Day 292 – Monday 15th November 2010

We arrived for breakfast at 8am to be told that they had run out of beans. Not a good start to the day.

We had a leisurely morning before heading off just before 10am, via the supermarket. We had been given several shopping lists from the Tabora community. It is so novel to be able to buy things like cheese and would you believe bacon.

The journey then began home. Well sort of, as traffic was so bad that it took over an hour to get out of Mwanza. We finally escaped and hit the open road.

And then our tyre blew!

Words cannot express the comedy that then ensued. Firstly, our jack  was too short for the high chassis. Then we got the locals coming to offer support and advice, and suggesting that we lift the car. That didn’t work and so after finding some suitable rocks the tyre was changed.

The they all wanted paying for their hard work! We tried to keep the peace by buying a soda for everyone, which appeased all but three, who claimed they had done the most work. One had held the nuts, one had placed them on, and one had tighten them.

They got little sympathy and we were soon on the way.

A quick stop in Shinyanga to try and get the tyre repaired, and after a small panic and visit to every shop in town we were successful and could continue our journey.

Then would you believe we got stopped for speeding!

My initial tone of disbelieve that you could be stopped for speeding in Tanzania was put in its place by the policeman producing a speed gun!

I was not expecting that.

Nor was I expecting what happened next. The fine was set and agreed and I was just about to pay when Armorel decided to chat up the policeman and ask for a receipt. One of the methods worked because we were soon sent on our way with a strict warning to adhere to the limits, but with no fine needed!

Luckily the rest of journey was trouble free apart from the plague of termites which caused our vision to be hampered and our windscreen washer to run out. We arrived home at just after 6pm.

Exhausted!