We take the bus from Dar till Moshi. So we get at 8 am 4 km very busy, and then 4 km more with low traffic, till the bus terminal. Here a woman drives us till a big bus with a big cargo, where it is easy to put the bikes and luggages. We have to fight a little to get reasonable prices for the tickets and the luggages. We pay each 50.000 sh for the ticket, and 25.000 sh for the bike, which makes all 50$. It is certainly too much, but not so bad, the bus is in good state and comfortable. The road is hilly and hot all along. First it crosses a flat with small bush, grass, or sisal. Then on East side is the wall of the mountains, with abrupt slopes and cliffs, with small fields of sisal at the foot, very impressive, and on West side a flat land with grass. The road doesn’t enter in the mountains so it doesn’t look difficult, but very dry. It seems there is only little traffic. There are only a few little villages and some towns along the way. Arriving near Moshi, we see the peak of the Kilimanjaro, covered with snow.
We arrive at 7 pm in Moshi, and we go straight to Buffalo hotel, easy to find and near the bus terminal. Then we go to a restaurant. First we just go in front, but when I see only groups of Mzungus, I would like to find other place. Unfortunately it is late so everything is closed, so we go back to Indoitaliano restaurant. We have to wait 1h30 to get the 2 pizzas. We notice that the Mzungus eat just a little piece of their plate, such a shame in Africa! Well these people who wastes 5.000$ in 2 weeks to climb the Kilimanjaro, and visit Serengeti park and Zanzibar, doesn’t care about Africa or African, they just care about themselves, as autists as Tommy, the lead character of the rock and roll band The Who. 5.000$ is 10 years salary of a primary school teacher in Congo!
Well at 9 am we move cycling way to Arusha. The road first is hilly climbing 300 m, and then goes downhill 300 m to get back to 800 m. Then comes a 10 km long climbing to cross a pass at 1200 m, 400 m up. Then comes 7 km downhill to go back 900 m. And that finish by 25 km climbing to rise Arusha and 1500 m high. We do it in 2 days, 60 km and 25 km, as I yet suffer recovering from malaria. We don’t see the Kilimanjaro, and barely see the Meru, as it is very cloudy. First the countryside is large fields, with crops and villages and farms. We pass the cross to the airport and we enter in a very dry land, flat, with sand and poor grass, and herds of cattle with shepherds. There are a very few farms and small villages without guest houses. Then we start the long climb and it becomes a little greener. We finally arrive in USA cross to Meru Mountain, and little further is the big village with all the services. Day after we get the long climb to Arusha, 25 km, with a very lot of traffic, and with a narrow shoulder. We see a lot of 4*4 with Mzungus. They all stop at the same shops, they don’t see Africa. The countryside changes totally, it becomes tropical, with a lot of trees, flowers, and farms with papayas, bananas and mangoes.
We arrive in Arusha at midday where we meet Erik, from warmshowers. It is good to stay in a real old house with nice furniture and decoration. Also he gets 2 houses, with very amazing architecture, and his family is very simpathic.
By the afternoon we go downtown to the supermarket, and it is horribly busy with minibuses and cars. We quickly go back to the quiet of Erik home. We stay 2 nights as I need to rest. It is raining, big showers and storms.
Erik tells us it is possible to follow by bicycle the coast road from Dar to Tanga, crossing the national park. Also he tells us the nice road to go to the border is going way to Serengeti, and just before the gate of Nogorogo national park, on Makuyuni, turn on right on the gravel road which join the main road Arusha Nairobi near the border, passing by Massai territory, between Vulcans, and with animals.
Well recovering malaria, I can’t follow it.
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