The beach camp we stayed at in Dar Es Salaam was on a peninsular we had to get a ferry across to. A lovely spot and nice to chill in the sea breeze. The only problem was that it is too dangerous to walk outside the main gates on your own as several foreigners had been mugged by armed robbers. It was a little worrying at first since the beach is open and seemingly any old bod could wander past. However, we soon learned that the place was guarded by Masai warriors and nobody messes with them.
The lady who runs the camp with her husband also designs clothes and not having been shopping for ages I couldn’t resist a peek. Half hour, 2 dresses and a bag later I was satisfied.
In the morning we headed over to Zanzibar. A shortish wait at the ferry lounge with a dubious breakfast and we boarded for a 2 and half hour trip. As seems to be the usual with transport in many countries, more tickets were sold than there were seats. Luckily a few of us girls managed to grab a row of seats where many of the others left their bags for safe keeping. A few managed to argue with a steward and get seats in 1st class. I think the rest wandered about sharing seats every now and then.
Suitably seated and comfy I proceeded to listen to my iPod for the duration of the trip whilst the other girls nodded off. Becci, love her, felt very seasick, not helped by sitting right next to a door leading out onto the front deck with numerous kids trying unsuccessfully to open and close the door properly.
At last we arrived and proceeded through immigration at Zanzibar. Even though it is part of Tanzania we had to complete immigration forms and present our passports which didn’t take as long as some borders and soon we were off to our hotel and air-con! Yay! I was sharing a room with Maria-Louisa, had a shower and rest before heading out with a few of the others to Mercury’s bar (named after Freddie) for pizza. A lovely sport right by the sea and even though the pizzas took a little too long to arrive they were lush.
After being fed and watered the three of us Sams had a bit of a wander through the narrow streets of Stone Town popped in a few shops and got lost. Several stops to get directions and we eventually found our way back to the hotel for a short pit stop before heading to Africa House for sunset cocktails. Very nice.
The following day several of us went off on a spice tour while the others took the lead and headed to the beach where we would be staying for the next few days. The spice tour was very good and informative and also included some of the slave history that occurred on the island.
We arrived at the beach resort mid afternoon and were surprised at how nice the ‘cheapish’ rooms were and how quiet and lovely the area was. I’m not much of a beach person but a few days here was heaven. Just to be able to stay in one place and relax was a blessing and not having to get up at stupid o’clock and sit on the truck for hours of driving. One of the first things I did was have a pedicure and massage :-).
The sea was beautiful, aqua marine, clear and cool. As you can imagine a lot of time was spent floating in the
water and sitting on the beach. Some of the more active members of the group went diving for a day and others went snorkelling.
I opted out on both of these because I had discovered a little while before that I was pregnant. Blimey! Bit of a surprise and not exactly the greatest of timings but I was (and am) very happy when I found out. Time to change travel plans as I did not want to risk the baby and continue the overland or later the backpacking through India type of travel. May have been fine but you never know. Will have to complete that part of my trip in a few years and take the little one along when he/she is old enough. With kid will travel...
I decided to fly back to Ghana for a couple of months before returning to the UK. Several phone calls with STA Travel to re-arrange my flights and all sorted. Fly to Ghana just before Xmas then onto the UK the end of Feb. Now to try sorting visa on arrival at Ghana...this was more difficult than expected to say the least and wasn’t really sorted until the last minute.
So my adventure is completely changing and I’ll be embarking on a different kind of journey which I’m sure will also use up all my money. Lol. Happy days.
The relaxing time on Zanzibar was well received and needed by all of us but unfortunately couldn’t last. After
5 days we were heading back to Dar Es Salaam and the ‘don’t leave the grounds’ beach camp. It was to be my last truck meal and few hours with the gang. All a bit emotional to be honest. After spending 5-6 weeks with most of them 24/7 it was like leaving family. We will be keeping in touch and hopefully at some point meet up in the future.
I’d arranged a taxi to take me to the airport and off I went after sad goodbyes. If you ever think about flying out of Dar Es Salaam, don’t. It has got to be one of the most boring, basic airports I have ever been in. It was dark when I arrived so have no idea what facilities may be outside but once in through the door there is absolutely nothing. I had several mind numbingly boring hours waiting for my check-in with Ethiopian Airlines (changing in Addis Ababa). If it wasn’t for my iPod I think I might have just lost it and gone completely stir crazy and ended up in a Tanzanian jail for months.
Eventually I could check-in and proceed through to passport control and another hour or so wait. While doing so I just happened to notice my luggage tag and boarding pass were only as far as Addis Ababa. Strange...I went back to the check-in desk (passport control were very nice to let me back through) and everything was changed to head onto Accra. Phew! I still had no boarding pass for the second part of the trip but was told they would give me this in Addis.
When the flight was called to board I found out that it was probably the smallest plane I have ever been on, apart from the Cessna I jumped out of. A propeller style plane that I wasn’t sure would even get off the ground let alone fly to Ethiopia in 3 odd hours. However, my fears were uncalled for and after a brief stop at Zanzibar airport to drop off around 4 passengers and let one on board we arrived safely in Addis Ababa...all 10 of us!
On the down side due to the delay of the flight I missed my connecting flight onto Accra and spent several painstaking hours trying to find out if my luggage had gone on or was somewhere in Addis airport and arrange a seat on the next flight which was the following day. My luggage was nowhere to be found and I was not a happy bunny. With only the clothes I was wearing and a few bits in my hand luggage I had nothing and preceded to the hotel the airline was putting me in for the night. The room I was given did make me feel a little better...a very nice suite on the top floor with a huge comfy bed.
So having probably the best night’s sleep in months, I had breakfast in the hotel where I met a German lady would had 6 kids and worked for the UN and headed back to the airport to catch the plane to Accra. With the number of people at the hotel and on the shuttle bus to the airport, I have a feeling missed flights and ‘airline cock-ups’ happen a lot. I bet the hotel loves it.
Again several hours wait and at last I was on a plane and heading to Accra. Yay! It was my birthday as well. I can think of many things I would have preferred to be doing.
The flight was uneventful, however immigration and trying to sort visa on arrival was not. Immigration officers really do seem to be a miserable bunch of people. Eventually it was sorted after a $50 back hander and out to hopefully find my rucksack. It was there, yay! I was very surprised as I thought it was in that dark black dimension between airports where luggage disappears never to be seen ever again. Thankfully not so with visa and luggage I headed out.
So after 5/6 weeks of Eastern Africa, wildlife, truck life, camping and finding out I’m pregnant, I’m back in Ghana and it is good to be back :-)
Bye
Sam xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment