Blogs from Tanzania, Africa - page 365

There are a few common Kiswahili Proverbs that go like this: 'Haraka haraka haina baraka', which means: In hurry, hurry there is no blessing. 'Pole Pole ndiyo mwendo', translated to: Slowly, slowly is indeed the proper path. And my favorite - 'Kawia ufike': Be late...but get there. At first read, these may elicit a little chuckle...but after a few days in east africa, you begin to realize the true nature of their origin and their infinite wisdom at summing up the rhythm of the African timetable. After leaving victoria falls, i traveled across the zimbabwe-zambia border into vic falls' twin town of livingstone. after a brief and uneventful day and night in livingstone at jolly boy's backbackers (convenient, fun and clean..and will coordinate your zambian visa free of charge with package stay, complete with border pick ... read more

In our last blog, we expressed our undying desire to leave Egypt and that was before we spent an entire day negotiating the Egyptian visa office and mailing a package of souvenirs home to the US. We know that beauracracy is everywhere but this was a whole new level. With our reentry visas stamped in our passports (we hope) and our package mailed at an incredibly expensive 4-day delivery rate (which will never make it in 4 days), we got on the plane actually looking forward to Nairobi, a place legendary for its tourist hassles. Upon hearing that we're going to Nairobi, not one person we've met during our travels has had one good word to say. It's unanimous that the best thing to do in Nairobi is to get out. We can't dispute this because ... read more

the medical "camp": a three room little shack where university students quickly evaluate patients most with minor pains, some with malaria, others stds, some with vitamin definincies, then tell us what medicine to give them. we find and count the medicine, give it to the translator who tells them how to take the medicine. its designed for women and children but lots of men came this time apparently. this took place maybe 40 min from dar (20 min from bagamoyo) and is done about twice per month on saturdays. bagamoyo-a nice small town with lots of history as it use to be the capital during german rule. never as grand as the cities on zanzibar and only having a brief period of importance, only a few historical buildings remain. the first church in east africa is ... read more

Hello everyone, This is just a quick cheating knd of update to let you know that I am still alive and enjoying Africa. I will keep this extremely brief, as it is not a true update. I have been workng on my blog on a fellow traveler's computer for the past 5 weeks, but have yet to work it so I can get it online. Soon, I hope. I am in Zanzibar now, and it is a beautiful, blue crystal clear island of amazing sunsets and spices and history. I have so far seen South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and this bit of Tanzania. This week will be Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater, and then on to Kenya and Uganda. Thanks so much for being patient and for all the emails you've been sending while ... read more

I had asked to be dropped off at the YMCA in Moshi as I had heard that the view of Kilimanjaro was spectacular. I also needed too… Get myself clean Have good meal And just do what I feel… I hadn’t booked ahead, again, after all why ruin the adventure with the certianty of knowing where you’re going to sleep tonight? So come the drop off I slinked to reception ask asked them, nervously if they had any rooms? Yes. Thank God! I dumped my bags and set about trying to organise the trip up Kilimanjaro for myself and my brother, as well as start to catch up on email and, ofcourse the blog. I walked around town, a thoroughly unremarkable place, asking various operations how much they would charge. I was hoping for a ... read more