Typhoon
Mood:  incredulous
Wow, typhoon winds and rain last night kept me from my beauty rest last night.

Now i understand why they keep the trees so trimmed here in Japan. The winds would rip the branches right off the trees if they were any bigger! Amazing what can be learned by living in a different land.

What a Safari!
Mood:  incredulous
Photos up on my new Tanzania WebSite

"Buenas Dias.
Traveling with 7 Spanish speaking folks, I've practiced so much Espanol these last five days that i am totally confused now with languages. Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro were like a dream come true. It was just like being in a National Geographic special on TV. We watched cheetahs stalking gazelle up-close and personal. Watched as a lioness left her clan of cubs and other girls lounging under a tree next to our vehicle and amble across the road and then try to catch an impala! We also watched a bunch of huge crocodiles rolling a dead baby hippo and ripping it's legs off and gulping it down. wow. I have inhaled more dust than i care to think about. I don't think I've ever been so dirty and grimy but oh so happy. We went shopping today in Moshi and i have more batik and shirts and wooden art than i care to think about. I am not sure how i am going to manage to get all this on the plane. I will go back to DAR on Monday and see if i can negotiate with the airlines to allow me an extra 20 kg for my luggage. Otherwise i am in real trouble! haha.

So that's it for now. Love you all and can't wait to show you all the over 600 photos that i've got on my camera chip.

Peace and love,

mama maria

There were three maria's on Safari and guess who was the oldest?"

Tuesday, August 17th
Lake Manyara to the Serengeti

What a luxury to get a whole 8 hours sleep last night. That and Amalie's magic pill that has put an end to my cursed diarrhea makes me feel on top of the world. There was lots of road construction today. We got a late start, 9:30am) and it's a long, long ride. We went out of our way to get to an overlook of the Ngorongoro Crater but it was a waste of time because we were totally in the clouds and couldn't see a thing. That's a shame. We stopped at a Maasai Village where the drivers tried to convince us to spend $50 a vehicle to tour it. The group was split on spending that much extra money and decided to pass on the offer. We made a surprise lunch stop at the Olduvai Gorge. There was a small museum that filled us in on the whole Leakey story, and the fascinating struggle to preserve this site. Mother Nature is busting up those precious footprints found there, and i was amazed at the projects that have been undertaken to preserve them for posterity.

We reach the Serengeti around 4pm. After being told that we wouldn't see much wildlife, our first animal sighting is within minutes - a cheetah - up close!

"Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, for its natural beauty and scientific value. With more than two million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelle, and a quarter of a million zebra, it has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa...The name 'Serengeti' comes from the Maasai language and appropriately means 'endless plain.'"

Our evening drive treats us to sightings of cheetah, gazelle, impala, wildebeest, warthog, crocodile, hippo, giraffe, zebra and the most surprising - a serval cat. This critter is nocturnal and very shy and we are very privileged to see it on the side of the road. We also see ostrich, the largest flightless bird, and so prehistoric looking. Our driver is super patient with us as we scream at him endlessly to stop and let us take one more photo before dinner. We end up putting up tents in the dark because of too many "Kodak moments." We are warned to use our headlamps and to pee next to the tent tonight so that the roving guards don't mistake us for a lion and shoot us. yikes.

Trivia: Hyenas (male and female) are difficult to tell apart. Females have fake male genitals. Females are the largest.

Let's Safari
Mood:  bright
"I have hooked up with a group from the Basque country. There are 3 women and 2 men. Maria, Maria Jesus, Amalie, Juan and Alberto. Now I will practice my Spanish and also learn some of the Basque language!

We leave this morning for Lake Manyara (hope to see lots of flamingos). Then two nights in the Serengetti and then on to Ngorogoro Crater. What a dream! This is going to be so wonderful after all the work of bicycling and hiking. Now all i have to do is to sit in a 4-wheel drive vehicle and view animals. There's a swimming pool at our first safari camp! Good grief. This is how the other half lives.

peace and love,
mary"

A sweet couple from Spain (married only one year) joined our group this morning, another Maria and Michel. We have two 4-wheel drive vehicles to transport the 8 of us and a guide for each vehicle. The rigs are jam packed with our tents, cooking gear and food, duffle bags, binoculars, sunscreen and water bottles, oh, and cameras. We drive up to and through the Massai steppes and view banana and coffee plantations along the way. The steppes are arid, dry, flat land with so little grass that it's hard to believe that it supports the healthy looking Massai cattle. There are Massai boys standing along the road with their dark, dark faces elaborately painted with white paint. We are told that these 13 year olds have just been circumcised and are wandering around away from their village for 3 months while they heal and then they will be allowed to return home. Now there's a new idea to deal with our rebelious teenagers in the states! hah. The traditional Massai don't want their pictures taken but we have been warned that the kids will encourage us to take their photos and then try to charge us exhorbitant amounts of money. At Lake Manyara we are treated to the sight of elephant, wildebeast, zebra, baboon, vervet monkeys with their bright lite blue balls, giraffe, and pelicans in profusion all with a back drop of pink flamingos in the distance. The river slowly flowing into the lake is full of hippo lolling in the belly-deep water.

I thought this would be the restful part of the trip, and i'm surprised to discover that it's a challenge staying upright in a 4-wheel drive rig when it's bouncing over rough, pot-holed roads. The tent camping is comfy. They have provided us with foam mats. African drumming entices us over to the bar after a yummy dinner and we enjoy the ending of a gymnastics troup performing to the rythm of the drums. Quite good. There's a swimming pool but i'm too tired to swim and my skinned knees are too fresh to be soaking them in chlorinated water. My brain is tired but happy from straining to understand Spanish and Basque all day. All is well.

Back from Kili
Mood:  cool
Sunday, August 15th

"Konichiwa
I'm back from Kili!
Made it to Kibo Hut at 15,500 feet.
Suffered a mild case of altitude sickness, exhaustion and a lack of motivation to get up at midnight and hike up for 5 hours on a steep and very cold climb and then back down for a total of 12 hours and 14 miles of hiking. My 3 compadres made it. I slept till morning and hiked back down to another hut at 12,000 feet. Lounged, took a cold bucket bath, and wrote postcards by a burbling stream basking in the warm sunlight.

My friends got a certificate for summiting but i feel great and am very proud to have reached this height.

We were able to practice our German, Spanish and Japanese on this hike. So many visitors from all over the world. We hiked from dripping, dark rain forest up to sage brush country to high alpine moorlands and heath forest to alpine desert. Incredible scenery. Wonderful people. The food was awesome. Can you believe that our wonderful porters carried watermelon for our breakfast for the 4 days we were on the mountain?

I am feeling great and will hopefully leave on safari tomorrow. I am going to try to hook up with a Basque group who we have been hiking with for the 5 days on Kili. If it works out i will get to see Serengetti, Ngorogoro and more. I'm really hoping that it works.

The hard part is over and now the easy, touristy part begins.

If you're excited and ready to book your own trip, click on this link and GO FOR IT! Zara Travel Company

Peace and love,
Mary"

Sunday, August 15th
Horombo Hut back down to Marangu gate and then a drive back to Moshi

After such a grueling day we still had to get up early this morning. Breakfast is at 6am and we begin the descent at 7am. Lunch is at noon. We pass Mandara Hut and continue down to Marangu gate. It's a great feeling to be able to take my friend's photos as they proudly stroll out through the gate that we entered just a few days ago. I am definitely exhausted and slip and fall twice skinning my knees. That's the extent of the injuries for our group. Not bad. Our drive back to Moshi is filled with story telling about the gruesome details of the hike yesterday. I am so glad that i didn't let my ego push me to the top. I am sure that i would be really sick and probably taken some worse falls if i'd tried.

No rest for the weary when we return to Moshi:
I get on the internet to make sure i email Mom and Dad that i made it back in one piece., then i check with the office to see about getting in on a safari. My new Basque friends are more than happy for me to join them tomorrow morning. Yahoo. I madly wash some clothes out in the sink and prepare for my next 5 day adventure that will begin tomorrow morning. Yawn.

So if you want to read more about KILIMANJARO, the volcano, this is a great website.


Saturday, August 14th
Kibo Hut back down to Horombo Hut, not sure on time but pretty quickly!

So while the others are hiking in the dark i am sleeping and trying to regain some strength. There is a guy from Poland who speaks no English who looks worse than i do. He and i are the only ones to stay behind. I don't even care.

Here was my trekking buddies itinerary today:
Start climbing in the dark with headlamps at midnight (after only 3 hours sleep)
Reach Gilman Point, 18,651 ft/5685 m: 8:15am
Reach Uhuru Peak: 19,340 ft/5895m 9:30am (these are steep, rocky climbs in very cold temperatures)
Back down to Kibo for a short nap and a bit of breakfast: 11 am
Leave Kibo at noon and hike for 3 hours to arrive at Horombo by 3pm

WHEW, glad i didn't try that! After many trips to the bathroom in the morning and still suffering from a massive headache, i decide to head back down. I've been instructed to remain at Kibo until my buddies return at noon, but i'm feeling too bad and want to get out of this altitude. Amaia, my new Basque friend, tried the midnight climb but began vomiting after only 1/2 hour and came back down and was eager to drop in altitude as well. We convinced our guides to take us down. I couldn't believe that with every step I took I began to feel a bit better and by the time i reached Horombo i was feeling much better. I took a cold sponge bath and laid in the sun reading, writing, and resting. It was a tiring hike and i can't imagine doing 14 hours of hiking today. The others looked amazingly good after their ordeal when they came trekking in this afternoon. I am so proud of them for accomplishing this tremendous feat. We will all sleep well tonight.


Friday, August 13th
Horombo Hut to Kibo Hut, 6 hour hike to 15,520 ft / 4700m

I was tired this morning and not feeling very optimistic about making it to the top. I just don't have the energy and have already begun the thought process about whether it's worth it to push so hard that i may get even sicker. I really want to be well when i get back down so that i can go on safari and enjoy the experience. The terrain is not difficult, technically. It's a gentle stroll most of the day with a slow, gradual ascent. The land gets continually sparser as we climb and the vista is incredible as we hike through the saddle. The hut is not in sight and seems miles away. We pass the last tiny creek where our porters can collect water for our meal tonight. This is it for the water. We will get two bottles each this evening and then no more water until we descend to Horombo tomorrow. We are in alpine desert now. Not too much plant life at this altitude. The last mile or so is incredibly difficult. I have absolutely no energy. "Pole,pole" is the mantra (slowly, slowly). I have a dull headache and absolutely no desire to go any higher than this but Theophil is encouraging me to at least get up at midnight and make an attempt of the summit. I have no appetite and everyone else looks just as bad as i feel. Over dinner, as people are discussing the climb that we will begin in a few short hours a wave of nausea hits me. The evenings briefing makes me even more nauseated. I think part of it is definitely nerves because the wave passes, but i do end up with quite a few trips to the bathroom from diarrhea.

Here is the time frame for today:
Breakfast: 7am
Begin walking: 8am.
Picnic lunch: 10 am
Arrive at Kibo Hut: 2 pm
Tea time: 3 pm
Some go for a hike a little higher - I take a nap
Dinner: 5 pm
I'm in bed: 8 pm
Wake up call: 11:30 pm
Trekkers head out at about midnight and i stay in bed!

Thursday, August 12th
Mandara Hut to Horombo Hut, 6 hour hike to 12,340 ft / 3720 m

We were all feeling pretty good today. We experienced some tickling throats and coughs last night. I am glad for my Halls Cough Drops. We had a filling breakfast this morning and were on the trail by 8am. It was definitely drier today as we hiked through a heath forest. The sun was bright and sunscreen a must. I am envying Chris P's white climbing hat. I only have a visor with me so i quickly found my bandana to put under the visor to shade my face and neck. It may not be lovely, but it keeps my skin from frying. The plants along the trail look similar to sage, thyme and rosemary. There is a weird tree-like plant (bushy green at the top) that looks like a cactus. We are given a sack lunch before we leave this morning and stop around 11 for lunch. I am amazed that the bathroom breaks appear just when i need them and the food is very adequate and i haven't felt the need for extra snacks at all. We arrive at Horombo by 2pm and tea time is at 3pm. There's an opportunity to walk a little higher after tea just to go up and come back down (more acclimatization). Dinner is at 6pm and lights out. I'm tired.

Kili or Bust

Wednesday, August 11th
Moshi to the Marangu Gate, 3 hour hike to Mandara Hut at 9,000 ft / 2700m elevation

We are up early. Who can sleep when you know you are ready to embark on a trip taking you to the highest peak in Africa? We have breakfast at 6:30 am. We have been advised to drink from 3-4 liters of water a day so my backpack has two full tall bike water bottles and one liter of Kili Spring water. I am carrying one extra empty bottle just in case i want to carry more water as the trip advances. I have a Power Bar a day for an extra energy boost and my rainjacket and rain pants packed. We carry what we need in our daypacks till we get to our destination for tonight. Our duffle bag that the porters will carry has to be 15 kilos or under. I've weighed mine and it is under. My duffle has a down sleeping bag, polypro vest, polypro all weather jacket, long underwear, baklava, wool socks, hiking boots. I decided to hike in tennis shoes today and save the boots for later.

We all pile into a van with our guides and head out for the trailhead. The drive takes a little over 2 hours on pretty good roads. We arrive at Marangu gate, fill out the forms and are off by noon. I am so very excited. It is an easy hike today, only 3 hours. We hike through a lush tropical forest. Most of the time, we are hiking in the clouds with moisture dripping from the trees. We are treated to the sight of a Colubus Monkey overhead as we hike. What a gorgeous creature. We arrive at Mandara Hut around 3pm. We are treated to tea and popcorn when we arrive. There is time to just wander about and visit with some of the other groups. The hut is a very nice wooden structure with it's own solar cells on the roof and batteries under the deck. This gives us some light for awhile when night falls. The hut has simple bunk style beds with foam mattresses and pillows (fairly clean, considering). Our hut has 4 beds so we all can be together. It's a short walk to the choo (toilet) that is a pit squat type affair. We do a short scenic cruise to see Maungu Crater and then it's dinner time at 7pm. The food is excellent. We have plenty to eat and it is tasty, filling and nutritious. Sleep will come easy tonight..

Tuesday, August 10th
Mwanga to Moshi (37 mile bike ride)

"I'm in Moshi. Will begin the hike up Kili tomorrow.
Trip so far: Awesome scenery, red dirt and sun, laughing, gentle people, no water in the hotel, steep, rocky, gruesome dirt bike trails, glorious tailwinds on smooth tarmack. Almost no food one night and yummy gourmet the next.
We've seen and done it all and made it through the first leg of this incredible trip.

I'm tired and run down. Fighting a bit of a sore throat from lack of sleep, diesel fumes and dust, dust, dust. We're in good spirits. Our Kili group will consist of two guys and two girls. Chris W, Chris P, Brit and i: we are a team


Sorry no time to say more.
Peace and love, Mary"

We decided to sleep in since it's a short biking day today. The ride was easy. The transition to major tourist attraction (Kilimanjaro and safaris) is dramatic. The stores and shops change in appearance and the souvenir shops increase in number exponentially. We have to ride on some dirt roads to get to Zara headquarters, and i can't believe how we are all riding these bumpy roads so much more confidently now. Zara is big business. She, Zara, runs the Spring Land Hotel where we are staying tonight as well as the Kilimanjaro treks and Wildlife Safaris. The hotel is an oasis as well as a barrier to real Africa. People from around the world are staying here in a little cocoon and it is so unreal compared to the places that we've stayed in the last couple of weeks. Our main concern is having a "goodbye dinner" with our good buddies and guides. The hotel has no room for our guides tonight, which stinks. We talk about having them stay in our rooms, but we don't want to cause trouble. The hotel finally agrees to let Jerome and Emmanuel stay to have dinner with us and then be driven to another hotel where reservations have been made. We are disappointed, but at least we can have a farewell dinner.

This evening is more than just a dinner. We quickly have to box up our biking equipment to stash away in the huge hotel storage room. We dig through our suitcases that have been forwarded here and get out all our trekking gear. I rent a sleeping bag, really warm coat, baklava, extra gloves etc. to supplement what i've brought from Japan. A hot shower and shampoo are really necessary since this is it for 5 days while trekking on Kili. We have to attend a briefing so that we know what to expect tomorrow. Wow, we are leaping from one adventure right into the next without any kind of breather at all. I'm tired and hope that i can get some rest on the first few days of trekking.


Monday, August 9th
Hedaru to Mwanga (67 mile bike ride)

I'm in heaven riding rolling hills on real pavement today. There is some wind and some sun. It's a long day, but this is my kind of riding. We are staying at a really nice hotel with an enclosed courtyard. The hot shower before a great dinner makes us feel almost human again. Britt is in nirvana with her own room WITH a TV set. It seems like i'm always tired. I just can't kick the feeling of exhaustion. Not enough sleep, tough riding, and a lack of fruit and veggies.


Sunday, August 8th
Manolo to Hedaru ( a very long 38-mile bike ride)

Luckily, I've made a miraculous recovery overnight because this is one of the toughest days of bicycling that i've ever done. Rough and rocky dirt roads to climb and descend are a real challenge today. There are women walking everywhere with buckets of water on their heads. It's steep walking or riding. There are herds of goats and cows to maneuver around and through. The steep rocky trail was just too difficult and Brit and Chris W. walked almost the whole way down. I resorted to walking more than a few times. Just when things began to look better the road turned to sand. 　How can i explain how frustrating it is to push a fully loaded bike in 10-inch-deep sand? I guess you just have to try it. Then there appears some decent (not so rocky, sandy) dirt road but THE THORNS! Emmanuel spent a 1/2-hour patching 10 holes in Jacki's front tire only to discover when he went to reinstall it on the bike that the back tire was also flat. We were averaging about 2 mph almost the whole day. The heat was intense when the clouds parted. We were ever so grateful for any cloud cover drifting by. I lost it at the end of the ride when i could hear the roar of cars on a road just paralleling the dirt one we were on. I almost pushed the bike across some horrible thorny terrain to reach this asphalt mecca but i kept my wits. Finally we hit pavement and a tail wind. Yahoo. We stayed at the Angelina Inn. Private rooms are good and a bucket bath, well, ok. There's a strange lady running this place. She doesn't seem too concerned about getting us water and/or dinner. Luckily, Jerome catches on quickly and we hike on down the road to get us a good meal. Another late night.


Saturday, August 7th
Lushoto to Manolo (21 mile bicycle ride)

I can't remember the ride today. I know that it was beautiful, shady, and in the rainforest. I know that we climbed uphill through the rainforest, but i was much to sick to enjoy it. So many kids yelling greetings at us "Jambo" - hello - to "Mzungu" - foreigner - to "Give me money." Women laughing hysterically when they discover that it's a white woman on a bike. It's overwhelming and hard to take when i'm not feeling well. I arrive in town just behind Jerome and wait at an intersection to direct the others.

This is a small, very poor village. 50-80 kids quickly surround me. I try to shake hands or at least do a high five with as many as i can. "Hi, how are you?" What's your name?" Some run away when i try to talk to them. All in unison mimic me putting chap stick on. What a kick! Our Guest House tonight is the most primitive yet. Tiny Xmas lights, solar powered, last a few hours. Dinner is cooked over a charcoal-filled bucket. We take turns sitting around the fire for some warmth. Kids rush in with buckets of water for us from who knows where. It is very murky water. The choo, toilet, is filthy and spiders are everywhere in it. The mattress and pillow in my sparse room are extremely worn and dirty. We only get one light blanket each. Our hostess finds some extra kangas (dress fabric) that we can drape over our beds for a little added warmth. I am so tired that i nap for an hour or so while dinner is being cooked. Dinner, ugali and stew, is very good and filling. I retire right after dinner exhausted.

Usambara Mountains
Friday, August 6th
A day off in Lushoto and a hike in the Usambara Mountains (40 miles biking)

"We're in the Usambara Mountains.
The bicycing is wonderful.
The scenery is dreamy.
The hotels are from fantastic to incredibly poor.
One night we're in a luxury suite the next - no water and cockroaches.
Power out in Lesotho this afternoon. Only 15 minutes to post this. Fast internet connection tonight is wonderful."

Ah, this is a very relaxing day. I'm feeling much better. Emanuel took us on a hike through small farms and up to a lookout over an incredible valley that stretches out flat to the horizon. This is a taste of what the Serengeti will look like. On the way up Brit and i helped one woman carry a 5-gallon bucket full of water for awhile and really got a feel for how heavy it actually is. I don't know how they do it. We enjoy a lunch of German homemade cheeses and brown bread at a tourist site close to the lookout. We visited Emmanuel's grandmother, Bibi, (53 years old??) and his 12-year old sister in their home. We were served chai and bread. Emmanuel's parents are dead, and he seems to be one of the sole providers for this family. He works on farms owned by relatives on both sides of his family. They grow coffee, bananas and veggies. Emmanuel has a heart of gold. I think that he works only for others. He is in his late 20's or early 30's with no prospect of getting married. We are so sad to hear his story. He's such a charming, quiet, easy-going person. On our hike we passed a mental facility, not open yet, an orphanage, and a school for the blind all funded by Christian missions. Shopping again in the market, i picked up avocados, papaya, and some cheese, brown bread, and dry fish for lunch tomorrow.
On returning to the hotel i discovered that i had totally forgotten about the date i'd set to meet Imelda. She had waited most of yesterday but we arrived too late, and we were supposed to meet at 5pm today, oops. I was so tired, but how can you say no to a teacher who has been waiting for you for two days? At 6pm (dinner is at 7pm) we took off in a rented car to visit Hallelujah School. Four boys, 7-12 years old sang songs for us. Chris W and Brit, and i taught them "Old McDonald! And "Head, Shoulders..." All the classes are taught in English and the kids live there. Of course they are looking for sponsors. Back for a late dinner and lights out rather late AGAIN.


Thursday, August 5th
Soni to Lushoto (40 miles biking)

Oh, we didn't want to leave this hotel this morning. Only small pieces of bread and papaya for breakfast this morning so once we rode down the dirt road and hit town Jerome had us stop for a second breakfast of beef soup with rice. And then we began our climb to Lushoto and the Usumbara mountains. The river we follow is lined with lush, terraced gardens. I notice that women are carrying buckets of water on their head to water these gardens. No pumps i guess. Gorgeous scenery calls for many stops to take more and more photos. Women with baskets their heads are walking to and from the market. Kids are running from everywhere yelling: "Jambo" and chasing after us. We had a long sleep last night, but i am still feeing a bit run down this afternoon. My left tonsil is swollen and i have a slight sore throat. We shopped at an outdoor market here in Lushoto and i bought some extra avocados, 20 cents, and passion fruit. I'm feeling depleted in vitamin C. We also meet a Masai medicine man and he mixes me up a concoction of herbs and bark to take to get rid of an intestinal problema.




Wednesday, August 4th
Finally biking: Korogwe to Mombo to Soni (about 40 mile bike ride)

We discover that Chris W. has never been bicycle touring before. He only has one pannier which really throws a bike off balance so we soon bungee cord the thing to his back rack. He is also riding in safari pants with lots of pockets loaded with cell phone etc. that probably are banging on his thighs and legs. He quickly figures out to empty the pockets. Ah, youth! Our first stop is Mombo. It's 20 miles of gorgeous rolling hills. We reach it by noon and no one wants to stop for the day. The hotel is poor here so it's a unanimous vote to move on. It's hot but lots of clouds and a nice tail wind blows us into Soni by 4pm. We've talked to Jerome and want to check the rooms before we say ok to a night's stay. Good grief - there aren't even enough beds for us at this hotel! We say "NO." Jerome makes a call and a motorcycle arrives to guide us to another hotel. Then a van shows up to pile in our bikes and packs to get us up a 1/2-mile dirt road. Chris P, Brit and i decide to ride it. Mangwe Farms is an oasis. Besides the hotel rooms there is tent camping overlooking a bird sanctuary and pond. The rooms are very nice. Jacki and I share a huge bed (bigger than king size). The hot shower is a real treat, gardens and flowers everywhere. A turkey in a cage gives us a song and dance. This place was built by the Germans and then abandoned after WWII. It was bought by a Swede who has put a lot of TLC into it. There are hikes that originate from here into the mountains. I wish we could stay for a few days and explore.

Food tidbit: Ugali is a thick, cream-of-wheat-texture carbo that is served in a bowl shaped mound. It reminds me of Italian polenta only it's white in color. You pick off a walnut size piece and roll it into a ball with your RIGHT HAND and dip it into a gravy of beef, chicken or veggies. Very delicious and great biking food.

So where is Korogwe?
Click here
Find DAR at the bottom of the map and follow the coastline north up past Zanzibar to Tanga. Then go inland just a bit and you will find Korogwe just below the Usambara mountains.




Tuesday, August 3rd
Ferry from Zanzibar to Dar Es Salaam (DAR) and a van ride to Korogwe
The ferry ride is so much different than the one i took a few days ago. This one takes twice as long - 3 hours - and is on rough seas. I stand on the back deck most of the time and try hard not to puke, not a pleasant experience.
The van in DAR that Jerome hires to take us to the Safari Inn turns out to be rented by a teacher who just dropped off a load of kids visiting Zanzibar for a few days. I had stashed my hiking gear at the Safari Inn rather than try to carry it all to Zanzibar. Emmanuel somehow will transport all our non-bicycling stuff to Moshi, our bicycling final destination, so that we don't have to carry it on our bikes. We are all piled into the van with all our luggage and bikes. After a brief discussion about unloading and reloading all this stuff back onto a crowded public bus we took a group vote and decided to spend a few extra bucks and just pay this gentleman to drive us to Korogwe. It sounded like a good idea at the time. After driving us halfway out of town so that we could eat lunch at his relative's restaurant, we then stopped to pick up a spare tire. Then we were off somewhere else to add oil to the van by pouring it into an upside down coke bottle and blowing into the bottle to push the oil up into the van. What is that about? Finally two hours later we are headed out of town only to stop within a 1/2 hour to fill up with gas. Then within another 1/2 hour we are watching while the back wheel is pulled and the sticky brake is unstuck. We're all getting a little skeptical about this ride but what can we do? We discover upon arriving at our really nice hotel that the reservations have been cancelled because we are so late. The 2nd best hotel is horrible with cockroaches and NO WATER. We are all happy despite this because tomorrow we actually get on the bikes. Yippee.

Zanzibar
Mood:  happy
Monday, August 2nd
Zanzibar N Spice Tour
Mood: happy
So here's the group: Brit is from Phoenix and along with Chris W. from Australia is a game developer. This means that Brit and Chris spend lots of time talking computers and game lingo that is beyond my comprehension. Jacki works with a nonprofit group fundraising for her local public school. Chris P. is a transportation consultant living in Cambridge, MASS. Jerome and Emmanuel are our wonderful guides. They are both from Lushoto, a village that we will be passing through. Chris and Brit are the youngest, late 20's and I am the oldest.

We got up early today (not nearly enough sleep) to catch the Spice Tour. This entailed a bus ride around a large farming area on Zanzibar. We got to see, taste and smell cardamom, ginger, coffee beans, pepper, lemon grass, cloves, turmeric and more. We sat on woven mats in an outdoor kiosk savoring a lunch that included many of the spices that we'd seen earlier.

In the afternoon we once again strolled our way through the tempting shops of Stone Town. It was hard to resist the gorgeous fabrics, jewelry, carvings, and batiks. We were hesitant to buy a lot since it's only the first days of our trip and things seem to be a bit expensive here on this touristy island.
The sights and sounds today are dream like.
More on the negative side of this experience: Emmanuel got arrested over, i think, a contrived charge of acting as a hawker to get me into some shops. It seems that one of the street hawkers saw Emmanuel with me and felt that he was steering me to other shops than the ones that this hawker wanted me to visit. Jerome had to bail him out for about $20 US. It seems like there are so many scams going on around here. We have to be constantly on our toes. We have a late dinner again tonight. We have to be up early for the ferry ride tomorrow.


Sunday, August 1st
Zanzibar trip begins

We were up and putting the bikes together this morning. My front wheel was not true (I think it got smashed in the suitcase on the plane trip. Chris P and Jerome got the wheel straight and the front brake adjusted. The tour of the slave quarters and the church built on the sight of the auction block was a powerful experience. These slaves were sold and sent to Arabia, not the US. Slaves were kept underground in two very low dirt rooms. A salt water canal ran through the two rooms to carry away the waste. I can't imagine how hot, crowded, and horrible the conditions must have been. They were treated worse than animals. After lunch we got a boat ride to Prison Island. We went snorkeling off the boat near the island but the water was murky and we didn't see many fish. It was refreshing and fun and a bit scary to just dive in and give it a try. The sunset on our return was an incredible "Kodak moment." After dinner we chanced on a couple of guys singing and playing guitar in an outdoor bar. What a way to end the day listening to live African music and sipping a Safari beer. Lights went out around midnight.


Sat. July 31st
Sailing off to Zanzibar

Mbu walked me to the ferry this morning just to make sure that i got there safe and sound. On board the ferry my ticket was questioned. My instincts yesterday were correct. The guy selling me the ticket had told me $15 for the bike but wrote on my ticket $5. Then he told me that my ferry ticket was $40 but on the ticket he wrote $30. When i questioned him about this i got a real run around. I wouldn't leave his office until he signed a note saying that i had paid him 50,500 schillings total. I noticed the discrepancy in the prices but didn't notice that he also wrote a very funny letter in the box indicating which class of ticket it was. His F had an extra little tail at the bottom that could have been mistaken for an E. This meant that the captain decided that i was Economy class and NOT First class. I stood my grounds and kept my comfy air-conditioned seat and showed him the signed note. There was a lot of discussion and photo copying of papers, and i was allowed to stay in First class and told that i paid too much for the ticket. Good grief.

I met Jacki, a very charming and enthusiastic lady, at 11am. We wandered narrow streets, discovered the colorful tourist shops of Stonetown, and had a delightful lunch overlooking the ocean. It was picture postcard perfect. Meeting time was supposed to be at 4pm so we headed back to the Garden Lodge to meet our new bike buddies and steer them to our new hotel - not nearly as nice as the Garden Lodge - but, hey, it's better than sleeping in the streets. On the way a Rastah looking guy walks up behind us and says, "Jacki?" Much to my surprise our guide, Emmanuel, was cruising the streets looking for us. I guess we are pretty easy to spot. Brit was there waiting at the hotel looking excited and just as young as we had imagined. Chris P. from Cambridge was there as well. Chris W. from Australia joined us later in the day. Jerome is our other guide. We'll deal with bikes tomorrow. We have a great dinner and head for bed. The three women share a room with 3 twin beds. There's a fan and a cold shower.

Last Full day in DAR
Now Playing: Nervous
It's Friday, July 30th.
Mbu helped me get a reservation on the ferry for tomorrow morning. $50 gets me and my bike to Zanzibar. The ferry leaves at 7:30am and takes 1.5 hours.

My bike is all together and ready to go and my bags are packed. I called Garden Lodge (our Zanzibar rendezvous point for the start of our Bike Africa trip) to arrange for someone to pick me up at the ferry when i disembark Surprise, surprise when they connected me to Jacki (from Vermont). She got a different itinerary and unintentionally arrived a day early. There is NO reservation for any of us at Garden Lodge for tomorrow night. Good grief. She is looking for other accommodations for all of us. We are lucky that she got there a day early, or we wouldn't have lodging for the night. I called David in Seattle and he hasn't had contact with our Tanzanian guides for months so no money was sent to pay for the rooms. Yikes.

Today i finally visited with and got to know Paulina who works in the internet cafe here. I want to take all these wonderful people home with me to America. I hope that somehow i can help some of these great folks to better their lives and maybe visit me in Spokane.

I'm a tourista
Mood:  celebratory
Hm, interesting. I just realized that when i record my journal entry that it's getting posted for the next day. I discovered that it's because i am registered in Japan and it's already the next day there!
This entry is for Thursday, July 29th!

Yahoo. I got to play tourist today. The hotel suggested that i not hire Ali who I met on the street yesterday. Instead they hooked me up with someone they know is reliable: Mbaruku - Muba for short- was my guide for today. We walked to a ritzy hotel with an Exchange. No problema. I was so excited and hesitantly cashed $400 in traveler's checks knowing that this will more than take me to Moshi and Kili with money to spare. I just hope that i can stash it safely and not get robbed. This is such happy news since my first stop was at the Emirates office. They say they can't grant an exemption but my Travel Agent can. I think this is bullshit but i emailed Miki in Japan and she will call Kota-san tomorrow to see if he can get me a 20 kg. exemption for my luggage on the return flight. IF all else fails - i'll mail the heavy stuff back to Japan by boat. What a hassle. The Botanical Gardens are interesting - such a struggle for plants to survive in alkaline soil and brackish water. The Germans started this project. Government helps a non-profit group now to keep it going. Some experiments with crops. Palms are a focus and flowers. I see dates, mango, banana, bougainvillea, hibiscus....nice. The Tanzanian National Museum gets me charged. Darwin and Livingston are here to introduce me to the beginnings of man that are evidenced here in Tanzania and introduce me to a history of brave pursuit and discovery of the mysteries hidden here.

We then walk to the bay and through the fish market. Fish and prawns look healthy and very appealing, then on to one of the biggest markets in DAR. Two stories - selling everything from pots and pans to Monsanto Roundup and chicken feed, bicycles and clothes. We wandered through a street market with barrels of spices - fragrant and fresh -vegetables and fruit stacked high. A barrel of clay bars caught my eye. It's for pregnant women who get the craving to eat it! I buy a kwanga (piece of fabric). It is to be cut in half. One piece wraps around your waist as a skirt. The other half wraps around your midriff as a top. This will cover my bike shorts when i stop riding during the day. $3 for this gorgeous tie-dyed piece. Back to the hotel for a quick rest and break for Muba. Then to the Jambo for a late lunch/early dinner. Dinner for two is $8. I have curry veggies/veggies and rice and a chapatti and a mango milkshake. I feel better now!

Mabu then takes me a few blocks to a street market. I buy Didik an African shirt for $10 - i think this is a bit overpriced but not sure. Two small Swahilli text books for $3. Four necklaces and a coconut shell hair clip and earrings for $8.
Amazing how tired i get from all this newness. I wish i could run and burn off some nervous energy - not safe. Back to the hotel to do some emailing while inhaling car fumes and cigarette smoke and very slow internet connection today. Brief discussion about Bush with a couple of locals in the Internet cafe. They all are angered at the lives lost and devastation caused by this administration. All over oil - it is apparent to them. In bed before 9pm. whew.

Patience is a Virtue
Mood:  smelly
Wednesday, July 28th
The good news is that my bicycle is here in the hotel with me. yahoo. The bad news is that it took 6 hours to get it out of Sky Cargo today. I shipped it freight because of the exorbitant fees they were going to charge me on Emirates Airlines. They only allow 20 kg and my two bags weigh in at a measly 37 kg. Anyway, the amount of paperwork took two agents 6 hours to weave me through. I can't remember how many papers that i signed and how many people i talked to. Customs is looking for tax evaders and drug smugglers, i think.

Anyway. There went a day of sightseeing. The streets are fairly safe during the day but i'm stashing my money in a vault when i'm out. Warnings are everywhere about theft. This is an extremely poor country and i am being very, very careful.

Tomorrow i have hired a guide, Ali, to take me on a walking tour of the town. I could walk by myself but the amount of hassling that i get from begging kids, hustling taxi guys and street hawkers just isn't worth it. He will shield me from a lot of that.

Another major hassle is that my traveler's checks from Japan are definitely not popular here. I haven't found a bank yet that will cash them. Luckily, my Magic Visa Card works in the cash machines. Ali will get a $5 bonus tomorrow if he can find me a place to cash a few traveler?s checks.

And the tale begins. I still can't believe that i am here. This morning i got up at 5:30 am to begin meditating and started the meditation by listening to the morning chant from the local mosque. What a beautiful way to start the day.

Trivia: It doesn't feel so hot but it was 86 degrees today with a low of 66 - that's comfy to me - 51% humidity.

Shalom Aleichem (peace be unto you) Hebrew