To Kisolanza and beyond

Traffic going out of Dar went much faster than coming into it. But it was still pole pole (slowly slowely) until we got out from amoungst all the busses. When we came into Dar we were surounded by trucks. Going out of Dar we were surrounded by busses.


We got pulled over by the first traffic police, just to inspect the car and glance at the laminated copy of my international driver's license.  I made use of the opportunity to ask about the speed limit. The answer: when you see a 50 sign you go 50, but outside of that you can go any speed. Music to my ears! "Even 180km/h?" I asked. "Any speed you want" I was assued. So of I went. We were soon pulled over again,  just for a quick glance over and were waved on again. Traffic was too heavy for me to try the 180km/h speed option. But as we came into the next little towns I was pulled over, again. This time by two smilling traffic police and their mobile speed gun. They were very friendly, explained that I was still doing 99 as I came into the 50 zone and fined me TzSh 30,000!! That is a lot of zeros, but luckily only ZAR 170 or $18. I was greatful this happened today and not Saturday when we only had TzSh 9,000 on us. After paying my fine and getting a receipt for it ( much more effecient than the Kenyan system), I again asked about the 180km/h option. They had a good laugh and I was told the speed limit was actually 120. Over the next few hundred kilometers we passed a number of ther traffic  police, almost all armed with their own speed guns. For other overlanders, be warned.

The scenery was incredible. We were surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful green vegetation. You could have been just about anywhere in the western cape in south africa. We stoped just after Morongoro when Jessica took the wheel for the next few hundred kilometers.  I counted our money because surely we were going to have to pay a few more tickets.

On the way to Iringa the highway passed right through Mikumi National Park. With the 70km/h speed limit I would have expected a traffic officer around every other bend in the road.  For those hoping to see photos of all the lions, elephans and chittas we saw in the park, sorry,  taking photos was not possible at 100km/h. Believe me I tried. It is apparently called "advendure travel."  As we entered the next little town the long arm of the law reached out and pulled Jessica over. I got the 30,000 ready but she explained to the nice officer that he could not fine her since che only went 8mph over the limit. I dont know if it was here swahili or here reference to mph but we were waved on.

We got to Kisolanza after almost 9 hours on the road. We were the only guests for the night and they offer to serve us dinner in Jessica's room, complete with a warm fire. Dinner was nothing short of being the best we both have had in all of east africa in the last few  years. Yes it was really that good and not just the taste but even the presentation. Starter was corn chowder, followed by a humongous T bone stake, cooked to order, garden fresh stir fried vegetables and sweet potatoes. Dessert was a baked chocolate yummy something. Breakfast was again served back in Jessica's room. First we were served, tea, propper coffee, fresh fruit and yogurt, followed by eggs and toast. I had poached eggs and Jessica had an egg omelette,  both divine!  Dinner, bed and breakfast for $70 per person made Kisolanza totally worth it. They get full marks. If they were situated somewhere in Kenya, I would have used them a weekend destination.We packed up and were on the road by 9am but we were warned that there will be even more traffic police going further south. I got pulled over a number of times, not for speeding but for inspection the car and my driver's license. Only one officer actually asked to see the mandetory fire extinguisher.  My rally driver took the wheel and she was soon pulled over for going 57 in a 50 zone and was fined 30,000. 2 days and 1 ticket each. Needless to say, we were crawling the rest of the way.

The scenery changed a few times along the way. First a dry section but a few hundred kilometres further we drove through gum and pine tree plantations as far as the eye could see, complete with a marshland inbetween the trees. We got to the the turn to Malawi and the vegetation changed to bannana trees and patchy fields. Just before 3pm we pulled into the Landmark hotel in Tukuyu. We checked in and walked down the road to get money from the ATM, upload our blogs and enjoy our first truly Tanzanian lunch of ugali, greens and beans.

Tomorrow we will cross over into Malawi and explore the next phase of our African adventure. Cant wait.