Whew...

After what was seriously the longest day of my life, I've made it!  Approximately 28 hours in the air (not including layovers) and a rather sketchy cab ride later, I'm resting comfortably at the Dar es Salaam Holiday Inn.  I'm exhausted, but my body still thinks that it's two in the afternoon, so sleep may be questionable for a little bit.

The flight from Amsterdam south was incredible.  Well, as incredible as a window seat in coach for ten hours can be.  The entire plane seemed to be full of volunteers or people prepping to climb Kilimanjaro.  I sat next to a woman who is here to evaluate programs for the Peace Corps (she works at PC headquarters in DC). I really enjoyed chatting with her about issues that the Peace Corps and other NGOs face in dealing with third world education.  We also chatted with Robert, a guy from NC preparing to climb Kili.  Aside from the conversation and the naps, the view outside was amazing.  As we left Amsterdam, the green fields and red-roofed villages of Europe were clearly visible due to the clear sky.  I saw the Alps and the tiny villages tucked between the peaks, the Italian coast along the Adriatic Sea, and finally the Mediterranean Sea.  What was most impressive, however, was when the Mediterranean gave way to the Libyan coast, which then gave way to the Sahara.  That is one big desert.  It took us twice as long to fly over the Sahara as it did to fly over Europe.

As we approached our first stop in Kilimanjaro, it struck me how dark it was.  Electricity is a luxury, so even the rather large town of Arusha was little more than a few specks here and there of blue fluorescent light.  I'm sure that the stars above Bagamoyo will be breathtaking as a result of this, though I doubt I'll want to walk anywhere at night; I'll probably run into something!

After landing in Dar and waiting just long enough for my bag to ensure that my heart rate considered going into panic mode, I stepped out into the humid Tanzanian night to see a crowd of eager faces, waiting for family, friends, or a fare.  I scanned, looking for my Holiday Inn airport shuttle driver.  He was nowhere in sight.  And, well...since I don't exactly blend well, I was a bit of a sitting duck for drivers asking where I wanted to go.  After dodging a few drivers and stepping aside for a bit to see if he'd show, a young man named Kennedy said hello.  Did I mention how friendly Tanzanians are?  I was welcomed to the country by no fewer than ten people in the first ten minutes.  Anyway, Kennedy and I began to chat and I mentioned that I'd be heading to Bagamoyo to volunteer tomorrow.

"You must be with CCS."
"Yes!  How did you know that?"
"Ah, Ahmberrrr, I am a safari operator.  I take CCS volunteers on safari."
"Well, fantastic.  I'm sure we'll meet again."

Kennedy told me that he had seen the Holiday Inn driver leave with passengers about ten minutes earlier, but that he could not only ensure that he could find me a safe driver to get me to the hotel tonight, but also that he would be back tomorrow to take me back to the airport, where I'll be meeting with CCS.

I guess when you're a single female in a new country, there's a level of "to hell with it" trust.  So...I handed the guy my bag and followed him toward a parking lot.  He introduced me to Noel, a kid who looked no older than about sixteen, said something to him in swahili, put me in the front seat next to Noel and off we went.  He was a good kid, even though he drove like a bat out of hell.  At one point, he rolled through a red light.  When I asked about traffic regulations here, he said, "I usually stop at red.  Back there, you stop, someone might come to your window.  Not safe, so I roll through."  Gotcha Noel.  Good work.

I've not stayed at too many Holiday Inns in the US, but I've never been greeted with a bellhop, fresh fruit juice, and a cool wet washcloth at one.  So, I'm safe but exhausted.  Shower plus bed...