The African bus experience!

Visiting another volunteer placement in Pangani for the weekend. Got to the bus station at 7:30 to get a seat on the 8:00 bus.  Ran the gauntlet with the ticket salemen trying to make us pay well over the normal prices because we were Mzungus (white folk!).  Sitting on the bus we were continuously being offered various goods m(from plastic tut to food snacks and drinks) by people thrusting their trays through the coach windows. The bus filled up and, rather impressively, departed on time! It was full to capacity (probably above capacity by western standards) with all seats taken and the aisles full.  I heard a squawking sound from not far ahead of me - a lady in the aisle had a chicken in a plastic bag and the pesky fowl was trying to escape - how uncooperative of it! The bus journey was cramped and hot but not too bad as the scenery was rather spectacular - we went past the edge oif Arusha National Park and then past the edge of the Pare Mountians where i will be spending most of my time here in Tanzania.  Also skirted the Usambara Mountains further east where apparently there are areas of tropical rainforest. It would be lovely to go there if it's possible for a weekend from the Pares. Also saw some really rural communities near the road - genuine mut huts with straw or sisal roofs.  Along the way, people holding up produce for sale whenever the bus stopped. Being the geek that I am, I got quite excited to see actual baobab trees - it's nice to see things I've only ever seen in textbooks before - big fat trunks storing water during the dry seasons, quite imposing looking trees and quite unlike the others in the savanna.

Eventually got to Tanga at about 3:30 where we remained for an hour an a half before the next bus departed for Pangani. At this point the surfaced road had come to an end and the ride became quite an experience! Ironically the bus we travelled on to Pangani had 'Executive coach' emblazoned accross the front windscreen!

Finally arrived in Pangani after the les than comfortable journey and met up with the other volunteers at the guesthouse where we stayed.  A sociable evening and then to bed......