First Impressions of Tanzania

• Reminds us a lot of India (a much less crowded version) – crowded minibuses (called dalla-dallas here), rickshaws, lack of sidewalks, ethnic Indian food, aunties dressed in saris, Bollywood channels, lack of regard for personal space, and chaotic traffic.
• The country does not accept US currency older than 2000 due to huge counterfeit circulations of prior series (a necessity to get a visa)
• Street vendors sell all sorts of things like spare car parts, q-tips, magazines, bars of soaps and other cosmetics, cigarettes, fruit, etc. to cars stopped in traffic…. Parking for a few minutes could easily be equivalent to a day’s shopping trip back home!
• Lots of street vendors selling chipsi-mai-ay, a disgusting concoction of fried chips, egg, hot chili, and cabbage. We had been told by some travelers in South Africa that it was a must try. Yeah…
• Surprisingly nothing to do in the city (aka no tourist attractions except a very unappetizing museum).
• Tanzania is one African nation that doesn’t share the bloody history experienced by most of its neighbors.
• Whether true or not, it feels a whole lot safer to walk around here than it did in the major South African cities.
• Very little begging.
• Internet is way cheaper than South Africa but cosmetics and books are still overpriced.
• Soon does not mean soon (they work on African Standard Time)
• Shockingly we did not see any animals on the street – no stray dogs, no cows, not even monkeys – apparently they have all been relegated to the game reserves!