TANZANIA'S RECIPE
Preparing time:
53 days on spot, or 4912 kms travelled
Cooking time:
143 hours spent in 48 different transports
Ingredients:
1 plane
2 trains
4 buses
5 dala-dalas (minibuses)
2 boats
2 jeeps
11 taxis
13 badjajis (tuk-tuks)
8 boda-bodas (motorbikes)
Seasonings:
1 Swahili class imposed by locals at every street corner
2 Vodka shots as a welcoming to Zanzibar accompanied by strange people
120 chicken and fries
1 escort of 5 Maasai warriors on our way back to Paje
1 fluke to find ourselves in the middle of a political gathering during elections
4 exploded ears because of kids screaming their alphabet after the teacher
2 back and forth to the immigration office in order to extend our visa, including:
1 almost deadly trip on a 3-person motorbike without helmets
1 important degree of patience in front of authorities
2 visas finally too short anyway
1 immersion in a Maasai village involving:
10 wedding proposals
1 chicken attack
1 night shower with a bucket in the middle of wild animals
1 sleepover on a wooden plank in a hut close to 40°C
2 meals surprinsingly well digested
1 participation to the church celebrations wearing traditional clothes
1 2-day train including:
1 delayed departure of 2h30 in the middle of the night
2 good handfulls of cockroaches
150 wake-ups in the middle of the night by other passengers wishing to move in our cabin
1 good wood stick to block the windows from robbers
10 collisions with one pseudo head traumatism for Anouck
About 50 observed monkeys spiced up with:
1 intrusion of 2 baboons in our bedroom while we were there
1 stun chimpanzee on Anouck’s head
1 almost boat sinking
3 days of safari with:
1 visit of lions, hyenas and zebras around our tents
1 jeep flat tire in the middle of the savannah
1000 invading insects when the night sat in
1 summit ascent including:
1 overstimated guess of capacities
4 broken knees
1 avoided buffalos attack
2 moments of emotion (suffering & pride)
1 pouring rain on our heads
1 good flu before passing the border
1 very reliable covid test
26 hours of train crossing the country with a 25-hour delay
1 border crossing animated by:
1 fight with the Zambian authorities because of abuse of power (again)
1 swallowing up of pride to get to our ends
1 almost faint of tiredness
Method (overview):
ZANZIBAR
Getting enriched from the heavy past of slavery on the island
Impregnate from the cultural diversity of Stone Town
Enjoying the stunning beaches from the East and the tides from Paje
DAR ES SALAAM
Humanitarian mission in a school of the marginalized community of Chamazi. The details of this experience are available HERE !
MOROGORO
Day trek to the Uluguru mountains
2-day immersion in a Maasai tribe
KIGOMA
Crossing the country by train from East to West
Meeting the wild chimpanzees of the National Park of Gombe
ARUSHA
3-day safari including:
The Ngorongoro crater, registered as a Unesco heritage
The National Park of Serengeti to observe (among other things) the Great Migration, one of the 7 wonders of Africa
Mount Meru Ascent (4566m)
LUSHOTO
Hiking in the Usambara mountains, through local villages until the most beautiful viewpoints of the region
MBEYA & TUNDUMA
2-day trip in a sleeping train with locals
Crossing over the border Tanzania/Zambia
The bill (for 2): 3564€
Positive feedback:
A welcoming and smiling population
A diversified country regarding activities: stunning beaches, observation of wild animals, treks, local life and remote tribes
Breathtaking landscapes and once in a lifetime experiences
Cultural diversity and religious tolerance
Negative feedback:
Extremely costly activities (more than 66% of our budget for this country)
Long time spent in transportation (trains, buses, taxis, tuk-tuks)
Time management and their “hakuna matata” service (“slowly slowly”, at first it’s funny, but after 2 months we can’t anymore)
Redundant and not so healthy food
The city of Dar es Salaam: polluted and overwhelming
To go further and read the recipe's full details, click HERE !
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