Shorthanded on Change?

I don't believe everything Dora says, so I am not sure if her story is true that some tourists were robbed, but didn't have enough change and subsequently their hands were cut off. I did hear from someone else though that later that night there was more police in that area than usual. I have been warned to go out certain areas at dark around here (including parts of the walk from town to my place). I have been mostly coming home before dark anyway, because I don't want to encounter any (malaria-carrying) moskitos.

But last week I was walking home twice at dusk. I didn't see anything unusual and there was still a fair amount of foot- and car traffic. Anyway, I hope this story is just made up as it sounds horrible. I may try to find out from the police department. I also want to go there to find out about traffic laws.

I do want to return the bike now, as I had nothing but trouble with it. I think over the course from yesterday and today I broke a new personal best in the category "Miles ridden with a flat tyre." I had bought a tool to take off my wheel (no quick-releases around here), but had left it accidentally at the bike store. I had a flat on Saturday, which was fixed for free for me. Then I was out on Sunday and had yet another flat. Without the tool to take off the wheel to put in my spare tyre or at least glue to fix it I was stuck. Of course that was the day the dude was supposed to have the other bike ready (the LAB approved one) and he'd even open for me on Sunday, around 5pm. So I rode there on a flat back tyre, about 5km.

He didn't show of course, which is why I rode home (about another 5km). The next day I rode to the bank (with my passport!!!). I got laughed at a lot, riding with a flat :) And then I rode to the store – so another 5km for the day, bringing my total of "flat" km ridden to 15 (around 9 miles). Gee, when Olano won the World title in 1995(?), he had only done two km on a flat back wheel. Weak.

Anyway, I am not too hopeful I will get my money back. I talked to the guy today and he said he was willing to give it back to me, but the constant change of story ("3-4 days; maybe Wednesday; I can get it to you by tomorrow; tomorrow I can give you 50,000) are not a good sign. Neither was it a good sign that he said he'd give it to me tomorrow, "if God wishes." Hmm, what if He's not in the mood???

The reason I don't care for the bike with lots of problems anymore is that I still can take the bus in the morning. I have tested riding and it is fine here. In fact other people must have noticed, because the store owner said something to the affect that "I hear you ride very fast." Yep, there are enough speed bumps and buses that stop frequently that you'll see me often pass on the right...People also started noticing that I am not jumping out of the way when the car drivers blow their horns. On the non-paved roads cars often will be all over the road, to avoid the potholes. So peds and bikes jump away, even when they are perfectly fine on the left hand side of the road. But I am not in the mood for interrupting my commute for crazy stunts like this and I remember the Mercedes driver frantically trying to get his car back to the left.

But also, I am not sure how long I will be in Moshi for. I made a rough Christmas plan for travel. I may hike up Mt. Meru instead of Kili, as it is much cheaper, and by some accounts even nicer. It should take two or three days. Kili is about 5 days, or maybe 5 hours. I just read about this Stangl guy, who now holds the world record of climbing the highest peaks of all continents the fastest. And Kili took him some 5 odd hours. The longest was Mt. Everest, at a measly 14 hours (though I am not sure where the counting did get started...).

After that I will head to Dar es Salaam (the capital). B/c of Christmas I think there may not be much of a chance to see biogas facilities, but I think there is a somewhat bigger one there. Then it's over to Zanzibar. Right now I am thinking of just buying a few book in Dar, then head to the remote east coast of Zanzibar and just hang out on the beach for a few days.

Then I will take a train from Dar to Mwanza (on Lake Victoria). The journey lasts 40 scheduled hours, but Amtrak-style delays of double digit hours may be encountered. But who cares? The only bad thing would be to arrive in Mwanza at 2am, I guess. For the return I haven't figured it out yet. Most people take a 25 hour bus via Nairobi. The bad thing about that option is that I need a $20 transit visa, apparently cash and US dollars only. The problem is that I don't have dollars .
other than Traveler's checks. The only way to get dollars is to change it at a Forex exchange bureau. You know, the one with the $20 fees...

I will also need to find out if I would need another Tanzania visa. Mine is valid for one-time entry only and I am not sure if the bus counts as another re-entry. The alternative is an unpleasant 40 hour bus ride. Of course with the added advantage that I would get to see more of Tanza. So I may opt for that and break it up with an overnight stay somewhere.

Then there will be some time in Arusha NP, for some more bjorn-style canoe and walking safaris. I also haven't given up my plan yet to ride around Kilimanjaro (150miles), but will have to find a good rental bike for that one. My crappy two-wheeler ain't no good for that
Anyway, that's the rough plan right now.