Long hard ride in to Tanzania

Tuesday 25th June

A very early start this morning to be on the road by 7. It was still dark when we got up and we had to contend with power blackouts as we showered and packed. Thought we might have an issue with paying bills by credit card with no power but was all good.

Two hours drive to the Tanzanian border where we had to show yellow fever cards ( bit of stress as our cards say valid for 10 years and they were done in 2006. The vaccine is good for life though so it was no drama.) At immigration they asked how long we are going to be in Tanzania and where we are staying - I had no real idea, just going where the tour takes me. The immigration guys were obviously in a good mood and not too fussed about the cards being done in full.

We switched vehicles and guides at the border - our new guide is Ali (sp?). He's going to take a bit of warming up to our fun group. We travelled on to the Nooro Waterfalls. This had been listed as a moderately strenuous walk. Ha! This was a serious walk, steep downhill, big steps, and a bit slippery to the waterfall. I wussed out at about halfway as the knees weren't really happy. The rest of the group felt I'd made the right decision as it got worse from there on.

The hotel had packed us boxed lunches for the day so we sat at the picnic area at the top of the Falls and enjoyed a relaxing lunch. There was so much food though - all of us were able to pass on what we wouldn't be eating to the guys who ran the souvenir shop at the top of the falls.

Mt Kilimanjaro -
shot taken from the border. 

A chameleon.

Lovely picnic lunch.

After lunch we continued on to Arusha - a 4 hr trip though only about 200k. The speed limits are very low and the roads are really awful. Lots of speed humps preceded by serious ripple strips, low speed limits, and a lot of police on the roads pulling over traffic for whatever reason. Lots of trucks and often there was just a long string of traffic crawling along behind the trucks. No one was keen to pass in case there were police waiting just over the crest. Thankfully our driver seemed to do the correct thing. 

We passed through a number of smaller villages where the market stalls along the main road were selling mostly bananas and avocado. These market stalls and shops very much reminded me of Bali in the 1980s. 

Resting his eyes. 

Strong ladies.

But I only want two bananas. 

We are now at our hotel in Arusha for one night. We've just enjoyed a lovely dinner (mostly Indian food); probably the best meal I've had since we've been away.