Dar es Salaam

It has been three years since I was last in Dar es Salaam and even then that trip cannot really be counted as I saw only the resort hotel I was staying at. This time I am staying and meeting at a hotel in the city centre called the Peacock Hotel. I am here for a follow up workshop on creating a fisheries atlas for the South West Indian Fisheries Project. Most of the dog work for this activity has already been done so it is just a case of reviewing what has been completed, writing some editorial stuff and supplying some additional spatial data.

The trip up was not so bad. Durban to Johannesburg was a breeze. By the time we left Johannesburg though there were some pretty big storm clouds gathering around OR Tambo airport. Our pilot was, however, very good at dodging all the weather and even though the seat belt signs were kept on until we were passed Hoedspruit, it really wasn't all that bumpy. I was sitting next to a big strapping bloke who was going to work on a mine in Tanzania and he was more nervous of flying than me which was quite a novel experience. 

About 40 minutes before we were due to arrive in Dar I decided that I should go to the toilet - not that I really needed to but just to make sure I wasn't dying to go during the descent. I had to go to the toilet in the Business class section because the duty free trolley was blocking the aisle to the Economy class toilets. I asked the hostesses if it was okay and they said yes but I had to wait because it was occupied. So I waited and waited and waited and then the pilot switched on the seat belt signs because things were getting a little turbulent. I said to the hostess I would just leave it and she said that I probably wouldn't want to go into the toilet after someone has spent so long in there but she said I could still go if I went to the back because by then the trolley was out of the way. I hightailed it down to the back of the plane and woe and behold both toilets there were also occupied. At this point the pilot told us that the flight was going to get quite rough and we should all sit down and buckle up tight. I dashed back to my seat and just got myself buckled back in when we passed through a huge cloud and did bump all over the place. The guy next to me was having a mini meltdown which his colleagues thought was hilarious! The seat belt sign stayed on for the remainder of the flight so it was a very good thing that I didn't really need to go!

We arrived in Dar and had to go through the scrum of getting visas. It is such a crazy system they have. One  immigration official collects all the passports with the landing cards, visa application forms and $50 fees and he hands them in a pile to an official who is secure behind glass and everyone waits in a huge scrum to try and hear when their names are called in hideous mispronunciations to present themselves at the little windows in the glass. Somehow, even though I was nowhere near first through (most probably why) my name was called ahead of most of the others. I had to have all my fingers scanned and my photo taken and then get back in the scrum once again to wait to get my passport back. Once again I seemed to jump the "queue" and was the first to have my passport returned. I collected my suitcase and headed through Customs without anyone giving me a second glance.

The hotel driver was there to collect me and we left immediately for the hotel. She was a very careful driver and this was most probably my least scary ride from an airport to a hotel. Some of the roads in Dar are getting upgraded (seems about time) and the traffic was really crazy so the short distance (9 km) to the hotel took half an hour. I received a very warm welcome at the hotel by the receptionist and by my Comoran colleagues who were hanging about in the foyer. Check-in was painless and very quickly I found myself settling into my hotel room.

The room is really nice and meets all my criteria: safe, clean, hot water in the shower and free internet access! I unpacked and made myself at home.

After a really good night's sleep I had breakfast and then was led to the meeting room which is in the building next door. The workshop got off to a slow start but I really don't think there is too much to do but we will see. To end today I am including a couple of photos of my lovely hotel room.

 My very comfortable king-size bed

 The entertainment area

The entrance/exit to my room with the cupboard on the left and the bathroom on the right
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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