Blogs from Mwanza, North, Tanzania, Africa

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Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza July 2nd 2018

After a week at our very private Mango Drift resort on the lovely island of Likoma in Lake Malawi, where we were the only guests for the whole week, we left with the MV Ilala which departed a few hours late so we got to spend another night sleeping on the upper deck of the ship. It was cold so we did not sleep a lot and we arrived in the middle of the night in Nkhata Bay where we got ourselves a very nice bungalow right on the lakeshore at Mayoka Village the next morning. The lake is providing such attractive surroundings that we got to spend another few days snorkelling and canoeing before we continued and traveled up north to Mzuzu. In Mzuzu the next morning we got a ride with Johan, a South ... read more
Sun setting across the Malawi lake from Likoma
Mayoka Village
Mayoka Village

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza January 10th 2018

We headed due west for the next four days. Awakening in Bunda, we discovered that we were not pulling out until noon, so we decided to hire a guide and tackle a climb up the Balili Hills. Fourteen of us decided to attempt this, while four others, including Monica chose a stroll into town. The summit is around 6,000 feet, however there is no set path to follow and one needs a guide to find the white, spray painted arrows. The climb involves ascending a very rocky terrain and one has to use your hands and arms as much as your feet. The young pups in our group sped ahead but Yetta and I decided to stick together and set our own pace. Yetta has some type of nerve disorder where she loses feeling in her ... read more
Gate of the genocide memorial
Distant shot of Kigali
at the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza » Kesesa November 18th 2013

Another border, another country: Tanzania. I hate border crossings. I love border crossings. They can have you stuck in the heat trying to a fulfil some idiosyncratic and bureaucratic process while draining you of money, but they also bring the excitement of a new country. Riding away from a new border always gives me a buzz. New people, new customs, new landscapes, new... unknowns, and on a motorbike it is all there waiting to be explored. Once in Tanzania there was an immediate change in vibe from the locals. Rather than being crowded by people when we stopped, the locals were pretty chilled out. Hard to describe, but Kenya had an edge to it that Tanzania thankfully lacked. Maybe they were a little too chilled out at times however; we stopped for a quick feed on ... read more
Mwanza Yacht Club
Life is good

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza February 9th 2013

Resumo: "Perrengue"; mentiras; onibus de loooonga jornada; estou bem (por incrivel que pareca o contrario). Preciso dizer que o meu anjinho da guarda tirou ferias ou foi ajudar outras pessoas por 8 dias. De verdade, nao recomendo viajar muito pela Tanzania. Foquem nos lugares que vc quer ir. Exemplo: Serengueti, Ngorogoro, Monte Kilimanjaro (Arusha, Moshi), Zanzibar. Os outros lugares sao longes e os onibus nao sao muito agradaveis. Sem brincadeira, passei facil facil, 4 dias so de transporte (fiquei 12 dias aqui na Tanzania). Desde quando cruzei a fronteira tudo ficou mais dificil. Vou fazer abaixo a lista de algumas mentiras: - "A viagem de onibus durara 4horas" > durou 6; - " ... 6 horas" > durou 9! - "Compre o ticket agora para amanha .. esta lotado o onibus" > nao tinha onibus no ... read more

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza July 7th 2012

My poxy alarm went off at 5:30am, why I agreed to help the kids maintain their football pitch I really do not know. I drag myself from my bed and wait outside for the others. Its still dark, very quiet and chilly. We all potter to the field where Amandas colleague Elaine is already with a number of kids doing warm-up exercises and jogging. Once we all gather to discuss what we are to do we realise one problem - we have no tools! The kids were supposed to speak to the local school the night before to arrange to borrow buckets, spades and shears! Nevertheless, some kids run-off and return a bit later with buckets and spades and they begin to collect sand to level the pitch. Due to lack of tools, there really is ... read more
Kids at the ready!
The dusty Kesesa footy pitch
The big competition

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza » Kesesa July 6th 2012

My daladala to Kesesa takes about 30 minutes and is about as comfortable as any Toyota Hiace could be when full with 25 people, luggage and livestock. The village is set either side of the main highway, one side has an open bar and lots of small ram-shackled shops selling bread and other conveniences and the other side is... well pretty much the same but with some more specialist shops such as the one selling and fixing electronics - the sort of electronics we had at home in the early 90's, remember those video tape players? The big black and white canon printers.. and those clunky CRT monitors? You get the idea. Upon arrival, as with all other towns I am greeted by motorbikes "Mzungu, you want picky pick?", "Where you go Mzungu?". I mention that ... read more
Game on!
Original Sukuma Royal Drums
Image of Christ

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza July 5th 2012

Mwanza (Rock City) is on Lake Victoria and there are many villages set in the surrounding hills. Amongst them are random boulders, I've no idea how they were formed however, they look like they really should not be balanced as they are. My first goal is to see the most famous one, 'Bismarck's Rock'. I find the ferry port, get myself some street food (chipsi mayai of course), and walk down towards the lake to locate the rock. I choose my spot carefully to avoid being asked for money by the street kids or the drunk teenagers, and eat my food enjoying the views across the lake. Though you see much begging, it is usually in a friendly manner and does not take much persuasion for them to leave you alone. Also, as usual in these ... read more
Bismarcks Rock
Bismarcks Rock
Fish on a Roundabout... of course

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza July 4th 2012

My bus to Mwanza was due to leave Arusha at 7am, in my hungover state I rose at 6am and after attempting to wake Annabelle in the next bunk to say goodbye (she was sound asleep so I gave up), off I went with my backpack and belongings towards the bus station. Upon arrival you are greeted by many touts “where you going my friend? Come this way...”, this is not something I wanted to deal with at this time of the morning, fortunately as soon as I showed them I already had a ticket they leave me alone. I asked a guy for “Chakula” (food) and he showed me to a little café within the bus park and I ordered myself some tea, chapati and mandazi. The mandazis' are available everywhere and are kind of ... read more

Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza December 24th 2011

Hello everyone! Since last post I have left the School with great sadness. The people there, both fellow teachers and students left an indelible mark on me. I do, and will, miss them. Good and decent people, all of them. Now I am back on the road and I have to admit that Tanzania is a tough country to travel in. Far harder then I expected however the Tanzanians make it easier by being so nice. And colorful. And musical. Due to the predictable nature of Tanzanian transport everything I had planned had been delayed or cancelled. Both the train to Tabora, and the Boat to Zambia I dreamed about catching. I was disappointed to the point of tears. So sadly two of my ambitions had been lost, but I did make it to Kibondo which ... read more
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Africa » Tanzania » North » Mwanza October 24th 2011

Tonight I fly back to Dar es Salaam, and tomorrow night back to the US. But I’ve started my decompression process early. It was an emotional weekend, and I think that sparked me to reflect on the past 5 weeks earlier than I usually do—during the 18-hour journey home or when I finally collapse into my own bed. The first time I went to Africa—South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe—I felt fundamentally changed when I came home. I saw things that affected me on a deep level, discovered what I wanted to do with my career, and fell in love with a Kenyan man. I’ve been back to Africa 6 times since then. But it wasn’t until this trip that I felt fundamentally affected by what I saw and experienced as I did that first time. And ... read more




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