Welcome to Dar es Salaam

Just a quick update to say that I’ve arrived in Tanzania and some first impressions.

I’d like to take Tanzania on her own terms, without comparing it to Uganda and Rwanda, but it’s so hard not to make those comparisons, and I guess it’s inevitable, to a certain extent. So far, Dar es Salaam reminds me of Kampala, though it may just be that the force of the first impression is equally powerful – maybe by the time I reached Kigali, I was so used to certain regional qualities (like the humidity and the smell) that I didn’t notice them. But as soon as I stepped off the plane, that spicy, humid smell that I’m beginning to associate with Africa assailed me once again. The drive from the airport brought on flashbacks of my first drive from Entebbe to Kampala, as the balmy night air swept its sharp, complex aroma into the taxi.

I’m staying in a hostel at the moment, where I’ve met a few really nice girls who have been in Dar for almost a month, and who are set to show me around. The hostel seems to be right in the middle of the downtown, so everything is really convenient – I got all my errands (changing money, buying a SIM card and plug converter, and now internet) done in one quick outing this morning. More later.

Oh! I can also report that Zurich is charming, with a hodgepodge of architectural styles and lots of tiny cobblestone alleyways and pedestrian walkways and LOTS of Lindt chocolate. Not sure how one navigates the narrow alleys with all that chocolate around, but it does lead me to believe that Zurich would be an excellent place for me to live, if only I spoke any German.