-- Log 5 A --

Jambo, hamjambo? Hatujambo. Habari gani? Hapana asante and Toka are most useful.

We have just been through a crash course of Swahili. They say that you learn a language when you live with the people. We can say that this is true.

Having left Dar, we managed to cross the ‘offending’ bridge, it still has the remains of the truck scattered everywhere. It turns out that this is another one of those very long drives and we arrive at Lushoto (in the hills) at an old hotel called Lawns. The hotel was built in the early 1900’s. During the height of its era booking were made a year in advance! Now Tony is happy just to make ends meet. He is working on the maintenance of the building, and all in all it was a delightful place to stay.

 

Loshuto Tanzania

Great views

Lawns Hotel – GPS S04.47.973 E038.17.613 =- 4 520 feet AMSL
Cost TS3 000 pppn

Met with a Swedish couple and Tony and his daughter. We discussed with the group about taking an alternative road down the escarpment. We received conflicting reporting and eventually decided that we would give the road a try.

The tar soon gave way to a dirt road. The condition of the road was not too bad, and the view and scenery certainly made the trip worth while. We did encounter a section with thick sticky mud, which had a tea truck as a ‘victim’. It was not too long before the locals had dug the truck out and our offer to help was turned down.

We went though quaint villages, looked at the industrious women, tending their crops, of cabbage, lettuce, carrots, potatoes and meilies, whilst the men and young boys sat around talking!

Then we started the descent. It was not nearly as bad as the Livingstonia road and the bends were far gentler, all was going well, until we went round a bend and encountered workmen from the Ministry of Conservation digging a trench across the road!


We had a few options:

1. Go back - +- 4 hours
2. Make a bridge across the trench
3. Wait for the workmen to finish the drain +- 2 hours (so they said)
4. If the work took longer – camp the night on the road

We tried 2, and managed to scrounge wood from a small house close by.
 

We were very doubtful that Mr W would make it across these flimsy planks, but we gave it a shot and at the sound of breaking timber – called the crossing off!

What next – enjoy the view