Moshi - Febuary
Trip Start
Feb 01, 2007
1
27
Trip End
May 30, 2007
Moshi, Tanzania
Friday, February 2, 2007
We arrived at our posh hotel (set up by our Kilimanjaro climbing guide, so it is quite out of our normal budget) at 10pm and thanks to the out-of-control last 4 days (packing was insane) in Denver fell right asleep, not at all bothered by jet lag.
Yesterday we spent the day wandering around Moshi and discovered that it is a lot like other tourist hubs in the third world. Lots of people offering to take you on their guided tours or selling you t-shirts or art work. Not that any of this is a bad thing, but around the millionth guy trying to sell you something it starts to get under your skin. So, the trick is to just smile and say "No thank you" and keep moving or continuing your conversation as to where we're eating dinner
01-Leaving DIA
. Indian, turns out, is the best bet for the vegetarian folk.Today we took a guided bicycle tour of the area. It is quite beautiful, lots of banana trees and coffee plants. Our guide, Michael, took us on a full blown mountain bike tour. Neither of us have done any sort of single track mountain biking so it was a bit alarming, I think I still have all my teeth. But, I managed to not fall (whooie!) and only got off the bike at the water crossings. Michael grew up around here so he knew all the small foot paths that connect the small villages so, almost none of our biking was on a busy street. Which was great, I think we're going to have plenty of the belching diesel trucks for the trip.
From our hotel, there's this Kilimanjaro web cam although I don't think I can stand somewhere to wave at Mom, without a ladder or a repel rope. That's too bad...
What sounded like the high school marching band just went by this Internet cafe. It's a wedding with a pick up truck fulled with brass players! Fun!
I hope everyone at home is enjoying winter. Matt said it was 81 in the bedroom when we woke up this morning. Yikes.
Comments
Hujambo mama!
Habari gani? choo kiko wapi?
Gretchen and Matt,
We are soooooo envious of your trip. Having just returned from Bucerias, Mexico we are developing wanderlust again. We are looking forward to (vicariously) following your trip.
We have an excellent contact for you near Port Elizabeth, SA on the eastern cape, so let us know what is the best (private) contact to which we should send email
Travel safely,
Kwaheri.
jessnfranknZ
KPAP
Hi Matt and Gretchen,
Good to hear that you and your bikes arrived in one piece. Here in Colorado its very cold and we got yet more snow yesterday. 81 degrees in your room sounds really good to me right now. While in Moshi I hope you will have a chance to stop by the Kili Porter Assist. Project office to say Hello to Karen and Zamo and see the project that you contributed to. Here's the office's location:
Our store-front office is located on the main 'double road' in Moshi, about 1 km past the clock tower roundabout, in front of the Da Costa Hotel. It is Opposite the main market.
Have a great time on Kili. I look forward to reading your postings about it.
Jack
Bits and Matt!
Glad that you are settling in nicely, hopefully you purchased continued dental insurance! Please enjoy the heat for us, it is 14F here, and the temperature is going no where but down for the next week.
Hope you can watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, it starts at 5:30 central time, which is some other, probably completely inconvenient, time in Moshi.
Love
Andrew and Brenda
84 degrees at 6:40 a.m.
The web cam says it is 84 degrees at 6:40 a.m. Saturday. Whew. If it is 80 or more at 8:00 a.m. in Wisconsin, look out, it is going to be warm.
Anyway, I hope the temperature cools as you gain altitude today. Wow. Climbing Kilimanjaro. Hard to believe.
Judy
You are on line, I wonder
I thought I would check your travel pod and it says you are online! I wonder if you will get this immediately? If so, hello! We could almost be talking.
I wish your online time was not so slow and expensive.
Love you and Matt,
Mom