Back to working life now. Election campaigning is proceeding apace in the background now, Tanzanians go to the polls in October this year. Lots of flags, gatherings and cars with loudspeakers.
CCM, the ruling party, is-of course-the favourite to win; however, I just found out that Moshi is a Chadema (oppostion party) stronghold.
Work on our new flat to install a fan, shelves etc is proceeding. We hope to move in in a couple of weeks. Our new place is much smaller than our current concrete monstrosity, but its closer to work and has a nice bach-y feel to it. We are glad to be staying within the Rau neighbourhood, people are pretty chilled here.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Death wears yellow fur AKA Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 4
Woke up Sunday feeling bummed out we were going to have to make a move today. Ate breakfast while watching the elephant visitors from the nearby National Park munching at the local vegetation.
At Franatee’s insistence, ("we can relax anywhere let's make the most of the time we have left!") we went for one last guided walk. I am so glad we did. We had seen elephant grazing nearby as we had breakfast and our guides soon set a beeline for where the tembo had been walking. Up and down following torn up grass and trees and lots of elephant dung, past an abandoned hyena burrow inside a 170 year old baobab tree until we could see the herd only a few hundred metres from us. They seemed agitated and we soon found out why. “Simba!” one of our guides said excitedly. A solitary lioness was trying to take a baby elephant while the elephant matriarch of the herd fended her off.
To my horror I soon realised the wind was blowing from us (and taking our scent) to the charged scene. The lioness started looking our way and let out a roar...which made wifey give off a location confirming shriek("Sorry I didn't mean to!"-wife)
(elephant is holding lioness away from the herd...lioness is looking towards our group...ulp)
Through the binoculars we could all see both the frustrated lioness and the (very angry looking) elephant scenting the air for us. Our guides asked to use our binoculars...I guess a lion is a reason to upgrade from their excellent game-spotting vision and rely on the optical 'big guns'.
The lioness darted out of sight and as soon as that happened, our guides gave the retreat order.
(lion has disappeared who knows where...elephant is getting our scent..ulp again)
When the Maasai are worried, it means we need to go. And quick. Despite the fact our protection only consisted of a spear and a stick, I wasn't too terrified, more elated at the mad fun of it all. Dunno if the wife was as excited as I...However once we were well clear of the area, everyone started laughing and sharing the excitement of having made a rare (and on foot) sighting of a lion.
We said our goodbyes to the staff at the lodge and promised to return later in the year for another break. The staff there were cool and it was great being able to converse (in a limited way) in Swahili with them. We were driven the 45 km back to the main road in the blistering sun past ostriches, zebra, wildebeest and (yet more) elephant. Got home at 6pm, tired, sunburnt and sad to be out of the wilderness.
(an elephant at the Park sadly watches the horizon for our return)
At Franatee’s insistence, ("we can relax anywhere let's make the most of the time we have left!") we went for one last guided walk. I am so glad we did. We had seen elephant grazing nearby as we had breakfast and our guides soon set a beeline for where the tembo had been walking. Up and down following torn up grass and trees and lots of elephant dung, past an abandoned hyena burrow inside a 170 year old baobab tree until we could see the herd only a few hundred metres from us. They seemed agitated and we soon found out why. “Simba!” one of our guides said excitedly. A solitary lioness was trying to take a baby elephant while the elephant matriarch of the herd fended her off.
To my horror I soon realised the wind was blowing from us (and taking our scent) to the charged scene. The lioness started looking our way and let out a roar...which made wifey give off a location confirming shriek("Sorry I didn't mean to!"-wife)
(elephant is holding lioness away from the herd...lioness is looking towards our group...ulp)
Through the binoculars we could all see both the frustrated lioness and the (very angry looking) elephant scenting the air for us. Our guides asked to use our binoculars...I guess a lion is a reason to upgrade from their excellent game-spotting vision and rely on the optical 'big guns'.
The lioness darted out of sight and as soon as that happened, our guides gave the retreat order.
(lion has disappeared who knows where...elephant is getting our scent..ulp again)
When the Maasai are worried, it means we need to go. And quick. Despite the fact our protection only consisted of a spear and a stick, I wasn't too terrified, more elated at the mad fun of it all. Dunno if the wife was as excited as I...However once we were well clear of the area, everyone started laughing and sharing the excitement of having made a rare (and on foot) sighting of a lion.
We said our goodbyes to the staff at the lodge and promised to return later in the year for another break. The staff there were cool and it was great being able to converse (in a limited way) in Swahili with them. We were driven the 45 km back to the main road in the blistering sun past ostriches, zebra, wildebeest and (yet more) elephant. Got home at 6pm, tired, sunburnt and sad to be out of the wilderness.
(an elephant at the Park sadly watches the horizon for our return)
In the jungle, the mighty jungle...(Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 3)
It was so dark at night in our room. A bit of wind (as our room is on a hill) and a lurid glare on the horizon of an accidental plains fire started-we were told-by wandering Maasai trying to burn wood to make charcoal.
I was woken at 5am by loud noises close by our room. Crashing and chewing noises. Try as I could in vain to strain out of our window (and stand on our balcony) I could not see what it was in the dark, only that it was large. I was desperate to run outside and see what it was, but common sense (and an angry wife) prevailed and I went back to bed. The next day, 100 metres or so from our room were elephant tracks and torn up trees..probably good I stayed inside.
The next day we were off on a day safari of nearby Tarangire National Park. The park, the 6th largest in Tanzania, is busting to the seams with elephant. Dry season ie now, is the best time to see lots of them. They amble from the heart of the park, the almost dried up Tarangire River (the 'heart of Tarangire') to marshlands and back again, wreaking havoc with trees and leaving their dung everywhere.
Tarangire is also home to thousands of birds with over 500 species living there. We saw snake eagles, fish eagles, eagle owls, vultures, storks, sacred ibis, herons, lilac breasted rollers, magpie shrikes, horn bills and on and on. But mostly lots of elephant and the occasional impala, zebra or ostrich.
(impala)
Franatee liked seeing a lot of dik-dik (tiny antelope) running around:
I think I liked seeing a fish eagle transit from screeching into flight close by. We also saw the fish eagle doing a crazy squawking thing and then flipping its head back (flip top head style). Lazarus, our guide told us that was only the third time he'd seen that since becoming a guide three years ago. We saw some sad old (but huge) male elephants, too old to keep a place in a herd wandering by themselves. Lots of old elephant die of starvation as they lose their teeth.
(an old male with only one tusk)
(giraffe by the Tarangire river)
Near the river, we found what we thought was a dead baby elephant only to have it sit up after 10 minutes of being sprawled motionless on the ground. Guess it's family were just protecting it while it slept. 'The elephant, she is a good mother' our guide told us. We dubbed the baby the ‘Lazarus’ elephant in honour of the name of our guide who had declared that it was only sleeping.
(you can see the baby elephant sleeping in the background)
I had a pic with some elephant bones and continued to get nice and close to many of the elephant I am obsessed with.
Not even the constant biting of tsetse flies (the non ‘sleeping sickness’ variety I was told) could dampen our spirits. That night I had a bath under the stars cradling a beer in my paw and pondering the circle of life. And bubble bath suds.
The next day, Saturday, after watching the aptly named violet starlings cavorting near the breakfast area, we relaxed in our room, before popping out in the afternoon for another guided walk. We walked close by a group of elephant before coming near to a stream where an angry elephant was charging at a troupe of baboons who were trying to get a drink. Man, a trumpeting and irate elephant is pretty cool to see on foot close up. We backed away and slowly walked home.
(you can see the angry elephant and the baboons)
That night we did a night drive with spot lights through the surrounds. It reminded me a lot of similar trips out when I was volunteering on a South African Conservancy in 2008. We didn’t see too much, only a hare or two, a bat eyed fox and a genet cat. No leopard, lamentably. But Moses our guide was pretty amazing. He managed to also spot a chameleon (can you believe it!) pretty sharp eyes.
To be concluded..
I was woken at 5am by loud noises close by our room. Crashing and chewing noises. Try as I could in vain to strain out of our window (and stand on our balcony) I could not see what it was in the dark, only that it was large. I was desperate to run outside and see what it was, but common sense (and an angry wife) prevailed and I went back to bed. The next day, 100 metres or so from our room were elephant tracks and torn up trees..probably good I stayed inside.
The next day we were off on a day safari of nearby Tarangire National Park. The park, the 6th largest in Tanzania, is busting to the seams with elephant. Dry season ie now, is the best time to see lots of them. They amble from the heart of the park, the almost dried up Tarangire River (the 'heart of Tarangire') to marshlands and back again, wreaking havoc with trees and leaving their dung everywhere.
Tarangire is also home to thousands of birds with over 500 species living there. We saw snake eagles, fish eagles, eagle owls, vultures, storks, sacred ibis, herons, lilac breasted rollers, magpie shrikes, horn bills and on and on. But mostly lots of elephant and the occasional impala, zebra or ostrich.
(impala)
Franatee liked seeing a lot of dik-dik (tiny antelope) running around:
I think I liked seeing a fish eagle transit from screeching into flight close by. We also saw the fish eagle doing a crazy squawking thing and then flipping its head back (flip top head style). Lazarus, our guide told us that was only the third time he'd seen that since becoming a guide three years ago. We saw some sad old (but huge) male elephants, too old to keep a place in a herd wandering by themselves. Lots of old elephant die of starvation as they lose their teeth.
(an old male with only one tusk)
(giraffe by the Tarangire river)
Near the river, we found what we thought was a dead baby elephant only to have it sit up after 10 minutes of being sprawled motionless on the ground. Guess it's family were just protecting it while it slept. 'The elephant, she is a good mother' our guide told us. We dubbed the baby the ‘Lazarus’ elephant in honour of the name of our guide who had declared that it was only sleeping.
(you can see the baby elephant sleeping in the background)
I had a pic with some elephant bones and continued to get nice and close to many of the elephant I am obsessed with.
Not even the constant biting of tsetse flies (the non ‘sleeping sickness’ variety I was told) could dampen our spirits. That night I had a bath under the stars cradling a beer in my paw and pondering the circle of life. And bubble bath suds.
The next day, Saturday, after watching the aptly named violet starlings cavorting near the breakfast area, we relaxed in our room, before popping out in the afternoon for another guided walk. We walked close by a group of elephant before coming near to a stream where an angry elephant was charging at a troupe of baboons who were trying to get a drink. Man, a trumpeting and irate elephant is pretty cool to see on foot close up. We backed away and slowly walked home.
(you can see the angry elephant and the baboons)
That night we did a night drive with spot lights through the surrounds. It reminded me a lot of similar trips out when I was volunteering on a South African Conservancy in 2008. We didn’t see too much, only a hare or two, a bat eyed fox and a genet cat. No leopard, lamentably. But Moses our guide was pretty amazing. He managed to also spot a chameleon (can you believe it!) pretty sharp eyes.
To be concluded..
Been there dung that! (Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 2)
After a bite, we decided to take an afternoon stroll with our helpful host at the Lodge and a Maasai guide. Both were pretty nice guys and it was pretty cool that our guide only took a spear for his and our protection (gulp). We walked out looking at animal tracks (including elephants, impala and snakes)and saw some elephant, hyena (white with all the bones it eats) dik-dik dung.
(lion been there)
(an elephant dung that)
We followed a dry river (saw a marula tree, sniffed the fruit, yes it smelled like Amarula liqueur) on a winding route back to the lodge. Finisehed up with dinner by a fire and under the stars...bliss.
Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 1
Our friends had recommended we stay at the remote Boundary Hill Lodge near the outskirts of Tarangire National Park. The Lodge utilizes local community shareholding, with the Masai village of Lokisale owning 50%. 164 square kilometres around the lodge have been set aside by the Lokisale Village as a conservation area.
Once I knew I’d be surrounded by elephant day in and day out I was sold. Our bags packed, we were picked up Thursday at the main road near our house and taken to Arusha. There we met our guide (“Lazarus...like the bible”). We were given a short briefing and told under no circumstances to go outside at night or walking by ourselves. Aside from many elephant, the area is full of leopards, apparently.
Lazarus drove us north of Arusha and off road for 45 kilometres to get to the Lodge. We drove past traditional Maasai boma, herds of cattle and children begging for money: "Hello-money-money." We were told elephants regularly pillage the Maasai’s maize crops at night. Then we left the people behind and we drove past hornbills, a dead (headless) python, zebra and elephants sheltering from the afternoon sun under a tree.
We got to the lodge and wow...what an amazing view from our room overlooking mile after mile of savannah.
(view from the balcony of our room)
I was ecstatic to see a bath on our balcony so I could get some tub time while looking out at Africa. The sounds of Africa drifted over us-birds, hooting, grunting. We heard a lion roar as we sat down to lunch and all living things suddenly went silent.
To be continued...
Once I knew I’d be surrounded by elephant day in and day out I was sold. Our bags packed, we were picked up Thursday at the main road near our house and taken to Arusha. There we met our guide (“Lazarus...like the bible”). We were given a short briefing and told under no circumstances to go outside at night or walking by ourselves. Aside from many elephant, the area is full of leopards, apparently.
Lazarus drove us north of Arusha and off road for 45 kilometres to get to the Lodge. We drove past traditional Maasai boma, herds of cattle and children begging for money: "Hello-money-money." We were told elephants regularly pillage the Maasai’s maize crops at night. Then we left the people behind and we drove past hornbills, a dead (headless) python, zebra and elephants sheltering from the afternoon sun under a tree.
We got to the lodge and wow...what an amazing view from our room overlooking mile after mile of savannah.
(view from the balcony of our room)
I was ecstatic to see a bath on our balcony so I could get some tub time while looking out at Africa. The sounds of Africa drifted over us-birds, hooting, grunting. We heard a lion roar as we sat down to lunch and all living things suddenly went silent.
To be continued...
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Power of One (bout of stomach ailments)
"I can eat 50 eggs"
Ugh. The 'dodgy chicken' I alluded to in my last post became full blown stomach issues. I've felt nauseous for days now, been off work for a bit...oh well, maybe its good for weight loss...shooting myself up with random antibiotics our volunteer organisation gave us.
I first felt really ill trying to do a short run on Saturday. And no, it wasn't solely due to the (actually fly blown) dead dog lying on the path as we jogged past, gagging. That's when I thought 'yeah, nah' I ain't going to Arusha this weekend.
We spent the weekend quietly helping our American friends pack up and sadly seeing them on their way. Franatee is devastated the dog she pooch-sat on numerous occasions is off. I'll miss some good people who have been great to road trip and just chill out with.
Bye 'Dragline', my good ole Southern Boy!! Cool Hand Doug will come visit you and mke wangu in Mwanza baadaye!
"City Hall"
Got back to work today (still feel queasy) to find one of my workmates (he's a good guy, I enjoy working with him) has been elected a MP for the ruling party. I had no idea he was even interested in politics!Wow...how did he get time for 2 months of campaigning as well as working here? He will resign in the next day or so and move to Dar Es Salaam to be sworn in and begin receiving his 7 million shilling per month salary.
I hope his good heart will survive the corrupting influence of what passes for politics here. I'm confident he will prove an ally to health causes in this country.
I'm just ecstatic he got elected as opposed to the other person at work. Staff seem scared of that person and their connections-that person gets away with (metaphorical as far as I am aware) murder. The person is a weird mix of strident political ambition, arrogance, misogyny,laziness, atrocious work and utter idiocy. He is easy fodder for mocking...I'm trying to be on my best behaviour eg this person loves Robert Mugabe and how he deals with Europeans.
I have seen the banality of evil and it is this Muppet and I pray he is never in a position of power in Tanzania.
"Onwards and upwards"
With our new MP on the move, our staff is looking a little depleted of late. We have food, medicine, water purification kits etc all piling up in the warehouse either due to bureaucracy or lack of people power to get it moving.I'm getting some steam on my legal rights work and I hope not to get pulled into (admittedly important) business as usual too much.
Wifey and I are supposed to be off for a few days near Tarangire National Park tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll finally bag my trophy tusker. Expect pictures and war stories soon.
Ugh. The 'dodgy chicken' I alluded to in my last post became full blown stomach issues. I've felt nauseous for days now, been off work for a bit...oh well, maybe its good for weight loss...shooting myself up with random antibiotics our volunteer organisation gave us.
I first felt really ill trying to do a short run on Saturday. And no, it wasn't solely due to the (actually fly blown) dead dog lying on the path as we jogged past, gagging. That's when I thought 'yeah, nah' I ain't going to Arusha this weekend.
We spent the weekend quietly helping our American friends pack up and sadly seeing them on their way. Franatee is devastated the dog she pooch-sat on numerous occasions is off. I'll miss some good people who have been great to road trip and just chill out with.
Bye 'Dragline', my good ole Southern Boy!! Cool Hand Doug will come visit you and mke wangu in Mwanza baadaye!
"City Hall"
Got back to work today (still feel queasy) to find one of my workmates (he's a good guy, I enjoy working with him) has been elected a MP for the ruling party. I had no idea he was even interested in politics!Wow...how did he get time for 2 months of campaigning as well as working here? He will resign in the next day or so and move to Dar Es Salaam to be sworn in and begin receiving his 7 million shilling per month salary.
I hope his good heart will survive the corrupting influence of what passes for politics here. I'm confident he will prove an ally to health causes in this country.
I'm just ecstatic he got elected as opposed to the other person at work. Staff seem scared of that person and their connections-that person gets away with (metaphorical as far as I am aware) murder. The person is a weird mix of strident political ambition, arrogance, misogyny,laziness, atrocious work and utter idiocy. He is easy fodder for mocking...I'm trying to be on my best behaviour eg this person loves Robert Mugabe and how he deals with Europeans.
I have seen the banality of evil and it is this Muppet and I pray he is never in a position of power in Tanzania.
"Onwards and upwards"
With our new MP on the move, our staff is looking a little depleted of late. We have food, medicine, water purification kits etc all piling up in the warehouse either due to bureaucracy or lack of people power to get it moving.I'm getting some steam on my legal rights work and I hope not to get pulled into (admittedly important) business as usual too much.
Wifey and I are supposed to be off for a few days near Tarangire National Park tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll finally bag my trophy tusker. Expect pictures and war stories soon.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Finally a day with some wins in it!
We had a staff meeting today. Francoise and I with some good back up from other staff, forcefully argued to management that we cannot wait on reporting cycles/glacial bureaucracy to get our warehouse full of food moving to needy children.
The decision was handed down that any 'special cases' of malnourished kids can start getting the food immediately. Yes! Some of those kids are demonstrably at death's door so that's a small win.
I also delivered some gender norms/rights training to staff today to glazed faces...sigh. Oh well, gotta start somewhere.
But the thing I'm most happy with is that a local legal aid NGO reviewed a heap of material I had crafted on Wills, Property and Inheritance and given it the green light. Was so happy, as Tanzanian inheritance law is a frickkin nightmare both to interpret and in application to people. Basically the default position is-if you are a widow, you get no inheritance, it all goes to male relatives/children. So women need wills to opt out of that system.
Can start rolling that training out to people soon.
So despite stomach cramps due to dodgy chicken and a lack of sleep lately I'm feelin chipper now. Hope to do a run this weekend and pop back to Arusha Sunday to welcome a new kiwi volunteer coming in.
"good doug!"
The decision was handed down that any 'special cases' of malnourished kids can start getting the food immediately. Yes! Some of those kids are demonstrably at death's door so that's a small win.
I also delivered some gender norms/rights training to staff today to glazed faces...sigh. Oh well, gotta start somewhere.
But the thing I'm most happy with is that a local legal aid NGO reviewed a heap of material I had crafted on Wills, Property and Inheritance and given it the green light. Was so happy, as Tanzanian inheritance law is a frickkin nightmare both to interpret and in application to people. Basically the default position is-if you are a widow, you get no inheritance, it all goes to male relatives/children. So women need wills to opt out of that system.
Can start rolling that training out to people soon.
So despite stomach cramps due to dodgy chicken and a lack of sleep lately I'm feelin chipper now. Hope to do a run this weekend and pop back to Arusha Sunday to welcome a new kiwi volunteer coming in.
"good doug!"
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