Kigoma - Day 333

Date: July 17th, 2010
Distance: None
Country: Tanzania
Song of the Day: Sitting Still - R.E.M.

This morning repeated much of yesterday. I got up, checked out of my hotel, and went to the bus office early. I just wanted to make sure the bus left from the same place. When I got there, they told me that the bus had already left. Apparently, when they told me it was at 11:30 in the morning, they were using Swahili time. That is 6 hours off. So really they had meant 5:30 in the morning. I have no idea what the logic was behind telling a foreigner who speaks no Swahili the time in Swahili. Thanks guys.

So I am stuck here one more day. Tomorrow is Sunday. I would take the train, but it leaves much later, and takes longer. Plus there are only 3rd class tickets available. There is no way I am getting stuck on a wooden bench for two days. Miserable failure.

There was one bright spot in the day. I saw a guy riding around town on a touring bike. Eventually I found the guy and had some tea. It turns out, Yuka is from Finland. I think he has come all the way from Indonesia on the bike, and it has taken three and a half years. His next move is to head along the lake down to Mpanda. As he said, there is no road but a little track. He also invited me to come with him and have "adventures". I am sure that would be quite a trip. Me, I have a ticket home, and I am not going to miss that flight.

-Dravis