Karibuni Kenya

The next day we went to try and get the boat to bagamoyo, but sadly the guy doing it turned out to be decidely unpleasant and didn’t tell us the correct prices and also that we would have to pay extra for snorkells, and got really angry when we asked.  So we decided not to go with him and try and find another boat, whcih meant going to the whiote sands hotel.  After asking around we found out where to get the dalla dalla from and got in tuk tuk to the stage (tuk tuks are called something else in Tanzania, but I can’t remember what it is.  If one makes the gesture of twisiting the handl;e bars, though, everyone seems to understand).  Where we stopped there was a place selling inflatable rings and sharks, and the owner was really nice so got us two rings for a good price – these were to be our back up plan for spenidn time in the sea if we couldn’d find the snokelling. 

Mine was already inflated, so I asked Kelly to inflate hers so that Ididn’t feel like quite such a wolly, and then we boarded the dalla dalla for white sands.  After providing much humour to people as they saw us walking with them, we made it to the junction and then walked to the hotel, where fortunately we found a boat. 

There were only the two of us wanting to go, though, even though we tried to convinve several others to join us, but the boat needed four.  Fortunately the boat man was nice and so let us go if we paid for the price of four people on the boat, with a little discount as there were just the two of us.  It was a lot more than we excpeted to pay, but we decided to do it anyway. (my budget has gone out the window, so I decided having paid for flights and isurance I imight as well enjoy myself and earn back the money when I go home).  We went to makumbosha in the end, and only for a few hours, but there was some really good snorkelling, so it was well worthwhile.  Also, the rubber rings were useful, since they allowed meant we could just float and look down into the water without having to worry about manually staying afloat – it proved especially good for me as I got massive cramp in both my legs and couldn’t swim, so might have been in a bit of trouble.  Although I felt a bit special swimming with it, it did work, and provided a lot of entertainment, as well as a good pillow on the dala dala home.

Back in Dar, we night had arrived and as we walked back with our rubber rings we found an ice cream man riding a bike with a freezer attached to the front in which were a wonderful selection of ice creams.  CLose by was an indian temple, too which we stood outside looking in with interest.  As we looked, a man came out and said we were most welcome to go in and take a look around – all he asked us to do was remove our shoes.  He was so welcoming we decided to go in, having finished the ice cream, took our shoes off and had a look around.  In one room there were musicians playing, so we found another person, who turned out to be a musician himself, and once agian said we were most welcome.  Still somewhat unsure we asked if there was anything we needed to do, or shouldn’t do since we didn’t want to cause any offence.  He told us there wasn’t since we had shown respect by removing our shoes and so we went and sat down and listened to the music and singers.  Once they had finished they brought round newspaper with a plastic sheet to act as a napkin and then a plte of mixed foods of chevda, apple, small biscuits and various small things and gave each person, including us, a spoonful, which they explained to us we were to eat and was a sacrifice to Krishna.  After that we left and had some masal dosa on the street, which is like a curry inside a massive sort of chapiti, but thinner and crisper.  Again we were welcomed, and the whole experinece of both the food and the temple was wonderful – in an age of religious division and all such things to be so welcomed and treated so kindly and warmly was a real joy and honour, and a reminder of how easily we can all get on if we try, and also how much can be discovered and experienced if one allays one fears and goes for things, just making sure not to cause offence along the way. 

That night we stayed in holiday hotel, which is near jambo in and I think the place to stay in dar.  It has shared toilets and bathroom, but is cheaper and also has a wonderful balcony.  It might not sound amazing to have a balcony in the streets of dar, but actually it was really nice and a lovely place to relax and have a drink and just look up at the stars, so definatley I would recommend staying there if you are on budget and in dar.  There are mosy nets no the beds as well, which is good.