Bukoba: Beachside on Lake Victoria

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    Fishermen on Lake Victoria.
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    I am not sure what is going on here with Mobile Eye Care...
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    Look at the size of that tree. If you are not impressed, compare it to the motorcycles on the right.
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    Bicycle = Tanzanian wagon.
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    There are casket makers everywhere. Perhaps because of the lumber industry here. These guys asked to be in a photo.
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    Tanzanian wedding.
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    I would have liked to have entered the wedding, but it would have been too much of a distraction from the bride and groom. Sometimes you have to choose your moments.

Bukoba: Beachside on Lake Victoria.
Jan 22
I woke up far too early, expecting to arrive between 05:00 and 06:00 in Bukoba like they had told me.  Yea, we arrived at 06:40.  Africa.  I believe too much in what people tell me here.  I read somewhere that Africans say, “Europeans have watches, but we have time.” [su_pullquote] “Europeans have watches, but we have time.”[/su_pullquote] I got off the boat with my new friends Jasmine from China and Mike from Manchester.  Yesterday, my friend Raphael from Bukoba told me to stay at a guesthouse called Spice, so this morning I recruited my friends to join me.  We took a tuk-tuk and got beachside rooms for $7.50 each.  Yes, beach side!  Lake Victoria has sandy beaches like an ocean.  It is beautiful!

Lake Victoria beach at Bukoba.

Lake Victoria beach at Bukoba.

The three of us went for a walk around town.  We are the only three fair skin people in the city and people are very sweet here.  I love being in places with no tourism.  Even the random touts at the bus station left us alone when we said we did not need help.  Wow!

[su_pullquote] Jasmine will buy breakfast tomorrow.  It looks like I am going to make it…![/su_pullquote] Jasmine and I bought bus tickets to Uganda for $6 and I am now down to $5 in Tanzanian cash.  I will not get more money until I get to Uganda so I am trying to be as cheap as possible to stretch $5 as far as I can.

There are casket makers everywhere, likely due to the lumber industry here. These guys asked to be in a photo.

When Mike left us at 16:30, Jasmine and I hung out on the beach for the rest of the afternoon.  The receptionist and Jasmine came into my room to help me get the hot water to work for the shower.  All three of us were in my bathroom together. When the water was finally warm I said, “Okay!” and started to tear off my clothes in front of the receptionist and Jasmine!  It made those girls laugh.  Jasmine and I went out to find dinner and I made friends with some kids who were hanging around the table.  It was a fun evening.

Look at the size of that tree. If you are not impressed, compare it to the motorcycles on the right.

Look at the size of that tree here in Bukoba. If you are not impressed, compare it to the motorcycles and car on the right.

There was an unopened box of condoms under the blanket when I crawled into bed.  Was that a hint from the hotel or was that someone else who was careless about health risks?  I kept them and put them in my backpack!  Bonus!

Afterthoughts:
– There is an area of Bukoba where many carpenters are making coffins that are on display outside of their small shacks.  They make very colorful caskets here…
– As we were walking past the caskets, a man with a motorcycle pointed to his bike and said, “Photo?”  Umm, I think you mean “Moto” my friend.  It was funny.
– Jasmine, from China, told me, “All white people look the same.  Sometimes when watch movie, get very confused.”
– When Jasmine was in Moshi, Tanzania, two guys on a motorcycle tried to snatch her bag.  They did not get it, but she told me, “I don’t know where I got the courage, but I say ‘Fuck You!’  I yell really loud.  I think it was because was very much angry!”

 

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