There are Two Posts Today, Read the One Below as Well...

As the dala-dala wars have waxed and waned, we’ve had ever more exciting times with transportation in Dar. Yesterday we went to Kariakoo, a large section of Dar es Salaam with TONS of random wares as well as a fruit and vegetable market with our main goal to obtain the later. We caught a dala-dala, which is really convenient because one runs from our hotel door directly to the market, and were off on our daily adventure. Since Betsy’s research has begun to wind down, we’ve already conducted most of the key-informant interviews she needed in Dar, we have had to struggle to maintain sanity while keeping ourselves busy. One of the worst things to do is to ride a dala-dala to its terminating point, I would not suggest it. However, riding them in general is quite entertaining as a pseudo-masochistic approach to life in Dar.
Being that our hotel is close to the starting point for the Kawe-Kariakoo dala-dala, we were able to secure seating. About half way to Kariakoo, the bus was filled and a larger woman was standing next to me. Trying to be chivalrous, I stood up and offered her my seat, to which she adamantly declined. The man standing next to her was more than willing, but seeing that she was uninterested, I returned to my seat. At the next stop we must have picked up a great number of riders because it was instantly packed! This didn’t work in my favor, as I had the large woman’s breasts firmly planted in my face. Normally, I probably wouldn’t mind this situation, however, she smelt of rotten-eggs and the bag of milk she was carrying was dripping on my leg. Helpless to do anything about the dripping milk, I tried in vain to hold my breath until losing consciousness, which I felt was a better fate than what I was dealing with at the moment. Trying not to be overly dramatic, as I am now, I exited to the dala-dala to see that Betsy was laughing hysterically; she had been sitting a couple rows behind in full view of the unfolding events to which she most eloquently stated, “You smell like eggs.”
That being said, we head to Zanzibar today, and our journey takes an abrupt turn towards tourism. I can’t say that I’m disappointed, since this was the main reason I came along with Betsy, but it’s sad that we probably won’t be able to truly convey our experiences with people who weren’t with us. The gestalt of our experience was one of good, bad and ugly, although in retrospect most of our blog posts tended towards the negative and uniquely bizarre. In all honesty, there were plenty of “good” times, we were predisposed to omitting these because they were average and bordering mundane but I digress.
We hope, in the next handful of weeks, to continue our blogs as we travel the country-side with Betsy’s parents, however spotty our internet connection may be. Although not as anthropologically interesting as our previous 6.5 months, I’m sure the pictures from the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti as well as photos atop Kilimanjaro will satisfy.
-Ryan