Off Roading in Africa

So I've finished two days here. It's been an absolute adventure. I feel like I've already been here for a month or so. The one thing I noticed is how much Tanzanians love food. I think I've been eating, either meals or chai, every three hours or so since I got on the plane in Amsterdam. I can say that it has been really good. I never thought I'd like banana and beef stew (that was part of lunch today) but it's pretty amazing. Also makande...it's beans boiled with coconut and a bit of meat. It's pretty tasty too. Nothing beats a glass of fresh mango juice or fresh pineapple. By fresh I mean grown next door and picked this morning. It's so much better than the produce in the supermarket. I'll be spoiled when I come home. Bananas here even taste good. :)

Today's big adventure was going to a coffee farm. I got to try my hand at harvesting, preparing and roasting coffee. It was interesting to see the process of how these farmers produce the beans that end up in your cup at Starbucks. The adventurous part was actually getting there. We pack 14 people in a Land rover and head up a muddy hill (it rained all night and most of the morning...it was really cold today too. I've spent the day in several layers and a hoodie). We tired to make it up the first road with no success. We got halfway up and proceeded to slide/somewhat controlled reverse down the hill. Then we went the other way. It was a rutted muddy road. All of us chicas in the back were clinging on for dear life and laughing like crazy. It was too much fun! There were a few times I thought we were going to get stuck though. Going back down was just as much fun...with a little more (controlled) sliding involved.

I have the chance to bring a few kilos of fresh coffee home...anyone interested? If so, please leave me a comment and I can place an order for you. I'll need it in the next two or three days though.