Tanzania

After leaving Malawi, we flew to Dar es Salaam (via Ethiopia again). The flights were fine I just slept and ate, we were lucky enough to have the long-leg-room seats on the first plane and I was by the window which was an extra bonus, on the second flight we had a row of three seats each. We arrived at 1.25am which seems to be the best time to arrive at Dar as immigration only took 30minutes (opposed to the 3hours the first time round). It is however the nicest visa in my passport-it even has my picture in it. 

We were met by a family friend, Reuben and his eldest daughter Rebecca, who we stayed with for four nights. Reuben runs many projects, he supervises a nursery where there is also a feeding programme, he has a small farm for producing food, mainly for the nursery, and he works at a school. We didn't get back to theirs until after 2.30 so it was straight to bed. The next morning we were up early for a two and a half hour long church service, the music was great but as the whole thing was in Swahili and I was sleep deprived from two late nights, I struggled to stay awake. It was home for lunch and a nap and then dinner and bed. The following morning we were up early to go do some work at the chamba, which is a small farm, we didn't do very much, just painted some window frames and bars at the farm house while the men plastered the walls. We had duck for lunch and it was definitely the freshest meat I have ever had, I know that for sure as I watched the duck being killed, I even helped pluck the feathers (for about a minute as it wasn't that easy). Definitely a new experience. As the sun was setting a bunch of young kids turned up, Lynsey had great fun chasing them about while I held and cooed over the cutest wee baby girl. The following day was more relaxed, we visited this woman who grows many vegetables, including orange fleshed sweet potato (most of them here are white/yellow), Reuben is interested in growing the orange ones are they are very nutritious and would be good for the kids. We had a lovely stroll around her plot which happens to be in an outdoor Museum of old tribal huts so it was a great setting. She was telling us that they have issues with monkeys who pull everything up, we even saw a bunch of them in action which we scared away, including a pregnant one and one carrying a tiny baby. The problem with them though is, if you throw stuff (like rocks) at them they just throw rocks back at you. We left there to go to tinga tinga arts, if anyone has ever watched tinga tinga tales it is the same style. After a leisurely browse we headed to the beach for a walk and some lunch.

On Wednesday we experienced our first Tanzanian public transport, the buses are much bigger but we spent the first one standing up squashed amongst many people, not much different from the London Underground really. People here don't seem to realise that I have feet - they often get trodden on - they aren't even that big. The second bus to Bagamoyo was much better, I had a window seat, ample leg room, no small children on my lap, no chickens by my feet and I wasn't even sitting on a metal bar, it was quite luxurious really. There are no bike taxis here (sadly) but there are motorbike taxis, I however did not get one in Dar.

Bagamoyo country club is lovely, we have a double bed with a walk in net each, a hot shower which faces the ocean, our own veranda and there's barely anyone here. It was raining when we arrived which was a bit of a downer but it has since been sunny, albeit a bit cloudy. Intermittent clouds are good while sunbathing though as you don't get so hot. The food is delicious and it is so nice to fully relax. 

Our first couple days were spent lying in the sun and taking dips in the ocean, which is warm and lovely. On Saturday we ventured out to go see the Kaole ruins, one terrifying motorbike ride later we were there. We had a chatty tour guide and tried tundo, a type of shell critter found on the beach, it was quite nice. We then headed to the town of Bagamoyo to have a nosy around the markets and a much needed fanta.

The rest of our time in Bagamoyo was spent soaking up the sun apart from our last day. We got a fishing boat out to this massive sand bank, where we snorkelled and walked in amazement on this massive sand walk away in the middle of nowhere, we saw waves colliding and then later expanses of sand in their place. 

Our last night will be spent in Dar. With Reuben and his family, I'm hoping for ugali (nsima in Tanzania/Kenya). I am really sad to be leaving this beautiful continent, I could easily fly back to Malawi for another stint on the wards at Mulanje Mission Hospital. This definitely is more of a tionana (see you later) moment than a farewell...