We met our fellow travellers last night and they seem like a good bunch. We have a good mix of nations represented – Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Swiss and of course Scottish. We will be accompanied by our guide, Martin, our driver, Becky and our cook, Albert. Most of our day will be spent travelling across the border to Tanzania to reach our camp site at Mto wa Mba. It apparently means river of mosquitoes. Isn’t that just fabulous? Must make sure to put on another layer of insect repellent.
Our overland truck is very comfortable and can accommodate 22 people. There’s only 9 of us so there’s more than 2 seats each. Even better, the seats in the middle have tables with 4 seats around them like a train. I really like having somewhere to put my stuff and something to lean on.
It’s about 3 hours to the border. Most of us need visas so we get off the bus and enter a large building. We fill in a form. Then we queue at a window to officially leave Kenya – this requires a passport and fingerprint check. Next, we walk about 3 feet to another window so we can enter Tanzania. This requires another passport and fingerprint check. Three officials sit there. One looks at the visa application, one fills out a receipt for the $50 fee and one waits to stamp your passport – but only after you have gone along another corridor, into a bank, in a distant part of the building to pay the fee. It is a bit of a bizarre process.
Albert and Becky
We eventually all make it through. Welcome to Tanzania (Or Tan zaaaahn ia, as it is pronounced here) Half an hour later, we stop for our first lunch together. Everyone mucks in as chairs are set out, food is prepared, a table is set up and utensils and crockery appear. Everything is directed by Albert. He tells us that his first priority is hedging and it will be our first priority too. Nothing is more important because it affects our health. That’s when I realise he is saying “hygiene.” Looks like I will have to attune my ear to another new accent.
Hands washed, we are invited to make our sandwiches. There is a wonderful array of salad, chili mayonnaise, hot sauces, meat, cheese and avocado. There is also banana and peanut butter or honey for those with a sweet tooth. It is followed by fresh pineapple.
Ali, Natalie and Steve dry dishes with Imogen in the corner
Albert explains the system for washing up. Everything goes into the soaking bowl, then the washing bowl, then the rinsing bowl, then the sterilising bowl and is stacked on a drainer. Then the fun really begins. No tea towels are used as they harbour germs – the enemy of good hedging! So, we must take plates, cups etc and wave them around until they are air dried. At first, I think he is joking but he’s not. Before long, there is the bizarre sight of everyone flapping their arms and waving dishes in the air – a bit like demented air traffic controllers. Even more bizarrely is the fact that it actually works. It is not long before the job is done and everything is repacked on to the bus.
Mission accomplished there is time for a quick trip to the washroom before the Journey continues. Back on the bus, two of the girls mention how hard it was to use the long drop and they are really going to miss having a proper toilet. I suddenly realise that I hadn’t even noticed! Perhaps the African transition is complete!
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