Posting from Arusha in Northern Tanzania. After a grueling trip (see the previous post on what to do with twelve hours in Heathrow - I primarily just struggled to get some sleep) I arrived in Dar es Salaam early Tuesday morning. Wabes picked me up at the airport we went back to her hostel before transfering to the upscale hotel down the street so that I could take a hot shower. Because Wabes told the manager that her stay was a surprise for her "husband," who was finally coming to visit, the hotel gave us an extra fancy suite with a fabulous views of the city.

We spent the afternoon wandering Dar: eating fresh coconuts and oranges; admiring the buildings, temples, and crafts; getting Indian food snacks in the Asian quarter (in a remnant of colonialism, the city is still marginally broken into three quarters: local Africans, Asians, and the section in which colonial leaders previously lived - you can guess which section has paved streets).

... About to leave for our safari - the guide just said the truck is ready. (I'm typing this from the safari agency. The power goes out constantly - as it does everywhere in TZ - but here they have generator that kick in right away so that I don't lose my work). Stayed tuned for future posts on African music, soccer and politics, and Moshi. Hopefully we'll have much to report when we return from our game drive.