Day 40: Free Internet!

          Today I didn't get anything done on my blog.  I did, however, get to visit some relatives, and found a free internet connection.  So I had fun, even if you all were bored...
          The day started off bright and early at 9:00 am.  The plan was to eat breakfast, then visit my Shangazi Ika (it's actally Eka or Eka-Eli, but many mispronounce it.  Like me! :) ) and her husband, Nginana.  They own a nice motel, called Motel 77, on a large, nicely manicured, property near downtown Arusha.  From there we were going all the way to Sakila, way up into the mountains of Meru to visit my Mjomba Amos.
          My cousin Innocent was coming with his father, Mjomba Wilfred, to take us to Ika's and then from there to Amos's house.  He was supposed to come get us after breakfast, so we knew not to expect him before noon.  We were right, and go to Shangazi Ika's just in time for lunch.  That was when we found out that she had a computer that was connected to the internet!   I don't think I've mentioned it before, but  I've been blowing 1,500 to 2,000 Tanzanian shillings an hour on Internet cafes to post stuff on this blog, and 5,000 Tish. an hour to use the fast hotel internet to upload pictures.  So the prospect of free internet was a godsend.
          The internet was down (had been intermittently for the past couple days), so we decided to come back after visiting Mjomba Amos and see if we could at least check our mail.  Baba also had some very important paper he needed to send, so he was just as excited as me.
          From Shangazi Ika's we drove about 35 km (22 miles) to Songoro to visit my Mjomba Amos.  The roads were rough and it was uphill most of the way.  We were definitely going to have to get out here before dark.  Somehow, word had traveled ahead of us (isn't it amazing how fast talk travels?  I swear it violates the laws of physics and travels faster than the speed of light...), and everyone was waiting, not only Mjomba Amos, but all of his family, including those who had already moved out.
          We ate, talked (well, Baba talked, I played cards with a cousin) and took pictures of the place.  Amos wanted me to come back some day so that he could take me around and show me Meru, including a hike up to the highest point to take pictures.  For dinner we were served banana stew and Nswa, a blend of corn, banana, peas, and milk.  It tastes a little like rice cereal, only not quite as good.  (Banana stew is made with green banana, and tastes a lot better than it sounds.)
          We got out of there just as it was beginning to get dark, and made the long and treacherous trip back to Ika's.  At Ika's the internet was up, so Baba was able to check his e-mail and send off the papers he needed to.  By then it was past midnight, so we just went home and crashed.  We had stopped by Shangazi Eliremisa's house (Cousin Innocent's mother) before Ika's, and my cousin Salome had offered us food.  We politely turned her down fearing that we'd also be offered food at Ika's and back home at Zara's.  This did not happen.  By the time we got back to Zara's everyone was asleep, so we were forced to go to bed hungry.  I didn't complain though, but toughed it out, living up to my Tanzania roots.  I'm no wimpy American!  Before going to bed, I promised myself to work hard on this blog and go back later to post it.  Then I went to sleep.


E’ya! - Tate


Jump to: Days 32-35 or Day 41