Mtwara Evenings....Bliss

I took these pictures with my iPhone after I had an afternoon snorkel close to the Msemo Hotel in Mtwara, Tanzania. The water was so warm that it made me feel uncomfortable at times. Having a beer afterwards and watching the sun go down added to the amazement of the day....

Dress Casual for Tanzania

I have been traveling to Tanzania a few times now, and I like to compare it with countries like Angola to show that on the eastern side of Africa things seems to work a bit more effective than on the opposite side. Take for instance the arrival procedures at the airports. I have written many times about the time it takes to move through the airport in Luanda, and even about the difficulties in acquiring visas for Angola. In Tanzania, getting a visa is very quick, you can even get it on arrival with no extra documentation needed other than a passport.

So, I have gone through the Immigration counters in Dar Es Salaam a few times, effortlessly and in a reasonably quick time. I applied for my visa in South Africa and eventually received a multiple entry visa valid for a year. Things couldn't be more on my side.

So, I was due for another visit and arrived at the airport in Dar. This time not armed with my magic passport with the multiple entry visa. That passport was lying at the Angolan Consulate in Cape Town waiting for a visa to go to Luanda. Needless to say procedures were not followed by the visa team and I have not received my passport back from the Consulate. As a matter of fact, my letter of invitation is still stuck somewhere between two fax machines. Fortunately I have two passports, so I took the second one and was ready to get my visa on arrival at Dar Es Salaam Airport.

When I arrived it was business as usual. Fill in the landing card and instead of going to the Immigration counters, line up for a visa. Once in the line I noticed everyone else had a white paper as well. You know how it goes in most of these airports, you have no way of knowing what you have to do, so you look and listen what others do. Ah, I had to fill in a white paper too, with exactly the same questions than the landing card, except that it asks you what your business is in Tanzania. This apparently determines which visa you get. Note, visa prices range from 50 USD to 600 USD, from single entry to "'special visa", so make sure you know what you have to say to get away with the lowest priced visa. From those who know your dress code also plays in important role. Look like a business man and your in for a heavy business visa; wear work boots and you have to apply for working visa, and dress like me and you might get away with a single entry for tourist for only 50 bucks.

Being the honest person I am, I decided that I will tell them exactly what I am doing there. Funny enough the guy in front of me was doing the same, so after he said "Four nights in Tanzania for a meeting", I decided that the 250 USD is a lot but if that is what you have to pay for a meeting in Tanzania, then so be it. "Your business in Tanzania?" I was asked. "Uhm...", I started, still wondering if a lie could not save me some bucks here. "Fifty dollars" the gentleman replied before I could even say anything.  OK, I can do with that, but why was I not interrogated like the people in front of me, I wondered?

That was quite quick and easy I though, but soon I was to find out that "quick" is still not a word very often associated with Africa. Once the gentleman who decides which visa fits your profile best has taken your passport, your landing card, your white visa application form and your money, you have to wait for your name to be called out from behind a window to complete the last steps in "getting a visa on arrival". The problem here is that your name could be called out at any time, and if you were first off the plane and in line, that does not mean that you will get your passport back in that same order. After every ten or so passport collections by the gentleman in the uniform, the passports gets put on a pile where someone pastes the visa in your passport. From there it goes to the Immigration officer that calls out your name, looks to see if your face matches the photo in your passport, and then instructs you to put your fingers on the fingerprint scanning device. There are no receipts, so I paid the visa out of my own pocket. Fortunately I looked like a tourist and only had to cough up 50 bucks. What was NOT so fortunate was the time I stood there waiting for my name to be called out. You have no idea where your passport is lying in the pile of passports in front of the Immigration officer. I stood there 45 minutes before my name was called out, which is longer than a good day at Luanda Airport.

Tanzania is a great country and definitely worth a visit. I do however suggest that when you visit Tanzania to make sure you have your visa before your arrival. If you cannot do that, then at least make sure you have patience and that your dress code says something in the line of "Tourist".

Mtwara - Take two

I am back in Mtwara. I had a bit more time to explore and I made good use of it. Exploring the local beer is something I did during my last visit as well, so I knew what to ask for to go with the lobster I had. This time however I did more than just eat and took the time to dive one of the coral reefs at Shangani Beach with a friend. I am sure that this is not the best spot to snorkel in the area or the best reef to explore, but despite that it was quite an experience. I immediately realized that my knowledge on tropical sea creatures is a bit limited, so I will have to read up on the new topic. Secondly having an underwater camera or at least a waterproof housing is a must, so I will have to look into that too. The time has also come for me to do a proper scuba course, so that might be my next objective set for 2012. Today I have seen things that I have only seen in pictures before. It was quite an experience and I can just see how a new interest is forcing itself into my life....

After the dive we took a walk to the local fish market. I promised myself the last time that if I ever come to Mtwara again, that I will bring my SLR with me. Unfortunately I lied to myself. The place is absolutely a haven for good pictures. I am still a bit cautious when taking pictures around the locals, so I will need at least a Swahili speaking friend with me if I really want to capture the real beauty of this part of Tanzania without feeling like an intruder. The dows and little mokoros on the water looks like something from a postcard. The fish market was really an interesting place, but we did feel a bit awkward being there. No-one really made us feel uncomfortable, but we stood out like sore thumbs, looking like tourists not knowing where we wanted to go. I think we were a bit scared trespassing or venturing into areas we were not allowed to be. It was in any case a wonderful experience to see the market with all the fish and the place where the local "cooks" prepare food for the little stalls. Here I guess you will find the cheapest meal in Mtwara coming straight from the ocean. I really fell in love with Mtwara. I cannot wait to discover more.

Mtwara in Pictures

Mtwara, where there's no rush

After my previous experience in West Africa, today it was rather pleasant to see the other side of Africa again, literally and figuratively. I left Dar-Es-Salaam this morning on a 1-hour flight to Mtwara which is situated a few kilometres north from the Tanzanian border with Mozambique. Precision Air stayed true to their name and the flight was executed with precision. We landed at Mtwara 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Mtwara’s claim to fame was the groundnut industry from many years ago (read about this on wikipedia, quite funny), but today it is nothing more than a town where time literally stands still. The driver was on time at the airport, but that was where his precision ended for the rest of the day. It seems that there’s absolutely no rush in this part of the country and when you see the place, you realize that there is no need for it either. This is the Africa I love, the one where everyone is keeping themselves busy with their own business and greet you friendly with a big smile when you walk by. When I landed I was even brave enough, despite the fact that there were a couple of military guys standing around with machine guns, to take a picture of the airport building which interestingly enough says “Terminal Two”. There wasn’t any indication as to where one would find Terminal One, as there is only one small building which functions as the arrivals halls, departure hall, check-in, lounge, carousel and "your last-minute shopping" store . The guys with the machine guns turned out to be a security company collecting cash that was send to Mtwara via air. No-one even blinked an eye when I took my pictures.

The road from the airport to the hotel was typical remote African style. Money is pushed into the major centers and the small towns hardly see any of it, except the cash that was on the plane earlier, but I’m sure that was not to repair the roads. The stretch from the airport to the president’s home of course is tarred, but that’s about it. The rest is gravel and/or potholed. Most people live in mud huts but funny enough each with its own satellite dish. One can only wonder what these people do for a living, because they seem to be loitering around town with no sense of direction. Yet they all seem to be well-fed and happy.

I am staying in the only hotel in Mtwara, The Msemo Hotel and Tours LTD. My hotel room is literally on the beach, and during low tide I took a stroll on the coral to see what the locals were picking up from the rocks. It turned out to be anything that is either edible or beautiful, especially the sea shells you normaly see on these tropical island holiday brochures. They sell a shell the size of your hand for less than 1 dollar, but I didn't really want to encourage their business. I don’t know yet what effect the removal of dead shells have on the ecosystem of the sea, but soon they will be selling them for 10 dollars a shell and starting to kill them to keep up with the demand. I took some pictures on the beach, but an old lady was mumbling something in Swahili and didn’t look impressed with me taking pictures there. I guess that is just a general African thing then.

At the hotel for lunch I tried one of the local fish species, Changu. It was a bit dry, but not to such an extent that I had to swallow it down with anything. The restaurant wasn’t very full, but it nearly took an hour and a half for the food to arrive. But that is how it goes in Mtwara, there’s just no rush. The Stoney Ginger beer was cold and in this heat it was really all I needed.

Later the afternoon I went for a walk along the beach and really regret leaving my proper camera at home. There are just so many things to take pictures of, and the place is beautiful. At some point I was cornered by a man claiming to work for the Port Authorities who asked me why I was taking pictures. His English was very good and it wasn’t difficult to explain to him what I was doing. He later said that there’s no need to worry, that I am welcome in his country and that I should enjoy my stay. A little bit different from the guys who tried to rob me at the airport in Libreville last week. Somehow I just feel safe in this country. Maybe it is because most people can communicate in English, but I guess it is more an attitude thing. I think the French really pissed off the people on the West Coast of Africa many years ago and the locals still blame them for everything that’s wrong, taking it out on anyone that looks like he or she might have some colonial connections from the past.

My stay in Mtwara was really one of my good experiences in Africa and definitely a place where I will go back again and make better use of the time. There seems to be plenty of it in Mtwara anyway....

Mbalamwezi Beach, Dar-Es-Salaam

I recently met a pleasant guy from Italy that was on vacation in Cape Town. We had a chat and he told me that he has a restaurant in Italy right on the beach. I have been to Italy before and I have seen these little restaurants with the sun chairs all in rows. I think if I can ever get my own restaurant on the beach, it would probably be the closest I would ever get to my dream of "living on the beach". I am in Tanzania at the moment, Dar-Es-Salaam to be more exact. Unfortunately for business and not pleasure only. Tanzania, with Zanzibar not far away is a popular holiday destination with some awesome beaches. We have an office in Dar-Es-Salaam, not far from the beach. Today I was taken to a little restaurant on the beach. What a setting. We had a Coke and spend a few minutes on the beach before we headed back to the office. What a dream place to have a restaurant. I was actually quite surprized to see how cheap the cold drinks were, compared to what I pay in the hotel. What does a person need to have a restaurant like this on the beach? What do you have to sacrifice to have this? And would it really be a sacrifice at all? If you ever come to Dar, try  Malaika Restaurant on Mbalamwezi beach.....

Welcome to Malaika's

I have no idea how accurate this it, but it definitely contributes to the atmosphere...

These Dhow sailboats are only part of the decorations, but they are very common on the east coast of Africa.

What a place to enjoy an ice cold Coke. Keep in the shade, it was definitey way above 40 degrees outside.



So, how's my driving..?

I would for sure change my number plate if I was given this one....

Where to buy spices in Tanzania

I am in Tanzania at the moment. I haven't had much time to take pictures, except one or two at the hotel where I am staying at, but my first impressions of Tanzania was much the same as my first impressions on Uganda. One thing I know for sure now is that the African countries on the east side of Africa are much more tourist orientated than the ones on the west coast. What I also find is that communicating with the locals is also much easier because most of them can speak English, while on the west coast I seem to struggle a bit to get the message across in French and Portuguese.

It was rather interesting to see how many South African companies can be found here. Brands like Shoprite, Game, Spur, Vodacom are only a few of the many that I have seen on my first day here. The traffic like in most African countries are hectic, but much better than in Angola. At least they drive on the same side of the road than what we do back home. Apart from my work related objectives, I was also instructed by my wife to get her some spices. Tanzania, especially the island Zanzibar is famous for its spice trade with Arab countries from many years ago. From day one I was looking out for stalls on the side of the road that might sell spices, or maybe a market or something. After not seeing any I decided to use what is probably the best source of information in any country...the locals. My driver, who despite speaking Swahili is quite capable of English as well, was such a person. I was however rather disappointed when I asked him "Where is the best place to buy spices in Dar es Salaam?" and he answered "Shoprite".

I guess even Africa is not what it used to be anymore. Maybe I must just check the duty free shop when I'm on my way back home...or Shoprite in South Africa.