There are two parts to this page: the
Travel Facts section, and the
Diary section.
Key Travel Facts - Details that other overlanders might like to know
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Not so much for Tanzania, but a general point for ‘high altitude’. Above about 1,200m our car begins to bellow increasingly black exhaust smoke. Apparently this is normal for older diesels as the air/fuel mix is not regulated for increasingly thin air. The exhaust returns to normal at sea level.
DIARY - How we're getting on, and what we've been up to
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Nights spent sleeping in proper buildings: Few. Back to the tent.
Number of punctures: None. Getting boring now.
Number of cock-ups: No. All smooth as.
Treating ourselves: Ruaha River Lodge. Beautiful.
Slumming or Adventuring it: Teaching at a Tanzanian school. Adventurous stuff!
TANZANIA
Driving into Tanzania we were treated to a fantastic view of Mount Meru, the smaller neighbour to Kilimanjaro. We had to push on past through to Arusha where we stayed at the pleasant Masaii Camp.
TEACHING AT BABATI DAY SCHOOL
The next day we were onto Babati to try and find our school and Help Out for a week - whatever that would involve. On route we stocked up on some art equipment, hoping we (well, Gina) would have a chance to teach some Art Classes.
We arrived in the small town of Babati, and after a panic phone-call to Jimbo back in UK confirmed that the school was indeed in the town (Babati district is huge), and that we were looking for ‘Babati Day School’. Asking around we were pointed to the school, and arrived to the terrifying sight of six-hundred secondary school children congregated in the central courtyard. We pulled into the school in our fully loaded Landcruiser and were hardly noticed. No. I tell a lie, in fact, every kid in that school began watching us.
We soon met Elias (our original contact) and Temba (aka Miss Food - she took charge of school catering), and Peter the Headmaster. We gradually became more comfortable as we were reassured by our new friends, and a plan smoothed out for the next four days. We introduced ourselves, en-masse, to the students who seemed excited or at least perplexed by our presence. We left our first afternoon convinced that the next four days would be totally exhausting but also great fun.
We spent four full days at the school. During this time Nigel taught some maths classes (he thought he was just sitting in) and observed Physics lessons. Gina organised some Fine Arts lessons which were offered to the students on a voluntary basis after their normal school day had finished - many stayed on for them, and it was brilliant to watch the enthusiasm and excitement with which they approached the subject. Their first lessons ever and they were soon measuring proportions, drawing in charcoal, and beginning to grasp perspective. Gina’s example drawings were apparently ‘perfect copies’.
Our timetable was busy (indeed, most days our only gap would be the ‘6.00 - 7.00 Rest at Guest House’ slot) and each evening we were entertained by either a teacher or associated friend. We had fascinating trips out to see the local dispensary, work done by the Sisters, and the local bookshop. We met many great people and will certainly stay in contact. We left the school having made many good friends, having learnt much about Tanzania and its people, and were genuinely sad to be moving on. Peter the Headmaster made a touching speech at our leaving party, thanking us for our contributions and coining us as “Generous and Simple”. We think this was a compliment.
Our visit was made so enjoyable by all the people who worked hard to arrange our schedule, and by the friendliness of all those who we met, so thank you to all of you!
NGOROGORO CRATER SAFARI
It seemed such a shame to be so close to Ngorogoro and not to actually visit it, so we re-planned our schedule and headed for the crater. The crater was stunningly beautiful and we camped up on the craters edge. As we cooked dinner, an eagle swooped down stealing some potato from the plate. A spotted hyena prowled around the camp-spot. We looked down over the view across the crater. It was beautiful.
Our game drive the following day was memorable, but as much for the setting and topography as for the game. We saw vast herds, mostly of Zebra, Wildebeest and Buffalo, and also a pair of Lions (soon surrounded by mini-vans). The climb back out of the crater was long and very steep - we understood why they insist on 4x4.
Then a long boring drive to Dar.
HICKSY AND MEGAN
We set off in the early hours from Silver Sands campsite to collect Hicksy and Megan from the airport. Forbie had different ideas and soon developed two new warning lights. The alternator had stopped working, and the fuel sedimenter would need draining of water. Hicksy and Megan would need to get a taxi - a great intro to life with Forbs!
Their, and to a large extent our, first day of holiday was spent at Silver Sands sat around the bar chatting and drinking sodas. We found it hard to believe that a whole day had drifted past, but it certainly had. The only action was to collect a new oil filter and a brief game of aerobie before losing it in the sea lest we become too active.
ZANZIBAR
Then off to Zanzibar. Arriving in Stone Town we treated ourselves to a Hicksy Tour, allowing us to switch off and listen to the commentary. Or simply to switch off altogether. First stop was the Italian Café on the water-front for superb granitas (slush puppies) and chocolate cake. Then onto the castle, the House of Wonders sporting the largest wooden door in East Africa, and the original site of the slave market for which Zanzibar is infamous. Our tour was flexible enough to accommodate a spontaneous hair-cut for Nigel, and then it was time to get a taxi out to our hotel and relax again by the sea and enjoy a few games of table football played quite ingeniously with a lime.
Keen to confirm that Landcruisers were the way forward, we hired ourselves a Suzuki Escudo for the day. It was not actually borrowed from the hairdresser, but could well have been. We set off along the scenic route for Nungwe at the north of the island. Hicksy’s zest for Slalom with the Pot-holes soon began to wane, and we were all agreed that dirt-tracks quickly become tedious. Anyway, we were never quite sure whether slalom involved weaving between or through the pot-holes. Arriving at Nungwe we watched fishermen fix their fishing nets, and had a look at the lighthouse. That was what the guidebook had told us to do.
On route back to our hotel the radiator sprang a leak and we stopped off to let the engine cool. Needless to say, three local ‘mechanics’ were soon on hand offering assistance, and confusion lead to one of them spending some time under the bonnet with a spanner. With communication failing, we closed the bonnet and drove off leaving a disgruntled mechanic behind.
Some hard bargaining lead mostly by Gina resulted in a free mornings use of the Hairdresser Mobile so we zipped off to Matamwe beach to sample the east coast. A simple excursion turned into a major logistical exercise after the BP garage failed to supply us with any diesel. In the absence of fuel, the keen and eager new-boy Hicks took the time to conduct an employee survey. Quite the Corporate Angel. We enjoyed the presumption on the part of our pump attendant that Hicksy too spent his time dispensing diesel back in UK. Our search for fuel climaxed as Hicksy went running off down the road to track some down, returning a few minutes later to explain that he had just bumped into yesterday’s disgruntled mechanic!
The afternoon was spent back at our hotel’s pool enjoying some more relax-time. No point overdoing things now. Only a short excursion to learn ‘Baol Game’ from a local, eventually. The game uses lots of beans, a ‘board’ with many semi-spherical hollows, and many quick moves. I made a mental note to buy a set for bean-counter friends. Our tropical paradise was finished off with dinner under the stars on the beach amongst the mangroves.
Our last day on Zanzibar was spent swimming with bottlenose dolphins, awesome. Despite being very nervous the dolphins even brought a smile to Megan’s face, despite the fact that our boat had a hole and was filling more than we would like. We would be told to jump in the water equipped with snorkel gear and follow the dolphins some of whom were very curious and would swim back and forth. Once they swam too far for us we would climb back on the raft/boat and chase them before being told to jump in again. The trip was excellent, there were about 30 dolphins and just the four of us, we were told that we were lucky as sometimes the dolphins swim away. This was a real high to end the few days at Zanzibar.
Following a secret chocolate cake (by Hicksy) we were back on the ferry and heading to Dar. The ferry was uneventful although we were never sure why 1st class was called 1st class as there seemed to be no difference except that the TV now had sound. Off the ferry and into a taxi, Hicksy couldn’t resist talking about the quality petrol available from BP, which lead to a discussion about cars and Gina could not resist but ask the driver which car he would take if he was travelling all over Africa. His response ‘not japanses tack tack’. Appaently landcrusiers only last 1 or 2 years. So Nigel proudly announced that we have travelled from UK in the Grandmother of all landcruisers and felt that he had won the argument, until arriving back at Silver sands to pick up Forbie and discover that she needed push starting. After a push from lots of helpers Forbie started and the taxi driver announced ‘see Japanese tack tack’.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
A long drive on good roads, and a shorter drive on not-so-good roads took us down to Ruaha National Park. We had heard good things about this park, and our guide books exalted its ‘wild feel’ and ‘untouched nature’, as well as boasting the largest elephant population in Africa - both in numbers and sheer elephant size. Megan expressed some concern about the size of their tent in relation to a large stumbling bull elephant.
Before entering the park we were surprised to stumble upon a large herd of giraffe right by the road side. Still in our early days we were all very excited by this viewing. A couple of days later, having concluded that Ruaha must also have the largest population of giraffe, we would probably have driven straight past. Well, you know what I mean.
Stopping at a ‘Hippo Pool’ on the way towards the camp site, Megan questioned why it was safe to alight there and not, say, ten metres down the road. She had a point, and we all stumbled to produce a satisfactory answer. Except for the fine that could be imposed outside the ‘picnic spots’. We headed on to find the campsite, and found that again exactly the same argument could be applied. The site really was Wild Camping, marked only by a Camp Site sign and a toilet hut. Buffalo grazed near by, and the site looked directly onto the Great Ruaha River, punctuated by many large ‘animal access points’. Deciding that the campsite might offer a little too much excitement for our first night, we went back to use the (free) public bandas which were excellent and still right on the river. And also unfenced.
Our game drives were successful. We saw more elephant than we knew what to do with (so we just sat and watched, sometimes quite nervously), all kinds of antelope, warthog, giraffe by the thousand, jackal and bat-eared fox. The most memorable will be rounding a corner to find an adult male lion sprawled out in the long grass right at the roadside. Most memorable for Nigel and Hicksy’s response of “F*** Me” said in perfect unison.
For the second night we set off to drop Hicksy and Megan at their luxury lodge accommodation before the budget travellers would return to the bandas. Whilst making arrangements at reception Nigel enquired about the price, and explained in a rather embarrassed way that they would have to return to the bandas - they only had budget for a fraction of the asking price. Much to everyone’s amasement this was enough and the happy party would be able to stay united. With Megan feeling pretty ill, this meant Hicksy would at least get some dinner conversation. We all relaxed to enjoy a wonderful dinner at the river-side dining area.
Leaving the park the next day Hicksy, with the help of the Lonely Planet Africa Health Book, was able to diagnose Megan’s illness as a case of Severe Anxiety. Of course this cheered Megan up no end, and we were all agreed that though it might have been a contributing factor some kind of virus or bacteria must have also played a part.
Soon we were back at Iringa and it was time to say goodbyes. Hicksy and Megan would brave the Scandinavian Bus back to Dar for a day at the beach, and we would head further Southbound towards Zambia. Of course we took the opportunity to buy a decent sized bag at the market first to load up Hicksy. A shame to waste those Big Buns.
A NOTE FROM HICKSY AND MEGAN
Thank you very much for letting us share a small piece of your adventure. Hopefully we didn’t disrupt your overland routine too much. Playing with dolphins off Zanzibar; candlelit meals beneath the milky way; close encounters with East African mammals (including dancing with big-bottomed indigenous ladies); the Great Ruaha River; and Japanese ‘taki-tak’ idiosyncrasies, are memories that we will treasure. We both particularly enjoyed our front row seats during your ‘friendly’ debates between travelling companions, and hope that your fun continues as you drive south in the closing stages of your journey.
HICKSY: “I hope your fun increases inversely with your latitude.”
MEGAN: “Hicksy always was a bit of a closet geek.”
HICKSY: “Shut up Megan.”
MEGAN: “Put your front teeth away Hicksy.”
Thanks again and loads of love,
Hicksy and Megan
xxx
Our next night was spent in an average (read grotty) hotel in Mbeya where the only thing of any note was the standard hotel sign reminding us that “Firearms and Explosives are not permitted in the hotel rooms”. Shame.