23 November 2009

Tales from Safari (edition V)

Mud in Tanzania is unlike any other mud I have experienced.  After a good rain, the lowland roads on the coast turn to sticky black molasses.  The soil absorbs extreme amounts of water and grab at everything that passes.  Especially vehicles.  On our return to Mweka, we found ourselves stuck in the mud several times. Stuck-1

Stuck-2

Driving in the mud seems to be even more difficult than driving on snow or ice.  Luckily we had exceptional drivers that could keep the momentum going while still keeping the vehicle in control.  We bounced along, fishtailing and soon our white Land Rovers were brown.  We were doing good until the vehicle in front of us got stuck and we had to slow down.  Then we, too, found ourselves stuck.  After a few minutes of spinning tires and moving inches we were freed.  Unfortunately, the supply vehicle behind us was in deep.  After moving to higher, dry ground, we unloaded and hiked back to free the stuck Land Rover.  It took a good deal of time and manpower, but the students were able to push the Land Rover out of the mud and back on the road.  Cheers and high-fives were cut short as the Land Rover quickly found its way back into the mud.  The process started over and was repeated a few times that morning.  Stuck-3

Stuck-6     

Once we made it back to the main road, which was paved, we were safe.  But as we passed through the Pare Mountains, which had early that day experienced heavy rains,  parts of the road were flooded with murky orange water and gullies appeared where none had been previously.  In the more arid Northern regions, when it rains deforested areas are prone to heavy erosion, as we saw. 

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