Day 23

Today's blog post is yet another reflection from Simon Bearder. Enjoy!

Simon here – reporting on the striking friendliness of everyone we meet in Africa. I am always aware of how peaceful and contented people seem to be. We pass through villages where the children gather to stare at us as we pass, or to wave and smile as they see our faces, and there never seems to be any fighting or screaming. Children seem not to cry here. No matter how crowded things are or how difficult the conditions there is a remarkable absence of angst. A good example is the ease with which our heavy equipment is transported to camp sites in the middle of the forest along steep and slippery paths. Men and women from the village will put a huge bag on the head and another under the arm and disappear at great speed, ducking below branches and climbing over rocks in bare feet while chatting away at the top of their voices, leaving us to struggle along behind, slipping, sliding and cursing! Even in the city people have time for you and they are invariably polite so that you become bathed in a sense of well being. Staying with Andy and Nike and their children Amani and Olivia is also a great boost as their comfortable home and fine hospitality ensure that we are revived for the final part of our research. Let’s hope that it does not continue to rain!

Simon's having breakfast at the beach in Dar es Salaam.