A run in with Tanzanian immigration

Trip Start Sep 29, 2010

124

Trip End Nov 30, 2011

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Where I stayed

Iringa Farm

Flag of Tanzania Iringa, Iringa, Tanzania
Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Monday morning we were up early to pack away the tents and have breakfast before hitting the road at 6am. We headed north along the shores of Lake Malawi where there was some beautiful scenery with the rolling hills leading down to the lake, before reaching the border with Tanzania. The Malawian officials were very friendly, and once again agreed to stamp my passport on a page with a small gap. Unfortunately the Tanzanian officials were not as obliging – despite me specifically showing them where to put the stamp, and standing outside the office waiting, behind closed doors they stamped away, right in the middle of my second last clean page. Andrew clearly made his feelings felt, but unfortunately by then there was nothing we could do. I just hope other officials will be more sympathetic.

The Tanzanian border was one of the busiest we have seen so far – not in terms of people queuing at immigration, but the shear amount of trucks, buses, cars and people milling around

AIDS awareness sign at the Tanzania border

. While we were waiting I was somewhat surprised to see a truck cab with a poster emblazoned across the front saying "Every black man is a suspect" – rather antagonistic if you ask me. There was also a very funny poster conveying the serious message about AIDS/HIV which we will upload when we get a decent internet connection.

Once again there was an obvious change in vegetation as we drove through Tanzania, mainly due to the change in altitude. There were a lot more hills which bring with them a slightly cooler climate, allowing banana and tea plantations to dominate the landscape. There were quite a few roadside stalls selling produce, as well as a market selling nothing but bananas. I am a little bit annoyed with myself though, as I spent more time playing celebrity heads and having interesting discussions about things like how to do a bush pee, rather than looking out of the window enjoying the scenery – I've definitely made a note to myself not to do that again.

Our progress was slowed somewhat by the Tanzanian love of speed bumps and weigh bridges, every one of which we had to stop at, or face a fine. It was therefore late afternoon by the time we arrived at our campsite, not helped by losing an hour when we crossed the border.

Our campsite in Iringa had a lovely bar area - a traditional rondavel with gas lamps and small clay stoves filled with hot coals

Racial profiling Tanzanian style

. We had a couple of drinks before dinner, including delicious hot chocolate with Amarula. We had hoped to go back in there after dinner and roast our marshmallows over the stoves, but there was no room so we had to use our initiative and settle for the fire which was heating the hot water for the showers!

Our next stop is Tanzania’s largest city and former capital, Dar es Salaam.

Kerry

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