Main Diary Page.  France Days 3 - 6.  Spain Days 7 - 17.
Morocco Days 18 - 45.  Mauritania Days 46 - 55.
Senegal Days 56 - 60.  Gambia Days 61 - 79
Mali Days 80 - 89.  Burkina Faso Days 90 - 93.
Ghana Days 94 - 138.  South Africa Page 1 Days 139 - 168.  South Africa page 2 Days 169 - 190.  Namibia Days 191 - 214   Botswana Days 215-242   Zambia Days 243 - 259   Malawi Days 260 - 266   Kenya Day 282 - 292   Uganda Days 293 - 313   Tanzania Days 314 - 326   most recent entry

TANZANIA

Day 267 04.10.05

Chitmba to Mbeya
Camped Karibuni Centre
S08 54.559
E033 26.630

Malawi claims to be 'the warm heart of Africa' which seemed about right certainly for the Northern half which is all we experienced.

The border crossing into Tanzania was slow but no problems and we headed for Mbeya.

We drove through lush and mountainous scenery with tea plantations alongside the road..

There is not much choice of campsites in Mbeya. We found our way to the Karibuni Church Centre where they allow camping in their courtyard. It is a Swiss run mission centre. There were 4 rooftop tent vehicles!

Travellers at Karibuni

Michael and Karen were staying there so it was good to see them again. Martin and Sonia from Germany had travelled down the route we are thinking of going so they were a mine of useful information. Roland and Brigitte also from Germany are travelling in a 110 they leave in Africa between trips.
The mission is a secure place to stay not least because between 11pm and 5am they let 4 large dogs run loose. They warn you in writing, so there is no misunderstanding, that if you need to leave your tent between those times you must get the night guard to accompany you!!

Day 268 05.10.05

Mbeya to Kisolonza
Kisolonza campsite
S08 08.752
E035 24.784

On the main road heading for Dar Es Salaam.
Kisolonza is just about the only place to break the journey on this stretch of road so no surprise that M and K and R and B were also there.
Great campsite with a restaurant we had heard about so we all piled in and enjoyed a three course meal lit by candles and warmed by charcoal burners.

Day 269 06.10.05

Kisolonza to Ruaha
Camped Tungamalenga camp
S07 50.104
E035 05.626

We all travelled through Iringa and then on a dirt road which had some of the worst corrugations we have experienced. We were heading for Ruaha national park.
Tungamalenga a great little campsite is outside the park so you can avoid the park fees.

Days 270-271 07-08.10.05

Ruaha National park

Ruaha is a large park with very few visitors and a lot of animals amongst spectacular mountains. Because it is so dry at this time of year most of the animals are along the river valley near the only source of water.
We spent 2 days here with all the usual suspects and some more unusual ones.pics

A little word in your ear

Little and Large

Do you like my wattles?

Are you sure you dropped it here?

We tried both campsites and each time had the campsite to ourselves.
Everything you need is provided i.e. a pile of firewood and a hut enclosing a hole in the ground. On the second morning a commotion woke us and opening one eye and pulling aside the window flap of the tent we saw that the sky was streaked with gold and blue as dawn was breaking.
In the trees across the almost dried up riverbed the baboons were leaping about in agitation making loud alarm calls while underneath a pride of lions strolled roaring, apparently, just for the fun of it. It was a sublimely wonderful moment.

Early morning lion

Dawn from the tent

Evening campsite

Later we watched as the lions all made their way along the riverbank and settled under the trees. Or at least we thought they had. Standing by the Land Rover I happened to glance around and spotted a lion crossing to our side of the river bed. It circled around us at some distance, up to the top of the nearby hill where it had a look around and then came back down and recrossed the river on the other side of us.
We ate our breakfast on the roof even though it had shown no interest in doing anything other than completely avoiding us.

Day 272 09.10.05

Ruaha to East of Mbuyuni
Stayed Baobab camp
S07 31.366
E036 35.997

Drove through beautiful mountain scenery.

Road to Dar Es Salaam

Good facilities at the campsite.

Day 273 10.10.05

Baobab to Dar Es Salaam
Camping Kipepeo Beach
Ferry S06 49.178 E036 35.997
Campsite
S06 51.099
E039 21.698

Finding our way around Dar Es Salaam was as confusing as it is reputed to be. To get to the campsite first you have to find the ferry!

Dar ferry

Eventually found our way to the campsite about 8k south of Dar. On the shore of the Indian Ocean It's beautiful, if a little crowded with an overlanding bus in.
There are 2 other Land Rovers here and we have caught up with Michael and Karen again. Wasted no time in having a swim to celebrate having made it across the hot dusty roads from one side of the continent to the other.

Days 274-275 11-12.10.05

Stayed Kipepeo

Kipipeo beach

Organising our exit from Africa we found a shipping agent who can organise shipping the Land Rover from Dar to Felixstowe in December and booked our flight tickets home for December.

We are planning to meet up with Martin and Debbie in a few days time as they are on their way down from Kenya.

Day 276 13.10.05

South of Dar to North of Dar
Camping Silver Sands
S006 39.321
E039 12.742

On the beach. Facilities past their best, staff very friendly. Ok as an overnight spot.

Day 277 14.10.05

Dar to Pangani River north of Mombo.
Camp Pangani River campsite
S04 06.39.
E38 00.200

Drove via Bagamayo. This has an interesting history having been a major staging post for the slave trade and then settled by Germans. Bagamayo means 'lay down the burden of your heart', the conscious act by the slaves of giving up hope as they left the shores of Africa. Now they have adopted the meaning to mean a place where visitors can come and relax. It does have a laid back sort of air and we earmarked it for a possible return visit.

Back to the main road via a dirt road with miles of piles of sand and gravel for road repair making the road single track beside a ditch. This was interesting when anything came the other way!

Road from Bagamayo

Once onto the main road we were back onto the racetrack for Tanzanian buses. These are the long distance coaches that ply the road to Dar.
Apparently the accelerator is bolted to the floor so they are unable to slow down for anything such as bends or villages or other traffic.
To meet one coming round a bend is terrifying as you see the driver clinging to the steering wheel and the front wheels are angled under the bus. It seems impossible that it can take the bend and avoid rolling over you! They all have slogans such as 'trust in God' emblazoned on the back!

Pangani campsite is an ideal stop over between Dar and Arusha, in a beautiful setting on the riverbank.

Sunset over Pangani river

When we arrive there are 3 Maastribesmen having a beer but their English and our limited grasp of Swahili prevent any great cultural exchange apart from general agreement that Kilimanjaro beer is a good local brew !

Day 278 15.10.05

Mombo to Arusha
Camp Maasai camp
S 03 23.076
E 36 43.189

It was so good to meet up again with Martin and Debbie, last seen in Mauritania.

Day 279 16.10.05

Arusha to Karatu
Camped Bushman Camp
S 03 20.725
E035 39.966

We head out of busy Arusha.

Arusha

Once out of town the road is surprisingly good as, together with Martin and Debbie we aim for the volcanic range containing the Ngongoro crater. This is Maasai country and huge herds of cattle stir up massive dust clouds. The Maasai culture revolves around cattle, as they believe that God created all cattle in the world for the Maasai to look after! Historically this has raised some interesting questions about ownership.

Cattle dust

The land is so hot and dusty that twisters are common, at times enveloping us as they swirl across the road.

Twister

Planning to visit the Ngorongoro crater we camp for the night 20 mins from the gate. Bushman camp is a lovely little campsite in beautiful gardens and very handy for an early entrance to the crater.

Lovebird at Bushman's

Day 280 17.10.05

Around Ngorongoro and back to Bushman Camp

Very early start to get best value from the huge fee to visit the crater. Between us we are giving a lift to Kennedy, an Australian backpacker.
It is very cloudy/foggy with limited visibility. The crater is the remains of a huge volcano and measures approx 9k to 12k across as it is not quite circular. The walls are steep and very high surrounding a flat plain with a lake and river. To reach the descent road we drive approx 20 k around the rim. As we reach the descent the cloud begins to clear and we get our first glimpse of the amazing crater.
The animals are small dots in the distance.

Young Maasai boys come up to us 'do you want to take photo of Maasai warriors?' they ask as they strike poses with their spears. We decline the opportunity of paying to photograph close up the pint size 'warriors'.

Masaai country

We have a great day driving round. We see our first Cheetah sitting, doing not a lot. We go to the picnic site to have a late breakfast and return to find we missed the cheetah making a kill!

Cheetah

Up to now in most of the parks we have visited, we have managed to avoid being with too many other people. However this is Safari land. Vehicles queue up at animal sightings. The vehicles are in radio contact with each other and if one spots something interesting they radio their buddies who hurry to join them.

As we were overtaken by two vehicles bristling with large radio aerials, in a hurry to get somewhere, we decided to follow them and hurtled along the track behind them with eager anticipation, wondering what their buddies had spotted. Was it a lion kill or maybe a leopard? Eventually they reached their target. It was the picnic site. Their passengers leapt out and hurried into the toilets! We consoled ourselves by cooking bacon and tantalising them with the aroma as we tucked into our BLT rolls!

BLT time

The animals have adapted their behaviour to take account of the many tourist vehicles. The lions, looking for relief from the burning sun in the middle of the day, know that if they lie by the side of the road vehicles will stop. Then they lie down in the shade of the stopped vehicle. When it drives away they move to another one!

Lion rearguard

Lion mudguard

The crater was a stunning setting, living up to expectations. It is an easily protected environment for the animals.

Buffalo lineup

Flamingo flypast

The road back up out of the crater was a rough muddy track that made its precarious way up the crater wall with stunning views over the crater. Low range diflock, 2nd or 3rd gear most of the way.

Ngorongoro evening

We just made it back to the gate before it closed.

Day 281 18.10.05

Ngorongoro to Arusha
Early breakfast before return to Masaai camp

In the afternoon I went with Kennedy to the United Nations courts in Arusha where the trials are being held of those involved in the Rwanda genocide. The process is under the auspices of the UN. It was a contrast to the generally tourist atmosphere of the town.
We sat in briefly on a couple of courts. The public viewing areas are separated by windows from the courtrooms and there is simultaneous translation from French into English.
In one the witness was shielded from view of the public. Before he gave evidence he complained of feeling unwell and eventually he was allowed to stand down in order to see a doctor. Once he had left the stand there was an interesting discussion about the difficulties of timings of the trials and the difficulties of locating witnesses, who often lived in rural areas, and transporting them from Rwanda to Tanzania at the right time so that the courts could run smoothly. The organisation responsible for locating witnesses had brought the 'wrong batch' and to return them to Rwanda and locate the correct batch of about 12 witnesses and transport them to Arusha over a weekend just wasn't happening.
In the other a Belgian colonel was giving evidence. There was some argument as to whether he could be asked for his opinion on what might have been the outcome had problems been managed differently at the start of the troubles before the massacres began. It was a fascinating glimpse into international judicial process. Just the small part we saw gave us a clear indication as to how these trials can take years.

to Kenya