Apr 1st. Tea with Mercy then boda to the border. TZ Airtel Internet top up just across the border. Walked up the road to the stage for dala to Himo. Switched to Kilema dala. Got off at Kilasiya passed Marangu. Started to walk to the Waterfalls but realised it was much more sensible to check in at Devota first. I noticed in the register that everyone paid 7,000 but I paid 10,000 last time. So I made sure I paid 7,000. Walked to the Kilasia Waterfall. Told entrance was 10,000 but I got in for 5,000, being the local rate. Nice walk down and up…steep but dry and not slippery like the last time I was there. Bumped into Joseph when I was at the mbege place. Bought him a mbege and a beer when we moved on to a bar/restaurant on the main road that he’s trying to develop as a port of call for tourists. Went up the road passed Devota for a beer and bought a drink also for a couple of chatty ladies. Ordered kiti moto at the lodging. It was very tasty.
Sun 2nd. I got up quite early. Had a wash using a plastic jug to get water from a big container/drum. As the sky looked clear I decided to head to Ngangu Hill in the hope of seeing Mt Kilimanjaro. Found that breakfast wouldn’t start until 9:00 at the earliest so I walked down the road and with the help of Joseph I got a boda for 2,000tsh at about 7:30. I had to help the driver with directions but we arrived safely…I was dropped off and walked up the hill.
Well, the sky was beautifully clear and Kili looked magnificent. Took lots of pics, including with the self timer. There was very little snow on Kibo; I thought that because there had been a fair amount of rain, there would be quite a lot of snow, but the mountain and the foothills looked fantastic. I walked around a bit but mainly sat and stared at the fantastic sight in front of me. After over an hour the clouds started to build up a bit , which was fine with me because they made up my mind that I needed to leave. Otherwise I could have sat there all day !! I walked 15 minutes to the main road and got a boda back to Kilasiya. Breakfast was ready. I felt a bit cheeky in having taken my own lime with me because I remembered they didn’t put any in the mtori. The tanginess really adds to the flavour, and the girl was fine with it.
Met up with Joseph again on the main road and got a boda to Marangu Mtoni. I’m sure the driver was a bit drunk from the night before and I didn’t feel all that safe on the shortish ride. We ran out of fuel just 5 minutes walk from Marangu, but that was ok….more of a relief to get off the boda.
I checked the very nice coffee shop that I’d used before but being Sunday it opened later. Had a tea on the way to the dala dala stage and it wasn’t long before I was on my way to Moshi at a cost of 2,000 (about 70pence). It was rather a squash in the vehicle but I had the pleasure of facing one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen and had to look at her for the whole hour and a half that it took to get to Moshi. I arrived at 12:00 and went straight to Htl Buffalo. When I was there in March I negotiated a reduced rate of 25,000tsh for a large single room instead of the going rate of 30,000. Mark arrived an hour and a half later; in the meantime I went to a cyber cafe for the Internet. We went to Milan’s for a coffee.
A bit later we went to the Police Mess for a couple of beers then on to Kaka’s for a superb tandoori chicken and nan. My friends weren’t there, being a Sunday, but the restaurant didn’t disappoint. Back to the hotel…although, I had a nightcap just around the corner.
Mon 3rd.. After breakfast we met up with Stanley and walked over to the cemetery. We specifically were looking for the grave of a lady’s policeman grandfather. No success with that but we got good exercise as a result of it. Saw a hedgehog though !! Stopped at Aroma Coffee house which is on Boma Road just around the corner from Basecha Lodge where I stayed a few times. I had a ginger tea which was very gingery and ‘hot’. The afternoon passed and we ended up at the Police Mess. Then Mark and I had quite a long walk to Deo Camping where we were to meet Stanley who brought us some homemade kiti moto which was absolutely superb. Same price as almost everywhere…6,000 for a half kilo. The only time I paid less was the 5,000 at Devota, Kilasiya. We took a bajaj back to the hotel. The driver seemed to take a slightly longer route but I let it be known that I knew exactly the way back and he wouldn’t be paid any extra !! I had a quick nightcap at Awara around the corner.
Tues 4th. My challenge was to find mama Shafi’s (from taveta) daughter in a comms shop opposite the Puma petrol station. After one false start I managed to find the shop where Zena worked, and in fact mama Shafi was visiting from Taveta and she was very pleased that I’d made the effort. A more relaxed day. Kili was visible from the hotel but clouds soon covered it. I checked out supermarkets. We met at Aroma. The ginger tea seemed to be spicier still. I went walkabout. We called into the police mess. I surprised the Masai guy by buying a small stick of mkombero..known as mkongora in Tz.
Went to Kaka’s but Mark and I both had chicken curry. Absolutely superb; obviously just a brilliant place to eat. The guys were up in the bar making a helluva racket as usual. But a good bunch of guys. And then back to the hotel.
Wed 5th. Nice breakfast as usual. I paid for my last day once I’d been to the bank to draw out some money. I walked down to the railway station. Aroma for the spicier ginger tea yet. Tried a new place…Blossoms…for a pot of tea. Off to the Police Mess where I shouted at the waitress who over charged us the previous day. A Serengeti should be 2,000 but she charged 2,500; I would’ve argued the previous day but I wasn’t 100% sure of the price for a bottle.
Went to Kaka’s for a tandoori chicken. Firstly chatted with the guys upstairs in the bar. They were very generous and bought Mark a small bottle of brandy and I was given rather large shots of Konyagi. The result was I ended up rather drank after a couple of bottles of beer as well. Oh, and I was also persuaded to have a few puffs of a joint, so I was probably slightly ‘high’ as well !! Anyway, I made it into the bajaj and somehow into my room safely !!
So, a great time was had in Moshi. Hotel Buffalo was very comfortable and the breakfast was quite nice. Mark and I really like Moshi town. Nice mix of tourist shops and ordinary businesses and all within a relatively small area. The streets are easy to cross as the traffic isn’t too heavy. And not too far from Taveta if you want to take advantage of cheap Tz prices. Next day back to Taveta.