Moshi

Moshi is some 20kms from the foot of Africa’s highest mountain – Kilimanjaro which is 5896 metres. The mountain towers over the town, but as i write it is currently shrouded in cloud. Seeing it from the bus however and it looks both beautiful and imposing.

Moshi is THE place to organise your tracks of the mountain, but with fees in access of over US$1000 i refuse to prioritise this excursion. I do meet John from Mamuya Safari who offers me and all readers who quote my name an all inclusive US$900 deal, but it should be reminded that porters and guides should be offered a 10% tip.

The town is full of touts desperate to take me on day trips – including local village tours, a photo-shoot of Massai villages (human zoo springs to mind), waterfalls and coffee plantations. One of the more seemingly trustworthy guides is Bobby who can be contacted at 0756 457265. Others just want to sell me handicrafts. With elections on Sunday they are desperate to get money at the moment, although next month is the high tourist season so i have no qualms in saying “No!” a lot.

I hear also of rip-off stories - watch out in particular for Eric/Gonzales who is about 5 foot 11', bearded, slightly built and has a strong English accent, who stiches up tourists either by not delivering the goods or turning them over to the police. Two Argentineans needed to pay off Tsh400,000 each for a US$10 deal for their freedom. Scary!

The compact town has quite a lot to offer including at least three bustling markets and some quality eateries.

It is also quite clean with on-the spot fines of Tsh50,000 for littering. Environmental officers patrol especially around the bus terminals.

Most of the travellers’ centre lies just to the south of the bus terminal, the largest in Tanzania i am informed. I am staying at the perennial backpackers, Buffalos on New Street which has clean and comfy rooms at Tsh17,000 non attached and attached rooms for Tsh20,000/25,000 singles/doubles. The rooms have fan, satellite TV and include breakfast.

Slightly cheaper options include Haria Hotel, Kindaroko, Korini Guest House and Kilimanjaro Backpackers Hotel, but they all have noisier locations and for the difference i can’t be bothered to move.

For a historic stay you can check out the somewhat dilapidated Coffee Tree Hotel close to the roundabout just north of the bus station. It was here that Princess Elizabeth received the news that her father had died and she was now Queen. The rooms of Kilimanjaro can be enjoyed from the fourth floor restaurant. Both Kindaroko and Newcastle Hotels also boast rooftops with a mountain view.

Mount Kilimanjaro from the top of the Coffee Tree Hotel

Opposite Buffalo is the Indo-Italiano, the most popular (and expensive) eatery in town. The food is good, although due to its popularity service can be slow at times. They do quality pizzas from Tsh7,000 and mains from betweenTsh10 -14,000.

The new Kunywa restaurant up the road is somewhat cheaper and has good samosas, as does the Taj Mahal on the main thoroughfare. The latter also does local and Indian favourites and more local orientated prices.

Quality coffee can be enjoyed at the Masid Riadha Coffeehouse opposite the mosque of the same name for just Tsh200 per cup. Needless to say i am completely wired.

The area south of New Road by the clothes market - know as the Swahili Ghetto is not safe to walk down during the day or night.

one of several mosques in town

the local Hindu temple

For several travellers Moshi is much loved, but for me the place is simply another tourist trap with con-artists and touts trying to make a fast buck. It is too sad when you are not in a position to trust any of the locals - it's simply not for me.

Unfortunately my next port of call is Arusha - the hub for tourist touts.

Tanga to Moshi

Whilst Tanga is a generally laid-back town, walk anywhere close to the main bus depot and all hots up.

Fortunately i book up the day before. I'm told the journey is some four - five hours so i have no qualms about boarding at 10am for a 10.30am departure with Airbus.

It is already extremely hot and i have had a 30 minute walk with my luggage so sweat is pouring off like a sauna from my face as i board. I wait, wait and wait and then wait a bit longer as temperatures continue to soar made worse as there is no air-con on the bus and there is absolutely no wind coming through the windows.

We finally depart at 11.15am and the road conditions are quite good. However we have our first breakdown within the first hour as the driver and his three stooges spend a hour or so tampering with the undercarriage. Nonetheless everyone pretty much waits patiently by the side of the road and aimlessly watch on.

We are told to re-board and the bus continues onwards for another hour and a half, but the bus is clearly behaving erratically with short bursts of speed before violently vibrating and slowing down again. By 2pm i am hungry and bored but fortunately we stop of at Lushoto for a quick bite and rehydration time.

The mountains are on the right hand side and there is a more arid feel to the lushness of what i have seen for the most part of Tanzania.

By about 6pm the cone of Kilimanjaro rises before my eyes with glaciers hanging dramatically off the summit. It's a beautiful sight to behold.

However, just as we enter into Moshi at 6.30pm clouds descend and the mountain-top vanishes in an X-Files kinda way.

The bus ticket costs Tsh10,000.