Bukoba to Mwamza Adventure

I am posting today from Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean, having flown here, after having completed at 1200 mile tour of some of the most amazing countryside in the world. I hope in subsequent posts to tell something of the Serenghetti, the Ngorogoro Park, Olduvai Gorge, Ngorogoro Crater, Lake Myanara and the Great Rift Valley. Before I get to that many of you were concerned about me taking the night ferry alone across Lake Victoria to the city Mwamza where I was to meet my guide.

From the pleading of my family, concerned for my safety, I was dissuaded to book a steerage ticket, because, as expected, I was one of only two other mzungus, white people, who would be crammed in with almost 500 people and a boatload of cargo. When I arrived early in the day at the ticket office, I asked for a first class ticket which would provide me a room, but was told the few double rooms were already sold out. The ticket agent, taking pity on me, told me he would find a crew member who would sell me his private room for the night.

The bottom photo, taken from the crew quarters, shows my area, devoid of people, but housing a rooster tied to a winch, that crowed the whole night long. It was impossible to sleep so I roamed the ship and watched the people and the night sky, wondering whether I was dreaming or really on a small freighter in the middle of Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

The second photo, taken about 11:30 pm, of a port dock bathed in yellow flood lights, was a stop to load even more bananas, tea, sacks of dried fish and even more people.

I am sorry about the top photo being out of focus. Those globs of green on the deck are, of course, mountains of bananas. I arrived at 6 AM, having been up all night, so I probably forgot to find the right setting for night and movement. I was worried also that no one would be at the exit of the port to pick me up. I didn't relish being in a strange town unable to speak Swaheli and no one really to call. My fear was not unwarranted, but that it a story for another time.