Friday

We said farewell to Moses and Georgia yesterday and headed out to the Amani Childens Orphanage, and Friday to Machame for a cultural tourism program. Both experiences widening our understanding of the local issues and sustainable living practises in the foothills of Kilimanjaro...

Aukje
Mentally preparing for the climb up Kilimanjaro: we'll start tomorrow. I've been eating and drinking more than usually, but thats about as far as my preparation goes (aside from lots of biking last week) :)We went to the Amani Home for Children in Moshi yesterday. I am not fooling myself into thinking that we made a difference for those kids (who have formerly lived on the street) with playing soccer and facepainting, but it was good to see that the organisation certainly does. www.amanikids.org

Angus
Today, Jon, Dave and Angus visited the rural area of Machame, a couple kilometres away from the gate where the Kilimanjaro climb will start on Sunday. We learned about the local irrigation system - a long series of water diversions and collection ponds that provide water to all the homes in this agricultural community. Our guide also told us about the 8 types of bananas grown in the region - some are good for cooking, some for eating raw as fruit, and one is used to make an alcoholic beverage... unfortunately we did not get a free sample :(

The Machame area seemed very green and lush with lots of garden plots, banana and coffee plantations. Everything is fertilized organically (with manure) except for the tomatoes which are quite finicky.

We had a surprise after we finished a delicious lunch at a local's home. Our host showed us where her family kept their cows... indoors in a small barn with no space for the cows to walk around. This is apparently a common farming technique. The cows did not look happy...

Marius
Last two days didn't go exactly as expected. However everyting went well. Kids, at the Amani children house, they are very natural. They probably can give you more than you can give them... And today, findings of local culture in Machame brought up quite some different thougts... I don't know, a bit difficult to explain, but it seems that every culture has it's bright and dark sides... Well, anyway, we go for Kili tomorrow and excitement is already here! :)

David
DalaDalas! (Minibuses on a suger high!)

Daladalas swarm Tanzania! They are the local choice for fast, furious and "efficient" travel.
Each consists of... firstly a semi-roadworthy minibus, complete with colourful ido-syncracies, such as a wobbly wheel, no suspension, a tendancy to swerve vigoursly to the left..or the right, a bent axile, etc, secondly a driver (trained in the art of going as fast as possible around blind corners while passing, honking the horn as regularly and as loudly as can be achieved whilst being pushed out of the drivers seat by the shear mass of passengers to his left...and looking 'cool' all at the same time) and finally an extravagent attendent, in charge of packing as many humans (usually around 27 in a standard 12 seat van), goats, plants and objects into the machine in the shortest time, then hanging out of the carering buffalo (aka daladala) and shouting its destination at any innocent passer by who might be wondering along the streets of Tanzania. Inside one is immersed in a sea of arms and legs, smells, shoulders and bodies, all with an amazing ability to mold to each other so that 'just one more' can be accomodated. Just brilliant stuff - fast, furious, dangerous, colourful, fascinating and flavoursim - all part of Tanzanian vibrance.

Jon
A week in Moshi now, and "wow!", what a time it has been. As far as our objectives, these are being met, and we have had a fantastic yet challenging experience at the same time. I still have to slap myself in the face in the odd quiet moments and remind myself that I am in Africa. Viewing and experiencing a different way of life is always a challenge for me. It has been truely awesome being in the same place for a few days this week and being able to soak up the atmosphere of the place rather than passing through (although pole-pole 'slowly in swahili', pronounced polay-polay) on bikes, meet people and re-meet them again, rather than just once.
Next post, next friday...