african experiences

Wow looking back after having been here for nearly a month I realize I have seen so many things as well as experienced plenty too. Some things that shocked me at the beginning now seem mundane while others still strike a cord.

Initially setting foot over here and experiencing just the first couple days I was a bit hesitant, shocked and wondering to myself how I had signed up to be here for a month. Having went straight to the bush and stayed in a small village where you are always the only mzungu (which turned out to be us for the first half of our trip), where everyone enjoys yelling it to let you know, just in case you forgot, your skin wasn't dark like everyone else. There were many things I learned early on that were a little challenging and temporarily uncomfortable about being here. Needless to say, looking back, I think fondly of the whole experience and truly believe the profound impact it has had will be lasting.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me over here is the transportation. Having taken about 48 hours of travel to get here with the longest flight maybe being 12ish hours, I thought that was going to feel like the long haul. Well I was mistaken. Public transit over here can feel like a lifetime, and thankfully I have had numerous books along the way to pass the time. When someone says "it is not far" in Africa, that can mean a 2 hour walk. Maybe this just speaks to their optimism. Our trip to Lushoto was 6 hours according to our friend here and well beyond 8 hours later, we arrived. This was not before we had to stop and take off the rear dually in order to replace some brakes that I had been smelling since we left the taxi park at 6:30. Mind you the taxi park is at the top of a mountain range sitting at 1500 meters in elevation. Glad the breaks held out as long as they did, because coasting down that would have been a death sentence.

These buses are not made for normal size people. I am not tall and walking up the steps I hit my head on the ceiling to my surprise. Then I noticed halfway through the trip my knees were rubbed to the point that one was on the verge of bleeding. Sitting up straight your knees would be jammed into the seat in front of you. You may be thinking, "Rob don't be dumb - just straighten your legs a bit under the seat in front of you". A great idea for about 30 seconds because this is the maximum time allotted to you from the bus driver before he dominates or gets dominated (I'm not sure which) by another huge pothole. So back to the knees. They work as a sort of seat belt and keep you semi sitting and in place for the ride. A free travelers tip: when you have the choice, sit in the front of the bus. Early on I noticed the back was always the last to fill up and it wasn't the cool kids seats like in grade school. I am convinced that after a trip the bus drivers all gather around and brag about how many people's heads made contact with the ceiling. This was what I assume to be their strategy: slow down for the speed bump, slowly go over the speed bump for themselves, drop the hammer and accelerate to the next speed bump. This was on repeat everywhere you go and exactly why you do not want to sit in the back. My hind end left the seat countless times because just in case people didn't want to drive slow in Africa to dodge the potholes, they decided to put in monster speed bumps. The speed mountains are the predecessor to the stop light, but I don't think it makes a very big impact on the drivers. They seem to think the harder they hit them that over time they might go away. One such speed mountain provided a favorite travel moment for me. I am sitting on the aisle having graciously given Meg the window for the breeze, but the window has its definite drawbacks as well. Our dare devil driver must have decided to go for broke on this upcoming mountain because I felt the usual acceleration and then BAM! We are flying in the air, butts connected to nothing. Mind you Meg and I had both our backpacks in our laps during this trip and all of us, and the bags, were airborne. I am sure the driver was gasping for air from laughing so hard up front. To my left is a mother with her roughly 6 month old who at the moment in time was occupying the seat next to her, dead asleep. As I go airborne life goes into slow motion I glance left and see flying baby. The mother who was dozing too instantly jerked awake as she was thrown out of her seat as well. Then she made aM epic grab that would have been ESPN top ten no question. I see her eyes lock on the baby, hands shoot out for the ball, I mean for the baby, and then right in the bread basket she reels in the catch. Most remarkable play goes to the baby, though, who never woke up through the whole ordeal! It was truly amazing, but I get the feeling that happens over here daily.

The other small joys of traveling in caravan style like this is when you have to go to the bathroom, it is at the convenience of the driver. The driver can do whatever they want. Sure, let me stop and buy a quick Redbull there or a grilled chicken leg. Anyhow, I am just bitter after having to hold my pee for about 6 hours on the above noted road. I am convinced that can't be healthy. 

Coming over here I wanted to fully embrace the food, culture and experience. I feel I have truly done this to the fullest. Some of the experience I maybe wish I could have embraced a little less personally, but you can't win them all. I have thoroughly enjoyed the food here. I have eaten less of it than I would like due to my stomach apparently shrinking having gone long stretches without eating. On one such occasion Meg and I were traveling on a long 8 hour bus ride followed by 2 hour ferry ride. As we were walking down the street to the hotel I felt the hypoglycemic feeling coming on strong. In a matter of seconds, I was soaked to the skin, frantically getting money from Meg to buy chapati from a street vendor, and all the while trying to appear cool and collected. Major fail. By the time we got to our room, I had stuffed most of the chapati down and had to sit down before I fell and I started losing vision like last time this happened. In Lushoto, after a recommendation from our guide Michael we had a great meal. Or at least what I convinced myself was a great meal. Meg asked me what kind of meat it was, and I replied that it was beef. However, it tasted weird and with each additional bite I was less and less convinced. By the end I told myself it was goat since I am less familiar with that taste and didn't want to let my mind wander on what else I could be eating. So yes, it was goat. After that meal I definitely took some garlic pills. Apparently they are supposed to help bind bacteria as your body processes food and pass it through without event.

Well, lets just say we haven't been the greatest or most committed at taking our garlic pills. A positive takeaway though is that Meg and I have a new strategy on how to become great friends with the staff when you first arrive at a hotel. Leaving Stone Town was rough for Meg because she woke up not feeling good at all. Honestly she felt horrible. Bad enough that we opted for a private taxi so she could lay down in the back seat. As it turns out, the night before (and the one before that) we had enjoyed what I easily can say was the best lobster I have ever eaten. It was so delicious and you get it at an outdoor market where locals sell their daily catch (caveat: Meg's might not have been the CURRENT daily catch) and all for a whopping 6,000 Tsh. This is like $3.50 USD. Meg was suffering the consequences of her gastric system being destructed by her unfortunate pick of kebab. We arrived at Sele's Bungalow's, and Meg headed straight for the bed to rest after miraculously traveling the majority of the way there on Paved road and the police waving us through after stopping us, PTL. All the while I was rubbing her arm to hopefully distract her from focusing on her churning stomach and pain. Sele's was great. I made it known that Meg did not feel well and they catered to us like their own kids. Meg finally turned for the better after a couple days and enjoyed some time there. I would soon be glad I was so caring and loving during her temporary torture of hugging porcelain a few times during that stretch.

We then proceeded to Flame Tree Cottages. We had just arrived, I finished my book and immediately felt horrible. Turns out the Jumbo Prawns the night before for the amazing deal of $8 were back. This feeling crept in around 11 AM. I was then confined to the bed and bathroom. My body was in pain. Starting then until around 7:30 that night I made regular and frequent visits from our air conditioned room to the adjoining bathroom that I quickly dubbed the sweat chamber. My body was dominated by those prawns and it was an unpleasant scene to be sure. Meg estimated that between the 7-8 trips I made each time vomiting, among other things, I would vomit on average 10 times a trip. I was left with no fluid. Meg was amazing and each time unless she was out looking to get me help would be there holding the waste basket for me. Nearing the end and when her concern was elevating, I would hold the towel rack and her hand for fear of passing out as the room started to spin. Each time I would be soaked in sweat. Part way through this unhappy place I wondered to myself about my wife. Meg was hit with this in a worse way last time she was here. Dysentery and vomiting to the point of passing out and needing to be hospitalized. In the moment I decided she was crazy to have wanted to return and potentially undergo the same thing again. After deciding her pharmacy know-how and nursing would only do me so much, Meg called in the big guns. Dr. Homberto arrived and gave me 5 cc of some magical potion (Meg called it metoclopramide) in the right butt cheek that made me stop vomiting. I was beyond happy and thankful that I could finally drink something and keep it down. After reflecting and having recovered from that, I still think my wife is a little crazy. This was where our strategy was confirmed on winning over the hotel staff.

Now I sit here having kept down all my meals for a couple days, soaked up some rays and currently am enjoying the last of an epic trip with my Valentine. Traveling is a whole new world of adventure for me to explore and I am thankful to have a partner in crime willing to join me.