After 28 hours of travel from Cyprus, we were rewarded with glorious 34C heat in Tanzania! We haven’t forgotten the winter of 2013-14 where we lost power in December for a week and had -34C. This was a change for the better in my opinion!
Despite being a long journey with a bit of turbulence (not good on any of our stomachs!), we finally arrived in Dar es Salaam. We needed a visa for Tanzania, but you can get a “visa on arrival” and it was quite efficient. We filled out the form which wasn’t too onerous, then the adults had to give electronic fingerprint scans for both hands . Then you pay the $50 US per person (choke!) and you’re good to go. By the time we were done this, our bags were starting to come out on the conveyor!
Getting ourselves organized
One of the things we’ve learned along the way is that mobile phone access is important for us as a family for emergency purposes. Earlier in our travels we had become separated during a hike and only had one phone with an active sim card in it…which was very stressful for all of us. Part of our routine now is to get SIM cards for our two unlocked phones right at the airport. The cost was really quite reasonable, if we consider the purpose of use! For our two phones (Samsung Ace IIe and Blackberry Z10), we were able to get SIM cards, 50 minutes of talk time each, and unlimited data for 30 days on the BB – for about $30 CDN! The Blackberry also acts as a wireless mobile hotspot, so if we are waiting somewhere without free wifi, we all just connect to the Blackberry hotspot and are able to check email etc. Pretty convenient!
Our next order of business was to get ourselves to the hotel. As soon as we walked out into the arrivals area, we were practically swarmed with taxi drivers more than happy to take us to our hotel! We were looking for the hotel shuttle. Unfortunately, I had not been able to reach the hotel by phone before we arrived, so we were not on the official manifest for the shuttle to the hotel. What we learned was that sometimes drivers will show up at the airport with a printout with some names on it as if they were there to pick up passengers, but they are waiting to see if anyone needs a ride to their hotel. Unless your name is on the list, the shuttle drivers are not allowed to take you. In the end we took a taxi, and made it to the hotel with no problems.
Impressions
Traffic! Wow. I’m glad we had a taxi driver take us from the airport to the hotel. If you map out the directions from the airport to the hotel on Google maps, it “should” take about 25 minutes. Our trip took over an hour. There was lots of congestion pretty much all the way to the hotel, across 3 lanes of traffic in each direction.
And where there weren’t lanes, drivers made their own. Some examples:
- Motorcycles, just like in Europe, drive wherever they like. They speed between the vehicles, not just along the lane, but cutting across lanes as well. They also use pedestrian crossings as a way to get across traffic!
- Buses – they are about ½ the size of a standard North American bus, but hold the same number of people! There are tons of buses on the roads. Some people wait for buses at marked stops. Some run out into traffic to get onto the bus they just missed!
- Sidewalks are not just for pedestrians! Our driver followed the lead of others who wanted to get around a traffic jam of buses at a bus stop, so up on the dirt sidewalk he went, drove about 200 m, and then cut across back into traffic. Now I know how Katina felt when I was driving in Europe!
There is a lot of unemployment. People are standing, sitting, lying on the sides of the roads. Every stoplight you come to, people are trying to sell you things: water, soft drinks, fruit, eggs, car cell phone chargers, fire extinguishers, steering wheel covers, spare tires, DVDs…you name it, you can probably buy it right on the road.
And a lot of the goods people are bringing around to sell, they are carrying in baskets balanced on their heads.
People here are clearly survivors and will do all kinds of things to make money. For example, washing cars on the side of the road, or washing your car at your office while you are working. Tips are also a means for people to earn money, and we have quickly learned that Tanzania is very much a tipping culture.
Our Hotel
I’d like to start by saying that staying right in the city is NOT budget friendly! Ok, there is the YMCA, but that is not an option for us as a family. It is expensive here. I can’t wait to get out of the city and get into some of the accommodations that we’ve heard about…reasonably priced with fantastic service!
Dar es Salaam itself seems to have a fair amount of construction happening, at least we’re seeing it around our hotel. People show up to the job site in the morning, work all day and there is lots of noise etc. from the construction. Then at the end of the day, the place becomes deserted. There are very few people on the streets around the hotel at night, almost no traffic. We were told that it was safe to go out during the day, but it was advised that if we are out in the evenings that we should move from point to point by taxi and not walk about. Good to know.
Overall…
Dar es Salaam is a big city in Africa, with everything you can imagine goes along with that label. However, the people we’ve met have been very friendly and welcoming, with huge, warm smiles. People ask us if this was our first time in Tanzania, and when we say yes, they would always say “You are welcome in Tanzania”. When we tell them we are from Canada, they say “You are welcome in Tanzania”.
When we tell them that it’s -25 C in Canada, they say “We (Tanzanians) would die there…too cold!” The way I’m feeling now, I couldn’t agree more!
Comments
16 responses to “Tanzania – It’s not winter here!”
You all learn to appreciate the term “TIA”. The selling of everything at the side of the vehicles, the poverty , the lack of toilet paper in most bathrooms….I learned to carry toilet paper with me at all times. At the end of my first 3 month stay, all I could say was that it was a ‘schizophrenic’ experience….”the best of times and the worst of times”. But as you are seeing so much of the world, you may be saying that of many countries .
Mother Africa is a wonderful place. But a challenge for her children.
Hi Herta,
Our travels here in Tanzania have been eye-opening for all of us, and it’s all been great learning. Despite the poverty, the people we have met have been wonderful. We can see that they have the same wishes and dreams as anyone we’ve met – to do the best that they can, to have their children succeed.
And this is exactly why we are doing this trip in the first place…to see and experience the broader world, to learn from and about other cultures, and to share our experiences. From this we want to be inspired – and to inspire others – to do something different with our lives and make a difference in the world.
The less said about our freezing temperatures the better, Oliver. I’m sure most of us are truely envious.
Thanks for the mobile phone and hotel shuttle info, all very useful.
The roads and the way they drive in Tanzania – well, you’re going to India, right? You ain’t seen nothing yet 🙂
Hi Chris,
I certainly don’t plan to drive in India! I’m adventurous, but maybe not THAT adventurous! Still, looking forward to the amazing chaos that I’ve heard so much about!
Hi Everyone,
Glad that all is well! Thanks for the interesting read Oliver. I have just increased my monthly internet allowance from 2 to 25GB so I’ll be able to read your posts without exceeding my monthly allowance!
Sandra
Hi Sandra,
Glad you enjoyed the post … and happy you’ll be able to enjoy more of our adventures in the coming months!
Hi there Katina and family:
Well it has only taken me 5 months to finally look at your blog. Life is busy!! I am so glad i am finally seeing all the wonderful places you have been. Your pictures are fantastic. I am smiling from ear to ear as i read your posts and look at your family……….what an experience. You will be changed forever in the best ways.
We are quite at home in your house. We hosted Christmas dinner here and everyone was very comfortable. We placed the Christmas tree at the glass back door as you suggested. I am enjoying your gym downstairs right now as it is too cold to go for my run the last week.
Our house is progressing now. All the framing is done and the windows are in. I will send you some photos later.
The girls look like they are having a ball.
I hope you are all staying healthy. Happy 2015, Theresa and family
Hello Theresa and family!
We are thrilled that you are enjoying our posts. The girls have been working particularly hard to deliver their excellent writing. We can already see the changes in the girls…they are looking at things differently, asking really good questions about why things are the way they are, and have really matured a lot in these short 6 months.
We are glad you are enjoying the house! It’s meant to be well lived in, and we’re glad you were able to celebrate Christmas dinner there! We’re excited for you that your renovations are coming along! Would love to see your pics!
All the best to you, Jerry and the boys for 2015!
Oliver, Katina, Mikhaila, and Zoe!
I love the comment of Chris
The roads and the way they drive in Tanzania – well, you’re going to India, right? You ain’t seen nothing yet .
Your Trip to india will be an interesting read.
Welcome here. Ravi is a good friend and has been talking about you.
Neera Sud
Hello Neera,
I guess Tanzania has been our warm up trip for India! We are really looking forward to our time in India, it’s coming up fast!
I enjoyed reading your blog,Oliver! I could really enjoy the lovely heat you have been enjoying!! Have fun! Love, Mom P.
Hi Baba,
The weather has been great. It’s hot during the day, but it cools down quite nicely during the evening, which makes sleeping comfortable.
Thank you for the pictures of the traffic and people on the street! It really gives a sense of what you are experiencing!! I bet it made the drive around the Arc de Triomphe seem tame indeed! Keep safe!!!
Hi Ginny,
Thanks for reminding me of that drive around the Arc de Triomphe…I had almost forgotten the panic that set in when I saw cars coming at me from all directions!
Hi, Oliver, I am finally catching up with all your posts and enjoyed all of them. When Dad and I finished reading about Cypress and started reading this posting, the only comment we both made at first was: What a change in everything: weather, traffic, people, the whole culture. I like your comment on the friendliness of the people. We both enjoyed your posting very much and of course as always, your photos give us an idea what it’s like there. I can just about hear the traffic, voices of people, and smell the hot air full of motor fumes and all kinds of other exotic smells. It’s great to see a little bit of your daily excursions.
HI Oma,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post…we’re trying to make the posts as interesting as we can so that everyone can get a sense of what we’re seeing and doing. Mission accomplished!