Travel to Tanzania

The Superb Starling

The first hour and a half of our drive was over rough road both in and outside the park. Sometimes we drove the rut next to the road because it was smoother than the road. Along the way, we found a jackal stalking a lone baby goat. Our driver went out and caught the goat and gave it to the Maasai that were driving cows behind us. A few minutes later we passed the goat herder looking for his goat.

Our driver returning the rescued goat

We crossed into Tanzania. Tanganyika gained independence in 1961 without any conflicts, it joined with Zanzibar in 1964 to become Tanzania. It has 40 million people and 126 tribes. The country is 40% Christian and 25% Islamic. They have a lot of arable land for corn, coffee, tea, vegetables, and fruit as well as gold, diamonds, tanzanite, gas, and oil. The big problem is infrastructure: roads, hospitals and electricity. For example, the road we took south of Arusha was brand new last month, most of the roads are still gravel.

We had a superb lunch at Shanga. This place recycles bottles, aluminum and tires into glass beads, spoons, and place mats using deaf, blind and physically disabled folks as their labor force. They really create some unique items.

At dinner we got to know our driver, Raymond. He is Maasai, the youngest in his family. After running away from school four times, the government sent him to a boarding school to complete his elementary education. (The Maasai have resisted education as a large imposition on their culture.) He served his time as a warrior, complete with 2 teeth knocked out on top and bottom of his mouth. Afterwards, he got a bachelor's degree in wildlife management and has now been accepted for a master's degree. Yet he has been a Safari guide for 19 years and after several years as a teacher. Why? He enjoys the chance to share his knowledge of the natural world with tourists. And since he is the youngest son, he is responsible for his parents, and this job provides a healthy income. His brothers are traditional Masai and wonder why he has only one wife. One brother has six wives. When he is home which is about six months of the year, he is traditional Maasai, tending his cows. Raymond toes the line between traditional Maasai and modern life.