The Chagga Cave -Kasimo Cave

Recently I had an opportunity to visit some local caves in the foothills of Kilimanjaro. All I was told was that these caves were interesting and worth seeing.  I imagined some ancient rock formations and an opportunity to see cave drawings.  Little did I know the surprise that was in store for me. We were met by the Director of the Kasimo Cave Ombaeli Makuni who agreed to give us a personal tour.  The first picture shows the Director at the entrance to the cave. It might look like a Chagga hut, for those of us that are more with familiar with the local culture, but it is in fact a disguised entrance to the cave. It was when we were shown inside that my pulse began to race, a little, as I looked into the hole in the ground and the homemade ladder that disappeared into the darkness.  Too late to turn back.  It was just a pity I had my white t shirt on and nice clean trousers.  The Director produced a torch as he disappeared into the hole.  Tim (another volunteer) followed and almost fell into the hole as it was very slippy as you stepped onto the ladder.  I reluctantly followed as they disappeared into the darkness - only one dim torch.  We crawled on hands and knees until we came to an opening where we could sit upright. The Director then began to give us the history of the caves.  By the way, by my definition they were not caves but tunnels dug into the ground and also ,by the way, unsupported tunnels!  Heart beating fast!!  They were dug in the 1800s when the Chagger tribe were at war with the Masi tribe and used as a hidding place when the fierce Masi warriors were raiding.  The clearing we had crawled into was the guard warriors hiding place and if the Masi found the cave they could be easily killed as they came through the entrance, as they had to crawl to get in, and their bodies stored on shelves!!! in this opening.  We crawled in deeper to find cooking areas and sleeping areas and were told that even cattle were brought down. They would stay down here for days.  There were ventilation shafts and sleeping areas.  In the darkness I  thought I felt something brush against me and I suddenly had this panic feeling and desire to get out as quickly as possible. Some rodent perhaps? I waited patiently for the return journey and hoped the Director knew his way out as I was at the back and there was just blackness. I was delighted to break out into the sunshine and I wasn't scared at all!?  Another Tanzanian experience.

Standard 7 Leaving Day Masia Marangu

In September each year Standard 7 pupils take their National Exam over several days for entry into secondary education. After the examinations primary education is then finished.  In Tanzania Primary Education starts at 7 and continues to the age of 14.  There is also pre-primary education in most schools but in some the parents have to pay for the teacher.  The Standard 7 examination takes place so that the top 50% of pupils can then go onto secondary education.  The remainder of the pupils who are not in the top 50% then either go to vocational school or private schools which again parents have to pay for.  I was privileged to be in Masia Marangu on the day of their Standard 7 leaving celebration and to be part of this.  The whole school gathered on the grassed areas in front of top table.  The leaving children danced and sang songs and read out poems that they had written and then they presented the school staff with a letter of thanks for all their efforts.  There were prizes for the head boy and girl and they presented a gift to the staff that was passed through the hands of those assembled there before arriving with the headteacher.  They all gathered for a formal photography which I took and then they ate hot  food prepared, by parents and school cook, on open fires  with staff and pupils together.  It was all very moving and a moment to be remembered.  I certainly will remember.  The next day I presented a collection of all the photographs taken to the pupils.

The Table Tennis Club

I have now established a table tennis club at the local school and had 12 regular attenders since it started.  When it first started it was like a war zone with balls rebounding of the ceiling, windows, walls and me occasionally.  But their lack of skill at this early stage was countered by their wonderful enthusiasm to learn the game. But they listened and kept at it and quickly improved  Of course my fluent Swahili helped? Or it might have been my skill of demonstration?  Or perhaps they improved despite me?  It is amazing how we explain things when language is a barrier. I danced around to encourage movement and if you 'd have seen my demonstrations without the ball been used, I think, you might have said, it was artistic.  They did laugh a lot.  But it did work. The key, I think, was because there was a language barrier I spent longer at the early stages.  If you could see these pupils playing the game now you would be amazed. You can see from the photos that the tables are joined together and there is a crack down the middle which all adds to the fun and the card board nets work fine.  Thank you to Evans of Longton who supplied the bats and balls.   We play every night after school except Friday and have also started a Saturday morning club.  Who knows they may be the Tanzanian Champions of the future.  I move onto to my next school shortly where they have even better tables.  I think the kids think I'm a professional table tennis player and who am I to tell them otherwise!! 

The weekly market

Well another week passes and I have talked about the weekly market in Maragu Mtoni.  This market operates on Monday and Thursday every week.  Its a mainly fresh vegetable market but you could buy anything here from cloths to domestic appliances.  It starts early in the morning and lasts the whole day.  It is mainly selling local produce and local people come to sell a  few potatoes, bananas or a few tomatoes but also they are people who are growing commercially.  They all display their goods and you are expected to barter for what you buy.  Normally my house girl does the shopping at the market.  I write a list and she delivers but last Thursday as schools where closed I ventured here myself.  The first thing that struck me was the quantity of goods for sale but also the variety of colours to take in and also the smartness of sellers and buys.  It was like not been seen in Waitrose without your make up on!!  Just a few favourite pictures. Enjoy

A beautiful sunset

The climate is, since I have been here, constantly around 26oc each day and hotter as you go lower.  Most days at 6.30 with the sun streaming into my bedroom it provides a real incentive to get up and start the day.  The position of the house is south facing and so I get the sun in my bedroom in the morning and in the lounge in the late afternoon.  However, the last few days I have woken to be shrouded in mist which means the cloud layer is low and we are in the cloud.  It is hardly surprising as I am at 6,000 ft but by lunch time this has cleared. I am told my locals that this is because the new moon is rising and as it rises it brings the cloud up the  mountain and that it will disappear as the moon waxes.  It is such a pity that the sun sets so early and so quickly as it would be nice to sit out in the evenings.  But once the sun goes down it becomes cooler.  I have no heating in the building and it quickly becomes sweater time.  Thankfully I have recently received a duvet cover from home to keep me warm at night. As no other sources available! I attach a picture of a particularly beautiful sunset.  I took the picture from Katy's (Project Director) balcony.  Needless to say I was sipping a nice glass of South African Rose while enjoying the moment and to make it complete.

My favourite spot

I have found my favourite spot to sit and read and take a few quiet moments.  Its a good twenty minutes uphill walk from where I live and it over looks this beautiful valley.  There is always a gentle breeze that gently rustles the feathery leaves of the trees that surround this area and provide a variegated shade.  In the valley below there is a fast flowing stream that tinkles in the background.  There is also adequate shade that suits the more mature hair styles like mine!.  The trees in the valley are beautiful but the best of all is the backcloth.  What a view!  This spot is on a track leading from Mshiri village and the only disadvantage is that everybody who passes wants to talk.  There are some places that provide peace and tranquility - this is mine.  I wish you were here to see.

The Internet connection

The internet has become a life line for me and I am always pleased to receive emails from friends and family.  I am very lucky that the building I live in has an internet cafe on the ground floor which is used constantly by locals for 1200 shillings a hour (60p) but I am even more fortunate because I have access through a wireless connection on the second floor which means I can use the internet and receive e mails when the cafe is shut.  I must say I never use after dark as it is  really dark and the movement to the top floor needs courage!  However I am an early morning man and I tend to write e mails in the evening, off line, and post first thing the next morning.  The system is slow and is fraught with  loss of text when the electricity goes down and so you have to pick your moments.  But last week we had a new faster system installed which entailed a technician from Moshi visiting and attaching a new piece of equipment to the dish on the roof of the this three story building.  I was amazed to be woken by the hammering outside the building to find a ladder being build from lengths of wood.  This was too heavy to build completely and so it was build it situ and amazingly they had to add bits so that it could get over the overhanging roof.  I was astonished to think that anybody would climb up this ladder let alone work on the platform built at the top.  But the man from Moshi arrived in smart cloths took off his shoes and did just that. See for yourself.  I was asked if I would like to test the ladders strength -I declined!!