Dar es Salaam

And there I was - arrived in a different world and yet in the 21st century...

In the middle of the night. Luckily, I was picked up and taken to the transfer house. The ride there - 1 1/2 hours - is a story in itself. In an open tuck tuck with full volume music, we raced through the night. Countless new impressions on the left and right. I didn't know where to look first. In the transfer house, I was alone next to my 'host family' who didn't speak English. Though, I had a lizard on the wall next to the bed keeping me company. A big thanks to the mosquito net that provided me with some protection. Sleep was out of the question. It was hot, humid, the rooster was crowing non-stop, and someone was screaming into a microphone at the nearby church.

But every 'night' eventually comes to an end. At 11 o'clock, I set off with my dear 'tour guide'. First, we walked along the bumpy, sandy road until a motorcycle arrived. The crowd of people and the absence of a helmet didn't matter on the motorcycle, and so the three of us flew over all the hills. After that, we continued by bus for another 1 1/2 hours. When we arrived in the city, I was overwhelmed by all the people and fell into a state of shock. I was approached, stared at, and touched everywhere. And yet, I was fascinated by this completely different way of life and the new cultural impressions.

Finally, at 7:30 p.m., we were back home - my conclusion: I survived the first day!