Southern Highlands

Mambo from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania!  After 34 hours of travel time sans layovers we have arrived in Mbeya, Tanzania.  I am traveling with my coworker extraordinaire, Jai Sutherland.  I am lucky to have such an awesome, bright, and fun traveling companion.

Travel time breakdown:

• Seattle --->Amsterdam = 10 hour flight
• Amsterdam ----> Kilimanjaro = 8 hour flight
• Kilimanjaro ----> Dar = 1 hour flight
• Dar ---> Mbeya = 15 hour drive

I think these US to Africa travels seem much longer to me than they used to.  Well they are longer from Seattle.  Haha!  I can say it was totally worth it.  It is absolutely beautiful here.  As in...I LOVE IT!!!  No big surprises there.  This is Tanzania. 

The travels have not been without their hiccups - thus far we have encountered a seemingly corrupt and hostile immigration situation, customs red tape to relinquish water testing equipment, nearly hitting a cow in the road, hitting and killing a LARGE African bird, stopping to pee at a brothel, and nearly getting killed by a bus.  All that being said, I couldn't be happier to be here.  I love me some Africa.

On the drive from Dar to Mbeya we were lucky enough to drive through Mikumi National Park where we saw elephants, giraffe, water buffalo, gazelles, warthogs, and monkeys.
                                            


We are now in Mbeya staying at the "Peace of Mind" rest house.  It is colorful and nice.  The ceiling inside is even painted in a turquoise giraffe pattern.  The bed is large and comfy and I would say I am about 90% recovered from jet lag.
                                                        

The Southern Highlands are considered the "food basket" of Tanzania.  This is the major agricultural center of the county.  The region is dominated by volcanic soil which is rich in nutrients ideal for producing bananas, maize, beans, tea, and coffee.


We have been in Mbeya for the last two nights and head to Mbozi tomorrow where we will be conducting our project.  The town of Mbeya is very close to the border of Zambia and Malawi and Lake Nyasa, which I recently learned is the same as Lake Malawi.  As you may have guess a lake spanning two countries comes into dispute often and could be called two names by each respective country.


Tomorrow we travel to Mbozi, the final destination on our tour of Southeastern Tanzania where we will be doing our project.  What project you say?!  Stay tuned for the next post!