Sunday, September 27, 2015

Travelling Hopefully - Hot Showers and Political Announcements on a Mountainside

Leaving the Serengeti behind us our next destination was the slopes of Kilimanjaro, or at least, slopes adjacent to the slopes of Kilimanjaro.  Our journey to the lumpier parts of Tanzania involved a dramatic change of scenery from dust, grasslands and acacia trees to hills, lush trees and generally greenness.  Plus a fair amount of water.  With fertile soil and decent rainfall this should be one of the more affluent parts of Tanzania but apparently the bottom has fallen out of the coffee market recently (god knows I'm doing my bit).  A guide mentioned that farmers were only getting US$2 a kilogramme at the moment rather than the more typical five.  At two dollars a kilogram not even Tanzanian farmers can make a go of coffee production and a lot of farmers are cutting back their coffee crops for more subsistence products.

We climbed (or rather the vehicle climbed, we just sat around) up narrow "roads" through a straggling mountain village/farming area/scene of natural beauty until we reached our campsite where we were welcomed by a friendly goat.  There was also a cow but we were informed that it wasn't so friendly.  Apparently tourists used to be able to milk it but lately the cow had put its hoof down in no uncertain terms.  I suspect it had been inexpertly milked once too often and the sight of a white face approaching made it tremble for its udders.

Still the camp was great and stood out for one particular reason.  There on a mountainside in Tanzania in close proximity to a friendly goat and a surly cow I had the first hot shower since I arrived in Africa.  Oh yes and the scenery was beautiful, nature walk, local guides blah blah blah.  The point is I had a hot shower!!

The next day we wandered upwards in the hopes of gaining sight (and possibly photographs) of Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.  We were warned that mist might spoil the party but as it turned we got great shots (or, if you're me, mediocre shots) of Kilimanjaro still with its crown of snow despite its proximity to the equator.

On the way back politics intervened.  Loudly.  A four wheel drive emblazoned with party colours and generously equipped with loudspeakers bounced along the track.  Sitting in the back was the hopeful candidate bellowing his political slogans and party platform to everyone within a couple of kilometres radius.  At least I assume that's what he was bellowing.  He could have been informing them about his unhappy love affair for all I know.  "Vote for me, my wife just left me for a dentist".  I can't say that he was surrounded by eager, politically astute Tanzanians.  It was Sunday and they were all in church.  Those of us in the area who were unregenerate heathens retired to a coffee shop before getting back on the truck.

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