Dar Es Salaam

(my confused look shows I have forgotten what a beach looks like)

Being the only one at work remotely working on rights/gender issues, I was asked to go to a 3 day conference in Dar Es Salaam on Gender issues in HIV/AIDS planning. Dar is one of the most populous (if not the most) cities in Tanzania. It sits on the southeast coast, and as well as being a commerical and political centre it is a stop through for tourists on their way to Zanzibar. It is congested,unsafe, smoggy and extremely humid. A functional city, as someone described it to me. It was however nice to see the ocean, coconut palms and get a more coastal vibe after being inland for a while. It was nice to see a couple of dhows (the East African sail boats) in the harbour as I went for a dusk waterfront jog/shamble. My immediate surroundings reminded me a lot of Tel Aviv ie a middle eastern type coastal metropolis.

The conference itself was useful, met a lot of interesting people, both locals and the odd refugee from Belfast of all places. Great to have a local lawyer lay out the whole local legal system for me. Needless to say some things that should be illegal are not here...

Lots of experience about the development industry to absorb. And it is an industry...great variation in the approaches to development in this country by different donors/ NGOS, but perhaps that is a subject for another time. Treated myself after the conference to an expensive, dangerous taxi ride (the driving is suicidal here...the Michael Bolton soundtrack in the taxi didn't help either) through down town Dar to the home of 'the biggest screen in East Africa' to see Iron Man 2. I saw Iron Man 1 in Cape Town in '08, now I see the Sequel in Dar '10. I wonder where in Africa I will watch Iron Man 3...

Movie was not as thrilling as seeing my taxi driver waiting for me in the dark carpark to take me back to the hotel. The poor guy waited 2 hours for me...guess it was a slow day, but Im glad he did, I didn't feel super safe loitering down town.

A nice dawn flight back to work and I'm back hanging with mke (wife). Currently house/dog sitting for some mates. Nice to have a dog again. And cable tv..