Merry Christmas everyone.
I broke out of my enforced penance and escaped to hot water, cold drinks and a national park for a couple of days. The payback was a 7 hour journey to get there!
LEG 1: A minibus taxi picked me up on the road outside the Centre with only a half hour wait, not bad. I had to perch between the driver and passenger will the full force of the AC directed on me. It was FREEZING! Not something I thought I would complain about.
LEG 2: Crossing over the Kilombero River on the small vehicle and passenger ferry (our minibus wasn't crossing) . I'm sure once upon a time the roll on roll off flaps used to go up and down but not for some years! The ticket office is pretty chaotic with no pretense at queuing. Long arms are a real benefit as everyone thrusts their coins and notes, on mass, through the grill to swap for a ticket (200 shillings, approx 8 pence.
LEG 3: A tuk tuk ride from the ferry to the nearest town. I was adopted by 2 of chaps from the minibus because 3 people is a full tuk tuk!
LEG 4: A local bus all the way to my accommodation in Mikumi. The slowest bus EVER! Everyone was again really helpful and I was ushered on board with a window seat... a real boon when travelling without AC. Less good when stationery in blazing sunshine! We then spent an hour at a crawl round pretty much every street in Ifakara trying to persuade people that, whilst they may not have planned it, they really wanted to go to Dar-es-Salaam!
It was all worthwhile. I stayed in the campsite of a lodge which was lovely and shady with luxuries such as a sit down lav and a hot water shower. (I was reminded that, when showering in warm water, shampoo and soap lather.) Also cold drinks, milk in my tea and parmasan cheese.
CHRISTMAS DAY was spent on an all day safari which was great. I hooked up with a Tanzanian family staying at the lodge to share transport and they were charming. There was a lot of game from lions to baboons.
BOXING DAY morning was proper R&R time with a swim in the lovely pool. I found it hard to leave so nearly missed the ferry on the way home. It doesn't run after dark.
Fortunately a much faster return trip, only 4.5 hours! And I got too ride up front next to the driver.
