Moshi

  Moshi, Tanzania
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Jambo and karibu (welcome) to Tanzania, home of the Serengeti and the highest peak in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro, at 5896 meters/about 18,000 feet.  I took the bus across the border into Moshi, a smallish town at the foot of Mt. Kili. 

I realize one of my plans at the beginning of this journey was to was to climb Kili.  Well, I changed my mind quite some time ago, for a variety of reasons.  Number one reason is that it's bloody expensive.  It'll cost about $1500 for the 7 day hike.  In addition to that I would have to buy some cold weather gear and hiking boots.  I only brought one pair of shoes on this trip, my Keen sandals.  I didn't want to lug around a pair of hiking boots for one year only to wear them a couple of times.  So, yes, I have worn the same pair of shoes everyday for the past 10 months.  Hakuna matata, don't worry, I wash them regularly so they don't smell too bad.  Reason number two for not climbing Kili is that I don't know if my body can handle it.  There's no technical gear involved in the climb, but I haven't been sleeping well lately and I just don't think I have the energy to do it.  Reason number three is that I have no desire to climb to the summit of a mountain just to say that I have done it.  Climbing to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru was different.  You don't just climb to the top, look around, take a few pictures, and climb back down.  You hike through the Andes for 4 days to reach probably the most magnificent ruins I have ever seen.  For me, seeing these incredible Inca ruins was reason enough to endure the climb.  Plus, I was a hell of a lot younger back then!  I guess the final reason for not climbing Kili is that it's low season and no companies have any travelers climbing right now so I'd be doing it alone, with a guide and porter of course.  OK, enough trying to justify my decision.

I decided to take a day trip to Marangu village, which is one of the starting points of the hike and home of the Chagga people.  I had my guide first take me to the park headquarters to see the starting point of the Marangu route.  Then we walked through the village to a waterfall, stopped at a shop so I can taste the local banana beer, went down into the Chagga caves where the Chagga people used to hide when they were fighting with the Masai people, and then we walked through the market.

A few of you have requested more photos with me in them so I included a couple for your viewing pleasure.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Park Headquarters...start of the Marangu Route

Tasting banana beer...YUCK!!

Chagga cave just after a bat passed by my head

Waterfall

Marangu market

And for those of you who keep pestering me on my return date, I'm thinking about coming home mid-June, which is 2 weeks shy of the planned 12 month travel time, but I don't think any of you will mind me coming home a couple of weeks early.  And Lynne, we'll talk about a move-out date later.  I'm sure I can crash with friends and family for a couple of weeks.

My plan next is to go to Arusha, which is only an hour and a half from Moshi, and do one final safari to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.  More info to come later....

peace,
Jen