Blogs from Tanzania, Africa - page 385

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot. The last 24 hours have been the worst since I got here. It's like my body has just suddenly realized this heat thing is not an aberration. I have been pouring sweat. Last night I thought I would die -- and then the power went out for 45 minutes and I had no fan. Unbelievable. The rooms for some reason get very little air even though it's cooler outside and we have huge windows. I finally took some Gravol, knowing they would make me sleepy, and conked out around 3:00. Needless to say, when the alarm went at 6:30, I was not a happy camper. Nor have I been all day. It's been a couple of days like that though. Yesterday the battery on my alarm clock died for the third time, ... read more

Spent the morning in Dar Es Salaam waiting for the ferry & then sat at the back for a suprisingly smooth crossing with the occasional dolphin skipping over our trail. Grabbed dinner of lobster skewers & local chapatis at the fantastic night market in Stone Town & then watched the sunset into the sea from bar on the beach. Dessert was banana & chocolate Zanzibar pizza from the night market - highly recommended. ... read more

For the last couple of nights I have written you witty and fascinating (well, in my view) accounts of what's happening here in Africa, both of which refused to post. I have no idea why, except that the internet here is like our worst days of dial up used to be. So before I write anything too much I am going to post this and see if it goes through. Then I will give you an update. I miss you all but I am doing great! Keep those cards and letters coming! (And/or emails). I was thinking as well that if you have questions you're welcome to email them to me, and I will try to answer here. Kwa heri (farewell) for now! Jackie :)... read more

Set off early in the morning on another sunny day & drove down from the relatively cool mountains. We stopped for lunch in Chilinze, a large junction/town seemingly in the middle of nowhere selling just about everything. Along with the usual lads selling biscuits & nuts were some who had made detailed tin replicas of our Dragoman truck. We ate chipsy omelette at one of the roadside restaurants & it was exactly as it sounds, an omelette containing chips served with luminous pink watery ketchup. We got into Dar Es Salaam in the afternoon & were met by the overpowering smell of the fish market as we waited for the ferry to cross to Mikadi beach. Our campsite had a saltwater pool & a bar selling vodka slushies in handpainted enamelled beakers - surprisingly alcoholic but ... read more

Having suffered with the sun yesterday we went out dressed as if we were in the Foreign Legion. Next to the Snake Park was the Masaai cultural centre which had recreations of the Masaai homes, bush camps, costumes & rituals. We learned about the male & female circumcision & although no longer legal in Tanzania female circumcision is still performed. From the centre we took a camel ride to a Masaai village, where we got to see inside a real Masaai home, swing the Masaai kids up in the air (which they seemed to enjoy until one got kicked in the face) & took part in some dancing which involved trying to bounce as high as possible. We caught the camel train back to the campsite & passed by a cattle market on a football pitch. ... read more