That’s how I felt this morning. In the almost two weeks since I left Johannesburg, I’ve been in some very atmospheric places. Mozambique Island, Pemba, Ibo Island, little Moshi on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. But atmosphere also comes with lots of dust, hot humid rooms, thin sheets and towels and somewhat dodgy water.
By this morning, as I boarded a public bus for the 80 km ride to Arusha, riding with several Tanzanians who use their cell phones like megaphones, and two Brits in the back row who were racing each other to see how many beers they could down before noon, I felt more than a little tattered, a little shaggy … a little aromatic, despite several hotel laundries.
By this morning, as I boarded a public bus for the 80 km ride to Arusha, riding with several Tanzanians who use their cell phones like megaphones, and two Brits in the back row who were racing each other to see how many beers they could down before noon, I felt more than a little tattered, a little shaggy … a little aromatic, despite several hotel laundries.
The bus stopped at the terminal, but I managed to convince the driver to continue on 2 or 3 blocks and drop me closer to the hotel I had booked, so I wouldn’t have to pay for a taxi. In a cloud of exhaust fumes, this cranky, cracked, baling wire and duct tape bus pulls right into the Porte Cochere of a polished teak and marble hotel, and out my bags and I tumble. I stamp the dust off my hiking boots, pat down my tousled hair, and smile at the uniformed young porter who has picked up my backpack. His name is Godwell and he smiles back and says “Karibo”, welcome in Swahili.
Within an hour, I’d had lunch in the fancy restaurant, had rewashed the worst of my clothes in the hotel sink (damn right at $2 per undershirt for the hotel laundry!), and was settled down to watch a mindless American movie on Satellite TV. Something about three teens driving through a winter forest pursued by a mysterious Cadillac.
I’m now sitting on a padded lounge chair beside a twinkling turquoise tiled pool, Gin and Tonic by my side, posting this message on the hotel’s WiFi network as the light drains from the evening sky.
It’s nice, but ya know, I kinda miss the atmosphere.
Oh, 
and here are a few shots from Moshi, including sunset on Kilimanjaro, a sidewalk watch repair man, and sidewalk tailors: 
and here are a few shots from Moshi, including sunset on Kilimanjaro, a sidewalk watch repair man, and sidewalk tailors: 
