Cross borders again...

Two big drive days in quick succession - from Chitimba to Iringa and then on to Dar es Salaam.

The first is marked by continual pouring rain - which we all hope means that it won't rain in Zanzibar, our next big stop - fingers crossed! Apart from a border crossing the day passes without incident, and we get to our stop - a campsite called The Farmhouse in good time. That evening we eat in the campsite restaurant, which has been converted from an old barn, and later nestle into the sofas and low set stools in the bar, huddling around the fires, because we are at altitude and for the first time of the trip... its cold. very cold.

The next day is our earliest start... and we are in the truck and setting off at 5am. We pass through Mikumi National Park and are very lucky - loads of animals seem to be parading along the roadside for us, including lions, giraffe, a massive herd of buffalo, and elephants. In fact the elephants decide to cross the road just infront of us, and despite the fact that we are technically not allowed to stop (as otherwise we'd have to pay park fees), you don't argue with an elephant and we sit back and ennjoy the view.

We have lunch in a local restaurant in Chalinze before braving the final 80km into dar. Everyone has been warned that the traffic situation in Dar can be horrendous, so of course, we sail straight through. That is, until we get to the ferry queue. Here the traffic situation returns to form, and the wait time to get onto the ferry is estimated at 2 hours. We quickly 'make a plan' and everyone (except Letaloi) hops off Shashe and we board the ferry on foot and the squeeze onto dalla-dallas for the 2 minute journey to Mikadi beachcamp. Two hours later we leave the hammocks and bar area as we hear the truck finally turn up!

Today our numbers increase - actually double - as we welcome new pax for this leg of the tour.