The big poopers

My translator Mr. Mfinanga is a really nice guy and very helpful. But sometimes he does give me a little mini-crisis. When we are about to leave or something needs to be done it is not uncommon that he vanishes into thin air. The KIDT campus isn't all that big and I never know how he manages to disappear – it is almost like David Copperfield is at work. Well, maybe next time I will check the women's bathroom, too.

Anyway, yesterday evening we came back from Himo and I had to run to an internet cafe. I needed to check my email in order to figure out today's program. I didn't get the email from one of the guys in Arusha, so I went to tell Mfinanga we can go ahead to Marangu tomorrow. Well, he was nowhere to be found! I had already told him we should meet at 8am at my hotel if the Arusha plan doesn't work out. But the next morning I didn't see him, either. So went by myself, which actually worked out well.

I went to see one of the biggest (it may actually be *the* biggest) biogas plants in all of Tanzania. I talked to a guy who, together with other Tanzanians, went to Rwanda after the 94 genocide. They helped get biogas running and transferred the knowledge to Rwandans. Since within Tanzania people/companies are less likely to transfer knowledge to others (out of fear of losing market share) Rwanda has now passed Tanzania with biogas projects, according to this guy (Robert). He also invited me to see their projects in South Western Tanzania. He said his company would pay for the airline ticket! I am not sure if I have the time and the flight would be from Dar es Salaam. But to Dar I want to go anyway, so maybe I can combine it into a screwed-up four day trip. I may even get to see Lake Tanganyika (world's longest lake at 670km). It sounds tempting even though I generally don't like unnecessary flying for environmental reasons (at this point there is no way to get there and back by bus). I am also not particularly thrilled about flying with an airline I never heard of, but at least "Precision Air" sounds like they will get you on target.

I also finally got to see the HEM Project office in Himo. This is where COMPACT used top have their office, but they moved to Moshi about a month or so before I came. Frankly, I am glad I am in Moshi rather than Himo. It's pretty small and doesn't look like there is a whole lot to do, except for going up to Marangu.