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11/03/2009

It is overcast so no sighting of the mountain. We have a traditional English breakfast but before we can get going, the tree is brought down, right in the path we are supposed to take out of the camp ground.

It seems as if we are stuck and then owner tell us that we can stay the evening for free. We make ourselves comfortable and will spend the day schooling. At least Marangu hotel is in a pleasant area and they have all the facilities we might need, including a swimming pool.

It turns out that these guys work hard and fast. 4-hours later they have cut off sections of the tree with a chainsaw and pulled most of the tree out of the way. Although we can now continue with our journey we decide to go sightseeing and travel a few kilometres up the road to the Kinukamori falls. The falls is not particular high or spectacular but it is a very pleasant area and somebody has gone to some trouble to make it a tourist stop with all the indigenous trees named, proper foot paths and bathrooms.

One thing we have noticed is that the Tanzanian people inland are much friendlier than the ones found in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Everybody is much more relax and that make it much easier for us as well.

The evening is mild and pleasant and we bake some corn bread with lamb chops and ribs all washed down with the local brew.

Since the start of our journey we have all manage well health wise. I’m not sure of our mental health but physically we are in good nick. Now Zante has diarrhoea. Since the Saturday before we left Zanzibar she has spend a substantial amount of time in the bathroom. We have some medicine so she is coping but today is the 5-th day.

10/03/2009

We are on the way to Rwanda at last. We planned a 05h00 start but eventually get going just after 10h00 because there is more shopping to be done. We have a long way ahead as we are trying to reach Moshi which is 560km away from Dar. It does not sound much but the speed limit is as low as 30km when you pass through the villages and every change in speed limit is followed by these hideous speed bumps for hundreds of meters.

About 100km outside Dar we are stopped for speeding 75km p/h in a 50km hour zone. We know we were not speeding because we are behind other cars and they all pass. Eventually we insist that they show the radar reading and it clearly says 75.4 METER which is the distance at which he took his measure. We just laugh and the cops, now disappointed, tell us to go. My advice to anybody is never pay any bribe. Everytime you do it makes it more difficult for the rest of us that don’t want to pay. The only reason these cops are on the take like this is because they get away with it and it’s no good everybody complaining about corruption amongst officials in Africa and then contributing to the problem.

The road from Dar es Salaam to Moshi is one of the best roads we have travelled on in Tanzania. Although there are plenty speedhumps and numerous places where you are limited to 30kp/h the road is in good condition with no potholes.

The country side varies from coastal humid and green conditions to semi-arid and cooler conditions inland. After 540 km’s we are 1400 meter above sea level. There are huge pineapple plantations along the way and we also pass through a big dust storm with strong winds coming from the mountains. Once again there are literally hundreds of Baobabs along the way. I am so glad there is little use for the bark or wood of this tree because that ensures it’s survival. Anything else that can be turned into charcoal is being chopped down.

At about 19h00 we reach our destination. Marangu hotel from where we can see Kilimanjoro. It looks imposing and there is a small ice cap on the top. Tomorrow morning we hope to get a better view and post some pictures.

Although it was a long drive it was a pleasure. The car behaved well and I must admit it seems as if Toyota did a good job. May the good times continue.

Tonight it is Fettucini Alfredo a hot shower and early to bed.

09/03/2009

At 05h30 we are on the go. As the ferry back to Dar es Salaam leaves at 07h00. The ferry is packed but it’s only a 2-hour journey and we leave on time.

In Dar it’s off to Toyota to collect our car. Big problems. The things we asked them to do was not done and, with good intention I suppose they decide to change our brake master cylinder and the total cost for the service including this item? 1,600,000 Tsh. Yes, that is more than a million which works out to roughly $1400. Now we have a fight on our hand because I expected Toyota to at least phone me before commencing with repairs of this magnitude. Especially after I gave them my phone number and also went to the trouble of phoning them to find out about the progress.

Eventually, to their credit, they reversed the charge for the brake master cylinder and our bill is reduced to +-800,000 Tsh which is still a small fortune for a service but now our brakes are in super duper condition.

The other calamity we face is that in the 1 week we were away our auxiliary batteries run flat and our fridge and 40 litre Engel freezer stopped working. Everything has defrosted and the stuff in the fridge is luke warm.

We decide we will not leave for Rwanda today but rather return to Silver Sands to sort out our supplies.

At the campground we go through the meet and despite a slight smell the steaks seems to have ripen to a delicious degree of tenderness. I throw most of it, as well as the lamb chops, chicken and hamburger on the fire and after it was cooked we had a good pig out. There are plenty left over which is going back to the freezer for later use.

Our only loss is small pieces of fish, frozen eggs, a malva pudding, yoghurt and a few other items. The loss was not bad and after we cleaned the fridge and freezer and count ourselves lucky that our loss was not complete.

Another lesson was learned in that despite our 2 solar panels and 3 deep cycle batteries there is not enough power to keep the fridge and freezer going indefinitely.

We also receive another scare when the fridge seems to start up after we get going in the car, but does not get cold. Out with the tools and a few minutes after fiddling the fridge is going again. I am really getting good at this repair stuff.

The day is ended un a good note when we meet another French couple with their children at the camp site. They travelled from France through Marocco and then via boat down to Cape Town from where they took a similar route than us. Their journey is now at an end and they are selling their camper van in Dar before flying back to France.

We have a good laugh at their stories of how they are selling all their possessions before flying back. Having mini road-side auctions selling to the highest bidder.

The children also get on well and we all end up playing Le Boulles in the campsite. Afterwards they donate their set to us which we accept gratefully and promise to return to them in France. Now we have to make it.

Since we arrived in Mozambique we do a regular check on the Southern Cross because we know that once we pass the equator we will not see it.

Even now it rises so late that we miss it most evenings. The GPS shows that we are 6 degrees south of the equator.

08/03/2009

Today we leave Nungwi to return to Stone Town. We decide to do a spice tour on the way and for the trip back and the tour we pay 80000 Tsh. The spice tour is enjoyable with the guide explaining the details of all the spices found here. From vanilla pods to cardomon, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon grass and more.

The only draw back is that you go on an individual tour with your guide and his assistant that makes small articles with coconut leaves, like a handbag and necklace for the girls, and a tie and hat for the guys. There is also a demonstration of how the cocunuts are harvested by somebody climbing the coconut tree. Then the hands come out for a tip.

Back in Stone Town we head once again to Zenji Hotel and get the same deal as before. $60 for the night, including free internet.

For lunch we finish our cold fish from the night before and we treat ourselves to an Indian supper at The Silk Route Restaurant. The food is fantastic and as the last time we were here, the owner gives us a 10% discount.

07/03/2009

Another lazy day in paradise. We decide to take a walk to the “Aquarium” which is a hole in the ground with some turtles and a small dam with another 20 odd baby turtles. The price is $5 per person and we end up paying 15000 Tsh, about $12.30. It is another rip-off.

There is a guy selling sea shells and we point out 3 that we like. $15 is the reply. Too much we say and walk away. What’s your price? We say $1.

On the way back we are looking for the fish market because we want to buy our own fish and get the cook at Jambo Brothers to prepare it for us. The fish market is closed but a helpful guy finds another friend who has a huge deepfreeze full of fish. We buy a big red snapper for 7000 Tsh.

We also meet a local selling crayfish and we understood he wanted 6000 Tsh and we only had 10000. So we all go off to another shopkeeper to get some change but after the two of them exchanged words the price suddenly jumped to $60 for the 2 crayfish. We just laughed and walked away.

And then the best of all we meet somebody else also selling sea shells. He has the exact same shells as we saw earlier and the price – 2 for 1000 Tsh.

We meet a number of new people here because, although not full, there are quite a large number of people from Germany, Sweden and Netherlands.

They all seem to come here after climbing Kilimanjaro. We also meet a few South African who work in Dar es Salaam and visit Zanzibar for the weekend.

At night we enjoy our fish with chips and rice. It costs us another 10000 Tsh for the preparation and side dishes but it is worth it. For the 1st time this week we all eat till were full and we return to our bungalow with about half the fish still left over.

As a family we have started our own challenge to see who can buy the best, or most, of anything with $1. At this stage everybody is still playing a strategic game of waiting to see what the other guys are going to buy.

We have also met some really nice people from Europe that has said to come visit them once we reach Europe so we decided to extend our One Dollar Challenge to any person, group or company that feel like making a contribution to our trip.

It basically works like this. You offer us anything you want for $1. We decide whether we want to accept it and if we do then once we meet up we will give you $1 in exchange for whatever you offered.

Example: You offer to buy us a beer when we reach Paris. When we reach Paris and contact you we will exchange you our $1 for a beer.

Of course you can offer anything. Maybe a room for a night, a meal, a guided tour or whatever you are prepared to exchange for $1. Once we take you up on your offer we pay you $1.

If you have something to offer us please e-mail us on ericus@north-bound.co.za Keep in mind we are 2 adults and 2 children.

You can enter your own offer here. Just remember to send us your contact details as well.

We will display everything that anybody has offered us on this page and our heartfelt thanks to everybody that has taken the time and trouble to respond.

Play along. It can be fun.