Tag Archives: Tanzania

Tanzania, New Roads, Bad Roads, and Coffee

Tanzania Climb

Some of my limited company climbing to the highest point in Tanzania

Following Arusha, I struggled with the race. We were treated to some greatly improved conditions over previous years as many days that were previously gravel and rocks have been paved in the past year. Some of it not yet open to traffic and I would weave through piles of road material and poly road coverings.

Eventually we did hit the dirt. I was feeling a bit stronger, only to encounter another TDA plague: Crashes. 10K into a mandatory racing day, another rider switched trenches through the sand and crashes directly into me. I’m swearing up a storm, he hops on his bike, rides off and goes to the front and pushes the pace. I chase the leaders for 25K , just get back on , and blow up from the effort. Riding solo, I crash again on a descent with a stream bed/trench at the bottom that I attempt to jump, a new batch of road rash and SRAM shifters that are starting to look the worse for the wear.

Electrical tape is now holding my right shifter shroud on. That day was followed by one more mandatory day to Mbeya and rest. 2 days of mandatory racing were a bit too much still for me and i fell off the pace early to solo through one of the toughest and most picturesque climbs of the tour. Still all gravel and sand, we wound our way to the highest point in Tanzania. The descent was another matter, terrifying. Such a rough road that it was difficult to control, steep so speed could easily get out of control, and exhaustion from racing made for a harrowing descent. I rode the brakes like a first time bike rider. My fingers blistered from holding on and maintaining some control through the length of ride, hoping all the way that the promised pavement is just around the next corner.

In Mbeya, after debating whether it was worth the hassle, Alan and I grabbed a cab to Utengele Coffee Lodge about 20K away from town. It turned out to be a excellent choice, great bed to try and recover a bit more, a beautiful mountainside view, and some good coffee. Ice cream after every dinner was standard.

Antibiotics? Don’t those kill off all the good bacteria as well?

Arusha Hospital

Arusha Hospital

The most common phrase I received from people after visiting a hospital in Arusha and determining I have(had?) a parasite and being prescribed some antibiotics. The other question that was common as people notice Im not feeling well is: “Are you taking re-hydration salts?”.

My health trial began when we crossed the border into Kenya. I plodded along through rough days in Kenya and early part of Tanzania. Arusha is the mental halfway point if not the actual halfway by our route. The tour has a 3 day break where most riders go on a safari. I checked into a nice hotel and slept for 3 days, only emerging for my first experience with health care in Africa.

Summary of Visit

Cab Ride

Cashier

(Skipped Queue)

Doctor

Queue

Cashier

Lab

Queue

Lab Results

Queue

Doctor

Queue

Pharmacy Pricing

Queue

Cashier

Queue

Pharmacy

Stumble Back to Hotel and bed for 2 more days

The receptionist at the hotel pointed me toward a private hospital because he warned against going to a public hospital. It was an experience. Upon getting guided by a cabby to the right window, I prepaid to see a doctor. At this point not knowing the process I went to the exam room they named, likely ignoring a long queue of people waiting, and sat for 30 minutes waiting for the doctor. We talked as best we could and he prescribed a number of tests in the lab. I than went to the lab and learned I must pay at the cashier in advance, so I go back to wait in line for the cashier, who seems to be waiting for something but I don’t know quite what. Back to the lab and the tests.

Here is where a bit of trepidation begins as drawing blood in Africa raises some media induced nervousness as well as my own extreme dislike for needles. The lab guy was very helpful. Another wait on a bench outside the lab for test results.

I than am sent back to the doctor, this time I am informed of the queue, so I sit in another queue for a relatively small time as the doctor sees each patient. On average each person is in the physician’s office for 2 minutes. Once my turn arrives he tells me a diagnosis and starts writing a prescription. At this moment, police rush in with a small boy who was bleeding, very injured, and I would guess quite shocked to be staring at a muzunga as he is pushed through the door by cops. That ended the consultation.

I stood in line for the pharmacy now. Thinking I have figured this system out, I grab someone and make sure I don’t need to prepay for this and determine I am in the right line. This line is all about defense, at any opportunity people will jump ahead of you, As a woman in checkout line said to me in Nairobi “If you don’t say anything, nothing will happen”. So, I’m aggressively guarding my spot and telling queue jumpers to get to the back of the line. I finally get to the window, the pharmacist than hands me a bill and says I must pay the cashier, I plead with him to fill the prescription so I don’t have to get back in this same aggressive line once more but my tourist charm is having no effect, so back to the cashier and round two.

Eventually, I dizzily stumbled out of the clinic. Trudged down the road back to my hotel for all day sleep sessions with only breaks for food.

So much for that safari.