It seems that if you run your tank dry for some reason you can not fill your tank easily the next day. It will take longer to fill with water than the water may be running. The other problem is pressure. Simply put you have little..and when you have little pressure you have little cold or hot water. So for about a day and night our two apartments had little water. The Tanzanians seem to know how to deal with this problem. Their solution is to fill large barrels and buckets with extra water (the plastic water can salesman at the market is very popular) and store these plastic containers until needed. So I now have one red large bucket and one green bucket with lids and water inside standing in my kitchen! Lovely site!
But there's more. Once you get your water from the city you may need to boil it before drinking and using it to wash your veggies and fruits. Today I spent a good three hours boiling cooking water and water I can wash my fruits and veggies in..... PLUS I also need to keep hot water handy to wash my dishes in each time. WHY you ask? Because there is may not be hot water coming out of my kitchen sink area!
You can see water has suddenly become very important in my daily life. Not to mention that it is very dry here and sand blows everywhere. Yes, drier than Denver but not hotter at the moment. People who are local say that will change soon and it will start to rain in late October.
Sounds of Morning
I haven't said much about the mornings here. From where we are living the city sounds of Dodoma don't really reach our ears, BUT the local Mosque certainly does! Right at daybreak the call for early morning prayer goes out over our part of town. It's rather nice in a way waking up to call for prayer to God. Starts my day on a positive note and the Lord knows I need that right now!
Of course long before prayer call, the roosters are up crowing along with the various packs of semi kept dogs that run around the campus. By dawn the noise is so loud you just get up and deal with the water tank heater (which must be turned on about 20 minutes before a shower).
People in Dodoma get up and moving early here. Lots of schools start by 7:30 am and children and adults are out walking the streets and dirt roads to town or to their schools. (No busing for children in Tanzania as I can see..cost is too high..you get a ride or walk.)
Usually by 7:30 or 7:45 am I can hear a drum band practicing in the distance and later school children playing outside. These are the sounds in the morning that I cherish . They remind me of home.
A typical 4wd Vehicle in Dodoma
Transportation in Dodoma is an interesting and widely varied process. First there are those who are fortunate enough to have a car. Cars are fine in town and on the other paved roads. However as you go directly south, north, or west, the main roads are all dirt. In town all the side streets are dirt, rough and narrow. What really is needed is a 4wd SUV to clear the large potholes and big rocks that often stick up in the dirt streets and roads. Locals here seem to pay no attention to the roughness and drive fast (50 mph+) like it was smooth and paved.
The art of driving. First, you need a Tanzanian license. One of the university drivers said he would get my license for me. He needed a photocopy of my passport picture, work/resident visa, U.S. driver's license, and 12,000 shillings (About $ 9.00 U.S.) and he would get it for me. He was gone about an hour and came back with the license. Fair enough, but I still have to go to the police station and have them put a stamp on it.
Now actual driving requires having eyes similiar to that of an insect (lots of eyes and 360 degrees view). You need to see well on both sides, straight ahead, and remember you driving on the left side of the road as well as dodging people walking, or sort of wandering in the road, those riding bicycles on both sides of the road as well as suicide taxi drivers who seem to drive anywhere they want. Did I mention a lot of motorcycles? There are few stop signs or other roads signs so you are on your own!
The Ideal Vehicle to have in Dodoma
Our neighbor has the ideal vehicle. Its an older Toyota Land Cruiser (mid 90s) that has heavy duty leaf springs, 3 inch shackle lifts giving the 4wd drive plenty of ground clearance, a large winch on the front, turbo diesel, axle housing braces, excellent luggage rack on top and oversized wheels and 6 ply tires. Its very comfortable, even has a sunroof and air conditioning. It has a 24 volt electrical system, too.
To give a perspective, if you wanted to go north to Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, you would need to drive on about 150 miles of dirt roads before you hit the paved road from Morogoro to take you the rest of the way. Having gone north part of the way to visit the Catholic Retreat, it is a rough road!
This Sunday Charlotte and I will take a solo drive in one of the cars owned by the University . Report will follow later!
