Caramelo

The day began with an omelette so salty it was inedible. This is the risk taken at a ten-dollar-a-night guesthouse.

We had more brief government introductions with regional bods but the visit was cut short because they were busy with a delegation from the Comoros. As we left the regional government building, the immigration officials took the opportunity to put the wind up us. Compared to most of my time in Mozambique, during which I lived with sketchy non-compliant paperwork, it’s a sheer joy being able to produce the correct permits. However much the immigration official wants to find a weakness in the paperwork.

It feels like there’s an Indian food influence on the Tanzanian coast as it’s with Indian cuisine that I’ve most often seen this way of serving. After lunch I could be found at Mtwara Airport where The Winner Takes It All was playing at the gate. Mtwara might be the only small airport I’ve ever been to where it’s not possible to step onto the runway. There’s a bus ride into the bush from where planes are boarded. No one appeared to get off the arriving Precision Air flight except a group of 6-year old schoolchildren dressed in tracksuits who I think were on a school trip. As the departing passengers piled on, the children stood on the side of the runway waving non-stop for at least 15 minutes. It was cute, but I felt for their arms. I noted that Precision Air only has entrances at the back of its aircraft. This feels odd.

Back in Dar es Salaam I headed for the place where I’ll stay for the foreseeable. I’ll term it semi-settling because I’m moving between rooms in the coming weeks when my chosen one is ready. After a hectic last few weeks it’s good to be bedding down somewhere I’ll stay for more than one or two nights.

A friend in Mozambique addressed me as caramelo (caramel) today. So this is the title of today’s blip.