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Published: August 25th 2009
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Tuesday, April 7, 2009 -
We gathered our gear and entered a luxurious bus that Sanjay himself drove to the Kilimanjaro Airport. I was in the front seat across the aisle from him, right over the wheels with a panoramic view through the large windshield. The scenes and activities of the countryside provided good photo ops. I was so busy taking pictures that we were at our destination before I realized it.
Our plane was waiting on the tarmac near the private lounge. We took our seats for the flight back to Dar. Some slept, some read, but I didn't want to miss a minute of the trip. It was thrilling to once again see the majestic peak of the mountain Hemingway wrote about in the
The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Unfortunately, those snows which are an important source of water for Tanzania, are melting rapidly.
When we flew over the ocean, I asked Hudson, our resident hydrologist, why there were two colors—blue and green. He said the green was algae which was spreading. Although it was pretty from thousands of feet above, I'm not sure I'd like to wade in it. I've read that some scientist want to
convert algae to biofuels. If so, a rich source lies in the Indian Ocean.
Our plane landed as it began to pour. Houston has torrential rains, but nothing could compare with what we experienced. We sat in the plane for a while, waiting for it to slow down. When it became apparent that wouldn't happen, we made a mad dash for the terminal. As soon as we stepped outside we were completely drenched. We tried to dry off a bit inside, but it was only superficial; our clothes were soaked through and through.
Eventually we loaded everything, and drove to the Southern Sun Hotel where we retrieved our checked bags and proceeded to new rooms. I changed to a suit, because Caroline was taking me to meet a few friends. There had not been enough time to schedule a dinner with the larger group of women leaders, but she had a special treat in mind for the rest of the day.
The two of us, Hudson and a few others rode to the University in one the vehicles available for our team. There we parted ways. Caroline and I got into a small car parked at a
gas station. She introduced me to her seventeen-year old daughter Upendo and sons Ernest, 15, and Joseph, 9. She squished between them in the back seat and introduced me to her friend Marina Juma who was driving. I sat next to Marina and could see everything. But what I saw mostly was the back of the car in front of us.
We inched our way along. Traffic, as I discovered earlier, was normally slow, but the rain made it much worse. Deciding to use the side roads, Marina adroitly maneuvered out of the traffic. Normally driving off the beaten path would be much faster, but the rain created mud and deep ruts. Not as deep as those on the road to the Serengeti, but definitely a challenge.
Several times we went through high water, and I held my breath thinking we would get stuck. I could imagine all of us getting out to push the car onto dry land. That didn't happen, because Marina was one of the best drivers I've ever seen. She pulled us through each time.
Miles away we passed beautiful large houses that would sell for millions of dollars in Houston. They were
expensive in Dar, too, but it was surprising that they were so popular. It's hard to image spending so much time commuting to the city on clogged thoroughfares even in good weather.
Finally we arrived at our destination: the White Sands Resort on Jangwani Beach about 25 km from the city. An attendant collected a fee to park there, which surprised us all. We walked on the path next to the lush green lawn, past the beautiful palm trees until we came to an area for dining.
Some families swam in a large pool, while others took advantage of the Indian Ocean. What a change of scenery from the dry plains of the Serengeti.
Caroline introduced me to their friend who was waiting for us at a table. Dr. Marcellina Chijoriga is Dean of the University of Dar es Salaam Business School. (UDBS). She is a delightful woman, and generous, as well. She treated us to dinner, and we relaxed, talked and enjoyed our food until the sun began to set. I really enjoyed the time I spent with everyone and look forward to someday being able to join them again.
The children stayed behind with
Cellina, while Marina, Caroline and I drove back to the hotel. We passed areas where people were shopping and others where groups were socializing. At one point we even passed the large US Embassy compound.
Back at the Southern Sun I called Dan and Bill to get their clothes. For one thing, I would have been well over my weight limit on the plane. For another, how would I explain men's clothing in my suitcase? Actually, Howard would have no problem. We've been married for 47 years and there's obviously trust between us.
I re-packed heavier items in my carry-on luggage and backpack, then tried to get some sleep. I was leaving in the afternoon and didn't expect to get much rest on the flight.
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Professor Khan
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Wonderful.You have changed a lot
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