http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Nebraska-Bill/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Nebraska Bill en-us Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:25:34 +0000 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:25:34 +0000 Ferry to Zanzibar Saturday 218 Because we didnrsquot have to be at the ferry until ten we had plenty of time to wake up and eat breakfast at a leisurely pace. We packed only our daypacks for the two nights in Zanzibar and left main packs with the hotel for 500 Tsh each per day. Originally we had planned to walk to the ferry but due to our leisurely pace we were running late and had to take http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/blog-43295.html Zanzibar Sunday 219We slept in a bit Sunday morning because we didnrsquot have to leave for the tour until 900 am when they were to pick us up. We enjoyed a breakfast of toast and jam coffeetea and the strange fried eggs they cook up in this part of Africa. It turns out that the egg yolks here are almost white not yellow. They stir the yolk around before frying the egg into an overdone f http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/blog-43305.html Stonetown Saturday 218When we arrived at Victoria Hotel we were charmed by the setting opposite Victoria Park the feeling of the hotel. An old heavyset woman dressed in black sat in a chair under a tree in front. As we approached the door a gofer guy came out. We asked if they had a room for two. He said yes and started to get a key. With that the old woman said ldquono rooms hellip the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/Zanzibar-City/blog-43302.html Chimp Island 21206We woke early to leave by 730 for the Embassy boat to take us to Chimp Island. After a 45 minute drive we arrived at the boat landing and were joined up with two other embassy people plus two US based State Dept people one of whom was the top person for assorted ecology related projects in Africa.Due to a stupidly designed hydroelectric dam where the White Nile exits Lake Vic http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-41175.html Loshoto to Dar Es Salaam ThursdayAfter a greasy omelet breakfast we left St. Benedicts to catch a bus to Mombo. We had heard that we could take a dalla dalla Toyota van to Mombo for 1000 TSh about 90 then catch an express bus to Dar. We found one near the front of the queue and hopped in. We knew that the dalla dalla wouldnrsquot leave until it filled up so after ten minutes or so of wa http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/East/Dar-es-Salaam/blog-41872.html Kampala Thurs Feb 2 2006 We were greeted at 630 AM by our driver Dominic a cheerful and knowledgeable Ugandan. His skin is a warm dark chocolate and his forehead has a ridgelike rounded protrusion not enough to be ugly just distinctive We subsequently learned that he was once a truck mechanic and that his skull was crushed when a helper dropped one end of a drive shaft on his head. He http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Western-Region/Fort-Portal/blog-39988.html Bus Ride to Loshoto Tuesday 21406For 8500 TSh each Tanzanian shillings about 8 we bought bus tickets to Lushoto. It turns out that I bought tickets for a nonexpress bus so it stopped along the way for just about anyone who wanted a ride. Unlike India we didnrsquot have to share our seats with one or more passengers and they didnrsquot fill up the aisles with people and luggage. Al http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/East/Lushoto/blog-41862.html Moshi Mt. Kilimanjaro 21306We left Kampala at 510 Am on a well maintained Kenya Air 737 jet. The 112 hour flight to Nairobi was uneventful as was the turboprop flight to Kilimanjaro airport. Upon arrival we learned that there are no busses from the airport to Moshi where we planned to stay. It cost 50 US to take a cab for the 15 mile ride to town. Tell me cabbies arenrsquot the same eve http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Moshi/blog-41857.html Hiking Around Lushoto Wednesday 21506I partially woke up the next morning at about 500 Am when the roosters began to crow then other birds began to sing and whistle. This was followed at about 530 by the imam groaning his call to prayer over loudspeakers installed in the minarets a few blocks away. About 600 AM the church bell began ringing the faithful to mass. Soon the warbling bus horn http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/East/Lushoto/blog-41867.html Arriving in LoshotoLike the town the Lushoto bus station is small but it has all the accoutrements of bus stations everywhere hellip cab drivers touts food vendors newspaper vendors etc. all hawking their wares or services. Standing there with our suitcases and looking like antelope to a pride of Lions we freaked and tried to scurry up the road to safety. A few of the more persistent offici http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/East/Lushoto/blog-41864.html Writing from Kampala. We made it here about 1000 last night and slept this morning until about 1100 am. Sarah Marie's daughter and her husband Nate picked us up at the airport and drove us to their place. They have a great house with lots of room and nice walled in yard with trees and shrubs etc. and lots of birds. Last night we had quite a storm. Marie and I were so zonked out that we ju http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-38817.html It's two days until we leave for Africa ... running around frantically getting ready. Really nervous about taking a computer to Africa. We've heard that even cameras get stolen all the time.We've had our shots Yellow fever DPT boosters cholera tetanus etc.. We were given a antimalarial prescription for Malarone but at 190 for each of us we decided to use Doxycyclene 9 total for the both http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-38118.html