My trip to Dar es Salaam.

Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam

By John Lema

It all began with high expectations as I took my flight from Mwanza to the cosmopolitan rhythm city. Am optimistic by nature and you can call me Mr. High expectations. My flight was not enjoyable, I tried the famous new Airline in Tanzania that claims the cheapest. I had issues with the baggage payment. It was an offal experience being the new bee to the airline, I was left stressful and my heart jumping like a popcorn in a fryer. The system has lot of loop holes for tips (softening the unpleasant word “corruption”) you know what I mean.

I was super welcomed with a dramatic transport after landing. I chose the public transport from Airport to Gongo la mboto I have forgotten how it can be with public transport. Since I arrived in the late morning I presumed it will be well but not. Later on I paid a visit to my auntie in Vingunguti the return to my former destination in the evening became tremendous hard. Imagine I had to board a lorry for transport, fun enough I had to straggle hard for it. In spite of all the hardship, the craziest and most enjoyable thing was when we were mocked by other passengers from other Lorries heading opposite direction. Whenever we came across these groups of passengers there was a lot of shouting and commotions and we were asked where we buried our loved one or from which sleep out (kigodoro) we were from. Very interesting the charge is also high. You real can’t claim being in Dar es salaam without tasting what the local goes through in the daily basis.

In Dar es Salaam two minute lateness can mess up your entire day, if you have an appointment you ought to wake up as early as the first cook crows. Here is when I remember a past issue from Mwananchi newspaper that goes by "Dar es salaam residents are in danger of turning into Zombies due to lack of enough sleep caused by transport hardship. I lost some few ponds because of this and I guess at least this is a positive perspective.

Let’s see what Dar es Salaam had to offer this time. It is like I have been everywhere for every occasion, from an invitation to a wedding party to a funeral, to former college, to every possible relative out there and to Morogoro. I want to just emphasizing the rhythm of the city, colorful people that are hospitable to anyone. Do you still remember the festivals that are coming up ahead? Do you know that Ramadan is right at hand? Well it is and am planning to cover it like no one has ever done before. And why the reminder, it’s because most Muslims are trying hard to get married now so that they can have the pleasure to have someone prepare the mouth watering futari. I can’t wait for the season!

This time I didn’t go to any fancy place in town, I was kind of uswazi (a normal street guy) explorer. And now you can feast your eyes with these unprofessional photos from your amateur photographer who uses a phone to capture the moment as they happen.

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A street in Vingunguti 

Fetching water

A woman in celebration in a local bar

A piece of Art (an earring made of a beer cap)

At a barber shop to be updated about what's on the street.

A mini safari to Morogoro.

funeral

wedding match (as we draw close to Ramadan) 

people as they wait for unpredictable transport.

Am back in Mwanza 

Have you ever been in Dar es Salaam? what was your experience? I would love to hear from you as you comment. See you afterwards!