AFRICA 2K - Afremail Update 6
To unsubscribe from Afremails, request by email
HOME | Exits | SIT | AFRICA 2K Start Page | Morocco | Madagascar

Update 1 Update 2 Update 3 Update 4

Click on country name for detailed route info

Final Update Update 5 Update 6 Update 7 Final Update Final Update

Well, I am back to where I started from five years ago.

...Somewhat long ago, circa 1996, in a land far away was the beginning of the end for Aaron's (that's me) New Hope. He went to Arusha, East Africa on the coat tails of a father's dream come true and realized one of his own. One of the most memorable moments of that trip was the eerie night when the plane landed on a musty, humid, dark airstrip. The touchdown was not the usual landing where bright lights and small cars could be seen during the decent. It was dark, almost completely and everyone wondered how the pilot could see the airstrip, much less how all were to get out of the plane. Outside, in front of the airport, dark faces haggled over luggage and taxis. But the most intriguing thing was not noise from the people or what lay ahead. It was the smell of slow decay and the chimes of bats chasing mosquito's overhead...

And so it goes. But today it is not evening, I did not fly in, and the smells are not exactly like at the airport.

I came in on a train from Kigoma, but that is way ahead of what has happened since the last Update. I think the last update I was just about to leave Blantyre. I took a ferry for two days and two nights from Monkey bay to Nkhata bay. Not much happened except Jon's shoes were stolen one night while the boat was in port, I bought a Hugo Boss shirt from a crew member, and a huge (3m) water cobra was attempting to get on board and the crew and passengers oared it to death.

Oh yeah and we jumped off the top deck (the 3 of us), about 40 or 60 feet or so, into the Lake. We go it on video as well.

We got off the boat and went straight away to Iringa. That is about 1000km from 10am to about 3am. (Don't ask me how we can do such amazing feats in Africa). Crossed the Malawi/Tanzania border without a hitch. And took Dhala-Dhalas to Mbeya. There were about 40 people in a car that is recommended to seat 15-18. From Mbeya, it was about 9pm, we hitched a ride in a double tractor-trailer filled with potatoes. We sat on the potatoes in the last trailer for about 5 hours. Dusty is not the words used to describe. But it was stretched out and there was no one else in the ride. That was fine. I can deal with the occasional cockroach walking across my face while I sleep, if it is spacious.

When we got to Iringa we set up tents at a Baptist/ guesthouse center that we stayed when I did the semester here. Then we woke up at about 7 or 8am and I went and got my hair cut. I don't know if any of you have seen my hair cut with the stripes but the idea and first cut originally happened here. The barber was a little hard to find since he moved but I found him and he did it again. I saw a few old friends and had more than a few drinks with Jon and Ryan at our favorite bar, the NEW LUXURY, where there is always a dead goat hanging inside.

We had originally planned to either trek from Oldonyio Longii (mountain of the god) to Ngorogoro conservation area (a huge collapsed volcano that over millions of years has turned into a natural fish bowl of wildlife) or reverse. Oldonyio is supposed to be one of the most amazing peaks-outs on earth. It is an active volcano you climb and walk across, but only before 4am when the sun and lava flows don't turn the crater a 126 degrees F. We didn't go. We decided instead to take a longer, arduous journey to Mahale National Park. Anyone know this place? Well lets just say the prospect of shaking hands with our closest evolutionary relative was enough to make me want to deal with the trip.

It sucksed, the trip that is.

IT BLEW CHUNKS!!!!!!!!!

I can't even describe it. There were to dead or rotting bodies (moslty non-human), way to close for comfort (literally) to write about it in detail. I am not kidding. One thing that was amazing was seeing the moonrise over the mountains, villages, and then the lake... I have never seen anything like it and probably won't again. We were passing by, on the lake ferry, which is an open rowboat, about 60 x 15ft with a 5 HP engine. You can see the shore and you can see how little outside influence these villages have (no roads, only the ferry once a week, and it doesn't stop for them). Tthen it gets dark. All you can see are huge blazing fires that drunken people set by accident or farmers set to clear the mountainside (slash & burn). Then this moon, huge, rises over the mountains, just above these fires. And it is blood red; I don't mean a little red, but blood red. Amazing.

BUT WE GOT TO HANG OUT WITH CHIMPANZEES. IT WAS AMAMZING!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing even comes close to the sensation of sitting with a group of animals, about a foot from them that are just like us. I threw down my water bottle to the group of dominant males and the one in charge took a stick, poked the bottle a few times and then put the stick to his nose and smelled it. He was thinking, not just acting on instinct or something basic. He had a thought process of curiosity and he wanted to find out what that thing was. He was asking himself not only questions about what was that, but how to touch it or smell it without actually touching or smelling it. It was insane. We saw them hunt red colobus monkeys, unsuccessfully, but close. I saw them eating and beating a tree squirrel. It really blew my mind, insane. Dr. Atkins you GOT TO GO.

The ride to Kigoma from Mahale was just as bad as the ride from Mbeya to Kirando to Lagosa to Mahale. More rotting and dying people. Mixed in with goats, babies, and assorted insects that disgust me (Hah!).

But, the train ride from Kigoma (on the north shore of Lake Tanganyika) to Dar es Salaam, where I am now was nice and relaxing. A second class cabin for six with only 4 people, restaurant car, drinks available (not necessarily cold though, can't forget that I am AFRICA) etc. Just like the way it should be.

HOME | Exits | SIT | AFRICA 2K Start Page | Morocco | Madagascar

Disclaimer	Site Map · Let's Help Africa	Contact Us
Tips for viewing this web site
© 2000 - 2006 ExitToAfrica.com