Kipanga Tanzania, Lake Tanganyika Population:
100
We arrive, like ancient travellers, in a handmade wooden
boat. The guys paddle as I scoop out water that is leaking through holes
plugged with thread. Men and women come
down to greet us. Children scatter in all directions, terrified by our
‘umzungu’ faces. The fishing rods cause much confusion, and are examined
closely. Spotting a hook one man realises their use, his face lights up and he
excitedly tells the rest. Hand gestures, touching, ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’; the
fishermen are thoroughly impressed.
The village itself has nothing. Just a shop with spares
for boat motors. Asking for food, we’re
pointed back to the village we just came from. Too tired to paddle back we
decide we’ll rather starve and set up camp on the pebbly beach.
Kipanga means ‘Hawk’ in Swahili.
Nairobi Kenya, Capital
City Population 3.2 million (2009 census)
We bundle off the bus onto littered streets. 2am.
Starving. Cold. We walk and find a 24hour Chicken & Chips joint. A huge
portion of chips is only 55 Kenyan Shillings, about six bucks. We each have
two.
Back to the bus, and the driver allows us to spend the
night in it. He takes the prime five-seater back row and stretches out. We’re
left uncomfortable, crammed on double seats, but at least off the street. In
the morning we wake to a completely different city, except for the bustling
Chicken & Chips joint. Business as usual.
The name "Nairobi" comes from
the Masai phrase Enkare Nyrobi, which translates
to "cold water".
Sumbawanga Tanzania, capital of the Rukwa Region Population: 150 000 (2002 census)
It’s a mission. Not merely a manner of
speaking, but literally. We’re directed by an over excited receptionist to the
head nun’s office. Slipping away the empty beer bottles the Sister gives us a
triple room for the price of a single.
Jordan’s slops break. His bare feet
create a scene. Being barefoot here is a sign of poverty and madness. Trying to
preserve his dignity, everyone in the town rushes to get him shoes, mainly slops...
bright green, red, yellow, pink or orange. One or two offer him closed shoes,
even some nice leather ones. We’ve learnt on our travels that closed shoes are
useless. His refusal creates pandemonium, so he settles on a pair of red slops.
Sumbawanga literally translates to “through
a way you are witches”. It stems from local superstitions and practices relating
to spiritual healers in the surrounding smaller.
Giza Egypt, Pyramid City Population 2.5 million (2006 census)
Tourist central. We’re hustled into a Lebanese restaurant
and seated at a laden table. Breads of all kind, towers of grapes and other
fruits I’ve never seen. Dates, olives, jams, cheeses, wine bottles, even
Champagne. Our waitress is a Lebanese girl in skimpy clothing. I pull out my
wallet. Empty. Say, “We have no money” and we’re hustled out onto the street.
Back to the train station we each find a concrete bench
to spend the night on. In the morning we’re taken for breakfast by two young
policemen. Chickpea falafels in pita bread with cucumber and sweet tea. They’re
fascinated by us and want us to meet their families. We have a train to catch
and regret our leaving.
“When the Muslims opened Egypt, they
crossed the Nile to the other side from this area so they called it ‘giza
mubaraka’. A blessed crossing of the Nile. Since then the area is called Al
Giza” – Ahmed (Our host who robbed us.)
Dar es Salaam Tanzania, formerly Mzizima Population 1.3 million (1988 census)
We are stranded. We sit and talk to
truck drivers at the Tunduma border. They club together and buy us bus tickets
to Dar.
“We are all men here,” says Ali,
“sometimes we have financial tightness. We are pleased to help you; some day
you will do the same.”
We’ve organised to meet Charl, who’s
somehow connected to a friend back home. He’s a South African expat working in
the mines, settled in the exclusive Peninsula area near the well known Holiday
Inn. The trip has taken thirty two hours and we arrive smelly and dirty in our
holey shirts.
Jordan and Robs try to surreptitiously change
their clothes on the lush lawn outside the Holiday Inn. We’re so out of place.
They have wet wipe baths and drown themselves in deodorant. I decide against it.
I don’t want to make a scene in front of the hotel, and think a hardcore Afrikaner
working on the mines will be impressed with our roughing it anyway. He’s an
accountant and I feel sheepish as I climb into his impeccably clean Land Rover,
and slide along its smooth leather seats.
Dar es Salaam is an Arabic phrase
meaning ‘haven of peace’.
Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Capital Population estimate 4.1 million
(2013)
A sprawling metropolitan slum. Marketo
Sub city bus rank. A seething mass of outstretched limbs reach up to the bus.
Coffee, mealies, fruit, pens, handkerchiefs.
Outside the bus a porter tells us we
should not be here. We pull our rain covers over our bags, protection against
opportunistic thieves, and go get some lentil samoosas.
Addis Ababa means "New Flower" in
the African language of Amharic.
Isiolo Kenya, Eastern Province, Isiolo county Population 140 000 (2009 census)
We’re having a taxi swap over. The
drivers stand in a huge circle and pray for protection on the road. The prayer is led by a man in a fancy suit
with a fat Bible. It’s loud and in some local dialect. We agree with Amen’s.
Meaning of Isiolo unknown.
Kapiri Mposhi Zambia, close to the DRC border Population: 200 at a guess
We’re dropped at a petrol station where
trucks often refuel. A crossroad where we can get lifts to our next
destination. Inside, there’s a TV and we
watch the last 20 minutes of Tottenham vs QPR. It feels like home. We also
watch the chickens. All in a row, brown and glistening, turning slowly on the rotisserie.
Outside we dodge the oily patches on the
ground and prop ourselves up against a wall, out of the wind. We pull out our
sleeping bags for warmth. Africa is big and it’s sky wide. The petrol station
is small and I’m small in the petrol station.
Women
nearby are selling bananas and peanuts, still dirty in their sandy shells. They
give us some. Thank you. For supper.
I don’t know the meaning of Kapiri
Mposhi. But it sounds kind.
Wadi Alfa
North Sudan, on the shores of Lake Nubia Population: next to nothing
The old Jackie Chan film ends in perfect
unison with our journey. It’s subtitles told a different story. The doors open,
heat rushes in. I’ve lost my sun glasses and the glare of the white sand hurts
my eyes. It’s not quite what we expected. Jackie Chan doesn’t get the princess
and she’s stolen by his nemesis. I’m so thirsty and the cold water tastes like
sand.
A wadi is a river in North Africa or
Arabia. A river which is dry except in the rainy season. Alfa
I don’t know. Perhaps it is the name of a famous local.
Awassa Ethiopia, The Great Rift Valley Popluation 150 000 (2007
census)
Everywhere is expensive,
except one place.
The women at the door look
excited to see us.
It doesn’t last long.
We do not seek
companionship.
Meaning unknown.
Marsabit Kenya, southeast of the Chalbi Desert Population: minimal
It’s pouring and I need to pee.
I climb out the back of the truck, my back stiff from sleeping against its cold
metal sides. The roads potholes are filled with water and reflect the lights of
nearby buildings. A hand gestures from a nearby hotel.
I watch TV with Peter for half
an hour. I must call him when I’m home, he says.
What I learnt from Google,
Wikipedia:
Originally, Marsabit was
popularly known as Sokorte. The name Marsabit was given by English explorers
who went through the area using landrovers. Popular inhabitants, the Rendille,
used to call it Sokorte or Haali dayan. Trekking across the drylands, white
explorers describe where they were coming from by pointing fingers to the
mountains saying 'Mars a bit" which means high and cool - an old English
word. The local residents didn’t pronounce it well, and hence 'Marsabit' was
picked up from there. Others claim the name is from the Amharic word 'Marsa bet'; Meaning Marsa's
home/house. Marsa was a farmer brought to Marsabit from Mega, in Ethiopia, by the Consul
to assist in the consolidation of farming and permanent settlement on the
slopes of the mountain.
Kiwengwa Zanzibar Population: 10 people
Jordan is excited. He’s going to see Shaka,
a guy he met on last trip. We walk down the path Jordan remembers, turn around
the corner and are greeted by a plot of over grown weeds. Shaka’s hut is gone.
A
bunch of high Rastas smoke under a palm roof shelter. They invite us in. They
say we can stay wherever we like. Montera, the one with a glorious mane of
dreads, recognises Jordan and says he knows where Shaka stays. He’ll call him.
His wife left him after the fire and he makes curios on the beach. He’s a beach
boy now. They’re famous for sleeping with foreigners, especially the Italians.
Montera actually has a kid in Italy who he’s going to visit soon. Shaka says
he’s looking for a white lady too now.
The meaning of Kiwengwa went up in
smoke.
Chuma Zambia, Large informal settlement
of about 2000 people
MacNully had picked us up, and after an
eight hour journey we were considered friends, so we had to stay over at his
house. He laughs at how poor we are. We fetch his son and daughter from school.
Chando’s big brown eyes watch our every move. Mbulelo is told by her father to
practice her English with us. “Hello, ‘ow are you?”, “Mayi name is Mbulelo. I
am nian years old”, ”My fayvorite subject is Science”, “You arah welcome in
owah place”.
We’re given bread and tea for supper. A
new margarine is brought and opened especially for us. Chando and Mac each have
four table spoons of sugar in their tea. Only men sit at the table. Chando is
clearly Mac’s favourite child.
In the morning a chicken is thrown in
our room to wake us up, and once we’re up, we’re proudly paraded around the
dusty streets of Mac’s village, taking the long route back to where his truck
is parked.
Chuma. A place where the streets have no
names.
