Tarangire & Marangu - Tanzania

Ernest & Nazeem drove us and the Swiss to the Airstrip to catch our flight back to Arusha. We were overnighting there at Flycatchers guesthouse before carrying onto Tarangire but Hans & Gratiziana would be catching their flight back to Europe later that night from Kilimanjaro Airport.

On the way to the airstrip we came across yet another troop of Vervet Monkey's, each time we had seen these on our game drives Ernest had called them Blue Balls on account the males have bright blue Gonads! We were used to it but the Swiss seemed a bit shocked so I said to Ernest "do you know what the Monkey's call you? What he said? Black Balls I replied"!

At first he looked in disbelief then I said "and they call me and Hans White Balls", he burst out laughing. We met Ernest again in 2009 and immediately greeted each other with "Jambo Black Balls, Jambo White Balls", not sure Hans saw the funny side of it though!

Katavi to Arusha is just an hour if you fly direct but we had to go all round the houses to collect other folk before we got there, first stop being Ruaha NP. We would be driving here ourselves in a few weeks time so while they were loading the new passengers we hopped out for a loo stop and to stretch our legs, if anything Ruaha seemed even hotter than Katavi!

As we started to taxi for take off again, a Bull Elephant calmly walked across the runway to join four other's under a tree causing us to wait till he was clear, first time we have had a flight delayed due to Ele's, just glad he didn't choose to cross as we were landing!

By the time we had stopped at Dodoma to refuel it was nearly 5pm when we landed at Arusha and 5.30pm when we reached the guesthouse. Hans & Gratiziana's flight wasn't until 9.30pm so they planned to take a shower and have a bite to eat but at the guesthouse they learnt the people we picked up at Ruaha had a flight leaving at 7.30pm so they would all have to leave now for Kilimanjaro International Airport about an hours drive from Arusha - Hans was not best pleased and we can't say we blame him, it was a shame as we had got on well with him and Gratiziana and in the end had to rush our goodbyes.

As they left we walked up the road to get some cash from the local ATM, then it was back to turn on Rupert's fridges and re-pack our stuff before it got too dark, by now it was cloudy and much cooler than Katavi so we were glad to be indoors for a change.

At the guesthouse Abdul the Tanzanian partner in Flycatcher's informed us the bank transfer we had set up before going to Mahale to pay them had not been received in Switzerland! So now we had to phone our UK bank on the Sat phone to find out what had happened but after numerous failed attempts at getting through we gave up.

I also needed to phone my brother to check if he had received the probate forms from us to sort out Mum's estate but again the Sat connection was so bad we had to abandon the conversation. We would have to try both again in the morning which was a pain as it would delay us, finally at 2.30am we fell into bed.

Up at 7am Sarah the cook prepared us a nice breakfast of fruit, toast, eggs, tea & coffee after which we filled the water tank and jerry's while Sarah filled our two flasks with hot water to go. Before leaving Arusha we needed to do email and check the bank etc, the first internet cafe we found who would let us connect the laptop had a virus so we abandoned that to find another but the connection was very slow, when you live in the first world you don't appreciate how hard it is at times to do just the simplest things out here.

At least the Internet allowed us to confirm the payment to Flycatcher in Switzerland had left our account on the due date so where the hell was the cash?  We called Renate in Switzerland and she confirmed the money had still not arrived,  obviously a concern considering it was thousands of Dollars but both her and Abdul had been very good about it, trusting us to sort it now we were out of the bush. 

All our bank would say was the transfer had taken place and Renate should check her end, in the end it took a full 14 days for the money to arrive in Flycatcher's account, no explanation why this was, it could have been the Swiss banks fault but after  paying £25 for the transfer to start with it was really annoying, banks are like parasites, who needs em?

After all this it was early afternoon by the time we started out for Tarangire which luckily is not that far from Arusha. Even so we didn't reach the park gate until 3.30pm which chatting to the rangers was too late to enter the park that day. The permits being  24 hours we drove back 5km to Zion camp and decided to enter the park early next morning.     

The one and only time we had been to Tarangire before was in the early 90s when we travelled through Tanzania as part of an small overland group. Then we were on our way to the Congo, then known as Zaire where Mobutu was still President and where his army was rioting because he was not paying their wages so the trip was fraught at times to say the least. However our memories of Tarangire had been good ones, the abiding image being our camp had a view down the river with loads of Baobab trees and large herds of Ele's so we were looking forward to exploring it on our own. 

The only problem was after the shambles of the Serengeti (see Dec 06) we were very sceptical about the state of the public campsites in Northern Tanzania so before heading to Zion we chatted to the rangers about the possibility of taking a special campsite. They told us they had one special site called Simba which would cost us $50 p.p.p.n, instead of camping on the public site which would cost us $30 p.p.p.n. This didn't seem too bad, if the special was good then it would probably be worth paying the premium, we agreed to look at both sites first thing in the morning.

Zion is a Masai run community campsite and after our experience at the hands of the Masai at Riverside camp outside the Talek gate in the Masai Mara (see Dec 06) we were very reluctant to stay on a Masai run site again, however, in this case we had no choice.

Just 10 minutes from the park gate Zion is probably best described as functional because considering your so close to the park there is little or no bush atmosphere. We have found that tends to be true of most of the parks on the Northern Tanzania, Southern Kenya circuit. However if you reach Tarangire late in the day it is convenient as an overnight stop, although at $10 per person a little pricey for what you get.

Mind you we did have some excitement with the local wildlife, as we started setting up camp a village goat came along to watch intently from outside the wire fence. Suddenly he decided it was a good idea to join us and began crawling under the fence but then halfway through  he became firmly stuck which kicked off a cacophony of bleating!

Our first thought was is this some sort of scam like in Saudi Arabia where the Bedouin would hide in the road side ditches and when a likely looking punter came into view would toss a knackered old goat out of the ditch in front of your car as you sped down the supposingly deserted highway. If you hit the goat and then stopped you were instantly surrounded by irate Arabs demanding compensation for the goat, after a while you became very wary of any goats with a limp!

Anyway this goat was stuck so fast we had no choice but to go over and wrestle with him and the wire until eventually we got him free, whereupon he stalked off bleating with indignation.

Back at Tarangire bright and early we picked up a ranger and drove around to the special campsite. On the way we stopped by the public camp site where a mobile safari company group was already camped taking over most of the site. It wasn't the same site we had stayed at in the 90s, apparently that was now a picnic spot, this site was too close to the main track for our liking and had views of the two lodges nearby so it looked like the choice had already been made for us, we just hoped Simba was as good as they said!

As soon as we saw it we liked Simba, no roads or tracks nearby and a small herd of Ele's browsing in the bush nearby, the only downside was with lots of trees we also had Tsetse flies but that goes wherever you are in most Tanzanian parks. We decided to pay the extra and take Simba which meant our total cost per day with entry fees would now be $US175, for all those who think we do this just to get away from the cost of living in the UK, think again!

After taking the ranger back to the gate we headed back to set up camp, we decided to use the ground tent and by midday we where all sorted. As we were working the Ele's came even closer obviously not bothered by our presence which was nice. Also nice was the group of Masked Lovebirds flying around the camp, we had never had these around camp before, brilliant green with black faces like the ones you see in UK pet shops. We call them Masked Lovebirds as that was what they used to be called, nowadays they are listed as Yellow Collared Lovebirds which we think is far less descriptive.

As the day got hotter so the amount of Tsetse increased, our only defence was to swot as many as we could, those we managed to get were quickly dragged off underground by some large black Ants, a fitting end for a Tsetse we thought!

After an afternoon game drive with a lovely sunset we arrived back at camp just before it got dark and quickly lit the fire. With G&Ts before dinner we could hear the distinctive call of a Pearl Spotted Owl and afterwards Hyena. Scanning round with the spotlight we picked out some eye's but they turned out to be nothing more sinister than a scrub hare and some Dik Dik (small antelope). However, later we heard a Leopard close by and then the panic cry's of a Wildebeest so we went to bed wondering what we would find in the morning. 

As it happened it was a very quiet night and in the morning nothing was amiss, it was quite cloudy, an indication the rains were on their way. Heading to the main gate we passed a Jackal den with six adults and two youngsters outside but as soon as we stopped they disappeared underground.

We stopped by the Tarangire Safari Lodge to see what it was like and use the loos, the lodge has nice views but it would cost the two of us $200 per night to stay there plus $70 per day park entry fee and $40 per day for Rupert, a total of $310.

We also found the old campsite we had stayed at in the 90s now known as the Matete Picnic site. It is still a lovely spot with great views down the river so it is a shame they don't allow you to camp there anymore, as in the 90s we could see Ele's, Zebra and buck moving down the mostly dry river bed.

Africa is a big place but it is still a small world so while we were there who should turn up but Abdul from Flycatcher's guiding a small party of tourists around the park, he  told us the money we had sent to Switzerland had finally arrived so that was one less worry. 

It remained cloudy all morning which was the death knell for taking photo's so we were pleased when by midday the Sun started to appear. Continuing on we reached 'Poachers Hide' an infamous Baobab tree which had been used as a hide by poachers for years. Although still alive the tree is completely hollow inside and poachers had made a small doorway so they could crawl inside and then hidden from view could scan the surrounding countryside for likely prey, probably Elephant.

They had even driven pegs all the way up the inside of the trunk so they could climb up inside the tree and thus get a birds eye view of the surrounding territory. Sadly today poaching is still rife in Tarangire as it is in all of Africa so God knows how many animals met a brutal end from here.

Returning to camp we came across four Lioness and a male lion sleeping under a bush but it would be many hours before they became active. Arriving back at camp at 5pm it was still very hot so lots of Tsetse and also some bee like insects which seemed to be nesting high up in a nearby tree, they don't bother us but if you walked over to the tree some flew around and became agitated and swarm when you try and wave them away - we decide to leave them well alone.

None of the trees nearby was suitable for hoisting the solar shower up so we used it to heat the water then pumped it up using the electric shower which is part of the water purifier at the back of the vehicle, not a problem here were we were completely on our own with not a soul for miles but would not have been possible in the public campsite.

By 7pm it is pitch dark, we hear branches cracking and make out an Ele close by. We had been using the spotlight off and on to look for 'eye's' then around 9pm after a scan Sue noticed way in the distance a torch light appeared to come on just after she switched our spot off, she tries again a few times and gets the same response each time the light seemed to get closer!

After driving around the park all day we knew there was no one else camped in that direction so it was a bit disconcerting especially knowing the history of poaching in the area. We decided to douse our lights and stop using the spot, so all we had was the camp fire, if someone was trying to find us we wouldn't make it easy!     

By 11pm we haven't seen the torchlight for a while so we start to pack up for the night still feeling very unsettled. I had the panga, knife and can of mace but hardly much defence against someone with a gun - then we hear voices in the darkness!

We couldn't see a thing and couldn't make out what was being said then we heard someone say "Don't be alarmed we are the park rangers on patrol"  and five burly figures appeared out of the darkness all carrying AK47 Rifles and walked slowly towards us!

It was the rangers, some carrying state of the art night vision goggles, they told us they had seen our light from miles away and thinking we were poachers had driven in the dark leaving their vehicle about 3km away before walking the rest on foot, they said they never used torches so as not to give their position away, instead they relied on the night vision goggles.

To say it scared the shit out of us is an understatement but thankfully these were the good guys. I had a look through their night vision goggles and they made our pair we bought on Ebay look Mickey Mouse, these were definitely top quality military standard not available to the likes of you and me.

They told us they had not been informed we were in the area and they would be patrolling all night as recently there had been some heavy poaching going on, none of which had been mentioned to us when we entered the park. These guys were the anti poaching unit not your average ranger you meet on the gate, it's a dangerous job as they can and do have gun fights with the poachers who themselves are armed to the teeth with the latest gear these days.

It's kill or be killed as sadly after the gains made in the 80/90s when Ivory trading was totally banned the disgraceful decision by CITES to allow some countries to re-open trading has resulted in Elephant poaching is now dramatically on the increase again, unofficially sponsored and supported by the Chinese, Thai's etc.

The question then who was flashing a torch when we switched our spot on? The rangers were very interested when we told them and we pointed out the rough direction we had last seen the light, they went off to investigate disappearing as quickly into the darkness as they had appeared.

Sometime later we saw a torch go off again but behind us and some way off, then we heard gunshots was it the rangers or the poachers? We even started to wonder were the Rangers really the poachers dressed as rangers? After what happened to poor Julie Ward in the Masai Mara where she may have discovered a poaching racket going on we could never be sure - eventually at 1.30am we went to bed where Sue claims I snored most of the night while she stayed on high alert!

Not surprisingly we didn't get much sleep so didn't get up until about 8.30am, deciding to spend the morning in camp and take it easy. Before getting out the tent we had a visit from some Vervet monkey's who not realising we where there sat on our tables, checking the lamps for dead insects. Unlike some parks the monkey's here are not a nuisance so we watched their antics for sometime.

One nice thing was the many birds we had around the camp, one was Von Der Decken's Hornbill which as they only occur in NE Africa we hadn't seen before. Very striking the male has a bright red & white bill whereas the female has an all black bill, we put some Apple out for them but clearly they weren't used to it so the monkeys got it instead.

It was a lovely hot sunny late afternoon so we went out for a short game drive, nothing spectacular but some nice herds of Ele's including one very young calf who the others were fiercely protective of. We wished the little fellow well and just hoped he didn't end up an orphan like so many we see nowadays at the Sheldrick Trust in Kenya.

When we got back we quickly set up the shower which was lovely and hot and lit the fire and lamps, naturally after last nights events we were a bit apprehensive, picking up a spotted genet in the spotlight and once again later we heard a Wildebeest cry out as if being attacked but then nothing more.

Around 9pm we saw torchlight again, Rangers or Poachers, but after that it was all quiet. We were leaving in the morning which was probably just as well given the situation. A very quiet night not even Hyena's calling, Sue was very disappointed we never heard Lion at all while we were here.

In the morning we left Simba at 9.30am as under the 24 hour system we needed to be out of the park by 10.20. We had thoroughly enjoyed the campsite it's just a  shame that in parks as famous as Tarangire the security situation has deteriorated to such an extent, a subject which is very much swept under the carpet by the authorities and lodge owners who prefer not to rock the boat.

Our destination today was Marangu where our friend Fionnuala and her brothers have a hotel specialising in taking people up Mt Kilimanjaro. We always stop by on our way through Tanzania as it's the perfect spot to recover from our travels, the location and views of Kili are superb and the company is great.

First stop was Arusha again to re-stock the fridges and do some internet so it was early afternoon by the time we headed off towards Moshi stopping only to refuel as once we left Marangu there are very few places of any note on the long drive south through the interior.

It takes just an hour to reach Marangu from Moshi and we arrived to be greeted by Fionnuala. We are in our favourite room number 24 which has great views of Kili, after a spruce up and a snack we meet Fionnuala in the bar around 6.30 where we stay for the next three hours.

Fee had damaged her wrist so wasn't driving herself and although her house is just up the road and she has lived her most of her life it wasn't advisable to walk in the dark so I gave her a quick lift home before re-joining Sue in the dining room for a late supper after which we thankfully collapsed into bed.

Next day was a day of relaxation so we rose at about 8am showered and had a pot of tea delivered to the room for 9am. Our room had a little outer sitting area so it's great to  start the day here by just gazing out on Kili while enjoying our tea - one of life's little luxuries. After connecting Rupert's fridges to the mains we spent the day in the lovely gardens and caught up with some paperwork. Unfortunately Kili's summit was bathed in cloud but at Sunset this cleared to give us a stunning scene. 

We spent the evening in the bar chatting with Fionnuala, her brother Seamus and mutual friends Roger & Trudi, eventually only leaving at 12.30am, luckily we still had another day to recover!

Next day was again mainly cloudy so after doing emails we filled up the water tank and jerry's and topped up the oils in readiness for Ruaha. The stainless steel water tank fitted by Foley's in the UK had from day one given us problems as the seams cannot withstand the pressure that builds up in the hot African sun so ever since South Africa we have been battling with successive leaks, not large holes but enough to drain away most of the water if left. 

To date we have had it re-welded twice, once in South Africa and then again in Botswana but each time a new leak has appeared. The problem is it is stainless steel so it is hard to find places that can weld it and here there was no one in the area so we would just have to hope the leak did not get worse before we finished with Ruaha.  

Next day we were up early as we faced a 350 mile drive through the country to Morogoro, a small town in Southern Tanzania. The first part of the drive through the Usambara mountains is usually spectacular but today was poor with heavy clouds and drizzle. Today would be the fourth time we had done this route so we were not looking forward to it, not because the road is bad, as  mostly it is good, but it is a long day of driving through village after village which after becomes tedious, still the alternative via Dodoma is even worse.

The speed limits in Tanzania are a shambles, on open roads the limit is 100kmh but without warning this changes to 50kmh as you reach a settlement which in Tanzania means any collection of mud huts and in some places this is reduced to 30kmh - so you are expected to go from 60mph down to 18mph instantly.

Fully loaded Rupert's top speed is about 100kph anyway but people in cars and especially the huge inter city buses go at  over 150kph which considering the bends and dips in the road is dangerous to say the least. At intervals you encounter police roadblocks which usually meant a check of your licence and insurance but this year we came across something new - police with speed guns!

Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing as road accidents compete with Malaria and HIV/AIDs as the biggest killer in the region. Tanzania is worse than Kenya or Uganda with road deaths reputed to be 20 times the average in the UK even though Tanzania has far fewer vehicles. Many accidents involve pedestrians who are ignorant of road safety and drivers who speed and drive recklessly especially in the rural areas, a state  made worse by the amount of domestic animals which roam freely on the roads and in the rainy season when drivers swerve to avoid potholes.

You would think then that introducing speed traps is a step in the right direction but sadly the system falls down because the  traffic police are so corrupt they rarely do the guilty. Not for them the manic bus drivers or Tanzanians in their fast cars instead they target the easier more lucrative victims and top of the list when they can get them are the Mzungu's (whites)! 

Hence as we followed a bus going much faster than us down a hill at the bottom the bus went on but a white suited policeman walked out and held up his hand for us to stop. Claiming we were doing 75kph in a 50kph area he told us we faced a mandatory fine of 20, 000 Tshs!

To be fair Tanzanian police are not alone, if anything the Kenyan police are worse and sadly the Malawi police are rapidly catching them both up, after a while you get used to the game and you find some you win, some you lose, in this case at 5pm we finally reached Morogoro 10,000 Tshs poorer - and no receipt of course!