The Pan-Africa Highway

After breakfast we check out and set off for Arusha, travelling along the Pan-Africa Highway past the airport where we arrived. It being Monday morning the shops are now open and there seems to be an abundance of undertakers selling extravagantly ornate coffins and furniture shops selling massive wooden bedsteads. Most of the shops are small and made from mud with a thatch roof or wood with a tin roof; most have identical signs adorned by Coca Cola logos – I guess they get a free sign if they agree to have a Coke ad on it. There are many roadside stalls selling meat, produce and other necessities and many people just squatting by piles of goods heaped on kangas or tarpaulins. Maasai men in vivid robes stride purposefully through the melee and women walk slowly to avoid unbalancing the loads they carry on their heads.

 

There’s a portion of dual carriageway on which work is still ongoing, but no sign to indicate that it’s closed further ahead. Isaac is alerted by the oncoming vehicles that have had to turn round and we return to a point where U turns are possible. We’re amazed to see a couple of youths on rollerblades hanging on to vehicles for a tow – one on a matutu (public minibus) and another on a moped. I’m dismayed when they notice us looking and start to show off – they could so easily be killed.

There’s little road discipline, vehicles overtake frequently and not always into a viable gap, and the matutus race each other to the next stop. Traffic crosses from side roads apparently at will. Isaac drives carefully and observes the speed limit, but still manages to be pulled over by the traffic police. He suggests it’s sometimes possible to pay a $10 bribe instead of the $60 fine, and asks about corruption in the UK. We explain that you’re likely to end of up in jail if you try to bribe a cop. 

We arrive at the lake where we are to go kayaking in search of wildlife. The boys share a 2-man kayak and I pair up with Andrew who will sit at the rear and be captain while I take photos. We paddle off at a leisurely pace and head for a flock of cormorants on a fallen tree. Soon after we spot a monitor lizard. As we paddle about we spot herons, brightly coloured kingfishers and a pelican; across the lake we can see Mount Meru.

 

 

 

 

We continue along the Pan-Africa Highways towards our accommodation, which is approached along a steep side road lined with shops and market stalls, all very hectic and colourful. Gradually the properties become more ramshackle and the road poorer – a surprising location for our overnight stay at Ilboru Safari Lodge. We’re dropped off at a small gated parking area in front of a two-storey building and Isaac leads us straight upstairs to the restaurant where a table is waiting. Lunch is served shortly after – somewhat disappointingly consisting mostly of pizza and chips – and the Dutch woman who owns the lodge comes over to welcome us. Isaac had told us our keys would be ready when we finish lunch but they’re not. Nobody really minds waiting by the pool with a cold drink, but he’s clearly getting stressed about our timetable. The keys materialise just in time for our 2.30 departure.

Arusha is a major international centre and the journey to the snake park takes us past the East African Court and several international schools as well as an impressive modern shopping mall and nearby food court. It’s clearly a prosperous place for some, at least. The snake park guide is knowledgeable if a little bloodthirsty – he dwells a little too long on the effects of each snake’s venom and there are some shocking photos of people eaten by constrictors. After he has scared us all half to death, we have the opportunity to hold some harmless African Grass Snakes and look at the crocodiles and tortoises. I’m impressed to hear that the snake park offers free anti-venom, funded by the income from visitors.

Opposite is a Maasai museum which we tour with a Maasai guide who is informative and frank about the culture and lifestyle, which includes circumcision for both sexes and polygamy for the men. Courtney asks how many wives he has and he replies only two “because he’s still quite young”. We have the chance to visit a Maasai village later in the trip but I learn more here today than I did in previous village visits.

Back at the lodge, hurricane lamps are placed around the pool as night falls – it looks lovely. We have drinks in the small bar before dinner, and retire there afterwards to finish our drinks. Mervyn and Courtney join us but the adults don’t have the stamina – we leave Alex and Courtney there and retire to bed around 10; Alex tells us they were chatting until 12.30am.