Day 91: Dar Es Salaam to Bagamoyo

We planned to leave at 07:00 and managed to almost do it despite sleeping until 06:45. We requested an Uber, which arrived within 8 minutes.

The driver didn’t speak much English and somehow seemed to not know that the Uber app tells him our destination and that he can get directions from a mapping application like Google Maps, Wave or OsmAnd. We first wanted to go to another supermarket, but realised that it will be closed. Hugo thus updated our destination to Bagamoyo, his phone pinged, but he didn’t even look so we told him we now want to go Bagamoyo. This is after he stopped for fuel, which is a big no-no in an Uber. After a few kilometres he picked up his phone and started fumbling with it. He ended our trip and pretended like it was an accident. He pulled over and asked us if we will pay cash for the rest of the trip. What can we do, we’re next to some random highway with lot’s of bags and probably no other Ubers nearby. We said cash is fine, but then he had the audacity to try and ask for more cash than what the official Uber rate was, even though he would already be scoring if he charged the same rate as Uber, since he doesn’t have to pay their commission or taxes.

We realise the irony or hypocrisy in complaining about this as we not only asked to do the same thing with last nights AirBnB, but we actually contemplated how we can do the same thing with the Uber. Only using the app for the trip to the shopping centre and then enquiring about a cash ride further. Obviously we thought we could also score out of the deal. When it came from him, however, complete with the ‘accidental’ ending of our trip and wanted even more cash, it just felt wrong and uncomfortable.

The whole way to Bagamoyo he would ask and say weird things in his broken English: “Cash or card?” “This is smart car, this was card. M-Pesa? Cash?” While saying it he would tap on the dashboard and speak Swahili in between. Every time Hugo would say: “Yes, cash”. And then few minutes later he would ask again “Cash or card?”. Finally Caro took out 40 000 TZS and showed him the money and said: “Cash!”. That put an end to the cash-or-card saga. He still didn’t look at any map and kept asking whether we are there already even 20+km before Bagamoyo, which is clearly indicated on all the signs. Hugo put directions on his phone and put it into a cellphone holder on his dashboard. It’s best to not even start on his bad driving and abrupt breaking before speed bumps.

We almost made it back to Traveller’s Lodge without incident, but 200m before the lodge there was a river through the road, which wasn’t there. We didn’t see any detour for the car, so we just got out and walked the last 200m. The river through the road, as we later found out, was actually made by the municipality. The existing storm water pipe was too slow and lot’s of places flooded, so they just decided to break open the road. Obviously the water then also carved it out even wider. Bagamoyo received massive amounts of rain and three of the Traveller’s Lodge’s cottages were flooded.

We finally reached the MonkeyMobile and gave it a hug. We thought about driving to Peponi Beach Resort today as it was only 09:00. Of course Africa wasn’t going to let that happen. Upon opening the driver door we found mould everywhere. On the seat belts, the steering wheel, on Caro’s baskets, our sleeping bag, clothes bag and on the seat covers. We realised we would have to stay and clean everything before going anywhere.

Luckily it was clear blue skies so we drove down to the camping area again and opened everything up. In the back we found some more surprises, like Caro’s bag for her books looked like a little garden, our pots and pans was full of black spots and even our condiments had mould on the outside. Miraculously the roof top tent was mould free, another kudos to Tentco, we assume the tent has been treated with some anti-mould substance.

While Caro did some more washing Hugo went to buy vinegar and then sprayed it all over the car. We put up a long washing line again and hanged everything up. As we started to wipe the interior clean, we noticed some clouds gathering, it was just too hot and the ground was still too wet so more rain was inevitable.

We had to time it perfectly and plan it so that there wasn’t too many items to take off when the rain starts. We selectively started to pack things back in the car, few times the sun disappeared behind a cloud just to come out again and then it happened. Massive rain drops instantly. We scrambled to get the last washing off and to put the loose items inside the car. It was mostly just some socks that was still wet, so we put up a small line for the socks underneath the hangover of the tent.

It was still quite hot so we decided to go for a swim in the rain. The ocean water felt so warm we were worried that there was perhaps a massive sewage pipe into the ocean that we didn’t know of. (Now that I think of it, I don’t even know if that would really cause water to be warm). With the rain the mosquitoes came out, so we went for a shower (with even more mozzies) and put on long clothes.

It wasn’t long before the sky was completely blue again. The damage, however, was already done. It seems that there is a leak both into the front of the car and the back. We opened everything again to dry further (or rather again). Caro made 2-minute noodles and we shared a cold Serengeti. Finally at 18:00 we packed everything in and was done with the massive wash and clean session that lasted all day.

We came to the restaurant for dinner and to do some computering. We ordered a beef burger again and only went back to the tent at 21:30.