tanzania: journal

mwanza - 16th december

a massive storm broke as we crossed between rwanda and tanzania. it was the heaviest rain we had seen for a long time and thunder crashed above us. after clearing immigration and customs we took shelter from the rain in the land rover and waited for the obligatory police convey to leave. the road from the border appears to be popular with bandits, who are more active than usual at this time of year, desperate for money and presents for their families (so i was told reassuringly by the customs man). it was frustrating having to wait, we had a long journey ahead of us and we had forgotten that we would lose an hour going into tanzania. so what seemed like an early start was now close approaching lunchtime. we didn't want to be hanging around at the border. eventually there were enough vehicles to justify the one policeman escort who jumped into the flash looking landcruiser in front of us. we were off. well, the landcruiser was off, and fast. it wasn't long before we were on our own, the landcruiser way in front, the lorry behind us long out of sight. so we kept driving, keeping our eyes open but there wasn't anybody about. after rwanda where there are people everywhere, tanzania, particularly in the west, is empty. the scenery looked different immediately, flattening out, uncultivated and covered in low acacia scrub. it was so different from rwanda.

 
in the deluge, western tanzania

the rains kept falling, water was running fast off the tarmac'd road, ditches were flooded. instead of the scorched plains we had in mind we were faced with a scene more like tv pictures of the aftermath of a tornado. it wouldn't be long before the big red road on the michelin map would end and become well, we weren't too sure what after all this rain.

we pressed on as fast as we dared (which was more or less full speed), we had a long way to go and the accommodation options in-between weren't particularly appealing. the sound of the rain beating against the land rover's thin aluminium panels drowned out the sound of the now sporadically functioning cd player. the windscreen wipers flailed back and forth optimistically in the face of the fire-hose-like deluge. we shifted in our seats attempting to avoid the various drips inside the never-quite-waterproof cab. but despite all this, we were making progress. the arrow on the gps inched, pixel by pixel, along the little grey line that was the only feature on the small lcd screen.

late in the afternoon, we were relieved to finally turn north, off that long straight road, to begin the final leg of our journey. the rain had abated to more modest volumes and the red dirt road seemed to be holding together, albeit a bit slippery in places. it was getting dark when we reached tarmac once again, having traversed some water-filled ditches and bounced of some muddied banks whilst avoiding beleagered lorries. the landrover was splattered in mud of a variety of hues and looking not dissimilar to a piece of aboriginal art. our vision was narrowed to the smeary strip cleared by the wipers and the sidewindows had lost their transparency. we never intend to drive at night and this was probably one of the worst places in the worst conditions. but we had no option. there was no-where else to stay, we had to make the last 80 kms to mwanza.

 
the mud road held together, on route to mwanza

as the sun set we emptied a jerry can into the depleted tank, poured some bottled mineral water over the windscreen and went for it. we didn't get far before being stopped by a police roadblock. if it hadn't been for the tyre-puncturing spiked bar across the road, i probably wouldn't have bothered. the policeman seemed quite drunk and delayed us excrutiatingly, whilst attempting to impress on us the urgent necessity of getting to mwanza and the dangers of driving at night. i thanked him for his concern and tried to angle my head away from the muzzle of his machine, which was swinging wildly back and forth on the strap round his neck.

as we drew closer to mwanza, small 'suburbs' lined the road. driving became hazardous, somehow we made it through the potholes, round the people, passed the minivans and avoided the oncoming trucks with blinding headlights. we didn't take much persuading to blow the budget and check into the best hotel in town. when we finally relaxed in the restaurant, over a curry and a beer (stella even!), we could hardly believe we'd made it.

 
roadside life, mwanza

we had a few chores to sort in town before heading off to the serengeti. we wandered from the internet cafe to the post office to the insurance agent with considerable ease. no-one tried to sell us anything, no grubby children followed in our footsteps and no-one shouted mzungu (white man). it was a long time since we'd enjoyed such normality. we have since heard that diamonds and gold are mined in the area, as well as there being a thriving underage sex industry. this perhaps explains the presence of brand new, spotlessly clean 4x4s on the streets and perhaps the disinterest in two dishevelled travellers driving a filthy land rover. over the past months we had turned down countless offers to clean the vehicle. but amongst those shining 4x4s we felt shamed - the time had come. however, no matter how hard we tried, in a town where even spotless cars were being wiped clean, we couldn't get ours washed. people kept offering, we kept saying ' yes, clean it'. but they never did. maybe it was just too dirty.

tasks completed it was time to go. on our way out of town we passed strange settlements built into the sides of huge, rounded boulders. in the serengeti these mounts are called kopjes and are often the resting place of lions. i don't know what they're called when converted for human habitation.

we hit 50mph and experienced violent wheel wobble, enough to make us pull over to check the cause. upon jumping out we forgot about the wobble, a nasty metallic ringing was coming from underneath the land rover. the exhaust had come loose. it didn't seem to be something we could fix at the side of the road so we about turned and headed back to the land rover garage we had sighted in mwanza. it was with genuine kindness that the indian proprieter waived the cost of fixing it for us. there was still the wheel wobble to sort so we got the wheels balanced. we weren't sure if this would solve the problem, but seeing as all the wheels were out of balance it seemed a good place to start.

serengeti - 18th december

we entered the serengeti driving through the western corridor, a little visited area of the park with the exception of the transit traffic bowling through. we were hoping that our visit would coincide with the migrating wildebeest but to our disappointment, it seemed that the beests were still in the far north of the park. instead we turned our attention to sighting a pride of lions; despite all our forays into national parks we have found the lion to be the most elusive of predator. after several hours of driving our wish came true. as the sun was setting, there by the edge of the road was a pride basking in the last light of the day, seven in total - all female. they seemed blissfully happy, rolling in the long grass. when they're laying upside down, paws in the air, it is hard to imagine the lions to be the killers that they are. it was difficult to leave but as it was getting dark it was time to make our way to the campsite. we lit a fire to keep the wild animals at a safe distance. as we settled down for the night, we could hear buffalo grazing, we watched their movement in the beam of the torch, their eyes reflecting green. they were making their way slowly towards the car but it was not possible to stay awake to see just how close they came.

 
lions at sunrise, serengeti

this was our second trip to the serengeti. this time the experience was very different - both in accommodation type, animal sightings, numbers of animals, and nothing can really compare to your first safari experience, but we were glad that we returned and this time we were driving ourselves. the serengeti is beautiful, it is vast, it is nature. with just 24 hours in the park, and with it covering such a huge expanse of land, it was only really possible to drive straight from one gate to the campsite, then from the campsite to the exit gate in the south, bordering the ngorongoro conservation area. but we had seen what we had come for. that morning at sunrise we sighted a second pride of lions finishing off a kill. there were many lions sharing the remains - of what we could not tell - and then again, later in the morning as we circled the kopjes we saw a female sunbathing on the rock. the lions were not so elusive after all. now to see a mane!

 
on top with the firewood, serengeti

ngorongoro crater - 19th december

the ngorongoro conservation area borders the serengeti and it's a three hour drive to reach the crater itself - the largest caldera in east africa. the serengeti is expensive, the crater costs even more. the warden totalled the cost of entry, the vehicle charge, the camping fee - a total of $130 for 24 hours. as i went to hand over my dollars, he then asked if i wanted to go down to the crater. seeing as this is why everyone comes to ngorongoro i was somewhat surprised at the question. of course we wanted to go into the crater. that will be another $15 then. crikey. i guess it's what you have to pay for one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world.

we wanted to make it in time to do a late afternoon game drive but this wasn't to be. it seemed that the wildebeests and zebra were congregating on the plains beyond the serengeti; we stopped countless times to watch the animals as they crossed the road in single file. the ngorongoro highlands rose in front of us, created by a cluster of extinct volcanoes. beautiful and green we circled the rim of the caldera, making our way to the descent gate only to find it closed. whilst the park wasn't closed until 6.30 it transpired entry is not permitted after 4.00pm. it was a frustrating end to the day. when you've paid that kind of money you don't expect the gate to be closed. we made our way to the campsite feeling cheated.

 
watching the wilderbeest, ngorongoro conservation area

still there was fun to be had at the campsite up on the rim of the crater. the campsite was busy; overland trucks, safari groups and independent campers filled the site. taking heed of the sign that said 'no vehicles on the grass' we proceeded to set-up camp on the edge away from the said grass. it was a nice spot, away from the others and as close to the rim as you could get. having got ourselves set-up, the tent up, the bonfire ready to be lit and the dinner on the stove, a warden pulled up in his land rover.

'you can't camp here, can you please move.'

indicating that we should drive onto the grass. neither of us was in the mood for a confrontation, or for moving the car. andy remained facing into the land rover stirring the pasta, i pointed out the sign.

'no, it would be better if you moved over here, there are wild pigs at night'.

fotunately, where he was suggesting was on an incline and i retaliated saying that it would not be possible to sleep on a hill. with that the warden seemed satisfied, or more to the point grasped the fact that we were not moving.

after dinner we heard movement in the bushes. the torch came out and yep, there were eyes reflecting back at us. andy asked what it was, i said 'something big'. whatever it was, was moving through the bushes towards us. we huddled together, flashing our torch at the bushes. it was a large buffalo, very close. a friendly guard, equipped with a new machine gun, stepped to our side and kindly explained,

'if he comes, i will shoot. he is not coming.'

reassured, we enjoyed the close presence of the buffalo, who was merely seeking water from a nearby puddle. the other campers in their groups were oblivious to the close encounter happening just metres away. reassured by the presence of the night guard we climbed into the tent and closed our eyes. it was a crystal clear night, cold but not too cold. the stars were beautiful and whenever i stirred, i forced my eyes open to catch a glimpse of the night sky. it was when the sky was turning mauve on the horizon that i knew it was time to awake - the crater awaited us.

 
buffalo giving it the big'n, ngorongoro crater

we were the first out of the campsite and first to the gate. opening time was 6.00am - it was 6.15am the gate was closed, no-one was about. we were just beginning to wonder if there was a different descent road that we didn't know about when a warden appeared, apologising profusely for being late. i seemed to be causing some amusement as a woman driving a 4x4. it didn't take long to sign in and then we began our descent, using the low-range gears to crawl round the sharp bends leading steeply down into the crater.

 
flamingos on parade, ngorongoro crater

lake magadi glittered like gold as the rising sun edged over the crater rim. a light mist shrouded the plains and wove between the yellow barked acacias of lerai forest. the ngorongoro crater had not yet woken up. one of the world's finest game parks, legendary for its profusion of africa's most dramic wildlife, and notorious for the crowds that come to see them. somehow, at this magical hour of the morning, we had the whole place to ourselves.

 
zebras, ngorongoro crater

we were early enough to see the hippos before they retreated to the water, to startle the elephants in the woods and to see the condensation on the breath of the buffalo. as the sun lit the plains the other tourists came and 4x4s circled the caldera. the morning's misty solitude seemed as distant and unlikely as a dream, but the crater continued to deliver one delight after another; rhino, lion, hyena and a lake full of flamingoes. we didn't mind the other tourists, ngorongoro has more than enough wonders to share.

mto wa mbu - 21st december

we were so pleased we'd decided to re-visit the parks. the money had been worth spending, but it was over quickly too. from our previous trip to the park we remembered the villages that lay outside it. on our honeymoon, from the window of our land-cruiser, the villages had looked so ghastly, so unappealing and so hostile that the image of them was one of the biggest sources of trepidation when we were sitting at home, planning the trip. at the time we were already seasoned travellers, but we wondered how the villages would appear to us now, having traversed half the continent. we were soon to find out, as logistically we had little choice but to stay in one them that night.

leaving the corrugated dirt roads of the park, we were surprised to find ourselves on the smoothest tarmac we'd seen since egypt. we didn't remember that from before. we expected it to end, but it didn't. before we knew it, we were in the dreaded village, mto wa mbu. but it wasn't like before, the tarmac continued down the main street, interrupted only by an intricate series of speed bumps. the street was wide and the buildings set back, clean, bright and freshly painted. there were pavements. gone was the mud, the crowds, the market, the hawkers and the sneering faces. what had changed here, we weren't quite sure but it was certainly more than our perceptions. we were also a little relieved.

lake natron and ol doinyo lengai - 22nd december

there was another reason we had wanted to take the route through the parks rather than down the west side of tanzania. back in kenya when we had been perusing the guidebooks, photographs of one particularly striking volcano kept grabbing our attention. it appeared in all the books but only one of them mentioned the possibility of getting there, and that was on an organised trek that cost $200 per person per day. but we could see it on our tanzania map and what's more we could see a small white track leading to the side of it and continuing up to lake natron - another name that appears more often in captions than itineraries. this road didn't appear on the michelin map, so we wondered just how much of a road it could be. there was only one way to find out and that was to find it and drive it. it was a plan we'd had a while, but the time had come. the track started from mto wa mbu, we had to give it a try.

 
over the dusty plains, engaruka

the dirt road was in good condition and with the exception of a few muddy parts and streams to cross, it was an easy drive. to our west rose the crater highlands, a chain of large volcanoes, running from the ngorongoro crater at its southern end to the northernmost peak of ol doinyo lengai - the striking volcano we had seen in the guidebooks. it was hot and dry and bright, masai settlements dotted the dry plains below the green of the escarpment. cattle grazed in the scorching sun, watched over by young masai children with all the adornments of aspiring warriors. at engaruka, a dusty masai village, we saw one sign in english - 'cold cokes here'. we asked if they really were cold. the question was understood, but the reply was a shrug and wry smile. we drank two anyway, before continuing on our way to ol doinyo lengai; the masai name meaning literally 'the mountain of the god'. it was the volcano we had been seeking and it was truely magnificent. larger and more dominating than the photos could possible convey, the lines of its heavily eroded flanks accentuated its magestic form, leading up to the sheer grey rock of the crater rim. to drive past it was difficult, it was mesmerising, drawing our eyes from the road. again and again we stopped just to stare.

 
ol doinyo lengai, close to lake natron

beyond the volcano the terrain was increasingly barren. we drove  through the blackened gullies left by lava flows and over drifts of yellow sulphur. the heat and light intensified, reflecting off the lifeless rocks of the valley floor. in the distance lake natron shimmered, merging with the heat haze. its alkaline waters sustaining no vegetation, the pink smudged border of flamingoes was the only sign of life. certainly, we were in the heart of africa, but it felt like we'd journeyed to the centre of the earth. i was reminded of the film of the same name and thought that its crudely crafted dinosours wouldn't look out of place.

 
ol doinyo lengai from lake natron

at the edge of the escarpment, a stream sustained a few trees, some masai, their cattle and surprisingly, several very basic campsites. throughout east africa the masai are shrewd exploiters of tourism. it is perhaps this saviness, combined with the strength of their cultural identity, that has allowed them to preserve their cultures, traditions and lands at a time when many other tribes (or "cultural groups") are losing theirs. lake natron and ol doinyo lengai present one opportunity for the masai to get some of the vast tourist income that flows into the neighbouring parks. so, having paid our $60 entrance fees to the village, we stumped up a bit more to camp in a secluded spot near the river.

 
"andy, get down from there", waterfalls nr lake natron

the question that was on our minds was whether or not to climb the volcano. the guide wanted $90 to take us. not an unreasonable amount considering the treking prices quoted in our guide book, though still a good night's wage for a teenage masai in a small village - you would think. more of an issue was that it just sounded horrendous. start walking around 1 am (to avoid the heat of the day), walk in the dark for 4-5 hours over volcanic bolders and scree at an increasing incline and altitude, see sunrise, walk back down again. plus a chance of getting wet. on the plus side, you would get to see lava - yes, it's active - the views should be spectacular, and what a sense of achievement.

 
ears stretched masai style, mto wa mbu

looking at the thing didn't make the decision any easier. on the one hand it looked so awesome, you can't help but think, wow, i must climb it. on the other hand, looking more closely, it just looks terrifyingly steep, rocky and, well - high. periodically, the guide would come over to attempt to persuade us. inexplicably, i'd taken a dislike him, and his attentions were convincing me i didn't want to spend nine hours following him about. but in the end, the decision was made for us; a log cracked on the fire, a large red-hot ember shot out, lodging between bare heel and flip-flop it seared into flesh and rubber alike, sticking in place. the resulting blister, like half a golf ball on the sole of my foot, meant i wouldn't be going anywhere near a hiking boot, let alone a volcano.

arusha to dar es salaam - 24th december

by the time we reached arusha the land rover was rattling and clonking like never before. i checked the universal joints one more time - the ones that i'd checked in rwanda. this time though, i got movement. the rear one had gone, same as in ethiopia. maybe the suspension lift was stressing it unduly? maybe the rear one was more susceptable to spray and dirt? maybe the taiwanese replacement i'd used just wasn't up to scratch. either way, i spent the afternoon replacing it. it was easier the second time around.

we left arusha early. we had a long drive to the coast at dar es salaam. it was christmas and we wanted to be on the beach for christmas day. the land rover had lost its clunks, though we still had vibration through the steering.

 
bus stop hawkers

we passed first the spire-like peaks of mount meru, then on the horizon, faint but absurdly high, the distinctive mass of kilimanjaro rose from the surrounding flatlands, the whiteness of its summit merging with the clouds. as we drew closer the clouds parted and the mountain rose higher, its glaciers now visible, spilling down from the peak. we could understand why people wanted to climb it. suddenly we wanted to climb it. but not this time, we wanted the beach for christmas, not freezing cold, blisters, crappy food, aching limbs and not a drink in sight.

the drive was long and hot and draining. we were stopped by police with a radar gun on a dubious charge of speeding. the officer was very keen on fining us, but lost enthusiasm after a protracted debate and the relisation that i wasn't a  resident in tanzania.

after twelve hours on the road, we'd covered the 430 miles to dar es salaam and managed to locate the silver sands beachside campsite. the campsite was fine, but we were a little disappointed. it wasn't what we'd envisaged. in short, it wasn't tiwi beach - the campsite whose charms had captivated us for three whole weeks was only about 100 miles north or us. having seen a sign for another backpackers on our way up the coast, we decided to get back in the car and check it out.

the signs led us through the backstreets between the beach road and coast. we were about to give up when the revs suddenly picked up and we came to a halt. the wheels were spinning and we were stuck in some deep silty mud. i couldn't believe it. after all those muddy tracks and river crossings i'd been caught by surprise on a suburban street, pootling along, not even looking at the road, but scanning the houses for hostel signs.

in seconds people surrounded the car, crowding the windows. those genuinely offering help were drowned out by the sneering demands - "give us money!". it was an uncomfortable situation, it wasn't a good area and the sun was setting, it was christmas eve and the absurdity of the situation was infuriating. fueled by the fatigue of the long drive, i was angry enough to be oblivious of the crowd. i threw the sand-ladders down from the roof-rack, jammed them under the rear wheels and revved us out of the mud. the disappointed crowd dispersed as quickly as they'd arrived. leaving us to make our way back to silver sands where we'd now be quite content to spend the night.

 
exercising artistic license, dar es salaam

the camp sight looked better in the morning sun and we spent a pleasant and relaxing christmas day doing very little. for breakfast we enjoyed chicken frankfurters with our eggs; the closest thing to bacon the predominantly muslim area could supply. christmas dinner was fish, fresh from the sea, gutted and cooked by ourselves. there were no presents, but we gladly accepted some delicious christmas cake from a south african doctor, travelling north with his son. in the end, we enjoyed it so much we stayed for boxing day too.

dar es salam to malawi - 27th december

leaving dar es salaam, we needed to traverse the width of the country once more in order to reach malawi, where we hoped to spend new year. it would be two more days of long drives, broken by a night at a farm in iringa, the half way point. the roads were good, and the driving went smoothly. we passed through the alien regularity of vast plantations, watched elephants beside the road through national parks and criss crossed rivers through picturesque valleys. in the lowlands we sweltered in the tropical heat before the land began to rise and the air quickly cooled. by the time we reached the malawian border it was raining, pelting down in fact. we would leave tanzania as we'd entered, in the midst of a deluge.

 
the warrior tradition is still strong, lake natron

tanzania: accomodation

tanzania: other info

entry checks: $50 each for the visa (buy at the border), $25 to customs and $25 for insurance. watch out for the traffic police with their radar guns and ensure all your papers are in order. unlike kenya where the traffic police always wave a foreign registered vehicle through, the tanzanians will always stop you. if you are coming into the country from rwanda then there is a police convey for the first 150kms or so due to banditry.

costs: the parks are pricey: entrance for 2 people camping for 24 hours costs $130 for the serengeti and $145 for the ngorongoro crater conservation area; lake natron also incurs a charge of $50 for 2 people and a car for as many days as you wish to stay. camping outside of the parks is between $3 and $5 a person. diesel is around $1 a litre and beer about 70p a bottle and meals £2-£3.

money: in most large towns there will be a cashpoint which accepts visa.

must sees: the entire ngorongoro conservation area and the serengeti; the crater itself; the drive from mto wa mbu to lake natron passing ol doinyo lengai and masai villages along the way. the route from arusha to dar es salaam is also very scenic in places.