Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Afrika is a most wonderful country, Dr.Livingstone
Africa is a most wonderful country for appetites and it is only when one gloats over marrow bones or elephant feet that indigestion is possible. No doubt much toil is involved and fatigue of which travelers in the more temperate climes can form but a faith conception. But the sweat of one’s brow is no longer a curse when one works for God. It proves a tonic to the system and is actually a blessing. No one can truly appreciate the Cham of repose unless he has undergone severe exertion.
The effect of Travel, Dr. Livingstone
By Dr. Livingingstone.
The effect of travel on man whose heart is in right place in that the mind is made more self reliant: it become more confident of it own resources- there are greater presence of mind. The body is soon well knit; the muscles of the limbs grow hard as a board seems to have no fat. The countenance is bronzed and there is no dyspepsia.
The effect of travel on man whose heart is in right place in that the mind is made more self reliant: it become more confident of it own resources- there are greater presence of mind. The body is soon well knit; the muscles of the limbs grow hard as a board seems to have no fat. The countenance is bronzed and there is no dyspepsia.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
From Highland, Coast to Island(Cycling Expedation)
In he morning Monday 9th Feb., 11:05am me and my friend Jacob we left Arusha town ready to explore Northern & Southern Pare mountains, Mkomazi national park, West & East Usambara mountains, Tanga city, Pangani, Saadani national park, Bagamoyo, Zanzibar and Dar-es-salaam.
We had rough arrangement two day before including fix the bicycles, get a map, here camping gear, etc.
The cycling between Arusha- Moshi road 80km it was confidently because both of us we are familiar with the road. We had several stop for birds identification as it was a time when farmers preparer the farms for planting as they disturb and cult down the weeds they disturb the amphibians and other invertebrate which are the food to birds, we stop for 1 hour in Sanya when it was rain, we reached Moshi town 5:15pm.
We continuo with our journey cycle through Moshi- Dar es Salaam road we had the closest view of white caped mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. After 24km we reached Himo junction here we turn off right then we stopped and have a dinner from the women who sell the food during the night. After dinner we cycled for 15km in the dark by using our headlight but this isn’t safe to cycle during the night, we reach at the Kifaru village where we camp in somebody back yard.
In the next day we woke up 4:45am we made a coffee and start cycling 5:45am, 2km from where we overnight we turn left cycled towards north-east then east-south through the dirty road and Challenge Mountains. We passed through cultivated fields (Ma-Shamba) in Masiwa, Unyasa, Kwakoa and Gitingeni villages before joined the high way again at Gitengani. We cycled towards eat-south. After 25km we reached Same town ship. We had our dinner at Same then after our rice and beans dinner we cycled for 1km out of town and camp at the field.
We wakeup early in the morning after having a cup of coffee we start cycling. In this day we cycled through the mountains of Southern Pare, cultivated valleys then after 30km we reached Kisiwani. Kisiwani village is boarded with the newest Mkomazi National Park formal Mkomazi Game Reserve situated in the ....http://zionafrikasafaris.blogspot.com/
We had rough arrangement two day before including fix the bicycles, get a map, here camping gear, etc.
The cycling between Arusha- Moshi road 80km it was confidently because both of us we are familiar with the road. We had several stop for birds identification as it was a time when farmers preparer the farms for planting as they disturb and cult down the weeds they disturb the amphibians and other invertebrate which are the food to birds, we stop for 1 hour in Sanya when it was rain, we reached Moshi town 5:15pm.
We continuo with our journey cycle through Moshi- Dar es Salaam road we had the closest view of white caped mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. After 24km we reached Himo junction here we turn off right then we stopped and have a dinner from the women who sell the food during the night. After dinner we cycled for 15km in the dark by using our headlight but this isn’t safe to cycle during the night, we reach at the Kifaru village where we camp in somebody back yard.
In the next day we woke up 4:45am we made a coffee and start cycling 5:45am, 2km from where we overnight we turn left cycled towards north-east then east-south through the dirty road and Challenge Mountains. We passed through cultivated fields (Ma-Shamba) in Masiwa, Unyasa, Kwakoa and Gitingeni villages before joined the high way again at Gitengani. We cycled towards eat-south. After 25km we reached Same town ship. We had our dinner at Same then after our rice and beans dinner we cycled for 1km out of town and camp at the field.
We wakeup early in the morning after having a cup of coffee we start cycling. In this day we cycled through the mountains of Southern Pare, cultivated valleys then after 30km we reached Kisiwani. Kisiwani village is boarded with the newest Mkomazi National Park formal Mkomazi Game Reserve situated in the ....http://zionafrikasafaris.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 2, 2009
"Where there has been racial hatred, it must be ended. Where there has been tribal animosity, it will be finished. Let us not dwell upon the bitterness of the past. I would rather look to the future, to the good new Kenya, not to the bad old days. If we can create this sense of national direction and identity, we shall have gone a long way to solving our economic problems."
Jomo Kenyatta, first president of Kenya, as quoted in David Lamb's The Africans, New York, 1985.
"It Africans were left in peace on their own lands, Europeans would have to offer them the benefits of white civilization in real earnest before they could obtain the African labour which they want so much. They would have to offer the African a way of life which was really superior to the one his fathers lived before, and a share in the prosperity given them by their command of science. They would have to let the African choose what parts of European culture could be beneficially transplanted, and how they could be adapted ... The African is conditioned, by cultural and social institutions of centuries, to a freedom of which Europe has little conception, and it is not in his nature to accept serfdom for ever."
Jomo Kenyatta, first president of Kenya, from the conclusion to his book Facing Mount Kenya, 1938.
Our Banana World
Last weekend (24th Jan) I cycled all the way from Arusha to the foot hill of the Highest Peak of Africa as a part of preparation for Cycling Feasibility Study East Africa to South Africa first part. Early in morning I left Arusha 7:30am by using old Moshi-Arusha then join the currently Moshi-Arusha high way at usa river town-ship. Riding up and down passed through small towns and villages then after 3 ½ hrs, I covered 80km reached Moshi town Kilimanjaro region.
I had a lunch at Moshi town I decide to have a banana for lunch as it was cheap than Arusha then I have a rest to avoid high temperature. I Left Moshi 3:00pm head out along Dar es Salaam road bearded left after 23km as heading Taveta after 4km then I turned off left at Himo. 40km from Moshi lays Marangu.
Marangu village is where I was raised with my grand mother and went to primary school in this village. Marangu whose name drives from local Chagga ward meaning “spring water” is situated on the lower slope of Kilimanjaro National Park. Unlike lower lying Moshi, Marangu has an appropriately alpine feel surrounded as it
Is by lush vegetation and bisected by a babbling mountain streams and remains a popular springboard for Kilimanjaro ascents using the Marangu route. For those who lack the time, inclination or money to climb Kilimanjaro, Marangu is pleasant place to spend a night or few days exploring the lower slopes of the great mountain, with several attractive waterfalls situated within easy striking distance.
Since I left this village and went to secondary school then college I had had no time to visit it again. When I reached there all the people was wandering to see me on the bicycle come from all the way from Arusha where I live currently. My grand mother welcomed me with a juggle full of banana juice, it was cooled juice as it was from re refrigerator but not from the refrigerator it was from local pot known as Mtungi which also used to keep water, and make it cooled all the time. My grand mother whose now become more older then the time I was staying with her(now she is about 80 years old or so as she can’t remember exactly when she was born) she was looking on me very curious all the time as I was drinking the sweet banana juice without stop. When I stopped to drink the juice I receive hard question from her “My grand son are you crazy to cycle from Arusha to here for a single day?”
After heaving a shower I find a pleat of cooked banana waiting for me in the table as I was continue with banana dinner she send her grand son in the nearby bar (mwafrika club) for the local brew/wine, we had a long conversation around the fire as it was already become dark. We seat there for about 3 hours then said good by to each and heading to my room which covered with banana leafs for the it’s circular wall and roof. I slept well, drifting off to the hoot of owls, and the cackling off bush baby and hyenas.
The next day I was worked up by the call of grand mother for the break fast. The breakfast was a black coffee which she made herself from her backyard where there is a lot of banana and coffee trees, the coffee tea was accompanied with roosted long banana which they called (Mkono wa tembo) elephant proboscis. After breakfast I packed my day pack ready for the walk and bird watch around the village my grand mother gave me 20 pieces of sweet banana as a snack. I walk through the village greeting some people who seemed to forget me. I visit the caves which I was used to play in during my boyhood but now it reserved as attraction for visitors near to the caves there is smith work shop where my grand mother used to send me to repair or buy new machete, hoe or knife. My way back I passed at the local market which usually to take place twice a week here I found I lot of interesting things but mostly was this wide variety of bananas, this is what I called banana wonders. Ranging form sweet bananas, green bananas, big bananas, little bananas, cooking bananas, red bananas, fat bananas, skinny bananas, fresh bananas, fried bananas, roasted bananas, boiled bananas so many kinds of bananas grow here. I interred in the mwaFrika club (a local bar) to have a juggle of local brew made from bananas which sold for200/= Tshs perhaps 1/2. There I join some other people in the conversations and share our brew as it is a custom. I bought banana-leaf cap as my support for the banana leave product artists.
I reached grand mother home and have banana porridge before I had the tradition dish which is beans, coco yam and banana pounded together. The next day I left the village cycled back to Arusha. As I was cycling back to Arusha I was still wondering about this trip and how it become very exiting, I told myself; In order something to be value it should be lost first.
Friday, February 13, 2009
African Unity
“I shall continuo to insist our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa”
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, from a translating of his inaugural speech as Chair of the African Union 2 Feb 2009
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, from a translating of his inaugural speech as Chair of the African Union 2 Feb 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
To be a stranger in my home
Early in the morning, I left Arusha town. Heading toward the west of town the western of the town through the main road to the popular visited Tanzania’s attractions such as the eighth wonder of the world Ngorongoro Crater, the endless plain and a magnificent annual animal migration , Serengeti National Park and beautiful parts of the Rift Valley to mention only a few examples of Tanzania’s natural splendour..
After twenty kilometers of pedaling with little traffic highway, I turned left heading towards the south and. On this dusty and rough road I welcomed the solitude of the area as my mind was too occupied with what my eyes were seeing the beautiful savannah plains dotted with several hills and scattered maasai bomas (maasai huts, built with the combinations of mud and cow dung and grasses in the top, usually built in a circular form). After almost twenty minutes of cycling, I found myself relaxing while the slow wind blew from east to west and cooled my body and the hectic urban melee was now replaced by the beautiful songs of the birds.
About ten kilometers from the main road I met three Maasai men in the flooded valley as they were having a shower and washing their shuka (the piece of cloth like a bed cover usually red color for man, blue for women and black for certain age group)
I sat down with them and we talked and exchanged life experiences and they explained to me how they dwell in this dry savannah plains with their herds of cows, goats and sheep and donkeys which are usually used by their women to help them carry water and other domestic tasks. The moment I had with these men gave me a chance to learn and experience different things which I had never thought about before. It becomes clear in my mind that these people are very strong, deep individuals unique and very adaptable yet they still can appreciate their unique of life and after 30 minutes of conversation, I then left them.
I then continued cycling after 5 km turned off left following the location of certain village which appeared in my old map by the name Leviseki it should be remembered that the maasai are nomadic pastoralists but nowadays due to conflict with the farming community groups and some government policy the Maasai have tried to establish permanent villages. Since my map was about 10 years old it indicated that Levisike village was alongside the road on which I was on. This was contrary to the fact and as I was cycling there from the rough road I then turned off left to the less used road. After a few 3 km from where I turned off, I found Leviseki primary school with a few boma (huts)and I continued cycling towards the north-east and there climbed the hills until I found the shade somewhere under an acacia tree. It was now 1:00pm. since I was exhausted and hungry I enjoyed my bananas then I drank enough water to regain my energy back.
After the siesta, I experienced a sense of loneliness because since I left the men at the valley I hadn’t met anyone else. I got on my bicycle and continued to cycle but as I went further the road seemed to disappear I then discovered some motorcycle tires tracks that I followed and this then led me to some maasai boma (huts), roughly not more than 10 in all. People were standing outside of their huts and they were looking at very curiously. The tires tracks got lost in the grasses so I remained without any sense of direction. I went back to the nearby huts and as I approached the children ran and shut themselves inside of their huts. I found a woman washing the milk pots. and called to her in Maasai language Yeyo? (Mother?) She replied to me Owe! (Yes!), I said to her again Takwenya? (How are you?) Iko (I’m fine) women replied so I continued to ask her if there is a way back to town. Now the Ki- Swahili language is the language that connects more than 120+ ethnic groups and was declared the official language after independence under President Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere. The language is now spreading to Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and some parts of DRC, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique and Ki-Swahili usage to have the opportunity of becoming the connection of East Africa Community in the future.
She wondered where I had come from and said that I should go back to town and then she proposed I should go back the way I came. I told her I don’t want to go back that way but I wanted to find the way back to town. She left the huts and told me to wait and after a few minutes, she came back with a boy approximately 15-17yrs old. She then informed me that the boy would show me the way back. I said to here ashanaleyi (thank you very much) so we left with the boy then after 10minutes of walking I tried to ask the boy how far the road was andto my surprise, the boy answered me in the Maasai language.
I then found out the boy did not speak any Ki-Swahili at all... It was during this short walk that the boy explained to me what I could not understand while he pointed to a certain route which soon discovered was commonly used by animals and it was here that the boy turned back. I got on my bicycle cycling for a short time before the way disappeared in the grasses again. I start walking just checking to see if I can find it again and after 1hr of walking without success I decide to sit under a Balanait tree to refresh myself and lose the panic of being lost and as I sat there for some time.
I soon realized I was on the beaten track whereby even the application of lonely planet could not work even in this situation. Now as I was half awake I heard the voices of the people talking I then woke up and observed the scene around me but I didn’t see anyone so I decided to follow the sounds. I was hearing but as I was approaching there it stopped so I couldn’t hear the sounds anymore. I kept on searching in the bushes then I saw a woman with the baby on her back and the bundle of firewood on her head walking. I walked towards her she accelerated her speed. I just decided to get on my bicycle and cycle towards her. I was amazed to see the woman threw away her bundle of firewood and ran away from me screaming. I reached the place where she had thrown away her bundle of firewood I stopped and watched her still running. She ran until somewhere away from me then she stopped. After a short while, three other women came from bushes and joined her.
I wondered to myself is it really me? Do I look that unfamiliar? The women stopped there for the while discussing something. I started to think if I cannot find the way back to town then I would have to overnight somewhere in the area.
I walked up to the boma (huts) it was about 10-15 huts as I was approaching the Manyata (is a maasai village or the group of huts) I saw two men walking on the path. I got on my bicycle cycling towards them. I greeted them asked them if I could get back to town on the main road. They said yes but it will take me about 45min of cycling and the name of this village is Moita Kiloriti I also passed another village Moita Kipoko before reaching the high way.
I reached town around 6:15 pm. This experience made me wonder how deep into personal reality one can go? Relatively few kilometers from the place of many people where I feel familiar I was stranger and lost. I have been always keen to balance external would, perceptions and experience. Tanzania and Africa for me it is home to this diversity. This diversity can be a challenge to leave with but with little effort the reward is great benefty of ability to hold many perceptions at the same time. This can be useful especial when one need to develop personal perceptions. It was a little adventure but turn to be a key to a great understanding. Explore this amazing world.
After twenty kilometers of pedaling with little traffic highway, I turned left heading towards the south and. On this dusty and rough road I welcomed the solitude of the area as my mind was too occupied with what my eyes were seeing the beautiful savannah plains dotted with several hills and scattered maasai bomas (maasai huts, built with the combinations of mud and cow dung and grasses in the top, usually built in a circular form). After almost twenty minutes of cycling, I found myself relaxing while the slow wind blew from east to west and cooled my body and the hectic urban melee was now replaced by the beautiful songs of the birds.
About ten kilometers from the main road I met three Maasai men in the flooded valley as they were having a shower and washing their shuka (the piece of cloth like a bed cover usually red color for man, blue for women and black for certain age group)
I sat down with them and we talked and exchanged life experiences and they explained to me how they dwell in this dry savannah plains with their herds of cows, goats and sheep and donkeys which are usually used by their women to help them carry water and other domestic tasks. The moment I had with these men gave me a chance to learn and experience different things which I had never thought about before. It becomes clear in my mind that these people are very strong, deep individuals unique and very adaptable yet they still can appreciate their unique of life and after 30 minutes of conversation, I then left them.
I then continued cycling after 5 km turned off left following the location of certain village which appeared in my old map by the name Leviseki it should be remembered that the maasai are nomadic pastoralists but nowadays due to conflict with the farming community groups and some government policy the Maasai have tried to establish permanent villages. Since my map was about 10 years old it indicated that Levisike village was alongside the road on which I was on. This was contrary to the fact and as I was cycling there from the rough road I then turned off left to the less used road. After a few 3 km from where I turned off, I found Leviseki primary school with a few boma (huts)and I continued cycling towards the north-east and there climbed the hills until I found the shade somewhere under an acacia tree. It was now 1:00pm. since I was exhausted and hungry I enjoyed my bananas then I drank enough water to regain my energy back.
After the siesta, I experienced a sense of loneliness because since I left the men at the valley I hadn’t met anyone else. I got on my bicycle and continued to cycle but as I went further the road seemed to disappear I then discovered some motorcycle tires tracks that I followed and this then led me to some maasai boma (huts), roughly not more than 10 in all. People were standing outside of their huts and they were looking at very curiously. The tires tracks got lost in the grasses so I remained without any sense of direction. I went back to the nearby huts and as I approached the children ran and shut themselves inside of their huts. I found a woman washing the milk pots. and called to her in Maasai language Yeyo? (Mother?) She replied to me Owe! (Yes!), I said to her again Takwenya? (How are you?) Iko (I’m fine) women replied so I continued to ask her if there is a way back to town. Now the Ki- Swahili language is the language that connects more than 120+ ethnic groups and was declared the official language after independence under President Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere. The language is now spreading to Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and some parts of DRC, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique and Ki-Swahili usage to have the opportunity of becoming the connection of East Africa Community in the future.
She wondered where I had come from and said that I should go back to town and then she proposed I should go back the way I came. I told her I don’t want to go back that way but I wanted to find the way back to town. She left the huts and told me to wait and after a few minutes, she came back with a boy approximately 15-17yrs old. She then informed me that the boy would show me the way back. I said to here ashanaleyi (thank you very much) so we left with the boy then after 10minutes of walking I tried to ask the boy how far the road was andto my surprise, the boy answered me in the Maasai language.
I then found out the boy did not speak any Ki-Swahili at all... It was during this short walk that the boy explained to me what I could not understand while he pointed to a certain route which soon discovered was commonly used by animals and it was here that the boy turned back. I got on my bicycle cycling for a short time before the way disappeared in the grasses again. I start walking just checking to see if I can find it again and after 1hr of walking without success I decide to sit under a Balanait tree to refresh myself and lose the panic of being lost and as I sat there for some time.
I soon realized I was on the beaten track whereby even the application of lonely planet could not work even in this situation. Now as I was half awake I heard the voices of the people talking I then woke up and observed the scene around me but I didn’t see anyone so I decided to follow the sounds. I was hearing but as I was approaching there it stopped so I couldn’t hear the sounds anymore. I kept on searching in the bushes then I saw a woman with the baby on her back and the bundle of firewood on her head walking. I walked towards her she accelerated her speed. I just decided to get on my bicycle and cycle towards her. I was amazed to see the woman threw away her bundle of firewood and ran away from me screaming. I reached the place where she had thrown away her bundle of firewood I stopped and watched her still running. She ran until somewhere away from me then she stopped. After a short while, three other women came from bushes and joined her.
I wondered to myself is it really me? Do I look that unfamiliar? The women stopped there for the while discussing something. I started to think if I cannot find the way back to town then I would have to overnight somewhere in the area.
I walked up to the boma (huts) it was about 10-15 huts as I was approaching the Manyata (is a maasai village or the group of huts) I saw two men walking on the path. I got on my bicycle cycling towards them. I greeted them asked them if I could get back to town on the main road. They said yes but it will take me about 45min of cycling and the name of this village is Moita Kiloriti I also passed another village Moita Kipoko before reaching the high way.
I reached town around 6:15 pm. This experience made me wonder how deep into personal reality one can go? Relatively few kilometers from the place of many people where I feel familiar I was stranger and lost. I have been always keen to balance external would, perceptions and experience. Tanzania and Africa for me it is home to this diversity. This diversity can be a challenge to leave with but with little effort the reward is great benefty of ability to hold many perceptions at the same time. This can be useful especial when one need to develop personal perceptions. It was a little adventure but turn to be a key to a great understanding. Explore this amazing world.
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