a hundred or so little shops from all different regions of Tanzania, but they all seem to basically sell the same things - lots of wooden artefacts, jewellery, carved statues, etc, etc. Anyway, it wasn't only Ness and Joy who bought lots - we ended up sending 2 pulley cases with all our purchases back to UK with Joy and Ness thanks to a flight stuff up and a subsequent extra generous baggage allowance as compensation.
On the Sunday we headed out to Monduli markets which have a Sunday Masai market about 1 hour out of Arusha. One of the askari’s (security guards) Lucamai, was going home (to Monduli) for his week off so we gave him a lift home, and he invited us to visit his Masai village. First, we stopped at a church service of one of the teachers at the school and it was a real fall down, hallelujah type of church with people fainting all over the place. It was so hot that
African Church
Typical African church where they get big crowds each week I went and sat under some trees at the back of the church area and some local boys just came and sat with me. They were fascinated with anything I had - watch, camera, etc, so when I took some photos of them and then showed them in the screen they thought we had our own little miracle happening at the back of the church.
On to Lucamai’s village, and it was a great experience and not one you would get on any travel tour or anything. This was the real thing, and no preparations had been made for our arrival as they had no warning that we were coming. They looked a bit shocked when the bus full of muzungu’s (white people) pulled up outside the village gate, but they soon made us feel very welcome, when they realised Lucamai was with us. They would never get any white visitors, so the kids thought we were a real novelty. They live in traditional Masai ways with hand made mud huts which have no windows and are pitch black inside. I had to take a flash photo just to see what it looked like inside. I felt very honoured
Lucamai's village
Lucamai with his wife and baby, and other kids from the village to be allowed into their homes for a short time and although it’s the extreme opposite to how we live in the west, they were happy and content with what they had, something we could all take a lesson from.
Unfortunately later that night I was feeling a little under the weather and thought I had the flu coming on. Mid way through the night when I could hardly move (let alone sleep) from the aching pain and fever I was in, I knew it was more than flu. Next morning, the local doctor confirmed I had Malaria and gave me a course of anti malarial tablets to take over the next 5 days. I was lucky that I got it early and really other than the first night I just felt drowsy for a few days, and then I was as good as new. For the record I had a doctors visit, went straight in next door, had a blood test, got the results immediately and supplied with tablets all for the measly amount of A$6, and this is not subsidised in any way by the government!!! Whilst I thought the whole Malaria thing was a bit of
Lucamai's Village
Lucamai (one of the real nice guys here at the school) and some of the kids from the village a non event, I was reminded how serious it really is when a few weeks later the tiler at the school died from Malaria. Malaria kills more people in Africa than almost anything else. And the locals seem more concerned by this than aids because it kills quickly, whereas one of the problems with aids is that it takes much longer and Africans live very much in the present (another great lesson we can take from them, to some extent anyway).
A couple of days later we did a hike up to the first accommodation hut (about 5 hours return) on Mt Kilimanjaro with Ness and Joy. The full climb takes about 5 days as you have to take it very slowly so that you do not suffer altitude sickness. It was a great climb and although quite easy it did make us wonder if we wanted to do this for 5 days straight. Time will tell if we do the full thing.
Just before Joy and Ness were to leave, Joy came down with Amoebic Dysentery which laid her up for the last 3-4 days. Welcome to Tanzania!! They also had a bit of a debacle with
Lucamai's Village
The elder women of the village their flights as the flight they were booked on was cancelled so they would have to get another flight to join up with the second leg from Ethiopia, which then on investigation didn’t actually exist. So they ended up staying a few more days (until the next flight to London) which saw Joy back on her feet fully and enjoying nights out and food again.
They enjoyed their stay and were a big hit with the kids and our friends here, and we loved having them here.
Don't forget to look at all the photos on the subsequent pages.
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