Today we are off to Dar Es Salaam, from where we will be heading out to Zanzibar. We are up early as we have a long drive ahead of us. After breakfast, we pack up the campsite and prepare to leave. But when we try to start the truck engine, the batteries are flat, so we need to try some other way of starting the engine.
First, we try to push start the truck. We give it a good effort, and push the truck backwards (forward would have been uphill) but there is not enough space in the church yard. We have to stop, otherwise the truck would have gone down a hill.
We then try a second method - basically the same, but without moving the truck itself. We jack up the rear axle, and then we tie a chain and rope around one of the rear tires. We then all pull on the rope to spin the axle and to, in this way, push start the truck. But after many attempts, we cannot seem to get it to work. So we move onto method three.
We go next door where they have a number of land rovers and we borrow two of the batteries (the truck is on 24 volts) and use these two 12 volt batteries to jump start the truck. We are successful - at last.
But then, we need to drive out of the church yard - remember the tight fit in. After a bit of maneuvering here and there and coming close to taking out the power line, we are through and on the road. An hour after our planned start, we are on our way.
We head back down the same windy, mountain road down to the main road and head towards Dar Es Salaam. We drive all day long, having lunch on the side of the road. We get into the town of Dar just before 5 PM. While the Gilly goes and gets our ferry tickets, we head off to the internet cafe to check our emails. An hour later we are on our way to our campsite.
We need to take a short ferry ride across the bay - to drive around would take too long. After waiting to board the ferry, we drive on and are across in a few minutes. After a short drive down the coast, we arrive at Makadi Beach Resort, where we will spend the night. After setting up the campsite, we take it easy in the bar. We enjoy watching the moon rise over the ocean.
The campsite prepares us dinner tonight. A big feast of seafood barbeque food. We are stuffed by the end of dinner. After a quick shower (in an open air shower under the starry night sky), we then continue to hang out at the bar. They have these slushy mixed drinks that carry a mean punch, which many people are enjoying.
Off to bed after midnight. We do not use our fly and enjoy the moon-lit night sky.