Kilwa Masoko
Tues 29th Apr.
Plenty of time in the morning. The idea was to get to the bus stand at 09:30 but I got there about 10 minutes earlier. But before that I said goodbye to Sophia and Stella. I felt very strange…almost depressed…incredibly sad at having to leave Lindi. It hit home how much I enjoyed my time there.
I decided on the big Dar bus up to the junction at Nagurukuru and then a shared taxi to Masoko, as opposed to a stop/start Coaster all the way through. I was told the Coaster would leave around midday, whereas the Dar bus left just after 10:00.
It cost 14,000 plus the 3,000 taxi…only 5Gbp in total.
It took 2 and a quarter hours to Nagurukuru; about 15 minutes to walk and find the taxi and depart; 45 minutes to do the 30 kms to Masoko because the road was so bad in parts. I arrived about 13:15; I figured the 3 and a quarter hours was really good going.
At the bus stand I had a cup of ginger tea. Then I went walkabout for accommodation. Nairo looked very basic. Laumbe wouldn’t drop their 20-30,000 plus prices, and didn’t have wifi anyway. Mawenzi Intl Lodge…again, no wifi in the expensive rooms so I just went with a 15,000 room. It’s big and very comfortable, which is fine. I think in Masoko you have to pay 40,000 plus to get wifi. As soon as there is AC with the room, the price shoots up.
I went on a reconnaissance mission to find out how to get to the beach. Instead I found the Amani bar. I tried to reach some smarter hotels on the beach but failed. I went back to the bus stand and had an early dinner of rice, beans and greens.
I popped back to my room for a shower then went out for an evening drink.
I called in to SG Pub because it had an open upstairs, but they only had small beer bottles at 2,500. I went a bit further to New Roadside bar and paid the correct price of 2,500 for a big bottle. I drank just one; bought a small bottle of Valeur for my room; went back to the lodge for an early night.
Wed 30th Apr
I had a very comfortable sleep; I like my room…large with a good fan. I washed my clothes that had been soaking from the night before. I paid for another night and went for a tea at the bus stand. I had my clothes hanging in the room, but when I saw it was going to be a sunny day, I went back and hung the shirt and the socks on the line.
Mission of the day…get to the beach.
Not so easy actually. First I followed the main road from out of town to the Port, which took about half an hour, buying airtime along the way. But the beach was on the other side of the little peninsular. I cut in and across and after 20 minutes I went down to Kimbilio lodge and I was on the beach.
Quite a nice beach. Slow Leopard Htl is just off the beach. There was a raised area where I drank an expensive small beer at 4,000…but a nice setting with a good view of the bay and the fishing port.
I was shown an exit up to the main road and passed the hospital. A lady holding a baby said something…I replied and asked the age of the baby…was told it was 1 month and 13 days…very precise.
I popped into Amani for a beer. I stopped at a couple of Airtel shops at the bus stand because I had received a message regarding my Calls facility being cut off. And it was true, I tested it by calling Edgar a few times and the calls wouldn’t go through. Apparently I needed to register, but I’d done that in Moshi. Everything else worked…Internet, messages, Fbook. I cant do anything until I reach Dar.
I went to a hoteli at the stand and had what turned out to be a terrible rice and maharage…on the cool side and no flavour. I went back to my room and took my washing in.
On the way to New Roadside bar I bumped into Slim. He accepted my invitation to join me, but after he’d done some business. In the meantime I bought some snacks…crisps and tambi…for my room for later.
I spent the evening with Slim…first at Roadside and then at Nairo Jack just the other side of the stand. Nairo Jack was a bit loud, but a fun place. From there I went back to my room…after 9:00 I think.
Thurs 1st May
After waking, I washed one t-shirt. I went to the stand for a tea. I decided to see more of the beach, and this time I knew a quicker way there. I was shown a path that took me from a big road directly to the beach. This time I was at the other end from where I was the previous day…where there were lots of mangroves.
There was a strip of beach alongside the mangroves which made for a few nice pics. I went back so that I was near the Slow Leopard and lay on the beach for an hour and a half.
I went back up the same path and along to the Police bar. I was told they cooked kiti moto, but that was incorrect. I had one beer and went to Amani for one. Back to my room and to RRN restaurant for a slightly more expensive rice,beans and greens, but much better quality.
Across the road to Roadside bar where Slim joined me after he’d seen to a group of guests from Masasi area. I’d had 2 beers and felt tired and went back to my room. It was a nice day at the beach, but I found that swimming was only possible when the tide was in, otherwise there was too much coral.
Fri 2nd May
After a good sleep and morning shower I went for tea at RRN. It seems I must wait until Dar for my next milk tea. I checked at a stationery shop that I could connect to their WiFi…apparently, yes. Just after 10:00 I was at the Information office to meet Slim.
He didn’t arrive but sent a boda to take me to meet him at the college. We had arranged for me to have an informal chat with a group of about 15 students studying Tourism and Animal Husbandry. The chat covered all sorts of topics in the end…life in the UK, my views on E Africa, education. It was an interesting hour of my time, with group photos taken at the end.
I walked into town with Slim, and we went our separate ways. It began raining and I needed to use my umbrella for a few minutes. I went to Uhuru bar and Miwa something, thinking they cooked kiti moto there. Wrong place, so I had a small beer and contemplated what to do next.
There was another Miwa place that made the kiti moto and it was a few kilometres away. Ok, I went for the 2,000bob fare for the 10 minute ride. I arrived to be told there was no meat, so I went straight back to town; fortunately my boda hadn’t left yet.
I had some deep fried snacky things which I treated as dinner. I went to Nairo Jack where I had a small beer until the mozzies got the better of me. I went to Roadside and bemoaned the fact that now I couldn’t send sms messages either. The lady at the Stand was very helpful and switched my sim into her phone, which proved that the problem was with my line. So I couldn’t contact Slim.
After buying a KVant for later and a couple of small packets of snacks, I went to my room for an early night.
Sat 3rd May
An okay sleep, only to awake to a lack of water from the shower. So I filled my big bucket and used that in conjuction with a jug. I bumped into Slim then met him later at his office.
I went for my customary tea. I asked a couple of places if there was wifi I could use…but,no. I bought my bus ticket to Dar from Maning Nice for 21,000 or 6Gbp. Then Slim took me to a friend through whom I could hook up to the Internet. I did a Fbook post, sent some WhatsApp messages, spoke with Loretta, then Slim and I went to Nairo Jack for one small beer.
In the meantime Slim had checked that Miwa had taken delivery of some pork. I took a boda to get there after 12:30. What an out of the way place; I think their business is mostly from taking orders. The odd thing was there was not a single bottle of alcohol behind the bar !!!
It took over an hour for the food to be served, but I was in no hurry. It was worth the trouble because it was really delicious. There was one bottle of Serengeti Light in the kitchen, and I claimed it..!!
The total cost was 10,000 which was good value.
I walked 10 minutes down the road before someone offered me a boda ride to town. There were lots of bodas around as there had been a big funeral earlier. I got off at the stand and walked to my room. I showered and chilled before going to the local football match that Slim had invited me to; it was his local team.
I was amazed by the high standard of skill, especially as the pitch had patches of long grass and a large sandy area through the middle. The individual skills were brilliant, and the intricate passing was amazing.
I only watched the first half before walking into town to watch some English football.
I saw highlights of the Everton game as I’d missed most of the 1st half, then went over to Roadside. Slim joined me after an hour, and I couldn’t be bothered to go watch the Arsenal match at 19:30. I much preferred to sit and chat.
Then it was back to my room for some packing and an earlyish night to be ready for Dar the next day.
Kilwa Masoko was definitely interesting. A bit similar to Lindi but on a smaller scale. I found out too late that urojo was available, because I thought the food choice was limited. Anyway, a good visit.