Mordor?

Still at Hondo Hondo campsite, after a wonderful and astonishingly cheap three-course dinner and a calm night in the open car, we start lazily into the day. Our half day's ride takes us zig-zagging around herds of broken-down trucks through Mikumi national park to Morogoro.

On my former visits I avoided Morogoro and expected it to be the most evil town in the world, just like Mordor in Lord of the Rings. But now is the first time I dare to take a step into the inner centre with Franziska guarding me and fighting away my fears of being eaten alive by beasts. What a surprise to encounter a rather calm surrounding with a heart-opening mountain scenery! Young students on racing bicycles. The first time in Tanzania I see this happen! Smiling pedestrians. Young students playing football. Young students jogging in sweatshirts along the road at 35 °C outside temperature. A big tobacco company at the entrance to town. First traffic lights after three weeks.

Unfortunately, we do not find any camping-suitable spot in town, but, once arriving in the outskirts at Simbamwenni campsite, a true portal to nature opens in front of us with beautiful palm-tree-speckled pitch sites. We end the day with an adequately chilled Anlegerbeer on the elevated bird watching platform next to the overgrown river, from where we watch African Golden Weavers fluttering around noisily in the reed. Unknowingly, we are being observed by a giant Verreaux's Eagle-Owl from the palm tree right next to our car when the first rain since Malambo lets us rush under my awning for dinner preparation. Our next morning is looong, relaxed and again full of birds.Read more