The Odyssey: The New African Year

Happy New Year everybody, I hope you had a good night, and that this year is even better than last.

The weather in Moshi has been unbearably hot in the lead up to the New Year, around 33-40 degrees, and my little paddling pool wasn’t cutting it anymore, so on the weekend we decided to go on an adventure to find water. Juliet found the closest body of water to us, which was called the Nyumba ya Mungu (House of God) reservoir. There was nothing around it, and we had no idea how to get there so we got Maggie who works at the house but doesn’t speak English to take us.

Maggie after she took her weave out

We were off on our adventure and we hadn’t worked out how long it was going to take. After the first two “dolla dollas” we’d already been driving for a couple of hours when we reached a tiny little town. We found possibly the most banged up “dolla dolla” in the town which was coincidentally the only one that went in our direction, and it was full to the brim already with village woman and their vegetables. I was the only man in the dolla dolla, and once in there, there was no getting out. I had an awkward seat directly opposite two older women, with my legs fitting into the opposite woman’s crutch like a jigsaw piece, and I was jammed there unable to move for the entire trip. I can’t say that what we drove on was a road, it just wasn’t, it wasn’t even close to flat, we almost tipped over on numerous occasions, which I wouldn’t have even minded as I might have got feeling in my legs again. Again, everyone noticed my hairy arms and legs, and the lady opposite me, who I was entwined with, was talking while patting me and erupting into laughter with all the other woman on the “dolla dolla”, including Maggie. I had a feeling she was a real jokester anyway, as she had the other woman in stitches earlier, and we got a translation later through Maggie to Deo, that she was saying “when she woke up that morning she never would have dreamed that she’d even see a real-life “muzungu” (white person) let alone be so close to one.

We eventually got to the destination after a 2 hour journey, and Nyumba ya Mungu was a welcome site. It was a fishing village, and as we walked through the streets there were huge black nets stretched out with little fish drying on them. I was starving because we hadn’t eaten all day, so we got my personal favorite meal, Wali Maharage (rice & beans) from a local stall. When we got to the reservoir it was enormous, it went as far as the eye could see, and all along the beach there were canoes and people untangling their nets readying to set them. We asked if we could go out on one of the canoes, and we got a short tour of the beach. The ride back to Moshi included three flat tyres, and a roll start of one of the vehicles; lucky I have legs built for power and speed.

Enjoying a little Wale Maharage

One of the fisherman drying his catch

Fresh catch

Curious little kids checking out the white people

Donkeys scavenging next to the fishing boats

This guy got lost on the way to town years ago

Chilling on the lake

Juliet hanging with her new friend

Our New Year’s festivities kicked off as soon as we got off work at the hospital. We grabbed some beers on the way home, and organized to pre drink at a bar with Eric (Canadian), Johanna, and Julia (Swedish). We hit Glacier, Moshi’s go-to bar/nightclub, and yea just kind of blended in, rocked the D-floor, and out danced a lot of people which won’t surprise any of you. In typical “developing country” fashion there was a lot of fire, and dangerous use of fireworks, but ducking for cover just added to the atmosphere. Dr Dawson (the hospital skux) who we work with was even there, killing it with the ladies as per usual. The countdown ended with a huge fireworks display, and some African clubbangers.

Johanna, Julia and I at Glacier

Photobombed by a crazy guy

New Year’s Day I was in a sorry state, a very sorry state. I slept through the alarm which was meant to wake us to go to the springs with the Swedish girls. Thank God they hadn’t left yet, even though I didn’t mind if the van crashed on the way there, but I was very happy when we finally got there safely. The spring was like an oasis in the desert, surrounded by trees with crystal clear water. We had the place to ourselves for most of the day, and we were able to just chill out, swing off the branches, reflect on our New Year’s resolutions and yarn which I enjoy doing more than anything when hungover. While we were at the spring there were a group of Masai boys, dressed in all black with their faces painted white, we found out from someone that is their traditional dress worn by the “men” that have just been circumcised.

The crystal clear waters of the spring

Juliet in the spring

Underwater camera fun

Underwater camera fun 2

Just enjoying the serenity

New Masai "men"

We have been planning the rest of our trip recently, because we have some free time after volunteering. Now I know a lot of you were excited to see my rescue from Mt Kilimanjaro, but we have unfortunately changed our plans. Now, we are not scared, it is just prohibitively expensive and that time and money could be spent on more intrepid travel. Our first plan that Juliet and I locked in was to visit Rwanda, and then cross the northern border into the Congo. The Congo was the country we were really excited about; there is the largest active lava lake in the world which you can camp next to, plus we could see the mountain gorillas for much cheaper. We were booking flights when I googled the Congo, more specifically Goma, the town where the lava lake is. It is considered the “rape capital of the world” and there is a rebel group called M23 who are based in Goma; they have their HQ there. So that was a no-go unfortunately. We have decided instead to visit Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Now an interesting development and the highlight of our week has been our first, second and third natural birth. Like they say, when it rains it pours. Now, I know I predicted that I’d be screaming more than the mothers (which isn’t that hard as they aren’t allowed to make noise) but I was surprisingly cool with it all. Juliet was in her element aye, she delivered a little girl who was super cute. I was holding three babies at one point feeling like a proud father, but I had to give them all back.