We’re up and going by 09:30, Mattie and Johan are off and the other folks are at the park. We have a bite to eat and then get going with the chores. Annelie parks in reception with all our clothes and food containers to reorganise while I brave the fridge. Our waiter and minder from last night, Moses is around to help me out. While I clean out the fridge we chat a bit about life in Tanzania, where he’s from, what he wants to be etc. He asks me about South African life, politics, London and a few other topics. He’s keen on getting more involved with tourism, only 18, but motivated to change his situation. I suggested that if he wants to work with tourists or in any western country he should study English. He was taken aback a little by this, but I explained that while he could kind of understand what I was saying to him, I was forced to speak slowly and use simple terms and words. If he can read, write and speak English fluently, he will elevate himself and stand out amongst his peers. Of course, I didn’t use the exact words, but with some gesturing he understood. Read English books, never stop reading and if you find a word you don’t know, go look it up! It was good chatting to him, again made me realise exactly how good we have it.
That fridge was pretty rancid, btw.
By the afternoon I’ve cleaned out and restocked the fridge, washed out the back somewhat of dust and oil stains and repacked everything to it makes more sense and is easier to access. By 13:00 we’re joined by the rest of the gang back from the park, and apparently I missed out a huge photo op: a huge male Simba making sweet sweet loving a few meters away from the car. This is quite a rare event to witness to close by, so I’m feeling a bit pissed that I missed it. Ok, fair enough, it was over in under a minute. The big guy apparently gets a 24 hour pass twice a year to do his thing, and he does so with gusto, around 30 times or more. Bummer.
Soon enough we’re off to Arusha. It’s not too far, about 45 minutes, but I have to make quite a few bio-stops for Annelie’s sake, which is getting harder to do since there seems to be people around everywhere all the time. There was this rattling sound coming from the roof at one point, thought maybe the spare wheel was coming loose. Turns out that the spoiler cover in the front of the roof was almost falling off. The bolts that uses to secure it where nowhere to be found, must have rattled loose and disappeared during the 3 or 4 days of consistent bumpy roads. I remove it and chuck it in the back, and re-adjust the rear roof rail that was also loose and moving freely, not to good if I intend to keep the spare wheel on the roof! Tighten that sucker down, and we’re off again (and stop again, for Annelie. Fooi tog!)
And there it is! Kilimanjaro! Damn, that’s a huge hill! (edit: not Kilimanjaro. It’s little cousin, Mount Meru. Dumbass... Still, it’s the biggest mountain we’ve ever seen in real life). Arusha is very very busy. Same as the other “big” cities in Tanzania, but somehow more lively. The people drive like absolute maniacs and Cape Town Taxis have NOTHING on these boys! They feel nothing to drive alongside you, against ON COMING traffic to form a kind of impromptu double lane. And it’s not just the taxis, everybody is on a free for all. But somehow, it all works. The town itself is very, very green! It looks exactly like Kirstenbosch, or any part of the southern suburbs of Cape Town (minus the quadrillion Rand houses, of course).
We arrive at our destination, Masai camp at high noon and Mattie gives us a bow as we enter. Guess what: he DID have parasites. Doctors reckon their fly larvae having a gay ol time in his epidermis. He got these pill that he needs to crush into a fine powder and rub it on the wounds. Like throwing salt on a snail. Also got some antibiotics. So sorted, let’s see what else breaks!
Anyways, Masai camp. Very nice place, it has an interesting commons area, with a huge bar, 2 pool tables, lots of couches... and a stage. Mmmmm. We stand around and before long we’re joined by a very tall, lanky American, Darrel. Darrel informs us that tonight they’re hosting “Arusha’s got talent”. And, it’s the final. So, expect loud music, hundreds of people and noise till at least 02:00 in the morning. From the sound tests emanating from the bar area, I believe it’s gonna be a kick ass party. The rest of the group decide that this is not for them (Annelie and I are super keen to stay!) and at $5 a night, it’s a steal. Darrel refers us to another lodge should we not wish to stay. Off we go, through the mad traffic and crazy mix of pedestrian, taxis, 4x4’s, chickens, dogs (no, really), wooden carts bearing everything from plastic wares to machine parts (I later discover this method of transport is very popular in the city, between workshops and the like). The GPS gets way confused with these little side streets and has us stuck in an impossibly small dirt road, where we are forced to make a u-turn. This totally pisses off the locals, who drive right up to our vehicles and climbs on the hooters. We try to explain that we’re making a u-turn, they kindly tell us to fuck off. Swell.
Anyway, do a 20-point-Uturn, head out of that manic situation, turn left down the CORRECT impossibly narrow dirt road lined with shops, people, foul and pet and ta-da! arrive at the Ilboro Safari Lodge (Ilboro means “the place”). Wow. Really nice hotel, well manicured lawns and trees, deep blue swimming pool and a seemingly endless estate! Paradise (for a weary traveller). We’re not staying in the lodge (starting at $105 a night, by the way. Breakfast included) but camping instead. Yes, they have an entire section on the other end of the estate dedicated for that, at $10 a night per person. We get sorted with the site, unload and so forth. Annelie is leaning against the bullet (still in pain). Time to go to hospital. I dumb the tent and stretchers and saddle up with a GPS unit. Apparently the hospital Mattie used this morning was fantastic, so that’s where we’re going. After triple guessing the GPS (hey, it’s not the most reliable thing in these African towns) we arrive at Saliene Lutheran Hospital and Clinic, around 17:00.
We book her in and before long she’s in to see a doctor. Place is empty, so that’s a good thing. Few minutes later she’s out and needs to wait 20 minutes for the lab tests to get back (all the goodies, blood, urine, stool). Like clockwork, 20 minutes later, we have a winner: Annelie has dysentery. That thing no person in the 21st century should really have, i.e. you have a major vitamin or nutrition deficiency. That explains her total lack of energy. But she eats very well, and we are defiantly getting our vitamins, so what gives?
Drum roll please
An Amoeba
This charming little fellow (or lots and lots of charming little fellows) have their own little buffet feast every time she eats anything. Which is why she cramps so badly after meals. So their getting all the good stuff, minerals and vitamins from her lower intestine before her body can absorb it, leaving her all fucked up and miserable, not to mention in constant pain and agony.
But take a moment to reflect on this: a hospital, in Arusha, Tanzania, took all of 30 minutes, including the time it took to register and pay for admission, lab tests, analysis and to actually GETTING antibiotics and the drugs required. I mean... gosh. That’s... that’s amazing! And, let this top it off even more: the doctors where friendly, polite, concise and to the point (some translation was required, but come on!). Eat that, NHS!
(in the NHS’s defence, this was a private clinic, and not the broken, underfunded, underappreciated, badly managed public health care for the masses) (and I guess the hospitals here probably know what kind if tropical nasty’s pasty white people pick up while on safari) (and no, they still can’t fix stupidity, or bad dress sense. Sorry, all of America)
Happy. Very happy. After dinner, she pops some pills (once every 12 hours) and no we wait and see. The other drama while we where away was with the tour company about where our deposit payments went. They haven’t received them yet, apparently. Good thing I keep my receipts. Tomorrow, we need an extra early start to track down the payments and figure out what's what with this 4 day trip into the Serengeti.
Highlights: all your parasites are belong to us! (it’s an internet meme, don’t stress if you don’t get it)
Seeing how a real hospital gets shit done
[G & soon to be Amoeba free A], out
They set us up the bomb!
No comments:
Post a Comment