On the 2nd of November we drive directly from Diani Beach, Kenya to Mahaba Beach in Dar es Salam, Tanzania.
Diani Beach
Diani Beach is primarily a tourist resort with many hotels, lodges, guesthouses and some campsites. We stay there at Diani Beach Backpackers, we can set up our tent in the parking lot. There is a lovely pool and a small but tasty cuisine, and we can walk to the white, tropical beach.
A dip in the ocean is not chilly but a hot bath. On the beach we see camels as a tourist attraction.
Kenya trip to Dar
In Kenya, the road gets more and more deteriorated, after a small stretch of gravel from the backpackers to the main road, the road is fine. Over time, however, the road narrows with bad shoulders and occasional potholes. Fortunately, there is not too much traffic.
At Horohoro border – first stamp out Kenya than stamp in Tanzania – we have some troubles with the ladies of the Tanzanian immigration, our first Tanzanian visa has not been stamped out! Fortunately, with humor and a little persuasion we know to obtain a new visa (2x 50 USD), and we can complete the rest of the proceedings at customs stamping our carnet and pay road tax, the insurance that we have bought earlier is still valid .
On the other side of the border is an excellent road, sponsored by “The American People” (USAid). Via Tanga to Segera there is relatively little traffic, some local buses and cars and some trucks. From Segera junction the traffic from Arusha joins in and we have to watch for the racing big passenger buses which we really encounter dozens.
Just past Segera all traffic stops at once, we can pass the waiting buses to the front of the traffic jam and see that a tipped over truck blocks the road, which will take hours. Thankfully I see buses found a bypass, an agricultural road parallel to the main road. Although the access road there is also blocked with a very slowly moving queue of buses. I can maneuver Milady through a field and a yard to another road and can thus join the buses to evade the blockade.
Let’s make up some time…
I had better not done that, which village it was I do not know, but after the village I rev up again and drive 73km/h towards a laser gun … Penalty: 30.000 TSh, which is € 12, and a sermon of Mr. Officer.
The rest of the way we continue without further delay and arrive at Mahaba Beach around 18:00 where we are welcomed by Bea and Saadi.
Mahaba Beach
A tropical beach, palm trees, bandas (thatched cottages), a restaurant serving freshly caught fish and a bar made from old fishing boats … In short, this is fabulous and Bea and Saadi make the atmosphere, homey, laid back, relaxed. We are welcomed like family, get a beautiful spot on the beach under a palm tree and can use one of the bandas.
The seafood platter they make for us again is delightful.
The next day we relax on the beach and drink a beer in the bar, we get in our bed early and put the car in the parking lot because at 2 AM we leave for the airport to pick up Suzanne. That was nonetheless very early, but fortunately there is not much traffic on the dark, unlit road. Within an hour we are at the airport and after waiting half an hour we can have Suus in our arms, wonderful to be able to hold a child after three months away from home!
We stay another week in Mahaba beach, relax on the beach, occasionally have a beer at the bar, along with Suzanne visit a few projects in which she was involved in the past.
On November 11 Ton and Anneke Vogelzang arrive in their big overland truck. They have travelled for ten years around the world of which the last six years with this truck. What an adventure they have experienced! They talk about India, South America and Alaska, we are inspired by it, maybe we can ever even see all those beautiful countries.
On our last night in Mahaba Beach we experience a beautiful full moon
