Tanzania

Jumbo! says a large policeman as we pull into Tanzanian border post, caked in dirt and disheveled, having just emerged from the jungles of the northern Mozambique. I try to recall the little Swahili I learned from my guidebook. “Mzuri! Jumbo”… Seeing our sorry state one of the border guards offers to accompany me down to the Rovuma river for a little dip. I gratefully accept.After some paperwork and $100 for a visa, we are gleefully back on the road. After just a few days away from the ocean we already crave the salty fragrance of its warm waters.

We decide to push on to the coast and rest our weary bones in Lindi, at a campsite underneath an enormous, hundred year old baobab tree overlooking the Indian ocean. Next stop up was the island of Kilwa Kiswane, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a lesson in the history of Swahili coast. Today only a handful of small, but impressive ruins serve as a reminder of something great that Kilwa once was. And as we stumbled around in scorching heat through crumbling walls, we learned that back in the 15th century this quiet fishing village was a seat of powerful Omani sultans and center of a vast trading network extending as far as the gold fields of Zimbabwe and the faraway lands of Persia, India and China. The unique Swahili culture and language was born as visitors arriving on merchant vessels from southern Arabia and the Red sea began mixing with the local population, and then later infused with a sprinkle of German and English languages here and there. Islam was also introduced and is still a dominant religion along the coast. All of this was new and fascinating stuff to learn about the history of Tanzanian coast.

After a few days of archaeological wonders, we continue to Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. Unfortunately, we made an executive decision to forego visiting Mafia island, in favor of visiting a car mechanic in Dar in order to give ‘Barbie’ a thorough inspection, following our rough adventures in Mozambique. In Dar we were reminded about all the comforts of home, as we stayed in the residence of one of my MCC co-workers. We are also in Christmas season, and being away from our families brings on a melancholy mood.

We usher the year 2011 on the amazing beaches of Zanzibar, with some of the finest stretches of sand to be found anywhere. To many this island needs no introduction, but I must say that it is one of the most mesmerizing places I’ve ever been to. As our ferry neared Stone Town (center/capital of Zanzibar) its turquoise waters and skyline of rusty, yet grand Swahili architecture gave me chills. It is arguably Africa’s most evocative location. I spend a few days roaming its narrow alleyways, admiring its hand-carved doors, feasting on local delicacies at the night market and drinking an abundance of sweet sugar cane juice and delicious spicy tea. We then head to the beaches. A few places in the world can compete with the amazing colors of water and white sands of Zanzibar. So we unwind, swim and do some awesome scuba diving. The abundance and diversity of fish and superb visibility made it seems like one is swimming in a giant aquarium. Ohh did you know that Freddy Mercury was born and spent the first 8 year of his life on Zanzibar?

As hard as it was to leave the island, we still had a lot to explore as we continue to head north towards Kenya. From lounging on the beach we head into Usambara mountains for a bit of hiking. Cool air is a welcomed respite from the stifling heat of Dar. The views are beautiful and during a hike we come across a farm with fresh bread, cheeses and other delicious goodness. After a few days as we leave the mountains, I insist on taking a scenic route out of the mountains and promptly get us lost. Once again we find ourselves on the tracks which are absent from maps and GPS. Treading carefully we manage to descend and then drive on a dry river bed until it meets a road. Easy. On to Kilimanjaro.

As much as I wanted to climb the highest mountain in Africa, the average price of $1200 for a 5 day trek seemed prohibitively expensive. Its perfect cone was irresistible though and to experience at least some of it I coughed up a $60 park fee and did a day hike until the first base camp.

From the slopes of Kili to the of Serengeti and its classic African savanna plains that seem to extend as far as the eye can see. As we drove into this vast landscape, thousands upon thousands of wilderbeast were scattered all around us, some jumping across the road and some just a dot in the distant horizon. Soon millions of these hooves will begin one of the most dramatic migrations in the animal kingdom, as they stomp their way for the greener pastures of Masai Mara. Thousands would perish in the process, falling prey to predators, crocodiles and even trampled by their own peers - to witness this spectacle is once in a lifetime opportunity. Unfortunately, we were there during the wrong season. Serengeti is still a pretty fascinating place all year around. I spotted a lion all by myself. We almost hit a giraffe and at night, we timidly listened as elephant chewed on tree leaves meters away from us. By the end we stopped counting all the animals we saw.

On the way to Serengeti we passed through Ngorongoro Crater national park. In addition to boasting some of the highest density of animals, it is also home to the famous, and in the past much feared Maasai people. This pastoral tribe gained a reputation of ferocious warriors, and in the past were infamous for their cattle rustling. Today they live much like they did hundreds of years ago, apart from cell phones and few other tokens of modern life. They still spend much of their time looking after their cattle, which is the main source of their livelihood. Their staple food is cow’s milk and blood, which they claim gives them good health and a variety of other benefits. They still wear their traditional garments, carry a stick and a club, and have an enormous machete strapped to the waist. As we were passing the villages I decided to stop to see if I could trade my ‘Turkish Airlines’ blanket for one of their cool, bright colored check patterned cloth that they wrap around themselves. Surprisingly, my humble, dull looking blanket was liked by one of the Massai elders and he readily stripped off one of his layers and handed it to me. As always, these sort of interactions attract tons of onlookers in a matter of seconds. Since the old man didn’t speak any English, I striked up a conversation with a young guy. We talked about his village, the beautification scars on their faces, big holes in their earlobes, their spears. I then mentioned that the area where this young man lives is very beautiful, which somehow turned into a proposition to trek the hills around the village. I wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to hike around with a Maasai warrior. So we set off for a very long walk, as our new friend pointed out elephants who unbeknownst to me were lurking surprisingly close, told unbelievable stories of killing lions that threatened his cattle, described fascinating Maasai customs and taught us about the medicinal and other practical uses of every plant that we passed by. I tried spear throwing, and a bit of traditional Maasai dancing and learned a whole lot about the world that is so drastically different from mine.

The last stop in Tanzania was Lake Victoria - the largest in Africa and 2nd largest fresh-water lake in the world. Although the lake’s waters were very tempting, we were kept at bay by the swarms of mosquitoes, lake flies and some mysterious lake disease which name I could not pronounce. I managed to meet a local businessman who ran a small gold mine and true to local hospitality ways was invited to tour his budding enterprise. This was a somber experience, a reminder that beyond striking landscapes and stunning beaches Tanzania remained a poverty-stricken nation with people laboring in the most horrific conditions.

After 3 months I am back to Tanzania for some more adventures. This time we explored a lot less touristy side of the country. In fact, with exception of occasional NGO workers I didn't see any other travelers for the 2 weeks I spent in western Tanzania.