My day at Nyegezi at CitySide was very pleasant. I bought my ticket for Mon 28th on the Saratoga bus to Kigoma. I went for a long walk thinking I would reach the Lake but I was wrong. After seeing lots of sugar cane fields I gave up and stopped for a drink. I sunbathed at the lodging and had 3 cooked bananas for dinner. Very comfortable room.
Mon 28th. After an initial concern on finding the door locked, I was let out when my banging was heard. The bus stand was only a 10 minute walk away. A bit of difficulty getting into the bus as the step seemed quite high from ground level; I wasn’t the only one !! The lady sitting next to me had a big bundle of blankets which she handed to me for safekeeping as she muttered something about sorting out her luggage. There was a baby in there somewhere..which I couldn’t make out in the gloomy lighting…but when I handed the bundle back, I realised I had been holding the baby upside down . Fortunately baby was asleep!!.
We left the stand at precisely 06:00 , as did all the other buses. I began to realise we were heading back to Mwanza. I wasn’t too concerned. But then we arrived at the ferry terminal; told to get off the bus and onto the ferry. Our bus followed us fortunately, having reversed on. Only 5 buses on the ferry. Dawn was just breaking as we travelled about 25 minutes to the other side of the mainland. All this was totally unexpected but quite good fun.
There followed 13 hours of travelling during which I dozed a couple of times. The terrain was fairly boring. 3 hours of the journey was on a non tarmac road, and although relatively rough, the earth was compacted and therefore bearable. We had one lunch stop and that was the only time I stepped off the bus in 13 hours. There was just enough light in early evening to find a hotel that was actually quite a long way from the bus stand. Checked in and found somewhere for a nice chips omelette.
Tues 1st March…I explored. Down the hill to the railway station. Across to the port, which I knew I wouldn’t have access to. I went around the shoreline looking at hotels and hostels and checking prices. One wouldn’t budge from 85usd because I wasn’t a citizen, and Coast View was being refurbished, and two others were very nice with little beaches but a bit far from the town centre. I went elsewhere for my chips omelette and saved 500tsh..about 30p !! I discovered Kumekucha bar just a couple of mins walk from my hotel and have been going there every evening.
Wed 2nd Mar..Bajaj (tuk tuk) to Kigoma hilltop but they wanted 10,000..over 3pds just to walk around the grounds and take photos. Wasn’t going to do that, esp as I had already taken pics of the bay from elsewhere. Longish walk to the fishing harbour…seemed like hundreds of boats moored. Didn’t find out why they weren’t out on the lake…possibly because was midday..I don’t know. Got a boda back to the little lakeside hotels. Aqua Lodge was fast becoming my favourite. As I had accomplished so much by early afternoon, I showered and got a bajaj to Ujiji. Had to go and see where Henry Stanley met David Livingstone. Probably took 20 mins to get there, so not far. Despite negotiating to get in at tz residents rates…about half the tourist rate…I decided the modern museum didn’t warrant a tour. Headed straight back to town after taking a few pics of the area. The boda guy was proud of his 5 speed/gears motorbike, but it meant he was going a bit too fast for my liking. The evening consisted of chips omelette and a couple of drinks.
Thurs 3rd. Today was a lazy day. Tried to be clever in getting to Aqua. Got a bit lost, so took longer than if I had played it safe. Spent nearly 3 hours on the beach. Had my nice 2 cups of coffee for 2000..about 60p. But the really fun thing was going for a swim. So I was born in Tanganyika and over 60 years later I went for a swim in Lake Tanganyika. Was refreshing but not cold, and being fresh water one didn’t have that clammy feeling like being in salt water. Anyway, I bought my bus ticket for tomorrow. I drew some money from the ATM. I ate what they call a pizza, but which is more like a giant samosa with a hard boiled egg in it. And just people watched at the bar and listened to the local gossip.
So, a good few days in Kigoma. Great fun and very interesting being on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Too expensive to go to Gombe which is Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee national Park. A short 6 or 7 hour bus ride tomorrow to Mpanda.