Beautiful Lushoto

weirdly this computer has no shift button ability and i'm sick of hitting caps lock tostart sentences, so you'll all have to live with the rather unfortunate lack.

so i updated thursday about safari and look, pictures [exclamation mark]

in order we have, mike, me, our guide dearson and jen in lake manyara national park. then the elephant, see the white bit [question mark] that's the side of the jeep, they were very close. then it's the lioness sleeping under our jeep, those are the spare tyres on the back. and finally me in front of the hippo pool, that grey smudge in the lake is a flotilla of hippos cooling off.

so

friday we left early at 6am, jen and mike headed to dar es salaam after seeing me safely on my bus to lushoto. it wasn't the worst ride ever, but it did win most uncomfortable seats. but seven hours later i was safely in lushoto being chased by touts. the lodge i chose is gorgeous, warm, welcoming and completely empty. it's weird being the only person for the staff to chase but nice to pay dorm fees for a big room to myself and my own bathroom.

i was just pumzika pumzika [relax] friday afternoon and a guy came up to talk to me. he's been sent by his boss to find out if i was interested in doing a hike this weekend. i'd already planned to do a little one locally but he offered for about NZ40 to take me on a five hour hike including lunch. sounded like a plan to me so after having him vouched for by the lodge i booked it. that saw me up at 7 saturday to chat to mum and have breakfast before leaving at about 8.30 for my adventure. i'll confess that about an hour into the hike i regretted the decision since it was steeply uphill and i was having to take an embarassing number of breaks. it evened out eventually and from the top down it was spectacular. this area is so green and lush, walking to a rainforest and learning about the local traditions and medicines [a root to help pregnancy and a leaf which is the local viagra among other things] was wonderful. lunch was cheese and bread made locally, utterly delicious and the irente viewpoint was one of the most beautiful plaes i've been. you can see very far, all the towns and villages i passed on my way to lushoto.

once back at the lodge i was very sore, and almost heartbroken to discover no hot water, but i struggled through. my legs are still yelling at me today but i think it was worth it. my guide mouddy invited me to lunch at his house today, a lovely gesture but in practice one of the worst meals of my life. traditional ugali, a kind of flour porridge, which i don't mind [it's just flavourless really] but served with these tiny dried fish in some kind of sauce - unfortunately it activated my gag reflex. i spent the whole time eating plain ugali and pretending to dip it in the sauce. still, nice to visit someone's home and his 2 yr old daughter is adorable.

tomorrow is another early morning to catch the express bus to dar es salaam, opefully i'll be in zanzibar by about 3pm. can't wait, beaches and relaxing for 4 days.