Tanzania Arrival

I am in Tanzania on the foothills of Kilimanjaro for a week with two of the ladies from the Mozambique team. We traveled separately since they are returning to Mozambique and I will be staying in Tanzania, just moving to Zanzibar. I am spending this week with Naomi and Deirdre from the Mozambique team talking with and visiting several development projects that use the same model that they are hoping to implement. We are visiting and asking questions of both projects that have been successful and also ones that have had a difficult time.

The following are a few pieces of my travel drama:

• My flights in Malawi went really well except that the air conditioning was not working and it had to be nearly 100 degrees on the plane. It was way too hot even for me. I don’t know how at that elevation you cannot get cool air.

• Upon arrival in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania I was able to successfully book a flight for the next morning to the Kilimanjaro airport. I had debated about taking a bus but after the 100 degree plane and learning that the bus ride would take at least 9 hours I opted for a very reasonably priced 1.5 hour flight.

• Arrived at the guest house and the caretaker explained to me in detail how to get out of the house the next morning since I needed to be at the airport at 6am. I even went through the process of locking and unlocking all needed locks.

• Did not sleep much that night as I was beginning to come down with a cold. When I went to exit the house in the morning I discovered that there was one additional lock that I had not been given the key for. So at 5am I was locked inside a house. After about 15 minutes I was finally able to get the guard’s attention and we were able to locate the missing key.

• Outside the house, the taxi driver was half hour late picking me up for airport. The guard that helped rescue me from inside the house was in process of helping me drag my luggage the few blocks needed to catch a different taxi.

• The taxi driver I arranged finally showed up when we were two blocks away. However, the police pull up right behind him when he stopped to pick me up.

• Driver claimed was speeding as he was late because he and his four buddies had to lift and move a truck that was blocking him in. After some yelling between driver, police and guard I am finally on my way.

• However we almost immediately pull into a gas station. Taxi is out of gas. I feel like I am a contestant on Amazing Race feeling helpless as the driver frantically pulls up to server different fuel pumps until he finally finds one that works.

• Arrived at airport, driver was making scene that I needed to go to front of security line. Finally got him to leave so I could breathe and patiently wait my turn in line.

• Flight to Kilimanjaro area was great. Much cooler than the one I had the previous night and I connected with the Mozambique ladies no problem.

It was cloudy yesterday and today it is raining now so I have not been able to see the mountain. It is a nice change to see lots of green trees and even cows. I am reminded of good memories of my time in Narok, Kenya as I see Maasai wandering around with their rungu clubs and leaning on their long sticks.