NOOOOOOO!!!! It's the last day i have in Africa! And can't believe how quickly its gone (i feel this may be a quote repeated after then end of every country...hmm)
The last few days have been full of adventure (as africa seems to throw upon you whether you like it or not) and makes for all the more fun. I had my last experience of dalladallas- this time i placed myself at the back of the bus (sitting on the engine i might add) and proceeded to have my bum slowly roasted for the entire journey back to Moshi... not to worry though- to try and minimise the smoke coming in the windows they'd just stop the bus every km and pour some water on the engine before getting going...i figured at the time though that i hadn't exactly put myself in the best postition had we needed to get out, i was in the very back seat, and every seat on the bus, including every fold down ones in the isle plus 100more were full- so me and the kid that was thrust on my lap would've been the last ones to have been able to escape-i'm glad i only worked that out after the journey ended relatively safely..
but here's my suggestion list for travelling on public buses in africa..and nepal...and Laos (i presume just anywhere where seatbelts aren't compulsary).
1)don't sit at the front- prime position for flying through windscreen during the regular screeching halts to dodge goat/person/cart/vehicle
2)don't sit in back seat because due to an important physics law (forgotten which one) any bumps that you'll feel will be multiplied by 100 by the time the last wheels go over it. NOTE you'll all go flying into the air and land with a but bruising thump on the once padded seats and the more people there are squeezed in only enhances the bruisage.
3)don't sit over the wheel-suspension doesn not exist
4)don't sit in the middle-its where conductors like to cram the most
5)don't sit by the door- bags and kids and goats and sacks will be hurdled at you at every stop
6)best reccomended seat is halfway down, by a window do not only can you prevent suffocation but also shop your heart out - note- sitting here also means you have a duty to shop for everyone else around you not by the window
buuuuuuuuuut......saying all that- the experience you'll get on these things are 100 times more amusing that some private bus anyday!
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Had an AWESOME few hours with Alice after getting back to Arusha- decided to splash out and stay where they were to make the most of the time (i had hot water and a TV)...was really cool room for the first 1/2 hour then got the feeling i could've been anywhere and wasn't africa at all so even if i complain about the cockroaches/lack water/no electricity places id usually stay i still prefer them 100 times and reckon you get 10000x more out of it! Was great to see a familiar face again and gave me that extra boost that makes me want to keep going for way longer- was very tempting not to kidnap her and take her off travelling with me! Was very proud though to see what she was doing, working with World Vision, and chaperoning some students here- definitely inspirational- i know i wouldn't be able to look after 6 people my age for a few weeks in a foreign land! Even if it was only a night at least we can technically use the line when talking to people "yeh when we met up in africa..." hehe
Now off to weekend craft market to get my final dose of shopping and bargaining out of the way (which, as to many peoples opinion, i feel i may never master...).
Am now looking into what i'm going to get up to in Malaysia with the time i'm there and then off to Australia to spend a day on the gold coast with Michelle.
Next time i talk to you i will be able to rate Qatar airways for you- lets hope they've above Ethiopian!
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