Who needs the AA?

Sometimes it’s great when you’re right. Sometimes it isn’t. This afternoon was one of those times when it wasn’t! 

After a lovely morning, we left our beach resort later than planned (I had suggested 2.30 or 3pm latest, we left at 4pm). We were driving on proper dust roads all the way back to Muheza and also had to negotiate the ferry again. I wanted to ensure we were back well before dark and also had some wriggle room in case of incident. Needless to say, we made a wrong turn on our initial segment only to arrive at the ferry to watch it heading back across to the other side. The mouth of the estuary was in full flood tide and we watched the ferry duck, weave and veer its way across. It then sat for a painfully long time on the other side whilst it was loaded up, including a bus – with all the passengers having to disembark the bus, buy individual tickets and load onto the ferry on foot (although of course I could have misinterpreted this hive of activity in the distance across the river bank). However, it is always interesting to sit and watch the world go by and in Africa there is always lots to look at.

We made it across the ferry and headed back to Muheza. Bumpy, bumpy. Hard work driving on such roads. As well as the multitude of potholes (really hard to see in the shadow), ruts and stones, the roads often have a huge camber (I guess to cope when it rains torrentially). A lot of the time when driving, it really does feel like you might topple, leaning painfully to one side (clearly this statement displays my amateur status as an African 4x4 driver!).

Then as the light was starting to fade, and we were about 10km from home, I noticed that the bumpy, bumpy was more bangy, bangy. Looking behind there was an impressively large dust cloud. Gulp. I ‘pulled over’ (this really means that I stopped slightly to one edge of the road) and had a look round. A puncture on the off-side rear. Great. Well at least I am fairly car savvy and know how to change a tire. First triumph was finding the wheel nut spanner, then actually managing to loosen all the wheel nuts, but then of course the jack was broken. Doh, doh, doh, doh, DOH! But in Tanzania. Help is never far away and as we were just outside a small hamlet, a small crowd of encouraging onlookers had gathered. And then a couple of vehicles stopped. 

Fortunately ‘jack’ is ‘jack’ in Swahili, so even with my limited vocabulary I was confident that the problem was clearly communicated. And in no time someone sped off on a boda boda to find one. They returned and we successfully started to raise the vehicle. Only to find it didn’t go high enough (these 4x4s have an impressive depth of tyre). Off another boda boda sped, again returning a little while later with a second jack. With a lot of help and to the huge entertainment of the local village (I think ‘Wazungu in distress’ (especially with little wazungu) features quite highly on their entertainment ratings!) we got the car up, wheel changed and ready to rock and roll again (quite literally!). 

The onlookers were suitably appreciative of such success and I ensured we remembered the necessary thanks, providing water to wash all the helpers hands and offering a gift of some beer / soda money which was gratefully accepted.  ‘Disasters’ come in many forms, and this one was an absolute joy to be part of. Although I got hot and very dusty / dirty, to have a load of strangers rally to a cause and not be able to do enough to help was a real privilege. This epitomises the Tanzanian culture. Whilst generalisations are always dangerous to make, they are a beautiful people. 

It was dark when we got back underway and the last part of the journey was a bit like a computer game. Unlit boda boda’s, cyclists and pedestrians would suddenly appear out of the gloom, or worse from within the glare of the few headlit vehicles. For every one we missed, I could imagine the positive ‘bring’ of the computer announcing our success, and the stash of coins flying from these obstacles to power up the score bar. But we made it back safely and without causing injury or death (to our knowledge – although a close call for at least one chicken). So all round, this must be considered an absolute result. Certainly an eventful day!