The Rufiji River

Sunset on the river.

 

While we have done more adventurous exploration of the Rufiji River (Trip I), our latest trip was not as intensive though still interesting. We are still getting to know the area so it's exciting to check out new areas. The main highway, going north/south from Dar es Salaam all the way to Mozambique, bisects the large mouth of the Rufiji River. One of the longest bridges in Africa, the Mkapa bridge (named by and for the third president of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa) is a notable feature in the area. 

There are settlements on both sides of the Rufiji River as you head west. On the north side of the river there are over a dozen villages before you reach the gate of Nyerere National Park. On the southside of the river there are fewer villages heading to the local administrative capital called Utete, the last village before the entrance to the Kingupira side of Selous Game Reserve.

I've gone down both ends but these days I spend more time on the north side. It's amazing how wild the river remains even with heavy traffic from small boats. Crocodiles and hippos can be seen and heard all along the river. There are a few larger permanent lakes, ponds, and shallow pools, some of which will dry up during the peak of the dry season.

The amazing plant, Desert Rose

Ruaha National Park: Jongomero Camp

 

View from the one of the room balconies.

 

Jongomero is a critically underrated and under-visted part of Ruaha National Park. The lodge is the furthest west and the furthest south of any of the lodges in Ruaha. This means it is closer to the headwaters of the Ruaha River which means it is wetter than other areas of the park. It has some unique landscapes and mean tsetse flies (part of a deterrent for some) but the beautiful Jongomero Camp provides some respite. The camp is one of the older camps in the park and is wisely constructed around the contours of the river. Until the past few years, the pool at the camp was the only one in Ruaha (I think there are now five?). So much action occurs around the river that phenomenal sightings can occur while checking out the river from the pool!

Grab your binoculars or cold beer and enjoy the view.

Second hand clothes resale shop

 

Bundles!

 

I've written about the second hand clothes market before, as well as live market auctions. But where does this start? Well, most of the time it starts with shipping containers full of bundles. If this topic is of any interest to you, I highly recommend the book The Travels of A T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade by Pietra Rivoli. 

In this specific instance, someone had rented out a small stall in Iringa town and transported these bundles for storage. They were all branded with a tag that the seller indicated was a sign they all came together in one shipping container. That means someone in America consolidated the items, wrapped them up, and arranged their shipment to Dar es Salaam. The seller explained that the bundles were graded and the cost of one was anywhere from 250,000-450,000tsh ($100-200). The contents could range from designer items sourced from throw away culture in an affluent suburban neighborhood, or it could be full of dilapidated and disintegrating clothes. 

These bundles will be purchased by entrepreneurs and then usually sold to smaller vendors. Nicer clothes will attract a premium at shops while other items may end up in a random pile with other goods at a fixed price (often accompanied by someone shouting the price). The journey of a t-shirt or pair of jeans can be unexpected...