Thursday, October 20, 2005
Dar es Salaam, October 14
I arrived by air, at the invitation of TechnoServe to talk with them about what should/might happen regarding the economic empowerment project next year. I’d heard that the Sikh Gurdwara in Dar is quite large, and that they run a very nice and inexpensive hostel. So I thought I would look it up. Took a taxi from the airport, first checking with the driver, Did he KNOW where the Sikh Gurdwara is? Yes. Really? Yes. Sure? Yes. Of course he did NOT know, but I was not pushed for time and we had agreed on the price so now it was HIS problem. The 2nd Indian-looking pedestrian we asked gave us good directions. But there was no room for me at Singa-Singa (Kiswahili for Skih).
From there I took a daladala to the Posta to find my registered letter with my passport and visa application. Had to argue strongly, but after they spent 2 hours searching, they said it had been picked up yesterday (it had been mailed from Mwanza on August 29th). I called the Indian Embassy, who confirmed the story. The Posta blames the Embassy, the Embassy blames the Posta. Naturally. But at least it is found, with its enclosed $81 fee.
Went to the Peace Corps HQ to confirm departure plans and greet people and get help making reservations for the night, since the Sikhs had let me down.
Then dinner. Options: Street chicken – good but more ethnic than I wanted since I have LEAVING on my mind. Indian vegetarian – same sentiments. American Club – too clubby and the new mgt. Is trying to go upscale so it has lost it funkiness. Decided on Cliffside.
Cliffside. Wealthy ex-pat area, real estate boom area of what can only be luxury condos crowding the old walled estates. Fancy hotel. Fancy botique mall with lots of chi-chi restaurants and cafes. Mostly white skin, European fashinons, T-shirts (“Tallahassee”) that actually reflect where they were purchased, small girls in cute outfits, blonds. “Spurs” featured a quarter chicken plus ribs special with a baked potato, fried onions, some green salad. Cute African waitresses in sharp outfits topped with matching baseball caps, western decor. Definitely un-African. I couldn[t resist also getting the nachos. Not quite authentic with its heavy chili powder, but pretty good anyway. Afterwards I went to a coffee shop for a double expresso that gave me a jolt that I am still enjoying. It all fed my desire to now GET OUT OF AFRICA!! I leave my site on Nov 6, and leave Africa on Nov 16.
Then took another daladala downtown, to find the city still without power – dark. I managed to find myhotel through the dark streets, to discover that it does not have a generator. No lights. At $10 a night I guess I can’t complain. But I had to go to a nearby restaurant and buy a big bottle of water to sit and write this summary and finish the novel I’be been reading for the past week or so (Midnight’s Children by Salmon Rushdie). It is a freaky story about India, to get me ready for Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Amritsar next month. They said the power would come back at 10:00pm but…
9:00. An hour to go until the promise of recovered electricity. But then quietness decended – the generator was stilled having consumed the last of its petrol. There was then only a candle flickering in the outdoor night breeze. Enough for writing this blog, but not nearly enough for reading.
Went back to my hotel and took a candle to my fifth floor room. My hotel may not have a generator, but the building next door certainly did. Right outside me room. I did get to sleep through the din, but woke up at 1:00 with a splitting headache. The generator was turned off at 3:00.
