Hey whoever's reading.
Well, I'm in Tanzania now. After my last post I went to Mombasa to try to get a bus to Arusha (Tanzania), but the bus had already left and I couldn't get another one until the morning after. I just felt like i had to leave Kenya, though, so I got on a van headed to Tanga (a coastal town in Tanzania). The driver was waiting until the van filled to leave. This meant that 2 ladies had been waiting for 3 hours already to get to Tanga. I waited about 1 1/2 hours in all, some of which I spent sleeping. When I woke up I noticed a full bus and some guys that looked urban/rasta climbing onto our van. I then come to learn that the guy with the dreadlocks is Juma Nature - a well known Bongo Flavor hip hop artist from Dar Es Saalam. So we rode together and talked a bit. We got preferential treatment at borders and he got some free food; so, overall, it was enjoyable.
Umm, i was going to write more, but I don't feel like I have a strong message right now, so I'm just going to say, to fam and all I'm here safe in Arusha, I'm going to go to Nkungi (the village where I worked last summer) on Monday and I might push my ticket back by a month or so and travel more in Africa. I have found it much easier to meet people in Arusha and I've met some cool foreigners and locals (I got to drive one of my Tanzanian friend's car last night as we went hunting for vittles sate our alcohol fueled appetites). I ate some fries cooked with eggs and some grilled meat that was being cooked on the side of the road. I rarely eat vegetables here. I can't wait to go to the village where I can cook my own food! I just got a Salman Rushdie book from a backpacker, which is nice 'cause I already finished both novels I brought with me.
I'm a little hungover from last night.
"Feel like my head a toxic waste" - Chingy
Tim
4 comments:
Rock on, bro-in-law. I hope you have enough sublime experiences to compensate for the frustrations. I empathize with some of the exasperation you expressed in the last post, though I'm not claiming to have experienced the same extent of manipulation that you reported experiencing. But I've been befriended while traveling only to then be asked for money, have been accosted by gypsy fortune tellers in Europe, or (as Alicia mentioned in her comment) just plain scammed. I remember once I was with a bunch of friends in Savannah, Georgia and was disappointed that, upon entering a cathedral, they let a man start giving them information and a bit of a tour. I was upset because based on my experience overseas, if someone comes up and starts telling you information, they will definitely be seeking money later. But after being annoyed throughout the entire information session (since I thought my friends were putting us further in debt through their many questions), I went up to the man afterwards to offer some money and he was genuinely a bit offended. He said that he was a volunteer and that if I insisted on giving something I could put money in the church's collection box. That refreshing experience probably made me more frustrated at the way my past experiences had made me so distrustful of friendly people in touristy areas. So try not to get too jaded!
Peace.
Re: John's post, for the record, I think that I was probably one of the ones who kept asking questions, even after having been through a lot of the same experiences John had.... though I think I was a little worried we'd have to pay the guy as well....
Anyway, glad to hear Tanzania is more enjoyable. Love you!
still waiting for the next evidence of Tim....
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