"World Challenge Expedition to Tanzania" Tanzania Travelogue by m_spirello

As part of a team of 16 people, I travelled to Tanzania in July 2000. I spent a fantastic month there engaging in all sorts of activities. The highlight of the expedition for me was the 4500m ascent of the volcanic Mt. Meru, with amazing views of the nearly 6000m peak of Kilimanjaro only 30 kilometres away.

The picture features a sunset photographed while staying in huts in the Ruaha National Park in the south of the country.

Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania 2000

We flew in to Dar airport from Heathrow via Zurich and Nairobi. The plane was full of nuns - a sure sign that our flight was doomed - but fortunately the aircraft landed safely after an uneventful journey.

Dar-es-Salaam was a total culture shock - but one that I immediately warmed to. I enjoyed the feel of the city - dusty side streets, constant babble, Coca Cola sponsoring everything in sight and the persistent cry of "You want safari?!" from enthusiastic street hawkers.

We stayed in the clean, mid-price Safari Inn where we arranged meetings with various, more reputable safari operators. After playing them off against each other to lower the initially ridiculous prices offered, we agreed on a trip to the remote Ruaha National Park in the south of Tanzania. We were supplied with guides, drivers and a suspect Chinese van in which we were to travel the several hundred kilometres along unsurfaced roads. We were told this would take about three hours....

Ruaha, Tanzania 2000

...after what proved to be an arduous 9-hour minibus journey through southern Tanzania in scorching heat, we arrived at the gates of the Ruaha National Park.

African Fish Eagle, Ruaha, Tanzania 2000

Although one of the smaller of Tanzania's many parks and game reserves, the Ruaha was well worth the journey. We stayed in small huts, known as bandas, on the bank of a large river where the animals come to drink. The first thing we saw on our arrival was a majestic African Fish Eagle taking off from a tree outside the bandas.

While in the Ruaha we undertook several safaris on foot, at one point standing less than 20 feet away from a pool full of fighting hippos.

The elephant pictured was photographed as it marauded through the car park at the main Ruaha Park Lodge which we visited for lunch one day. Elephant dung was to be found all around the bandas and proved an efficient fuel for our campfires. Two of our group were chased by a surprised elephant as they emerged from their hut to find it grazing at a tree in the middle of the campsite.

Igowilo Primary School, Mbeya, Tanzania 2000

We left the Ruaha and travelled to Mbeya - a principal town in the south of Tanzania. We stayed at a Christian mission called the Karibuni Centre - a pleasant, cheap hostel with the occasional cockroach, but nothing too offputting.

We had set aside a week to work in a school in the town called Igowilo High School. Our task was to supply materials and assist in the rendering of the central courtyard walls. We turned out to be hopeless at the assigned task, and eventually left it to the locals, who were much faster and more efficient than we were.

The project was not a failure by any stretch of the imagination, however, and the cultural exchange element of the expedition was one of the most enjoyable. We would stay up around the campfire learning Swahili and teaching the kids phrases from the Ali G show.

The High School was run by donations from parents of the children attending the school. Only the minority of children in Tanzania attend secondary school, so in reality these were the privileged minority. We went down the road to the state-run primary school - roughly 70 students in each class - and offered them some reading and writing materials and a football we had brought from England. The picture demonstrates the overwhelming response we had to our few gifts.

We left to a chorus of 'Innit!' and 'Westside!' and headed south to the Tanzania - Malawi border, where we spent a few days R & R on the beach at Lake Malawi.

Northern Shore of Lake Malawi, Tanzania 2000

Lake Malawi is a huge body of fresh water roughly the size of Wales, but with less sheep. It remains one of the most picturesque and relaxing places I have ever visited.

Eight of us were meant to sleep in a tiny room with three beds so I elected to sleep out under the stars both nights - the first night proved uneventful, but I was awoken by someone kicking me at 3am the following night to point out that the gale force winds and horizontal rain was not doing me any good and I should come inside.... it took my sleeping bag a week to dry out.

We took the opportunity to explore some of the immediate surroundings - taking a short walk through the nearby forested hills. The humid forest was full of life - butterflies, spiders and birds. We tried to reach one of the peaks pictured in the photo, but found this impossible due to the tough terrain and unpredictable scree slopes.

Lake Malawi, Tanzania 2000

The second evening, a local group put on a traditional dance for us. We sat round in a circle as the lads started leaping about and playing a stirring wardance on improvised instruments. Then, in true "Generation Game" form, we were invited to have a go - Rob and Penny took up the challenge and are pictured opposite being festooned in livery in preparation for their five minutes of fame...

Fully refreshed, we left Lake Malawi and headed back north to Mbeya where we boarded a bus bound for Arusha for the next stage in our expedition - the ascent of Mt. Meru.
All 4562m of it.

Mt. Kilimanjaro - 5895m, Tanzania 2000

This view across the clouds of the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro - at 5895m the highest mountain in Africa - was captured somewhere near the summit of Mount Meru.

Both mountains are extinct volcanoes - the remnants of Meru's last eruption exists in the form of the 3000m high ash cone. As part of our expedition, we trekked from the gates of Arusha National Park up to Miriakamba Hut, then on to Saddle Hut before waking at 2am for the final ascent to Socialist Peak.

Mt Meru - 4667m, Tanzania 2000

The altitude took its toll and sleep was difficult and disturbed. Some of the group became too ill to continue - one - Kieran - sampling the delight that is Tanzanian hospitals suffering from dehydration brought about by illness. To his considerable credit however, Kieran climbed the mountain two days after us after having been hospitalised only three days previously.

For those of us who made it, reaching the summit was one of those few and far between moments in life when determination and exertion actually pay off and the rewards become apparent immediately and overwhelmingly. We were not mountaineers, we were not super-fit, but we had achieved something fantastically tangible. I will never forget it.

Pictured below is the group at the summit - our guide was called Moses, but no burning bushes were seen and the only commandments received at the top were to drink plenty of water and put on plenty of sunscreen for the long, hot, hard journey back down the mountain under the beating African sun.

Summit of Mt Meru, Tanzania 2000

I intend to climb Kilimanjaro in the future. Any takers....?? Email markov_spirello@hotmail.com. Bear in mind it may not be for a couple of years yet.

Tarangire Tree Climbing Lioness, Tanzania

The Tarangire National Park lies to the south of Arusha in northern Tanzania. We stayed in the five-star Sopa Lodge in the very centre of the park. This was a complete shock to our systems, having grown accustomed to sleeping on floors and using small holes as toilets (they even had bidets!!) That night we had a proper 5-course sit-down meal with cutlery and bottles of wine.

I awoke in the morning to see a huge crowd of baboons making their way down the dry river bed running by the hotel from our window.

We then went out for a morning safari and virtually stumbled across the lions pictured opposite. They just sat in the tree, ignoring us completely as we used film after film taking advantage of this amazing opportunity.

The north of Tanzania is definitely more 'touristy' than the south, and there was much talk of the 'northern circuit' - the Serengeti, Ngorogoro crater and Kilimanjaro area - being exploited to the point of collapse by tour operators. No sooner had the lions been spotted, we were surrounded by several other jeeps and trucks loaded with tourists. This was far from the case in the Ruaha - its remote location made sure we had the place almost to ourselves. This is something to consider when planning an expedition to Tanzania.

Oh yes, and Grimbo got his hand stuck in the pool table.....

Stone Town, Zanzibar 2000

We flew from Kilimanjaro international airport (ominously abbreviated to KIA) in an Air Tanzania 737.

We were told that we were flying with Air Tanzania and the usual jokes were cracked about whether or not we had to pedal and who had got the ticket with "Belly Gunner" written in the seating column....

Before this flight I had no problem with flying, now I most certainly do. The plane appeared to take off without any problems, we then felt as if we were descending. For about half an hour. Again, there were nuns on the flight - we were doomed.....

Seated in Row 13, Nigel then found that if you pull the inner window a bit, it falls out. Instead of putting it back, he decides to give it a yank to see why the plane isn't depressurising. Thankfully, just when we're sure we can hear the whistling of air rushing out the window, the plane lands in Stone Town.

We began our R & R on the scenic island of Zanzibar with enough money each to stay in $10 a night accomodation and not eat. Or do anything. Thankfully, after much searching, and having to barter my Lonely Planet Guide for directions, I found a place that did cash advances on Visa cards. I took out £100 and hit the town.

We ate every night at a large open air market place where there were several vendors cooking and selling various food cheaply. Everyone went there, locals and tourists alike, and the food was fantastic. We met and chatted to some local kids, expressing amazement that some of our group "didn't like school" and asking why we travelled to Africa when we had so much back home.

Zanzibar 2000

We went on several excursions while in Zanzibar. The first was a Spice Tour organised by the locally legendary Mr. Mitu - sort of like Yoda dressed as the Pope. He was energetic and charismatic, and had been running Spice tours for over 50 years. We visited spice plantations, tasted starfruits, quinine and custard-fruits, visited a secluded beach and played about with some plants that close up when touched.

Colobus Monkey, Jozani Forest, Zanzibar 2000

The Jozani forest was our second day trip - immortalised in our memory for the taxi drivers insistence on playing The Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" over and over and over again in the cab on the way there.

On arrival at the forest we saw a group of highly endangered Red Colobus Monkeys, now only native to Central Zanzibar (pictured.) We wandered around the forest path, seeing more monkeys, and giant millipedes.

We spent that night at a bar on the seafront in Stone Town. I can't remember the name, but it was really good.

We went snorkelling on the last day, hiring a boat for the day for 13 of us - a grand total of $30 plus food. The coral reefs among the small islands off the coast of Zanzibar were full of fish and coloured plants.... this along with the crystal clear waters made for perfect snorkelling conditions.

That night, I splashed out, booking a double room at the Mazson's Hotel - air conditioning, balcony, proper bed, shower - everything you could hope for to end a month in Tanzania...

If anyone is going back there any time soon - send me an email - I still have the key to room 31 - I took it home by accident...

Ruaha, Tanzania 2000

When I signed up for the World Challenge Expedition to Tanzania I was told it would be a life-changing experience... Well, it has proved to be just that - I have caught a potentially expensive, if not fatal, travel bug.

Compiling this page has underlined, for me, what a cracking time I had in Tanzania, and how much I miss it.

Thanks to Kate, Macca, Nige, Damo, Sammi, Grimbo, Chungwa, Jon, Sticky, Ben, Dad, Andy, Kieran, Penny and Rob who made this expedition not only possible, but thoroughly enjoyable.

And I'm sorry about the meths.

Lots of love

Tim

tim_killeen@hotmail.com
markov_spirello@hotmail.com
www.markov.moonfruit.com