Thurs 19th Aug Penoni Camp, South of Tanga, Tanzania
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M&K and Erin went for a long walk on the beach and collected shells while we caught up with washing. Handed out some research questionnaires and chatted to a couple from Germany who’ve travelled since Nov and plan to do all the countries south of here for 5/6 weeks each before shipping their vehicle home to Germany. Shame!
So nice to be in a decent camp with proper washing facilities and ablutions.
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Was a really nice chilling day. Had surf and turf at the restaurant which was really nice. The camp was pretty full and the restaurant choc-a-block!
Friday 20th Aug, Peponi Camp, Tanz
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A Dutch family joined us, then about 20 minutes later a Chinese group and while we were getting the sail up, a Belgian couple eventually arrived. So we headed out at about 8h45. African time!
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Erin had fun swimming. M& K did some snorkelling with the Belgium and Dutch guys and saw a bit, but also got stung by what we were told later were plankton. The Chinese guys swam a bit mainly with life jackets. Then the most awful thing happened. We packed up to leave and the Chinese guys discovered they were missing 1 person. One of the young guys, must have been in his early twenties had disappeared. We had seen him swimming in long pants earlier and now he was nowhere to be seen. We stood up on the boat trying to see if he had snorkelled away from the island but couldn’t s ee him anywhere. The captain swam everywhere with his snorkel and goggles and eventually located him, but it was way too late. We think he’d probably drowned 20 minutes before. The Belgian couple tried CPR but he was long gone and already very blue. Mark and 2 of the guys brought him back to the boat and laid him in the hull under the tarp. It was very tragic – a terrible trip back. Poor people.
Back on land it took the police about 3 hrs to come before they could leave. The poor parents back in Korea. Apparently they were coming out to collect the body. It was a long afternoon and a troubling night. Didn’t sleep well at all. BL, the Muslim crier, seemed to call louder and longer – somehow despite the religions being different, it seemed fitting.
Sat 21st Aug Peponi – Drifters Camp, Pangani, Tanz
Were glad to be leaving! Got to the camp of a guy Mark knew / had met, Drifters near Pangani. Mark(?) Venter was in Zanzibar! Had a beer at the pub and Mark spoke to him on the phone, then decided to move on as there was no camp ground.
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Went on to Crab Camp which seemed to have quite a few people staying but it didn’t look that nice. Bought some coffee and spices at the shop then went back to Drifters where the guy said we could camp in front of the bandas as there was no-one there. What a pleasure to be right on the beach and have decent loos and clean shower – cold but clean. Got to lie on the beach reading my book– what a treat! How is this for a room with a view!
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That evening Ben, from France arrived. I think he’d been tipped off in the village that we were heading for Dar and he had to get there by Monday night to catch his flight home. Had supper with us – not sure when last he’d eaten! He’d come on the back of a bicycle from the village. He’d landed in Addis Ababa and backpacked down from there. He’d walked 90 km at 1 stage - in slops and had awful blisters, but said in a few days he’d be home with mum and her good food and care would have him sorted in no time!. He’d been thrown out of Kenya – well given 24hrs to get out or be thrown in jail for walking into Kenya from Ethiopia on a rd that didn’t have a border and not declaring himself within 10 days. Sounded like Ethiopia had been quite rough too. He was a really nice guy and was interesting to talk to, although he battled with our accents from time to time. His English was actually very good. He was about to start his final year of Engineering and travelled every holiday so had been to loads of countries. As his sister had an architectural practice in Switzerland - the highest paying country, he said, he only had to work for 1 month to fund 2+ months of travel during his vacs. Was planning a “World without wings” trip – no power used to get round the world – mad as far as I am concerned, but good luck to him, I’m sure he’ll do it one day!
Sun 22nd Aug Pangani – Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Did some rearranging to fit Ben into the back with Erin and set off for Dar. I think his mouth actually watered when we saw the cheese wedges and biscuits, so I think he thought it was Christmas travelling with us and Erin offering him food every half hour or so! She loved having him with us too as she had someone new to talk to and show he photos to. He was great with her.
We headed south on a dirt rd and made the mistake of taking villager’s directions when we were stopped at the various booms (that have no purpose other than to stop you). It was probably the shortest route to Dar by bicycle, but certainly wasn’t the quickest by car and the rds were shot!
Eventually got to Msaka and the tarred. From Chalinze we headed for Dar. In Dar we located the Shoprite and stocked up for the next couple of weeks. Had lunch at the restaurant outside. Not too bad, then headed for the ferry. Past the fish market which of course, didn’t smell too good, but didn’t have to wait too long for the ferry. No photography allowed on board the ferry or ramps....
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On the South side, tried a few places but not much luck. Was getting dark when got to Kim Beach. Guy didn’t speak a single word of English but found a page with typed rates. TS10000 pp was quite pricey especially for a hole-in-the-ground loo and bucket water! But there was no-one else there after the Sunday day trippers left, and a stunning beach. Pitched our tents. Only had Bin Laden the donkey who sounded very sad, calling that night but better than his human form!
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Mon 23rd Aug Kim Beach, Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Woke to a beautiful morning on a stunning beach. There were 14 dhows on the horizon sailing into the sunrise! Lots of photos taken!
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M&K had had a cooked battery the previous day so headed back to Dar to sort it out. We packed up slowly and then also headed back for the ferry. Didn’t have to wait long. Ben & I were charged passenger rates this time which we hadn’t been the day before – perhaps it had been a Sunday special: )
Took the beach rd to the Slipway Centre where Mark had been previously. Passed some beautiful places – many of them consulates. Dar is very clean and parts of it beautiful. Never found the university, so not sure what that looked like, but certainly the city and some suburbs are very nice.
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The slipway complex is right on the beach with some lovely shops – upmarket and crafters. Bought a few things and then found a divine restaurant overlooking the bay. M&K joined us and we had a lovely lunch.
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Said cheers to Ben who headed for the airport in a tuktuk and then went back to the ferry. We thought we’d try and find a better campsite (at least with the same beach, but better ablutions) but there wasn’t one, so we ended up back with the happy (not) guard and Bin laden the donkey. Having a place to yourselves – especially with a great beach and private guard who brings buckets of water for baths and doesn’t say a word, makes up for the “hole in the floor loo” and no running water! Had a great swim with Erin and then even washed hair in the cold bucket bath!
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Tues 24th Aug Kim Beach, Dar es Salam – Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania
Packed up and headed south for Kilwa. There is quite a lot of development south of Dar which is promising. Crossed the Rifiki River which has an awesome looking estuary on the GPS. Would have loved to have flown over it.
As always seems to happen in Africa, a perfectly good tar rd ends and is replaced by a rd “under construction” which means 1 bad detour after the next and just when you think there must surely be a tar rd soon the construction ends and is replaced with the old original rd which is totally shot and you have to reduce your speed from about 40km/hr to under 30km/hr.
Eventually got to Samanga and tar again. Kilwa looked impressive as we got closer.
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Only 1 place to camp in Kilwa Masoko – Kilwa Dreams. Got to camp right on the beach again under the coconuts. No ablutions so got to use the shower and loo in 1 of the bandas – no lights / hot water but at least a proper loo and easy to change after a shower. Were told though that the water was about to run out and more had to be bought in town – so use it sparingly – great! Howling gale too, but another beautiful beach.
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Were busy cooking dinner when Mark and Taryn Murray (the drs we’d met in Uganda) arrived from Dar. A bit later Carla and Raimondo arrived from Cape Town! Had supper and then the others had drinks with the newcomers. Erin and I went to bed after a fairly long day.
Wed 25th Aug Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania
The wind howled during the night but we woke to a stunning day. Had a swim and then the tide went out to about 500m away from where it had been. It was a divine walk out to the coral reef. Locals seemed to be pulling every living thing off the reef in the shallow waters.
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Found a few pansy shells which was exciting and Mark and Erin found a big cowry. The patterns on the sand were amazing.
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Was a really good morning. Drove to “town” to see about getting a dhow to Kilwa Kisiwani where the ruins are. Had no joy with that so settled for lunch at another resort on the bay. Beautiful spot although pretty pricey lunch – had whole tilapia (I think).
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Back to camp for a communal SA braai. Each lady made a different salad and it was divine to have the variety and to chat to new company – no offence to M&K – they felt the same! Erin had great fun with Taryn – got to jabber away to someone else who hadn’t heard all her stories. They had fun making scary teeth with orange peels and making vienna and spaghetti octopi! (will have to show you when we are back)
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Was a good evening despite the howling wind.
Thur 26th Aug: Aug Kilwa Masoko, Tanzania
Nice to spend 3 days in 1 spot! Said bye to the 2 CT couples. Mark and Taryn headed for their luxury hotel in Moz – which they’d won some time at, and Carla and Raimondo headed for their week in a hotel on Zanzibar – lucky people – next holiday needs to be in a hotel!!!!
Had a leisurely morning – got to finish my book – at last! After sorting out Keith’s fuel problem and trying to work out what the clunk clunk in our vehicle was (unsuccessfully), M&K did the walk out at low tide then went back to town to find the Antiquities dept where you could organise the dhow trip. We’d been quoted $20 (or was it $30) the day before at the hotel we had lunch at. Taryn and co had been the day before for $15 pp and we got it for $10ppwith dhow, guide and permit! Nice to have luck n our side for a change! Arranged with Jamilla , our guide to meet her back at the dhow at 2h30 and headed off to find somewhere for lunch. The guide book recommended the hotel next to the one we’d been at the previous day but they had 14 guests arriving – clearly far more than they could handle –so they couldn’t accommodate us! Anyway we left our car parked there in the shade and walked next door along the beach. Was a lovely setting to sit and work on the tan but lunch took forever and eventually we had to get them to phone Jamilla to postpone. Lunch was more of a rip off than the previous day with smaller portions this time. Can’t believe how these people have mastered the art of ripping the Umzungu off! We were the only customers but seems there logic is make as much money out of the few people who do come to make up for those who don’t!!
Raced off to the dhow! This one didn’t require any bailing en route, but smelt horrific. Erin went across the whole way holding her nose! Turns out it had just been resealed and they do it with fish oils – obviously very old fish oil! Anyway, it wasn’t a long trip and we soon exploring the ruins which were very interesting. Legend has it that they date back to 975 AD when the son of the king of Shiraz (now Iran) was shipwrecked on the island and liked it so much that he bought it from the local chief fro some cloth. Archaeological excavations indicate that the ruins go back to the 9th century but most of the ruins range from the 14th to 18th centuries. It had Arab, Swahili and Portuguese influences and the ruins are quite extensive so it was interesting.
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We walked from 1 end of the island to the other and Erin did very well. What kept her going, I think, was that the last palace had a pool – she wasn’t impressed when we got there and it was empty! What a beautiful spot though.
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We sailed back at sunset and got back to camp after dark.
1 comment:
Please tell Kieth I hope he had a good birthday yesterday,
You guys better be having a slide show weekend when you get back
Ray
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