The stats:
Nights in Africa: 58
Nights in Tanzania: 45
Nights in Malawi: 11
Nights on Lake Malawi somewhere between Tanzania and Malawi: 1
Nights on the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania: 1Nights sleeping in a tent: 18
Nights with a shower: 27
Nights with a hot shower: 19
Nights with sit-down toilets: 29
Nights with electricity: 32Cheapest accommodation: Satellite Guest House, Mbamba Bay, Tanzania -- $1.20 per night
Most expensive accommodation: Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar -- $200 per person per night (includes transfers to island, all food, and activities)
Top ten highlights:
1. Meeting African people
2. Reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
3. Watching lions mate in Ruaha N.P.
4. Trekking in the Usambara Mountains
5. Watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean
6. Snorkeling on Chumbe Island
7. Kayaking on Lake Malawi
8. Paying 70 cents for a half-liter beer
9. Seeing animals all around us in the Ngorongoro Crater
10. Buying cheap and delicious food out of bus windows
Top ten meals:
1. The seafood market at Forodhani Gardens, Stonetown, Zanzibar
2. Prawn curry on Chumbe Island
3. Rooftop dining at Emerson & Green's, Stonetown, Zanzibar
4. PizzArusha, Arusha
5. Spices & Herbs Ethiopian Restaurant, Arusha
6. Everest Chinese Restaurant, Arusha
7. Convent, Rungwe
8. Q-Bar, Dar Es Salaam
9. BBQ Night, Njaya Lodge, Nkhata Bay, Malawi
10. Baraza Restaurant, Holiday Inn, Dar Es Salaam
Learning the Language
We found Swahili fairly easy to pick up, but we had some confusing moments. Early on, we discovered that my name, Mimi, means “me” in Swahili, and we had a number of conversations like the following:
Tanzanian Person: What’s your name?
Me: Mimi.
Tanzanian Person: Yes, you. What’s your name?
Me: Mimi. My name is Mimi.
Tanzanian Person: Your name is Mimi? Do you know what that means in Swahili?
Of course, this exchange resulted in much laughter every time we had it, and I’m sure as I walked away, they thought that my parents must have been some of the least creative people ever.
Along the same lines, on a number of occasions, when we met Tanzanian children, they greeted us with shouts of “pipi, pipi.” I thought that they had to go to the bathroom, but could not understand why they thought we’d want to know or be able to help them. Finally, we figured out that “pipi” means candy or sweets, and it made a lot more sense.
Click to see a list of useful Swahili words.
Accomodation
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The Outpost Lodge (Arusha) |
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Chumbe Island (Zanzibar) |
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Emerson & Green Hotel (Zanzibar) |
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Mtoni Marine Center (Zanzibar) |
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Safari Inn (Dar es Salaam) |
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The Old Boma Hotel (Mikandani) |
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The Karibuni Center (Mbeya) |
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Njaya Lodge (Nkahata Bay, Malawi) |
Restaurants
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PizzArusha (Arusha) |
Outfitters and Guides
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IntoAfrica (Kilimanjaro and safari) |
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Cultural Tourism Programme (Tanzania) |
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Elephant Adventures (safari) |
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Mr. Chimbeni (Zanzibar) |
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180º Adventures (kayaking in Zanzibar) |
Local Airlines
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General Tanzania Information:
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General Malawi Information:
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General Africa Information:
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Websites of people who we met on our trip
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Reg and Elise's Website (in French) |
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