Tales of Tanzania – Part I

We bounce and bobble, with each eye socket overflowing with fine ochre dust. The suspension on this minivan seems nonexistent, and no less than 20 people are crammed inside it. I’m being used as an arm rest, with my rucksack used as a makeshift bag, probably a more comfortable one than the provided seating.

This would be our morning routine, as we bus it daily from Dar es Salaam to the Catholic Compound in Buza. On some mornings the dirt settles and our eyes are not bombarded with the fine sand. On these days, a slushy dark mud replaces the dirt road, as roads turn into swamps after the slightest of downpours. If lanes did not exist prior to this, each bus now swerves continually to avoid the quick sand booby traps. The bouncing motion makes for a perfect wakeup call and a decent full body message; however how these vans survive is beyond me…

A thirteen-hour bus ride follows our nine hours of flying. It’s day one of our new adventure, its day one in Tanzania, East Africa. Prior to embarking on our new voyage, heading north to Arusha we make a stop at the primary school of Buza, one which is still under construction.

RED… Yellow… Green sings a choir of synchronized three footers. Each kid wears a smile and is happy to digest the new word. Each seems baffled by the presence of six Mzungus, or white persons, however a new word soon re grabs their attention. The lessons this year are being held outside, as the construction of the new school is still underway. Each classroom will hold up to 40 students, which though may seem quite high, chops the figure of students in many of the other schools in half.

Arusha lies north of Tanzania, and is located near the Ngorogoro crater, a stunning dip in the Earth’s surface which homes a vast amount of African wildlife. After having lived on tiny snacks for the best part of the day, we decided it was time for some warm dinner, our first proper meal in Africa. Roll on the biggest mistake of my life: curry chicken for dinner.

All seems well in during the day, as we jump in a jeep and head off for a safari tour in the Tarangire national reserve. Upon entering we spot another jeep housing the dullest expressions I’ve ever seen in my life. How can one be so dull in Mother Nature’s garden is beyond me. We behave like kids on Christmas Eve as we finally get a glimpse of Africa’s Big Five. Hundreds of Wilderbeasts and Zebras eye us curiously, and as we head deeper into her territory, the excitement is soon coupled with immense fear.

A herd of wild Elephants spot our jeep in their area. We are now intruding on a gentle giant. The humble beast looks on while casting a cautious eye on its young. The ground and my heart trembles with each heavy step. The engine is turned off as not to disturb. We are meters away from a herd of 20 elephants, and despite having been sky diving before; nothing has ever scared me as much. We are in their territory, and nature can be very unpredictable. They cross the road, each swinging its heavy hips in a struggle to march forward. They appear relaxed, which is much more than what can be said about our platoon.

This was one of three close encounters with the elephants. Each herd seemed to be larger than the other, with each animal inspecting us with more detail then the rest. The animals seem friendly, however a quick glance to our right and the carcass of what looks like a giraffe reminds us whose territory we are in.

The shocking yellow fields, endless lush greens and pale blue sky make the perfect day for an incredible safari. At four o’clock probably the least dangerous animal we’d seen that weekend decided to make its presence felt. A painful kick in my stomach makes me long for the nearest bathroom, but here there are none, and as I lay down my camera back and prepared to jump out of the jeep, a set of cheetahs are spotted, a timely reminder of whose territory I am in. no wonder the previous tourists wore such dull expressions.

The next day promised to be just as exciting, as the crew and I were meant to set off for the second and final day of the safari, in the Ngorogoro crater. This time however, the only bit of wildlife I would be seeing are the dozens of mosquitoes in my tent, as the curry chicken from the previous night over stayed its welcome in my stomach. I won’t get into the details, but thank the staff in the camp for aiding me throughout the recovery.

A weekend filled with ups and downs it was now time to head back southward, and start a new journal for next week, until then, from Africa, it's goodnight!