Dar es Salaam overnight stop

We were so pleasantly surprised at the first world world that greeted us in Dar es Salaam. We found a supermarket which stocked the cats' favourite canned fish and bought the entire shelf! The admistrator at Grant's company will put the box of kitty food on a truck going down to Mwadui in the next few weeks.

As I mentioned in a previous post, we stayed over at the beautiful Seacliffe Hotel perched on a cliff. While you enjoy your dinner at one of several restaurants, you can watch the ships on outer anchorage while the Indian Ocean laps [literally] at your feet!

The magnificent Seascliffe Hotel, the view of the sea from the deck and...

... the ships at outer anchorage

I hope you're all having a wonderful and blessed Easter with your loved ones.

PS I am in SA now and we've returned from our short bike trip to visit family and friends. More about this in the next post!

Many months since

We arrived home in South Africa on Saturday to find our luggage hadn't come on the same flight. It has since been found in Durban (many kilometers south of where we live!) and will be sent home to us later today.

Meanwhile, we're on our way to see John, Debbie and grandchildren in the Drakensberg, Kwa Zulu Natal and then off to visit mother-in-law a few hours ride from this.This is the first time in almost a year that we see the family and also taken a ride on our motorbike.

We arrive back in town on Thursday, spend a quiet day at home on Good Friday.On Saturday we're off to the city to stock up for our return journey to Tanzania and on Sunday we fly off again.

(Image: Google)

I wish you all a blessed time over Easter and happy holidays with your loved ones.

Now this...

... is more like the life I know in East Africa!


On Monday evening we met up with friends, Andre and Amanda who work for the diamond company and whom we've gotten to know and like over the past eight weeks. We headed out of camp towards a large dam beyond town (the one which supplies all our water) to watch the sun go down and enjoy refreshments and each other's company at the old yacht club.

I was thrilled to see several rocky outcrops along the way. Grant stopped so that I could get photos!

First they took us on a tour along another huge dam further along. When we stopped on the dam wall, Amanda took out a box of goodies she'd  brought along for the smaller children living nearby. The first child, a young girl, just wouldn't approach Amanda even though she was holding out a gift. Then a small boy arrived, took the parcel and dashed off along the wall to show his family living on the other side of the dam. A few more youngsters arrived to whom Amanda handed out gifts of handmade pencil cases filled with school stationery, rulers, toffees and small toys.

The dam, wall and Amanda handing out gifts to the local children

Driving through a small village, we stopped while Amanda handed out clothes for the older children and more gifts for the little ones.

In the top two images Amanada is handing out clothes to youths on bicycles. The next images show the little ones in the village;  I just LOVE the little face peeking out behind the yellow shirt in the bottom left photo!

Then we drove back towards the yacht club. Here we had a score of little children who came to enjoy sodas which Grant and Andre bought from the barman, Adam.

Andre calls the children who came running as they saw the Mzungus!

The local children run towards the club for a treat of sodas and gifts!

Adam got the children into line while his assistant hands out the sodas

Some of the older children lean on the railing and enjoy their sodas near the Mzungu table!

A very tiny person with a large soda and toy tractor, made by Amanda. When I asked "nini" (what)  that was in his left hand, he said "GARI" (vehicle)

Amanda gave Adam the remaining gifts and asked him to hand them out

Afterwards the children came to the men and thanked them for the zawaidi (gifts) and sodas.  Then they went home, wherever that may be.

We then sat and enjoyed ...

... a spectacular sunset over the dam

And, later...

...watched a sickle moon rise over the water

*Sigh* What a lovely outing!

While this post is aired, we're flying from Dar to Johannesburg and then to Bloemfontein. I hope to log on again this evening and say hello to you all from our home.