Tanzania reflection

I am back at work (already!!) reflecting on the past two weeks in Tanzania.

Firstly, it is amazing the difference between Arusha and Dar es Salaam!  Dar was definitely the big city, where Arusha was slower and more relaxed.  The close, muggy heat in Dar was not pleasant for us Brits, but I could get use to it and air conditioning made a huge difference.

I was grateful I was given the opportunity to visit Ngorongoro Crater and experience the countryside and wildlife up close.  Most impressive.  Hopefully, in the future I might be able to visit Olduvai Gorge, the fountain of the human race!!  I would have liked to explore Dar es Salaam more, but we did not really have the time.

Culturally this trip was wonderful to experience Africa and everyone made us especially welcome. Thank you. The students were great and I hope they enjoyed my lectures.  (They seemed to!!)  It is great to go to countries where many of our student originate and experience their lifestyle.  This helps us understand them more and will definitely influence my future teaching.

I look forward to further visits in the future. 

Final day in Dar - Fri 4 April

Just finished final lecture. Julie and I are now at the airport waiting to board our flight to Amsterdam, then on to Birmingham.

Am back in the UK.  No problems gettting back in!! Managed to sleep most of flight back.  Will update with a reflection of the trip later.  Now to rest!!

2nd day in Dar - Tues 1 April 2014

Its  1st April, and I'm missing my lovely Michelle's birthday. Happy Birthday Princess.

Just had breakfast and an back in room 113, and am about to start exam writing. Dumb ass thing of the day for me was i could not open the hotel room safe! Must have entered the door lock code wrong. Manager came and fixed easily enough, then i did it again!  All before breakfast.  So mister smarty pants felt pretty stoopid...Now i need to do some real work.

1st day in Dar - Mon 31st March 2014

Spent the day preparing lectures and dealing with work related emails. 

We were collected at 4pm to arrive well before our lecture start time of 5pm, except we were delayed!!! A 15 minute journey took just over an hour.   I have never seen such delays!! Cause of traffic jams unknown. Loads of street hawkers and beggars trying to sell all sorts of cheap tack and food/drink.  They have a sitting target with nowhere to go.

IAA Dar es Salaam Campus

The IAA building in Dar is unusual in that it is in two parts. Its also based in a shopping mall with a cinema nearby!!  The Quality Plaza as it's known.  Julie is teaching in one section, me in the other.  I had more students than in Arusha, almost thirty I estimated.

My Dar student cohort, all busy working on my workshop activities

We had a good session and I over ran, so they must have liked it.  Same again tomorrow.

On to Dar es Salaam - Sun 30 March 2014

We are sat at Kilimanjaro Airport waiting for our flight to Dar es Salaam. Took some photos on the way from the hotel to the airport. Its the first time we have seen anything during the day, as we arrived at night a week ago.

 It seemed very busy on the way to the airport. Plenty of markets open and people coming from church etc.

Did not get to see Mount Kilimanjaro as it was totally covered in cloud.  Its also about 70 miles beyond the international airport. This was the best view of the local mountains.

Uneventful flight to Dar es Salaam in a turbo propped ATR operated by Precision Air

On the approach to Dar es Salaam, saw the city in the dark and lights stretched out forever!! Its a big place as proven by the long drive from the airport to the Protea Hotel.   

The rooms are smaller, but fully air conditioned and this seems well maintained.  Here is some pix of my room.

Very comfortable, I keep tripping on the mat by the bed!!

Better sort myself out for the lecture now!  It is just work remember, but not as we know it!!

Cultural Heritage - Arusha , Sat 29th March

Finally delivered my last lecture session at the library building at IAA. Was give a warm send off by the students. You can see their potential, eager to improve their lives and catch up with us in the developed world.  It was worth staying up past midnight last night improving and refining my lecture and workshop materials.

Julie and I have a little time off now until our flights to Dar es Salaam late Sunday. Also Rochelle and the exam board returned to the UK late Friday night, so it is just us now.

We decided to visit the Cultural Heritage Centre, which is shaped like a drum, spear and a shield. It is full of African art and culture from all over the continent.

 Many very scary fetishes, which are statues of people with deformed or exaggerated body parts, or full of pins and piercings.  Much used for witch doctors and spiritual activities.

Some fascinating carvings and other landscape features.   The area was also full of craft and African art shops.  I bought some nice wooden bits and pieces for gifts etc.  Also bought myself a Boa game made of carved ebony. Beautifully made.  Its a traditional East African game, a bit like a cross between Backgammon and Ludo. Also called a Mancala game.  Look forward to having friends round for Boa!!!

More photos of Ngorongoro wildlife

More photos of lions, elephants, rhinos and hippos.

Zebra crossing.. our path

Rhinos in the distance.  Could not get that close unfortunately

Plenty of elephants, this was in a marshy area called the elephant graveyard

Pretty flamencos with the hippos

Where are my car keys!!! Ostrich with head in the grass

Female Ostrich checking out male

 Simba and his females hanging around for lunch around the Wildebeest waterhole

Politicians (or reporters!) wallowing in the mud!!

Our driver took us to this really pleasant lake area for our packed lunch.  Very relaxing and we got to see some hippos nostrils too!!

Plenty of varied birdlife too.  Not just flamencos.  Quite a few vultures too.

Once over the rim of the crater, which was very bumpy!  Stopped for a view of Lake Eyasi and the other volcanic peaks nearby.

There is a house on top of that peak!!  What a view!!

Headed back after that.  Bounced back to Arusha and we were in the hotel at around 6:15pm.  A full 12 hours since we set out.   The driver was great pointing out all the wildlife and was  good with a 4x4. My only disappointment was that we did not have enough time to go to Olduvai gorge, the fountain of the human race.  It was 40 miles further on the NW side of the crater and we just did not have enough time,  The driver said it is best to camp if going there. So now I have a reason to come here again!!