Introduction to Tanzania

For some reason, propeller planes have always been slightly terrifying. Don’t get me wrong, I love plane travel. For some odd reason I find relaxation in the hum of a jet engine, carrying me hundreds of kilometers an hour to my destination. But the thought of my safety relying solely on two spinning rotors has never sat well with me, despite the irrationality of the fear. Today I felt no regrets, however; I was glad to be out of the crowded Dar Es Salaam and was excited to finally get some country air in Arusha. The flight was short and sweet, with plenty of stunning views of Mt. Kilamanjaro, only eighty kilometers from my destination in Arusha.

I met my guides outside the airport -- immediately recognizable thanks to their wide smiles and heir hats emblazened with the logo of the Future Warriors Project, a company responsible for much of my safety and transport in Tanzania. Both men were young Maasai warriors, immediately recognizable thanks to the scars on their cheeks given to them as young boys. Nicholas, the driver, had a round, clean shaven face that never ceased to wear a grin. Loma, with his small beard and high cheekbones, was the more proficient English speaker. The car itself was no limousine; the outside was dented to the extreme, with hardly a scrap of original paint left untouched. The engine growled and roared every time the ignition was turned, as if in protest. The seatbelts, of course, were long gone. But none of this bothered me; the authenticity of touring in such a vehicle only added to the fun of the adventure.

The first stop was the Tengeru Cultural Tourism Center, a place filled with memories for me from the last time I visited. Greeting me at the gate was the same smiling face of Mama Gladness, the caretaker of Tengeru. Despite her advanced age and her limited English, she brings energy to even the most travel-weary and plane-sick visitors, as she had done for me before, and was doing again. During my time in Tanzania, I scheduled returns to Tengeru multiple times, in order to achieve some relaxation, and of course, some WiFi. In traditional Tanzanian fashion, my day ended with a tasty meal of Ugali, the national dish of Tanzania.