Day 80 - Arusha to Tanga...Playin up like 2nd hand lawnmowersApr 5, 2012
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| After a week in the tank shed in Arusha, we were all keen to spend the Easter weekend at the beach with friends. The venue for the reunion would be Simon's beach plot (the same Simon who we stayed in the Grumeti game reserve with) at Tanga, on the coast. The cast consisted of 8 adults and 9 kids. A brief run down on the characters first. Mick Dundee, hailing from country Victoria and once an Economic overland driver has lived in Africa for 15 years and now farms around Arusha. His penchant for Akubra hats, whip cracking and insouciant disposition earned Mick the surname Dundee. Jason and Mick have known each other for years yet Jason hasn't a clue what Mick's real last name is. Mick's partner Simone, originally from Zimbabwe but now part of the diaspora, we first met last Sunday at a BBQ. Mick's two children Olivia 8 and Finn 5, both at school in Arusha, would be coming to Tanga in our car. Meeting us in Tanga would be Andy and Jules, driving up from Dar es Salaam with their two girls Bridget 7 and Jessica 4. Andy and Jules, our long time friends from overlanding days, are both Aussie and have lived in Dar for 15 years. Andy and Jas had quite a reputation in this part of the world, both working for African Trails and both getting into varying degrees of trouble. On one particular trip, Andy had left Jules in Dar to set up thier campsite, Mikadi Beach, while he and Jase went on parallel trips south. Jules recalled Andy phoning her along the way and (feeling repentant) had absolved his sins by telling Jules that "Jason got more arrested than me". Jason four times, Andy three. Thankfully both have calmed down considerably, being family men but still enjoy flouting the minimal rules there are in Tanzania. All morning the three Horne kids waited expectantly at the gate for the kids to arrive. Olivia and Finn had to go to school until lunchtime so we planned to leave Arusha by 12.30 to be in Tanga by dinner time. The kids had met at a BBQ on Sunday and had hit it off straight away. Jason put the two extra seats in the back of Fatboy and we piled all five kids in, then loaded up Mick's pick up with enough food and booze to last us until the next decade. We weren't even out of Arusha when the kids decided they were hungry. Looking at my meager supplies in the front seat of peanuts, half a pack of chips and some Salticrax (yes you read it right) we decided to stop for some road snacks before continuing our journey. By 5.30 the troops were starving so we stopped in Mombo for some chip omelets and bags of hot chips. Not far out of Mombo a copper jumped out from behind the bushes with his speed camera and declared we were doing 100km/h in a 30 zone. If this was back home it would be an automatic loss of license and a long time riding a push bike. Not in Tanzania. Jason pulled out his wallet, conveniently empty and showed the copper he had no money. "Do you take credit card?" Jason asked innocently, knowing full well they don't then added "I'm happy to pay the fine at the nearest police station". Realization dawned on the policeman's face that we weren't going to play the game. A lecture followed on how we must go pole pole then he sent us on our way, empty handed and crestfallen. Driving through small villages at night provided a new perspective on dinnertime rituals in rural Tanzania. Kerosene lamps glowed on front doorsteps and families sat on the cool cement floor of their verandahs eating ugali from a shared plate. The houses huddled so close to the dirt road we passed on that I could see children deftly rolling balls of ugali in their right hands then dipping in the mchuzi. Arriving in Tanga at 8.30 in the evening we had broken one of our golden rules. We never drive at night in Africa however this time, having Mick and Simone to follow we had arrived safely after a 7 hour journey. I wasn't sure what to expect of the beach plot owned by Simon and had pictured a three bedroom shack with a kitchen. The reality was completely different and perfect for accommodating four families. A central open sided dining hut with kitchen attached formed the heart of the camp. The steeply sloped thatch roof kept it cool and a long dining table seating ten ran the length of the hut. Built in day beds with custom made cushions lined both sides of the dining area meaning after a meal it wasn't far to walk for a wallow. Five ensuite rondavels were dotted around the camp, each with a queen size Zanzibar bed and mosquito net. The plot was close to three acres of coconut palms with 100m of beach frontage. The moon was almost full and the kids were too excited to go to bed. They played in the sand by the light of the moon while we sipped G&T's in the dining hut. We hadn't been able to start the water pump or set up the solar panels for power. Not a breath of wind stirred the soupy, humid air. Putting the kids to bed at 10.30, I laid a wet cloth over each sweaty torso to help cool them down. Jules and I sat up until 2 catching up on each other's news while putting a dent in the NZ Sauvignon Blanc Jules had managed to procure in Dar. Thankfully the boys had managed to start up the gas powered fridge so the beverages were cold. Andy had us in stitches with his stories and sayings. "He's as dodgy as a robber's dog" or "that bloke is as thick as a crane driver's sandwich" and my favourite "Jas and I used to play up like second hand lawnmowers". I couldn't have said it better myself. |
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