Memories
August 26, 2009
So I am home now but my last few days in Tanzania are worth mentioning. The computers were very bad in the last few towns so I wasn't able to post my blog but I emailed it out to people. if you didn't get it, they are now posted here.
When we finished Kilimanjaro we returned to Moshi town to rest for the night. The travel company had booked us a flight to Zanzibar the next day but the travel agency sold it before we could pay (that's Africa). So now we had no flight but needed to be in Zanzibar the next day. Our only option was to bus to Dar Es Salaam (about 7 hours) and then ferry (about 2 hours) and then finally taxi (about 1 hour) to our hotel. We were not pleased about this prospect but had no other options.
The next day we went to the bus station at 6am and the bus was crowded, as usual, so I was worried about someone stepping on my foot (since it was injured). The bus took 8.5 hours, substantially longer than expected. I was nauseated on the bus due to the antibiotics I was taking for my foot. Finally we arrived in Dar and we were so ready to get off the bus. Nicole jumped off first and got us a taxi. We were told that $15 was the normal cost so that seemed fair, but then 3 women from our bus in the taxi right behind us said they paid only $8. So began the series of rip-offs.
Then, at the ferry port, we got out and a man grabbed out bags and the taxi driver took us to a ticket office. When we paid the taxi driver he didn't have change and we didn't have time to argue so he ended up getting $20 from us, LAME! Then we paid $40 for our 2nd class tickets, which is the actual price, but then ran into those women again and they paid $40 for 1st class tickets, GRRRR!!!!! Once we got on the ferry the porter put our bags away and we went to tip him and he told us his fee was $20 each. WTF!!!! To carry our bags?!! He didn't even carry all of them! We argued that we didn't ask him to carry our bags but he was persistent and we were too tired and annoyed to fight anymore so we paid him. LAME!!!!!
On the ferry we met a man named Patrick who was very nice and was going to help us get a taxi in Zanzibar so we wouldn't get ripped off. When the ferry started moving though, I got really sick and almost vomited. I took a Gravol and passed out for the next hour and a half. When we arrived in Zanzibar, the Fairmont hotel, where we were staying, had sent a car for us. We were relieved but a little wary. After we drove to the hotel we learned the trip cost us $80, whereas a taxi would have cost about $45. AHHHHHH!!!!!!! The day of rip-offs.
The Fairmont Hotel was spectacular! The Canadian hotel was like a paradise and we were so overwhelmed at how beautiful it was. We felt out of place because we were dirty backpackers. We cleaned up, trying to look presentable, and then partook in our first Fairmont meal. The buffet was amazing, full of salads, cheese, lamb, lobster, fish, pasta, everything you could want and about 8 different dessert choices. Hooray!!!
Our room was equally phenomenal with big, soft, comfy beds and a sparkling clean bathroom. The next 3 days there were wonderful. We met a family from Vancouver, the wife was born in Tanzania and her husband in Uganda. She had also just climbed Kilimanjaro. Her husband and 2 daughters had joined her afterwards. We all became one big Vancouver family and spent much time together. We even did an aquafit class together (rehab for my foot).
Nicole even went snorkeling one day and got to swim with dolphins. To read about her adventures check out www.rn4africa.blogspot.com
After our time was finished we packed up and sadly left the Fairmont. We hope to be able to return again some day. We went to the airport and, of course, our flight was cancelled. They instead put us and 4 others on a 12 passenger plane and flew us to Dar. I loved the little plane. We waited there until our flight at 1055pm to Amsterdam and then said goodbye to Tanzania. I hope to return again some day.
For more photos, check out the new photo section of the website.
When we finished Kilimanjaro we returned to Moshi town to rest for the night. The travel company had booked us a flight to Zanzibar the next day but the travel agency sold it before we could pay (that's Africa). So now we had no flight but needed to be in Zanzibar the next day. Our only option was to bus to Dar Es Salaam (about 7 hours) and then ferry (about 2 hours) and then finally taxi (about 1 hour) to our hotel. We were not pleased about this prospect but had no other options.
The next day we went to the bus station at 6am and the bus was crowded, as usual, so I was worried about someone stepping on my foot (since it was injured). The bus took 8.5 hours, substantially longer than expected. I was nauseated on the bus due to the antibiotics I was taking for my foot. Finally we arrived in Dar and we were so ready to get off the bus. Nicole jumped off first and got us a taxi. We were told that $15 was the normal cost so that seemed fair, but then 3 women from our bus in the taxi right behind us said they paid only $8. So began the series of rip-offs.
Then, at the ferry port, we got out and a man grabbed out bags and the taxi driver took us to a ticket office. When we paid the taxi driver he didn't have change and we didn't have time to argue so he ended up getting $20 from us, LAME! Then we paid $40 for our 2nd class tickets, which is the actual price, but then ran into those women again and they paid $40 for 1st class tickets, GRRRR!!!!! Once we got on the ferry the porter put our bags away and we went to tip him and he told us his fee was $20 each. WTF!!!! To carry our bags?!! He didn't even carry all of them! We argued that we didn't ask him to carry our bags but he was persistent and we were too tired and annoyed to fight anymore so we paid him. LAME!!!!!
On the ferry we met a man named Patrick who was very nice and was going to help us get a taxi in Zanzibar so we wouldn't get ripped off. When the ferry started moving though, I got really sick and almost vomited. I took a Gravol and passed out for the next hour and a half. When we arrived in Zanzibar, the Fairmont hotel, where we were staying, had sent a car for us. We were relieved but a little wary. After we drove to the hotel we learned the trip cost us $80, whereas a taxi would have cost about $45. AHHHHHH!!!!!!! The day of rip-offs.
The Fairmont Hotel was spectacular! The Canadian hotel was like a paradise and we were so overwhelmed at how beautiful it was. We felt out of place because we were dirty backpackers. We cleaned up, trying to look presentable, and then partook in our first Fairmont meal. The buffet was amazing, full of salads, cheese, lamb, lobster, fish, pasta, everything you could want and about 8 different dessert choices. Hooray!!!
Our room was equally phenomenal with big, soft, comfy beds and a sparkling clean bathroom. The next 3 days there were wonderful. We met a family from Vancouver, the wife was born in Tanzania and her husband in Uganda. She had also just climbed Kilimanjaro. Her husband and 2 daughters had joined her afterwards. We all became one big Vancouver family and spent much time together. We even did an aquafit class together (rehab for my foot).
Nicole even went snorkeling one day and got to swim with dolphins. To read about her adventures check out www.rn4africa.blogspot.com
After our time was finished we packed up and sadly left the Fairmont. We hope to be able to return again some day. We went to the airport and, of course, our flight was cancelled. They instead put us and 4 others on a 12 passenger plane and flew us to Dar. I loved the little plane. We waited there until our flight at 1055pm to Amsterdam and then said goodbye to Tanzania. I hope to return again some day.
For more photos, check out the new photo section of the website.
Posted by Ruhina & Nicole Rana & Moen
