Fire Ants for Breakfast

This is near the end of the rainy season in Tanzania. The day I arrived saw some rain. The ants don't like the rain because it floods their little ant caves and their little ant babies get the sniffles. Or something. So they "migrate" something around 10 feet to a lightly higher elevation (i.e. out of the mud puddle). Of course, the 10 feet they choose are exactly across the path from my bungalow to Paula's house, i.e. my breakfast trail. Uuugghh...

Did I mention fire ants can eat your freakin' leg off? So yeah, I BROAD JUMPED my butt over those guys. I must have set some kind of record for "jumping over fire ants en route to breakfast." Tough day. (Second pic is zoomed in. They way bigger than regular ants!)

Paula's Garden

The wildlife here is kind of breathtaking... Even for a non-bird-watcher and a non-flower-sniffer like me. This is just in the FRONT of Paula's garden. I literally turned 30 degrees and went snap snap snap with my camera.

First Night in Nyakato

Finally getting tucked in. Okay...the roosters were crowing all dang day and this first night the dogs barked and howled and barked and howled. And then the crickets. And then the birds. I mean...great that there are no airplanes like there are in Arlington but the decibels are comparable.

So, I got bored and looked out the window and what do I see?....

(and ZOOMED IN?!)


This is the dead Geico mascot! The one on commercials is a robot?!?

........Daaaaamn, Nature - YOU SCARY!

Nyakato - International Health Partners. Ze Accomodationz.

Arrived! I am staying at a "bungalow" although this is really just a big house. 3BD, 2BA but lots of bunk beds so sleeping spaces = 10. Fantastic, except showers tend to run cold. Here is my room. I'm on the lower bunk. So far the room is all mine until more volunteers show up.

Cows on my bedspread FTW!!!! :-)















This is a look at the front of the bungalow. About the gated entrance: there is a gate to the yard, as well as a gate before the door to the house on the picture. It stays locked whenever we're out. The house is patrolled 24/7 by guards; at night, the guard has a dog (his name is Nyoko! Yes I met him and totally made friends. He tried to play with me, much to the guard's embarrassment, hee hee.). The small building you can almost see on the left side of the photo is the guards' quarters where they can wash up, have tea, nap, etc. They're very friendly and help me practice the Swahili greetings...patiently. The day guard's wife brings him lunch and comes with the baby in the kick-ass sling on her back to hang out while he eats - it's the sweetest thing.

Here is the back yard (with the red flower). Note the clothesline - yay for handwashed linens! We can give our linens to the cook weekly for washing but so far I've been doing it myself. It's kind of fun and reminds me of being a kid when I had to wash my own socks in the common washing up area in the "pansionat" in Barnaul (Are you reading this Mom?? Yes I remember! Thank you for instilling in me some serious sock-washing skills, they are coming in extremely handy right now!)...and no I am not just putting the sock onto the faucet like I did when I was 5 :)

Arrival in Mwanza and Trip to Nyakato

Arrived in Mwanza airport (it's a hallway and a room, but works) Thursday. Met by Paula Lofstrom and Mboto, the driver. Paula is absolutely charming (she lives here with her husband Denny and pretty much runs the place) and so is Mboto. He told me on the drive in that Mwanza is known as "Rock City." I said "oh...rock'n'roll?" and shook my hands like I was at an AC/DC concert. Mboto looked at me like "well...uh..crazy woman" and explained that the terrain is unusually rocky, wih big boulders popping up everywhere - I noticed this after a few minutes into the trip. Note to self - do not assume the presence of "rock'n'roll" just because you're delirious with jetlag and excitement. Self control, Eugenia....*sigh*

We drive through Mwanza city, which is a bit like downtown Nicosia in terms of size, but in some places it looks like a bomb went off. Very little urban repair... Driving seems hazardous, but it was actually okay because people are generally careful even if it seems like they're about to careen into you. No cops, but lots of parking attendants. No seatbelts on anyone... But the bumpy road keeps the speed to a minimum.

We stopped at a post office for Paula to check her mail (many ppl here traditionally have P.O. Boxes because they live on a land plot without a street address) as well as a pharmacy run by the Ladhani brothers. Indian expats seem to run lots of businesses here.

Drove out of Mwanza city to the suburb of Nyakato, where the clinic compound is located (clinic itself, buildings in progress, housing for staff, etc.). Road had a stream parallel that ran down to Lake Victoria. Stream contained rubbish from local residents as well as wastewater from uphill. No swimming in Lake Victoria. Many stray dogs walking around but Paula was pretty clear that I cannot pet them and make them my friends. *saaaaaaad face* Did I mention I miss Dave?! (and Frank too, calm down hubby)

Will upload pictures of where I'm staying in the next post.

Kilimanjaro - Mwanza

Flight from Kilimanjaro to Mwanza was pretty uneventful and quick. Except for the spider in the REAL window seat. He was between the two panes and had woven an elaborate web. To catch what? Crazy vagabond...
I was also surprised that we got a snack and drinks during the 80 min trip, here is a taste:Saw this beautiful thing out the window, just before we crossed over the Serengeti. I think this is part of the highlands where Ngoro Ngoro Crater is located.

The Flight In: Volcano, Yellow Fever, and the Maasai Dog

Volcano: Flight to Amsterdam became flight to Detroit, then Amsterdam - leaving 2 hrs earlier. This was inexplicably due to the volcanic ash from the Angry Sister in Iceland. Mmkay. Had to scramble to leave. B/c of the delays, and upon the advice of both my mom and a very maternal Delta agent, took both bags as carry-on. Didn't empty the bag initially intended for checked luggage. Got stopped by gigantic red headed TSA agent called Kinner who proceeded to remove everything out of said bad and confiscate bug block and contact lens solution. :( Best part: I packed ink cartridges+ flavored salt + electric plug adapter/ converter into a neat little box that apparently looks exactamundo like a bomb from the scanner. So it was not one but 3 guys digging through my underwear. They tested the salt. Took a half hour. F#%^ volcano.....

Yellow Fever: 19mins to landing in Kilimanjaro. My neighbor in window seat suddenly curses and discloses that she forgot her yellow fever vaccination card. Me too. Frank - you have to mail me this unless you want me to stay in Tanzania. Please.

Maasai Dog: Landed in Kilimanjaro and took shuttle bus (with removable "Ambulance" sign) to KIA Lodge. Gorgeous little hut. Hot shower kicks ass.

Hut inside:

View out in the morning:

Crazy bird in breakfast cafe:


Breakfast was in an outdoor cafe. I have never seen this variety and quantity of birds. Apparently something like 70% of all birds in East Africa are in Tanzania - or so I was told. I believe it. This bird had been zooming around all morning. Wild blue color. Like a giant bluejay with an orange/red chest. Fearless little thing.
















On my way to breakfast and while I was waiting for the shuttle back to airport to catch my last flight (to Mwanza) I met the "Lodge Animal." The cutest dog ever (except Dave.) Name is something like Katika. Attitude is something like dalmatian on meth. As I tried to take a pic with her and the Maasai working at the lodge as porters/greeters, she kept trying to play.

Maasai dog!!!

(P.S. Check out the dude behind me to my left. Bad Maasai, baad!)