With the necessary R&R complete in Zanzibar, we finally made our way to mainland Africa, our home for the next few months. Taking advantage of the brother-brother connection, we were graciously invited to stay in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial hub and former capital, for the weekend. With no set plan to see any sights of the city, we were afforded the opportunity to simply tag along. Aside from the God-send of having all of our laundry cleaned, along with unlimited shower opportunities and climate control at night, we enjoyed an itinerary-less weekend as we got a taste and feel for life halfway across the world, in a big (and getting bigger) city, in a beautiful setting, that few people could point out on a map.
In between crash courses on Swahili, African customs, books to read, scams to avoid, and overland routes to plan, we found ourselves at local music bars and Indian Bingo nights filled with endless plates of food and failed Bingo/Sudoku cards as we did our best to decipher what numbers were actually being called out. We walked dogs along the sea cliffs, coming to the realization that everyone around was deathly afraid of our new companions, making for a stress and hassle-free stroll. We sat down for dinner with companions and friends not seen for almost 4 years, yet didn’t miss a beat.
The highlight of the weekend was an all-day voyage on the pride and joy of the household, Mandy Lee. A ski boat resurrected from the depths after it was sunk my torrential rains, she ran like a champ (after a couple false starts), taking us out to the islands off the coast of Dar, to more crystal clear, turquoise waters, white sands and complete serenity. Obliterating all pre-conceived notions of what Africa, and in particular the city of Dar es Salaam, looks and feels like, we strolled on the idyllic island’s shores, cooled off in the waters, hiked to its cliffs, snorkeled in the surrounding depths (even through a shipwreck), and munched on fresh cooked calamari, spotting giant monitor lizards lurking for potential scraps.
Amply prepared for the long journey that lay ahead, nourished by the most gracious of hosts, we watched the sun set on a weekend we never could have planned…the kind of weekend you can only wish to have.