Escaping Moshi

I really like living in Moshi.  It's quiet, safe, full of beautiful people, has all the shops and facilities we need and also has great mountain views on a clear day.  But at the same time it's dusty and hot, and after a while the routine of life becomes a bit mundane.  If I were back in Aus I'd jump in my car and go for a drive somewhere, but here there is no car to jump into!  Any opportunity to escape is just so refreshing.  I forget how beautiful and diverse this area of Tanzania is until I can get out of town and experience a new place.

About 3 weeks ago (two days before school started) the teachers and teacher assistants went on an excursion to Maji Moto (hot springs) about an hour and a half from Moshi.  The water isn't really hot, but so clear and beautiful!  It's like a little oasis in the middle of dry dusty nothingness.  I drove Bessie (the teacher van) and only got bogged twice!  The "road" to get there is more of a general direction rather than an actual road, and winds its way across ditches and muddy tracks.  It was so special and I hope to go back sometime soon....just not during the wet season or we'd never make it!

Lovely teachers and TAs enjoying the water

My camera has a selfie screen......so I take lots now

My attempt at gracefulness on the rope swing

Chips Mayai.  It's like an omelette and hot chips combined.
Super tasty!!!

This last weekend was another amazing opportunity to escape Moshi.  I was so tired after a week of school that part of me just wanted to curl up and sleep, but I'm so glad I didn't!  There's this group called the Mountain Club which is basically a group of expats who go on random camping adventures about once a month.  This adventure was an overnight trip to Snow Cap Cottages on the other side of Kilimanjaro!  We drove right around the base of Kili to just inside the Tanzanian/Kenyan border.  The place we stayed at was beautiful and really could have been a scene from Switzerland or something.  The cost all up for cabin accommodation plus 4 meals was TSH40,000 or about 25 Aussie dollars!  It was so green and being at a higher altitude was much cooler than Moshi.  I got to go on walks, sleep in a comfy bed, meet new people and sit in front of an open fire.  So special!

It's seems a long time since I've seen this much GREEN!

With the lovely Rebecca - my camping companion :)

Lots of beautiful pine forests

The view on our walk to Rongai Gate - the starting point
for climbers climbing Kili using the Rongai route

The gardens were so amazing!

Snow Cap Cottages - This is the view of the main building from our cabin

Our cottage

On our day 2 walk to check out the view of Kili

Kili as seen from the Kenyan (northern) side

Colobus Monkey - I've never seen them
this clearly before.

I'm very thankful to have a good camera....it's so special to
capture these cute fluffy monkeys.  

Now it's back to normal life here for a while.  This term seems so long, with not even a single public holiday for the whole 10 week term.  I'm sure I'll survive somehow....only 7 weeks to go!