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Published: November 26th 2007
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Reluctantly leaving isolation, we ferried, bussed and matatu-ed our way to Bukoba. When we arrived, Mike threw his arms in the air and announced to the waiting crowd, "Yes! Mzungus are here!!" Everybody looked so confused, I fell out laughing. It's a nice small town where the cheapest accommodation rents dorm rooms to men and women separately. They roll up the sidewalks at dusk.
We bought our ferry tickets and went to a little restaurant where they kept us captive for 3 hours by lying to us and saying they had food while they slyly snuck out to the market. A few beers later, waiting in line to board the boat, I was shocked to find someone trying to charge me to use the ladies room. "I don't have it. I'll go around back where half the people go anyway." Looking up in the dark, I saw a figure watching me and said, "Did you enjoy the show?" "Yes" "Then give me 100 shillings." When I went around front, I saw it was the "attendant" and I made him give me the 100 (about 17 cents)! I was so proud.... and bragged to Mike and Sandy. Then we took
the overnight lake trip.
They sold out of second class so we slept on the deck with the bananas and the pickpockets. We were careful enough, sleeping on top of or strapped to our luggage. Great ride - I was rocked to sleep by the gentle vibration of the huge hull pushing its way through the water. I woke up smelling like fish, but just in time for the sunrise. Mwanza is quite western - there's tarmac on most roads and a few expensive places where the gringos gather. And street signs! Its funny how you don't notice the lack of something until it returns.
We wanted to go through the Serengeti on a bus, but they don't run. Next plan, join Sandy on the 2-day train ride to Dar Es Salaam but it's sold out. Our goal is actually to have FUN during our last week here.... why not fly to Dar and ferry to Zanzibar? We're ahead on our budgets and let's not be frugal to the point that we miss out on something. Certainly at this point, our frugality has brought us adventures that regular, sane people would never have. But we decided
to indulge.
Dar is a pleasant enough big city. Many places don't serve beer and lots of restaurants are closed until dark for Ramadan. Next morning, the ferry! Guess what? The cheaper boats don't run anymore so we suck it up and spend $35 each on tickets. What the hell... Zanzibar is pretty but its beauty is equalled, maybe even surpassed, by the "Kenyanesque" tourist hassles. "Go away" is not part of the local vocabulary. White people are seen as big walking wallets. I'm proud of us for not going along with the local guy who promised us discounted resident's ferry tickets but wanted us to front him the money. Some poor British guy did and got sent away at the boat.
Zanzibar reminds me a little of Key West but there's much less entertainment. The intricate architecture is a mix of Arabic, African and Hindu. Some buildings are as big as a city block and look like they're decorated in lace. BUT typically East African, they're not kept up and some exterior walls are bulging like water balloons. Stone Town probably used to be a lot more exotic than it looks now. Highlights: watching the
local drama at the fish market from our 3rd floor hotel window and finding the only restaurant in town that serves food during daylight hours. Of course to protect themselves, they've displayed a disclaimer sign out front that excuses their being open to serve tourists.
Well, Z'bar is pretty ho-hum overall. Getting back to Dar is like putting on comfortable shoes. It's a lot like Miami but there's much less traffic. We took an all-day "luxury" bus ride (aaaahh) to Arusha - beautiful scenery of the Eastern Arc mountains. Arusha's pleasant and comfortable. There are more restaurants and a smaller Muslim population. We seem to have a lot less in common with the Muslims. The local tribes people are so cool, after we got past the initial onslaught of aggressive safari-hawkers. More common are the Masaai people here than any other tribal bush population since the Rendille in Marsabit. The diversity of the people here is really interesting. After coming from Dar and Z'bar, I'm enjoying the smaller number of wuzungu and the friendlier locals, the small town.
"Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul." - Rebecca West
Note: We left Mwanza just in time as that day they had the worst flood in 10 years!
Other note: I keep having dreams that I'm back in the States working temporarily but always tell people that I'm currently on a tour of Africa and that I have to wake up and get back. Hmmmm....
*****SURPRISE***** Who came walking down the road and right to our guesthouse? Sandy! Crazy German.....
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