Home » Tanzania Kenya » Africa wins again, traveling in Kenza and Tanyania - part. I.

After spending years climbing in the alps, this was my first trip into the heart of Africa. I traveled in 1995 by expedition truck through some national parks and after that intended to climb the Kilimanjaro independently. The flight took me to Moshi, Tanzania, a small town at the foot of the Kilimanjaro. As I followed my ears on a Sunday morning hoping to find a party, I could hear loud drums and guitars, I ended up in the local church. I guess when this party feeling would be transferred to European churches we would get a lot more people in church. I had to learn that things don't go the way one wants it all the time, Africa takes its time for everything. Someone told me the magic word "awa", and indeed, all one can do is to accept the "rules".

Africa wins again, traveling in Kenza and Tanyania - part. I.

Vandenankerrr
2005-11-25 13:27:35

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After spending years climbing in the alps, this was my first trip into the heart of Africa. I traveled in 1995 by expedition truck through some national parks and after that intended to climb the Kilimanjaro independently. The flight took me to Moshi, Tanzania, a small town at the foot of the Kilimanjaro. As I followed my ears on a Sunday morning hoping to find a party, I could hear loud drums and guitars, I ended up in the local church. I guess when this party feeling would be transferred to European churches we would get a lot more people in church. I had to learn that things don't go the way one wants it all the time, Africa takes its time for everything. Someone told me the magic word "awa", and indeed, all one can do is to accept the "rules".

I liked the camping, the sound of wild animals at night, the smell of firewood burning, and traveling tales around the campfire. The parks were without exception beautiful. The Ngorongoro crater was the first highlight; we spend the night on the edge of the crater. When I looked out of my tent in the morning there was a huge elephant grazing some 30 feet away. After this unforgettable night we visited the site were "Lucy", the first human being ever discovered by Richard Leaky, was found. People were still searching for more parts that once belonged to living people. We drove straight through the Serengeti in two days, spend the night at a camp spot near the Seronera Lodge were we had dinner. Having dinner was not that easy, one small monkey was trying to steal the dinner away, we had to throw things at it to eat in peace.

After having crossed the border of Kenya, we drove northward. We took some people with us when possible. One day a woman, who gave birth the day before, and two relatives of her asked for a ride some 50 miles northward. Our drivers motto was "When they need me I help them, when I need them they help me." We even took armed people with us; it gave me a less safe feeling. The picture of the girls above was taken somewhere in the middle of nowhere. A "chief" of town asked me how much "the girl" would cost; "the girl" was married with another tourist of our group. I negotiated and negotiated, but to my disappointment I couldn't get a good price, so she was lucky. She agreed afterwards, she was worth more than some goats and cows...
People here use everything, take a look at their shoes, once they have driven people for miles under their cars. Now they walk on it. A lot of these Bushmen make a living by selling meat to villagers and buying dope for it back. Beer is cheaper here than water, so actually I had no real choice, but I won't complain this time.

Near South Horr in the northernmost province of Kenya people were begging for water, we gave generously. When someone tried to make a picture, they all started picking stones up and throwing them towards us. "Time to move on!" At lake Turkana I had some great fish, spend the days in luxury at the resort of a German guy. His 12-year-old daughter visited him every summer; she wanted to show me something. Standing at the edge of a fenced circle "Come, Hansi Come!!" and out of the high grass a small crocodile walked up to her. Hmmm.. I prefer my cats back home for a home animal.