Got up at seven to get breakfast. Managed to get downstairs by 7.15, only to find that breakfast was served between 7.30 and 8.00, rather than 7.00 and 8.00 as we were told by the rude receptionist. As it turned out, the "chef" didn't even bother sauntering into the kitchen until about 7.40. Breakfast, however, was well worth the wait. We had a cup of coffee, two slices of white bread, and a slice of fruit.
After breakfast we lay around and read while we waited for Joe to turn up. He arrived at 11.30 and we drove up the coast to go to the beach. There were nine of us in total: Apart from me, Olly, and Joe there was a guy called Jenti, a little, skinny guy who was at dinner last night, and four Arab sisters from Shinyanga, Joe's home town.
The journey was incredible; it's a good job Joe drives a 4-wheel drive. The road was just a 20ft-wide expanse of shattered concrete and mud. Joe spent most of the time in second.
The beach was beautiful. It is on a little island called Mbudya, which we got to by boat. The sand was similar to Mombasa's and the beach shelved sharply to very deep water just a few metres from the water's edge.
MBudya Island.
After a few cokes and a bit of a swim in the crystal-clear water, we went for a walk and met Joe's uncle and his wife on the beach. He told us he'd seen two Africans mug a German woman as she came out of the sea with her young child. Apparently this is quite a common occurrence in Dar es Salaam.
Lunch on the island was a delicious barbeque chicken with chips. Again, we were not allowed to contribute anything towards the meal.
After freshening up at the flat Joe is letting us stay in, we walked round to his place and we drove to a restaurant in the shanty area of Dar es Salaam. On the way there we experienced the low-life of the city. I made the mistake of resting my arm out of the window when we were at some traffic lights. An African child crept up and tried to rip the watch from my wrist. Fortunately my reflexes were quick enough for me to get away with a torn leather strap, but it's still a pain in the arse.
We were relieved to see that the restaurant was shabby, so that we could realistically afford to pay. As it happened, though, this was not allowed!
After a stop at the beach near the centre, during which both Jenti and I fell asleep, we drove home. I was well knackered.
After breakfast we lay around and read while we waited for Joe to turn up. He arrived at 11.30 and we drove up the coast to go to the beach. There were nine of us in total: Apart from me, Olly, and Joe there was a guy called Jenti, a little, skinny guy who was at dinner last night, and four Arab sisters from Shinyanga, Joe's home town.
The journey was incredible; it's a good job Joe drives a 4-wheel drive. The road was just a 20ft-wide expanse of shattered concrete and mud. Joe spent most of the time in second.
The beach was beautiful. It is on a little island called Mbudya, which we got to by boat. The sand was similar to Mombasa's and the beach shelved sharply to very deep water just a few metres from the water's edge.
MBudya Island.After a few cokes and a bit of a swim in the crystal-clear water, we went for a walk and met Joe's uncle and his wife on the beach. He told us he'd seen two Africans mug a German woman as she came out of the sea with her young child. Apparently this is quite a common occurrence in Dar es Salaam.
Lunch on the island was a delicious barbeque chicken with chips. Again, we were not allowed to contribute anything towards the meal.
After freshening up at the flat Joe is letting us stay in, we walked round to his place and we drove to a restaurant in the shanty area of Dar es Salaam. On the way there we experienced the low-life of the city. I made the mistake of resting my arm out of the window when we were at some traffic lights. An African child crept up and tried to rip the watch from my wrist. Fortunately my reflexes were quick enough for me to get away with a torn leather strap, but it's still a pain in the arse.
We were relieved to see that the restaurant was shabby, so that we could realistically afford to pay. As it happened, though, this was not allowed!
After a stop at the beach near the centre, during which both Jenti and I fell asleep, we drove home. I was well knackered.
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