After a long week of dalla-dalla rides and research interviews culminating in an evening sorting through jargon and genuinely helpful information, the crew headed to Lushoto for the weekend. Lushoto is a small town nestled in the Usambara mountains in the northeast. It's about a 6-7 hour ride from Dar es Salaam. We rented a small dalla-dalla and off we went. In total, there were 8 of us--me, 6 friends, and a friend's mother and aunt.
I am always amazed by this country's diversity. In Dar, you find yourself in extreme heat and a truly coastal lifestyle, then go to Moshi and you can see the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro from your doorstep, a 2-hour ferry trip to Zanzibar reveals the world's most beautiful beaches, head out to any of the multiple national parks and enjoy a lovely sunset while a lion cub playfully chases his brother under a shaded tree... And, finally, head out to Lushoto for the weekend and you would be forgiven for thinking you were in East Tennessee at a bed and breakfast near Gatlinburg! It truly has EVERYTHING!
So, we headed out to Lushoto. Upon arrival, it was dark out so I couldn't see the views that I witnessed the following morning. From our porch, we could see a beautiful waterfall. On Saturday, we all went for a hike up to the waterfall. I think there's something magical about a waterfall. It seems to transport everyone--no matter how old--back to his or her childhood. Immediately, everyone's shoes were scattered about haphazardly and we were all playing in the freezing cold water.
Then, we went to a viewpoint. Perched hundreds of feet in the air, it seemed that you could see Tanzania in its entirety! I went a little camera-happy. Then, we hiked down from the viewpoint, got some lunch, and headed back to the house. Everyone rested a bit, and then we all cooked a feast! Yes, even I chopped some tomatoes and barbequed some chiken... We played cards late into the night and then everyone fell asleep to the sounds of the waterfall. Back to Dar on Sunday...
Comments