CNG conversion for cars in Dar es Salaam

 

View from the back.

When I called for an Uber in Dar es Salaam the other day, I was shocked when I opened the trunk to reveal a gigantic compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder.  I immediately assaulted the driver with questions and he was kind enough to share that installation was around $770 to $900 to install. The cylinders were available in the city for $7.28 (11kg). He said they were not available everywhere so one has to plan in advance but he didn't feel it was an inconvenience. He estimated that he could get 180-200km from each tank. He also said that the original petrol system remains in the vehicle so if the cylinder ran out he could continue to drive.

We rode with one other driver that had installed the system. I asked other drivers that did not have CNG if they had heard of it and if they planned to install. Many of them said the initial installation fee was cost prohibitive and almost all of the drivers alluded to the possibility that the incumbents profiting from the petroleum industry were not encouraging of this transition. The drivers would be excused for confusing me with a CNG salesman doing market research but I was truly fascinated. I did a little research and saw that Tanzania has national natural gas production and a pipeline that extends from the south to Dar es Salaam. This would explain how the local industry can be competitive and bodes well for sufficient energy production and reducing dependency on imports. 

We did several back of envelope calculations with drivers based on their reported fuel economy. We estimated that it would take 15,000km traveled before the initial investment was recouped. Most of the drivers reported that this would take six months to one year based on their daily driving. If I was less occupied with my day to day job and more entrepreneurial, I might be tempted to drop everything and invest in the CNG business in Tanzania. As the middle class grows and vehicle ownership increases, the costs of fuel are one of the first shocks to first time car owners. I hope that CNG conversion becomes more popular and widespread as it would support both the Tanzanian natural gas industry and reduce emissions and dependency on imported petroleum products. 

EDIT : A week after I saw this article about growth in the industry 

Chameleon Season

Resting color.

 

After I've handled the above individual it turned a much darker color.

The rainy season provides a breath of life to many different species of plants and animals. One of my favorites are the chameleons. In our area there is only one species, the Flap-Necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis). During the rainy season they become much more visible and it's not uncommon to see them crossing the roads while driving. They are fascinating creatures that move with an odd gait and their famous eyes move independently of each other, adding to their weirdness. Growing up I had heard that they can change colors and camouflage themselves but this is only half true. They can range from bright green and yellow to dark brown but I wouldn't say they have camouflage abilities, at least certainly nothing like octopuses. It's still neat to see them change color though it is usually a sign that they are stressed out (which is typically from me handling them, sorry guys). What can I say, I can't help myself but to pick them up every single time that I see them. I love feeling their herky-jerky movements as they scramble up my arms and often onto my head. Contrary to many local beliefs, they are not venomous nor dangerous. Their claws can scrape and they can bite though I have never suffered a skin-piercing wound or anything close. 

One of the coolest things I've ever seen is when I was shown how to scan for them at night. My late friend and extremely knowledgeable safari guide from Zimbabwe once showed me at night how to scan vegetation for their presence. His ability to identify them was uncanny, downright scary. We'd be in the dark with a single head-torch and he'd identify tiny individuals under blades of grass. He explained that once you start looking for them and get familiar with their tell tale reflections and how they "disrupt" the normal vegetation patterns, well, then it's easy. It's a skill that I have tried to sharpen over the years but unfortunately I am usually simply wandering about, squinting at the grasses, likely passing over dozens of chameleons.

Very small

Very large.

One of the brownest ones that I have ever seen, clearly trying to blend in.

Locally manufactured clothes

The current trousers of the year

 

I've written about some aspects of the clothing industry here (second hand 'bale' import shop, second hand 'bale' auction, second hand market) but one aspect I have not covered is locally produced clothing. Tailors are ubiquitous in Tanzania, especially in urban areas as they don't need an office rather they can simply move their foot-powered sewing machines and clothe to anywhere they please. It's not uncommon to see them strewn about the city in front of random shop fronts. School uniforms are a big part of their business but many people use them for full gowns and outfits, especially for special events like weddings. It's common for weddings to have coordinated custom tailored clothes for the wedding parties. I have used these tailors mainly for repairs which is something I absolutely love. Small things like broken zippers, holes in pockets, and loose stitching are a convenient and cheap service offered. 

On a slightly higher level are clothes that are mass produced somewhere in a mass manufacturing facility. This is most evident for me when it comes to trousers. Sellers in Iringa randomly go through different phases where everyone has the same brand of trousers. Two years ago it was, very randomly, Jeep brand. They even had a metallic shield that was stylishly sewn onto the rear of the trousers but to the best of my knowledge the vehicle maker does not have an official trouser manufacturing subsidiary. How these brands and names are chosen? Who knows, but the result is the proliferation of a new brand each year, which is possibly the same manufacturer. I realized how successful they are when I saw that four of the men in my workplace had the exact same trousers as me! They fit well but the stitching and quality of the trousers is not the greatest quality. However, I'm happy to support the local industry and the environment is so tough on my trousers anyway that not even high quality trousers stand a chance at long term survival!

The classic human powered sewing machine and street set up.

Driving in Dar es Salaam

Upper left is the "mwendokasi" public bus and a collection of representative Dar es Salaam traffic photos

One of my least favorite things in Tanzania has to be driving in Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam is a large city with around 7 million people. I am nearly always based in a 50 km2 (31 miles) grid and inside those areas there are only a few multi-lane roads. These leads to densely occupied roads of not only cars but also bijajis and most hectic, the motorcycles. This does not account for the men dragging two wheel carts by hand, pedestrians, traffic police, construction teams, public transport conductors, truly an endless variety of transport means and methods. 

To make things worse for myself, I'm used to the sleepy Iringa traffic. Heck, we don't even have a traffic light in Iringa town. So when I arrive to the bustling Dar es Salaam and cut-throat traffic maneuvers, I'm often left initially aghast like some old granny trying to slowly merge into a lane only to have continuous flow of aggressive drivers cutting her off. It takes a moment to get into the Dar es Salaam mindset until it shifts so far along the spectrum that you need to again remind yourself: better to be slow, but safe. The last thing you want is to be involved in a fender bender or minor scratch. Insurance providers here are notoriously dodgy and unless it's a very serious accident it's the norm to simply negotiate with the other driver. Depending on your perceived culpability and the others drivers approach (fair dealing or milk for all its worth?), this can be an incredibly stressful and difficult situation to deal with.

The other day I had a rather "normal "Dar es Salaam drive that I felt was totally representative of the perils one faces on the road here. 

I drew a box around the area of what is Dar es Salaam proper (

Total area: 52.79 km² (20.38 mi²)

. The little bit jutting out is called the Peninsula and it's the most affluent area of Dar es Slaam.

I was picking up a vehicle from near to the Tazara Railway, which is on Julius K. Nyerere Rd, one of the main veins running from the airport to downtown, to Rose Garden in Mikocheni, a neighborhood in the north of the town. I would have to basically cross through the city but not necessarily pass through downtown. This is a 15km (9.3 miles) route that Google Maps predicted would be 30 minutes. If you want to have an indicator of mobile phone and data penetration in emerging markets, Google Maps traffic accuracy may be a good proxy. And you will see that Google Maps has no idea how to estimate drive times in the chaos that is Dar es Salaam. 

Even before my journey I faced one of the common challenges on the road here. On my way over we were stopped for 15 minutes to allow for a government dignitary to pass. This happens all over Tanzania for a variety of politicians from the president to local ministers. It's often a flex of power which is extremely annoying as smaller dignitaries frequently cause traffic to stop for up to a half hour. I had annoying chosen a motorcycle taxi and was left roasting in the sun on the open road which possibly primed my state of mind for the upcoming journey. It was kind of cool when the motorcade passed and a fleet of motorcycles at the front of the line took off like the start of a racing event. I felt like I was either in a race or part of a biker gang with literally dozens of motorcyclists eager to hit the open road after the long wait.

My journey started at 3pm, which I thought was enough time to avoid the major traffic exodus from downtown outwards. However, immediately after turning onto a main road I was stuck behind a long line of lorries. Massive trucks with trailers and containers clogged up the road and it took 10 minutes to merge onto the main road. After finally merging I was immediately at a standstill for 5-10 minutes. There was an overpass being constructed at the intersection so you can imagine how congested that intersection was if it necessitated an overpass and now it was under construction. Trucks creaked through and traffic police directed the traffic as hustlers touts weaved in and out of traffic hawking wares. 

I love the variety of wares the hawkers have and I often feel like there are distinct trends and gluts of randomly specific products. The current item of the month were weird Asian style knives that had a sheath, something a ninja in a low budget movie would have. The touts are a subject I should cover in a separate post as the world of the street touts is fascinating. There are also disabled folks and street children begging for money, as well as an increasing amount of uninvited window washers. They are nowhere near as extortionate or aggressive as some other cities in the world but it can still lead to an uncomfortable experience. 

After about a half hour and half kilometer I was still stopped in standstill traffic. I was looking at my phone for a bit and suddenly someone knocked on the window. A plainclothes gentleman with two others behind him informed me that I was parked on the train tracks and it was illegal. I glanced behind me and saw that I was indeed parked on extremely faint and dated tracks that were only partially visible at various points. There were modern and used tracks a few meters behind it. The guy shouted at me to bring my car over to the side and that it was really illegal what I was doing. I pushed back and said I had done nothing wrong and that I would like to see some ID as I noticed his clothes were totally normal clothes. He quickly showed me an ID card that was from the railway line but it had the position as a cleaner. He expertly pulled the card away quickly and I played along for a little longer. He became insistent that I give him my driving license and I knew once he got a hold of a personal item he would have all the leverage. This guy was clearly impersonating a person of authority and if I pulled over him and his pals would have me cornered. I spoke more forcefully and told him that I read his ID, even the position, and that if I had done something wrong I apologize but he needed to stop his nonsense. As if on cue, the traffic started moving and before he could rebuttal I had rolled up my window and pulled away. 

I breathed a sigh of relief. For a split second I thought I was screwed but I was glad I caught on fast. I've had several of these scams happen to me in Tanzania, mainly in Arusha and Dar. One time some guys in Arusha tried to tell me that the leaking air conditoning water was contaminating the road and that I needed to pay a fine. They were super aggressive and intimidating. I am a pretty assertive person but I can't imagine what it's like for more passive people to have to deal with these con artists. 

Just as we finally passed through the intersection and traffic started to open up I got stuck behind a convoy carrying a huge piece of industrial equipment. The convoy was clogging the road with several "LARGE VEHICLE AHEAD" signs affixed on the escort vehicle roofs. The main load carrier was driving at a seemingly imperceptible speed and for whatever reason the convoy was blocking the front, back, and all sides. I was part of an angry wall forming behind them with other cars being much more aggressive trying to weave through them. We finally managed to overwhelm them and break their formation but it was a good 10 or 15 minutes of a snails pace. It was excruciating to see the open road ahead but no way to circumvent the convoy. 

After that obstacle I then hit the Milimani City Mall area which was especially crowded with hustlers. I always try to support the guys selling stuff on the street even if it is of spurious quality. I feel for their circumstances and for the most part the majority are insistent but respectful. I'm sure there are some mental health issues that cause some interactions to become more uncomfortable than others but I also think it's important in a way to have society on full display so that hopefully the country can provide the social support they need. 

I should note that traffic police in Dar es Salaam direct traffic during peak hours in the morning and evening which can result in some very long wait times. I don't know if there is a method to their madness but it is just that, total madness. 

I finally reached my destination one hour and thirty minutes later. To be totally honest, this trip would largely be forgotten in a few months as a totally average journey across Dar es Salaam. But when I got back I thought one of these "normal" excursions should be documented for posterity. I also do want to give a shout out to the late Magafuli because he completed several big infrastructure projects in Dar es Salaam that have greatly eased traffic at many points. There used to be no overpasses and only two lane roads but the commuter bus (with exclusive lane to ensure smooth movement) and other projects have made things much smoother for all those on the road.

Zanzibar: Michamvi Kae

We decided to check out a different part of Zanzibar and we ended up in Chekwa Bay in Michamvi Kae. It's an area that we haven't heard much about and on the map it looked to be a little pocket between the more busy Paje/eastern coast and the more tranquil though still popular northeast. 

The local village is tiny and there are a surprisingly large number of "boutique" hotels in the area. I use parenthesis because most of them are landlocked and walled no frills places concentrated between the village and the nearby shoreline. This is a nice thing to have budget options ($30-50) among more higher end beach front properties. The larger hotels on the beach are thinly spread out giving the beach a wide open feel. There are a few large lodges under construction with a notably massive resort-like property with boxy buildings as well as an impressive walkway and pier on stilts. As you walk the northern tip of the peninsula there are a few very nice exclusive properties and what they lack in white sand beaches they make up for in privacy.

I really enjoyed the empty beaches and it was cool to have white sands by the lodges, rocky tide pools to the north, and mangroves to the south. The lodges were all accessible to non-guests for meals and they were all delicious, with a special recommendation for Joy of Zanzibar (beet salad!) and gotta rep the local 'CrazyFish Seafood' as it's known on Google Maps. Mpole Bungalows also had delicious craft ice cream, notably the coconut and passion fruit. There are accommodation options for all budgets and although the area is growing it maintains a quintessential relaxed island vibe.

Sauti za Busara (Trip V)

 

After missing the past two years I was thrilled to be back at Sauti za Busara (Trip IV). The festival was slightly downsized from years past but still offered three nights of pan-African music on two stages. I have to commend the event organizers and the artists because the festival continues to be one of my favorite things in the world.

Saturday night was a perfect Sauti za Busara night for me. We found a cozy spot in the middle of the venue which happened to be around the friends and family of most of the artists. The raucous support was contagious as the musicians performed at a high level. The highlight for me was a session at 7pm called "Swahili encounters". Performers consisted of a "super group" of artists sampled from different bands. The festival organizers arranged for some artists to spend a week collaborating and the result was performance that represented everything I love about Sauti za Busara. The musicians were full of joy as the unique blend of sounds and  instruments filled the old fort (see lineup below). The group brought high energy and world-class musicianship and the crowd reciprocated with cheers and dancing. It was one of my all time favorite concert moments!

Swahili encounters featuring: Nasibo (Zimbabwe): mbira, vocals; Asia Madani (Sudan): vocals, percussion; Islam Elbeiti (Sudan): bass; Naxx Bitota (DRC): vocals; Pendo Zawose (Tanzania): percussion; Mariam Zawose (Tanzania): percussion; Hassan Mahenge (Tanzania): oud, percussion, saxophone; Tryphon Evarist (Tanzania): accordion, vocals, percussion; Neema Surrie (Zanzibar): violin

The festival was well attended with top notch people watching and mixing of cultures. An old Zanzibari grandpa supporting his family member in a local Taarab band next to a group of hip Kenyan women drinking beers and swaying to the beat next to sun-baked Europeans with grins from ear to ear as they soak up the unique atmosphere. I will always rate Sauti za Busara and the tradition continues strong!

The smaller venue with seating, view towards the sea.

The main stage with the castle towers.

Rainy Season: Butterflies and moths

 

All these photos were taken on one morning walk.

I wrote about the proliferation of caterpillars a few weeks ago and sure enough, within 10 days of that post our area was swarming with butterflies and moths. I have always appreciated butterflies and moths but never really dug into identification and learning much about them. This year seemed like a good year to learn more. I recently obtained a butterfly net which will help immensely to capture fast moving and skittish specimens. Pair that with an unprecedented volume and diversity of moths and butterflies and it would be foolish to pass up the opportunity! 

There was really a two week stretch in January/February where each day would bring different species of both moths and butterflies. During the day I would constantly stop to try and stalk different butterflies. At night from 830 to 930pm I'd be taking photos and trying to identify different species. It was really quite overwhelming to keep up with but once I started to appreciate the details and their behaviors I couldn't stop!