hey there! So after I (luckily) saved that last story, the power went out in the entire city and I was unable to get back online. Now it seems to be working, so I just thought I would continue with some random things from my journey...
Bujumbura and Burundi were amazing. Full of hills, I thought it was more beautiful than Rwanda and slightly cheaper as well. Although I would have liked to stay longer both in Bujumbura by the lake and in Burundi, they only issued me a 3 days visa and I did not want to pay to have it renewed. So I left the land of colorful women and strawberrys to Tanzania. I crossed by the Manvoyu border, after walking part way due to a truck stuck in the mud. I kept asking myself why they built the dirt road at a lower level than the hillside? this causes the rain water to get trapped, creating lots of mud and headaches for everyone. Walking through the forest we reached the border post, and it had some amazing views. Remote hilltops in rural burundi/tanzania, many touching the clouds. I would have liked to be a border patrol officer (if there were any) and do guard duty here while eating strawberrys and mangoes every day. After passing through the border patrol where the official tried to get me to change money at a terrible rate, I walked on through the mud till a matatu came whizzing past, unable to stop due to the mud. When it did stop on harder ground, I found out it was headed to Kigoma, the remote port city in western Tanzania where I was headed (for lack of knowing any other place in tanzania!) After a few hours in the van with double the number of people as seats, getting stuck every 5 minutes and pushing while spinning out of control on a road flanked by cliffs (and in general having a great time!) we made it to Kigoma. I was in a hurry, because it was already 4:30 PM and I had only 500 TzSh to my name, about 30 cents. I knew the forex guys would be closing soon (if there were any) and so I ran around looking for a place to change. I met Benjamin and Sigfried, 2 tanzanian guys drinking beer at a local pub, and after exchanging pleasantries asked them where I may be able to change money at a decent rate. They told me to find Mr. Sa'id at the supermarket 1 km down the road, and so I went there to find such a guy. They told me he would give me 1300 shillings per dollar, much better then what I could find elsewhere on the black market. But, alas, he was not to be found. I did find however Mr. Deus who was willing to change for me at the rate of 1310, even better! He became a friend and I have seen him several times since.
Now I have been in Kigoma going on 2 days, and I want to get moving already. I found out about a train which is leaving this evening at 5PM, so I went this morning with a friend to get a ticket. My friend is from Burundi, and is traveling back to South Africa where he works with his family who will stop in Dar Es Sallam, on the coast of Tanzania. They invited me to travel with them on the train. The station manager said that only 3rd class will be available once tickets were being sold. I am sure I can get a 1st or 2nd class ticket from one of the street guys who sell them at much higher prices, but what the heck. No one ever had a good time and a story to tell by taking the easy road! (ok maybe not true, but I have to justify to myself traveling in a cattle car here!)
So we are going back to the station to get a ticket at noon, because they will start selling around 3pm and they sell out fast. At 9am there were already hundreds of people waiting outside, but I have an "in" with my friend the Burundi guy, and he knows the station manager...
Anyway, more will come once I take this journey. I am sure I will have lots to tell!
Some random thoughts...
I love how mangoes are 13 a dollar here, and they are thrown away the day after picking, where the beggars will not even touch them. A land of flowing mangoes, pineapples, and bananas and we are sending billions of dollars in aid here every year?! I agree with Ffyona Campbell in "On foot through africa" when she says Africa should start sending missionaries to the west...maybe we will learn a thing or two.
How can a hotel room with 2 beds be CHEAPER than a room with one bed?
Why are strawberries only to be found in Burundi and not in the neighboring countries?
Why don't African babies cry?
The unanswerable questions continue...
