Week 9 at School

Last Sunday was our Boma Trip - A Day in the Life of a Maasai Woman.  What a fantastic trip.  It was an eye opening experience into what the real Tanzania is all about.  It just makes you realise that we do waste our money on trivial and frivolous things in the western world because we can.  Us included.

The only thing I didn't like was a cup of cold milk I was offerred - it tasted terrible.  Not too sure what it was but it was not any milk I have ever tasted before.

For those reading the online blog, there is more if you click on the Read more>> button below.

The head man of the village has two wives.  Why anybody would want more than one wife has still got be baffled.

I have finally worked out the best seat in a Dalla Dalla (min van), the front seat.  You don't get squeezed in and it is semi-comfortable.  Dalla Dalla's are renowned for packing people in like sardines, in fact I think sardines get the better deal.  On the way out to the Boma I found a role for Soil Conservation, come on over Colin.  After about 30 mins of the hour long trip out we stopped and the driver raced off, only to return with at least 5lts of water.  Next thing I know they are opening up the engine bay and filling the radiator with water.  On removing the radiator cap, while the engine was running, there was no steam to be seen.  After pouring in all the water they raced off again and got another 5ltrs.  This went in with steam eventually coming out, and then a further 2-3 ltrs went in.  I get the feeling it was dry and about to cook the engine.

After that I saw a herd of camels, only to find out later they were part of some animal park.  I was wondering why they had camels in Tanzania.

On the way back from the Boma we had to walk the 4kms back to the road and discovered even more erosion.  Colin, you need to come and assist these people - HINT.

Defence Force Sign on the Walk Back

 

That night we decided to do Chinese , but our taxi driver got his nations mixed up and took us to Japanese.  We eventually made it to the Chinese restaurant which was great.  On the way home we had another car reverse into us while we were stopped - lady driver.  What can you expect, even in Africa they let them loose on the roads (let's see if that gets a bite).  Her excuse was I didn't see you, well even I could have worked that out Einstein....  I decided to get out and "assist" our driver and asked to see her license.  I've never seen a more guilty face.  She offered her ID several times, but wouldn't show her drivers license.  I took a photo of her rego and SMS'd it to our taxi driver.  The only damage was a driving light, of which I don't believe worked anyway.

Oh I love Tanzania.

The basketball meeting last weekend was interesting.  When I turned up (early) I began to meet people who were turning up for a referees clinic.  That interested me as I was there for a meeting with two other people.  After the 6th person turned up I realised it was me who was running a clinic.  By the time I started I had 12 people and still growing.  After the 1 hour clinic, I pulled aside the person who could fully understand me and told him the conditions under which I would run a referees course.  The least of which was I require a classroom and people on time.  Let's see where that gets me.  I already know they won't be on time.

It is now the following Sunday morning and I believed I was running the first part of a referees course this morning at 9am.  It is now after 10am.  Last night I emailed and SMS'd to find out where and what time.  To date no response, so I am doing the washing, just listened to Titans roll the Eels, then the NSW Blues team announcement, while Denise is at church.

We found some Imperial Leather soap here, but it wasn't until we used it we realised the soap is about 1-2" longer than normal soap which makes it a little more difficult to hold.  There's a line for Ravi.

I've been advised that from next week I'll get my own shopping bus without back seats.  The one earmarked still has seats in it so I doubt it will be ready - surprise me.  In the meantime I have organised delivery of the vegetables at no additional cost, so that will allow me more time to investigate alternative suppliers.

On Monday night (tomorrow) Megan arrives for a week before she heads off for Mt Meru, Kilimanjaro and safari.

Next weekend Denise and I are off to Nairobi, so the blog post will probably be late.

Until next time.