Arusha and it’s fine citizens 10/9/18
Today was our first day on our own since the previous days were all tours. We relaxed and finally got some WiFi in the morning. I had a slight headache from all the wine consumed last night with the Basecamp Tanzania tour owner Achmed. He’s a character.
We walked through town to ship our Kilimanjaro gear back to the US. The walk was lovely. Jackarandas and large trees lined the street to town (apparently a rich neighborhood). Along the way a guy was walking behind me and then started chatting us up. We talked about Kilimanjaro and learned he’s currently a porter working on his guide certification. We told him we were going to ship items and he said he’d help us. I would usually be for assistance but Michael was a genuine guy.
Turns out we really needed his help. We first went to the shopping office. They sent us to get a permit from some forestry office since our masks were made of wood. Luckily we didn’t have to pay for that but Michael showed us the way and got us to the office. Back to the customs office for approval and then to the shipping office. They didn’t have tape so Andy went to buy some. They needed a photocopy of Andy’s ID so he made a copy. They needed a copy of the shipping form for their records so Andy made a copy. The whole process took hours and that was with Michaels help.
Afterward, we were so appreciative we invited him to lunch. He took us to City Park for lunch. It’s a nice outdoor seating area and you can see the food being cooked. We all ordered ugali, chicken, and greens. It was skeptical of the greens since the India fiasco but here we go. The proper way to eat ugali is the take it in your hand and form it into a solid so you can scoop up the greens and chicken with it. All fingers. Good thing the restaurant had scortching hot water so we could wash our hands. It was really good and the ambiance was great. 
Then Michael took us to the market where they sell everything: fruits, veggies, household items, fabric, spices, etc. We pop in a fabric store and the super nice sales lady sold us several Maasai blankets, a wool blanket, and some large pieces of fabric I was eyeing all for $55. We walked around town a bit more, shared contact info if he ever gets a US visa, and parted ways. He was off to teach kids how to paint the tourist paintings we see everywhere so the kids can be self-sufficient. Awesome guy. We were all happy to get to know and interact with each other. It’s interactions like that why I love traveling.
Off to Uganda tomorrow!
Turns out we really needed his help. We first went to the shopping office. They sent us to get a permit from some forestry office since our masks were made of wood. Luckily we didn’t have to pay for that but Michael showed us the way and got us to the office. Back to the customs office for approval and then to the shipping office. They didn’t have tape so Andy went to buy some. They needed a photocopy of Andy’s ID so he made a copy. They needed a copy of the shipping form for their records so Andy made a copy. The whole process took hours and that was with Michaels help.
Afterward, we were so appreciative we invited him to lunch. He took us to City Park for lunch. It’s a nice outdoor seating area and you can see the food being cooked. We all ordered ugali, chicken, and greens. It was skeptical of the greens since the India fiasco but here we go. The proper way to eat ugali is the take it in your hand and form it into a solid so you can scoop up the greens and chicken with it. All fingers. Good thing the restaurant had scortching hot water so we could wash our hands. It was really good and the ambiance was great. 
Then Michael took us to the market where they sell everything: fruits, veggies, household items, fabric, spices, etc. We pop in a fabric store and the super nice sales lady sold us several Maasai blankets, a wool blanket, and some large pieces of fabric I was eyeing all for $55. We walked around town a bit more, shared contact info if he ever gets a US visa, and parted ways. He was off to teach kids how to paint the tourist paintings we see everywhere so the kids can be self-sufficient. Awesome guy. We were all happy to get to know and interact with each other. It’s interactions like that why I love traveling.Off to Uganda tomorrow!