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Tanzania

Goldenmaggot
2005-09-06 11:23:53

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Most people get to Tanzania by driving from Nairobi, and crossing the border at Namaga and on to Arusha. You can now, if you wish, fly directly into Tanzania.

We left Nairobi for the long drive into Tanzania. As we left Nairobi our driver/guide said as we approached a large roundabout, "This is called Holy Corner". I thought he was going on to tell us about traffic accidents, but no, " there are five churches on this roundabout". We have a driver with a sense of humour!

The road to the border is pretty rough in places with large pot holes that the driver drives round with gay abandon.

About three hours after leaving Nairobi we arrived at Namaga, the border between Kenya and Tanzania. The formalities and the form filling at both sides of the border are soon completed. After saying goodby to your Kenyan driver/guide you are met by your new Tanzanian driver/guide and change vehicles. Around the border area are a lot of Maasai women hounding you to buy their wares. They will soon be shooed away by your guide.

You now have about a three hour drive to Arusha. As we approached Arusha it was dark. We passed lots of people who had lit fires outside their houses and who were cooking their evening meal, it looked very cosy seeing all the fires and people outside cooking and talking, the smell of woodsmoke filled our nostrils as we approached the town.

Arusha is situated beneath Mount Meru and the town has a half-neglected look. It is a base camp for most safaris in Tanzania's northern game reserves.

The next morning we left Arusha for Tarangire on a good fast tarmac road. Tarangire lies across the Ardai Plains west of Arusha. Named after the shallow but important river which passes through it. We had a good game drive here. Tarangire is meant to be famous for lots of elephant but we only saw one. We rounded a corner and obviously ...