DAY 27: Dar Es Salaam maniacs

08:00 - Kipepeo Beach Camp, Dar Es Salaam

Hello. No, we were not jump-starting the other Hilux. It was our battery that was flat. We noticed this last night, but didn't run it for long enough after jumping it then. It seems like the auxiliary battery pack, which we use for the fridge, somehow drained the front battery - something it most certainly should not do. We're not 100% sure yet, but we'll do some trouble-shooting tomorrow. After more than 6500 km on the road the Hilux still haven't given us any problems!!!

Our next stop was the madhouse that is Dar Es Salaam. We've been warned that it can take hours to get from one side of the city to the other, but we had no choice of going in since we needed cash and unleaded petrol. It was soon aparent that Dar Es Salaam has its own unique set of driving rules!

The main road into Dar Es Salaam, from the south

This is how it works (miraculously): In the photo above I'm driving where I'm supposed to drive - in the left-hand lane. The truck on the right is also where he is supposed to be. The two buses in front, however, were doing whatever they thought would work at that stage. Since the black truck was in a lane that wasn't moving, the orange bus decided to cross over in front of me and make a new lane on my left. The other, larger bus, also decided that he had right of way and drove straight on through everybody! And so it went on for at least an hour, if not longer...! You're lucky to get out of Dar without hitting something or someone.

Dar Es Salaam's version of the minibus taxi

If you thought South African taxi drivers are maniacs, you should see these guys! Scary stuff!!! The shocking driving in Dar Es Salaam wasn't our only problem. For some reason no ATM would allow me to withdraw cash with my Visa Credit cards. At first we thought ABSA in South Africa might be down, but I finally managed to draw some many with my ABSA Master Card - a debit card. It must have been a Visa problem!? We stocked up with unleaded petrol and slowly made our way out of town toward Morogoro and the Arusha turn-off. 

We spent the rest of the day on the road. JI drove for most of it and was a machine behind the steering wheel! I played DJ and I have to say, Die Heuwels Fantasties makes for an excellent road trip soundtrack, especially in the dramatic Tanzanian landscape... Sorry for not taking any photos of the roadside - it's much harder than you think when you have over 600 km to cover in one day on roads that constantly have 50 or even 30 km/h speed limits! We had to push on. We reached the town of Moshi at the foothills of Kilimanjaro just after dark, so we'll only see the mountain tomorrow.

JI made pasta and we're both VERY tired and ready for bed. Unfortunately we both have dodgy stomachs tonight - real dodgy, so we feel a bit under the weather. Nothing a few pills and some Game won't sort out, hopefully!

To end this post we thought it might be a nice idea to have a small competition. First we want to know from you WHERE we saw our lone rhino? Come on, someone's got to get this one!

And then we'd like to know from you where this photo was taken??

Where did we take this photograph?

We look forward to your guesses in the comments!!

Have a wonderful week! 

Villiers

Highlight of the day:

Villiers: The way the music complimented the landscape on the road up north towards Kili...

JI: To be able to drive 120 km/h for once!

Lowlight of the day:

Villiers: Not being able to withdraw money this morning - it's a sickening feeling!

JI: The toilets at Honey Badger Lodge, which look like they've been swallowed by the earth - not good when you're stomach is feeling like this!