We rode from Dodoma to Manyara today. Whilst the road of today was expected to be much of the same as we experienced yesterday, there were patches that were better, and there were patches that were MUCH worse. For the riders who live in the Cape and are reading this…Esselbank is like a highway in comparison!
Our ride was 350km through unbelievably beautiful countryside (I know that I keep saying that but Tanzania is MAGNIFICENT!!). We have ridden upcountry and the environment has become a lot more lush than we experienced further south.
We stopped for lunch at a roadside shop just before Babete and had the most delicious chapattis and sweet chai tea…not sure if it was actually delicious or we were just ravenous!
The Chinese activity in Tanzania is evident too. They are building a massive (and much needed) road between Arusha and Dodoma which should be complete within a year.
We are spending the night at Maramboi Tent camp (http://www.tanganyikawildernesscamps.com/camps/maramboitentedcamp/ )which we stumbled across but Thank G_d we did. This place is amazing. On arrival, even though we did not have a reservation, we were welcomed with cold towels and something to drink before sitting down and enquiring about accommodation. The staff, the service and the quality of the rooms are awesome and it is incredibly well priced for a full board rate. I HIGHLY recommend this place to anyone who is coming to Tanzania and wanting to stay around Lake Manyara.
In fact, we like this place so much we have decided that a 2 day well deserved rest is necessary!!
The “good” part of the road to Arusha.
Dale riding in.
Massive dry riverbed which floods in the summer.
Roadside tea and Chapattis
Roadside Cafe
Curious bystanders.
The Chinese furiously swapping their US Gvt bonds in exchange for African mineral rights!!!!
Maramboi tented camp…Awesome!
Maramboi staff.
Sunset over lake Manyara.
Alan R
July 16, 2010 at 9:25 am
Well done on the fantastic progress, really enjoying the updates. Keep it up.