At the moment a monthly blog suffices as there is not a lot happening. Another month self isolating on the TZ border.
My routine is breakfast of chai and mandazi, then to the shop to buy my 3 litres of water. I return to my room briefly then go to snake hill for 2 to 3 hrs. I return to my room for a shower and get dressed for dinner…longs. The only change to the routine is if I need to go and get some credit top ups for my phone or go and use the ATM at the only bank – thankfully on the Tanzanian side. For the last couple of weeks have been having a drink of mbege before going for my kiti moto dinner.
A fairly interesting month; however. Three weeks ago I met up with Emil, my friend from Dar. He was staying just beyond Himo, recovering from a cataract operation, so very easy to get to. I had some coffee for the first time in ages. We went walkabout and found a very quirky new bar. Very unusual … all sorts of hanging ornaments; little tables and chairs here there – some secluded . A fun few hours.
My next trip was to Arusha on the 26th to extend my TZ visa which was expiring on the 28th. Very fortunate , because I should’ve gone to Dar to extend, but having an immigration friend at Holili who had a very good friend in Arusha immigration…… The cost for doing it was only about 10 quid , so we’ll worth it. Just took my documents, filled out a form there….no questions asked…..and 3 and a half later I was picking up my passport. Much walking around Arusha looking for WiFi, but the big hotels were all closed.
I caught a 3:30 dala dala and by 5 I was in Moshi. Did a little supermarket shopping then went Kaka’s for a delicious tandoori chicken. Decided against staying the night in Moshi on the basis of cost; as the dala dalas were still running at 7:15 I headed back to Holili. I perhaps shouldn’t have asked the inebriated lady what the word ‘boro’ meant…..because it means penis. So she started going on about how she was on the lookout for one…… She was very loud and quite amusing.
Sat 30th was a fun day because I met up with my friend Ernest in Marangu. Got a taxi up, Up the hill to the gate where the Kilimanjaro climbers start from. From there we walked back down, with me taking great pictures as the weather and views were so good. We stopped off along the way for a drink or two. The Kibo htl was closed; had hoped to meet up with the manager who worked with my uncle over 30yrs ago. Anyway, arrived back in Holili around 5:00 and nicely in time for kiti moto.
So, yesterday on the last day of the month I had some very bad news. Was sent a message to contact my brother Alan urgently. By the time I got through he had just arrived at my mother’s house and was able to tell us at the same that her brother and our uncle, Evan, had died in hospital in Nairobi. I knew he hadn’t been well , and I spoke to him in hospital last Thursday. By all accounts he was on the mend from a urinary infection and pneumonia and he was due to leave hospital. Anyway, on Sunday morning he had a massive cardiac arrest and didn’t recover. He was an Amazing man….the ‘godfather’ of the Greek community. He will be hugely missed. A sad way to end the month.