(Tanzania) I meet African who can speak Korean.

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Last three weeks I cycled in small villages. So, too busy Tanzanian border makes me sick now. I want to get out of the border as soon as possible. It would be all right to cross the border? How will be Tanzania?

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30th June 2013
Finally I am going to Tanzania which is famous country to all over the world. I am not sure why everybody knows this country. Maybe Tanzania has many touristic places?
The border is too messy that I feel so nervous. Many street people try to talk with me. It seems all of them are impostor that I ignore them. I try to concentrate on my bike and passport. Visa fee is 50$, but they don’t ask any paper. Easy, but Expensive.

 

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It looks Tanzania is mountain country.

 

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The scenery reminds me of Bolivia. It looks similar.

 

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I think Tanzanian is a bit richer than Zambia that there are more cars and motor cycles.

 

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But here is the same that many people are carrying heavy thing on their bike.

 

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I was supposed to stay on the border. But it was too messy that I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. So, I cycle 30 km (18.75 mi) more from the border. In Mbozi I find cheap and clean hotel. It is only 20,000 shilling (12.5$))

 

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1st July 2013
The next day morning I pass small city.

 

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There are too many people. What are they doing?

 

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I had seen only small villages in the northern Zambia that it seems Tanzania is more developed.

 

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There are too many hills since Botswana. Sometimes it is painful with knees.

 

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Here is downhill.

 

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Going downhill, after that there will be uphill.

 

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I had seen many Zambian carried Nshima which is made of corns; it is their staple food. I am wondering what Tanzania people carry on their bike.

 

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In the night it is cool that I love it. But in the daytime it is too hot. Although now it is African winter, daytime is too hot for me. A bottle of cola 350ml is only 600 s (36 cents). Local donut is only 200 s (12 cents). I feel like I am gonna drink much cola during cycling in Tanzania.

 

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A birthrate is too high in Zambia and Tanzania. It is normal in Africa. I can see many of ladies carry their baby during selling something or moving.

 

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It is very interesting that I can see more Pepsi advertisement. It is my first time in developing country that Pepsi is stronger than Coca Cola. In third country restaurant, grocery and other stores use sign board with Cola advertisement. I think that’s why I drink cola so often in developing country. The weather doesn’t matter, and the only reason is I am brainwashed by too many cola advertisements. Here is some clue. I usually didn’t drink cola often in Korea. Even in the summer in Korea I didn’t drink it often. Only when I had a pizza or hamburger, I drank it.

 

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I like this plant that in the center stem is going up.

 

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After downhill, there is really steep uphill. Oh my knees.. I just push my bike.

 

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In Lonely Planet, they told that there is cheap and clean hotel in Mbeya center. So I passed nice hotels beside road, and took the really hilly road to the center. When I reached to there, I shocked. It is too rusty.
In Zambia, they told one of hotel is really clean. When I reached to there, it is too grubby. I am not sure African version is junk or the information I have is too old.
Actually I was really angry at that moment. Because the road was too hilly to the town, and I had to ask many times to find that rusty hotel. Anyway I turn back to the main road, and I cycle during night. It is my first time to cycle in the night in Africa. But fortunately it is really busy city that I don’t need worrying about to be kidnapped. Around 8 pm, finally I find cheap and clean hotel which is similar price.

2nd ~9th July 2013

The next day just before getting out of town, I find awesome hotel which has Internet line. It is my first time to find free internet place in Africa! Just amazing awesome unbelievable.
I upload all of picture and journal during staying there for 7 nights. It is only 25,000 s (15.5$) per night. It is very small room, but enough clean, and toilet is at the inside. Of course there is also hot water! Breakfast is included!
In front of hotel, I buy meals for 2500 s (1.5$) for dinner. I think Tanzania local restaurant is much cheaper than Zambia. But industrial product is more expensive I think. Maybe because Tanzania is further from South Africa?
(The information of the hotel is at the end of journal)

 

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9th July 2013
I wanted to stay longer at that hotel, but I was worried about the money. So on 9th I am hitting the road again. There is long downhill.

 

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Kids is cycling with too big bike.

 

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Endless road

 

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I hear some strange sound on the chain. So I lean my bike with kickstand, then just it happens. My lovely kickstand is finally broken. It was very useful that I used it for one year and ten months. Oh..no. I can’t imagine cycling without kickstand.

 

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Always I am nervous before the sunset. Where can I stay tonight? I didn’t have experience setting my tent at local house in Tanzania so far.

 

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There was some small road, and I saw the small house on the road. The wall surrounds the garden that I feel safer. One of sons in house tries saying Korean greeting while I fix flat tire. He even says other Korean words to me. How come African knows Korean language?
He said he studied English in university which is located at the capital. During at that time, he learned Korean from Korean volunteer.

 

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He says last week one England guy set up his tent as well at his house. He was cycling to up north. I’ve seen some cyclists who are going to the south from the north. But I’ve never seen somebody is going to up north from the south. I wish I can see him!
He says he offered that cyclist some rice, and he offers again to me dinner. I think Tanzania’s staple food is rice! It is different from Zambia.
On the table there is little small pepper. I try to bite a bit, and oh my goodness it is incredibly hot!! He says Tanzanian love spicy!

 

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His Korean name is Yuksan which was made by Korean teacher. He can speak “I am Yuksan.”, “I am going to school.”, “I drink beer.” in Korean. What a brilliant! Although Korean is one of the most scientific writing systems in the world, I think it is really hard to study to foreigner. But Yuksan is doing really well.
I teach him Korean until there is no space to keep writing.
I was wondering how he could study in the university, because he lives in the house which doesn’t have electronic. He says his score was higher that he could get loan from government. Right now he is an English teacher in the school. It is the similar as Korean that most of student can have loan from university and have to pay back for a long long long time in their life after granulating. (In Korea any student can have loan from the university; score doesn’t matter.) They start going to society with too much debt. I am lucky that I don’t have any loan yet.
I am wondering also that how he can have cell phone. He says he charges in other place and pay it for 400 s (24 cents) every two days. Also he buys batteries for lantern once a week. I hope they can get electronic from the government in the future.
I got some special Korean key ring which I got in the capital of Zambia. I give Yuksan who love speaking Korean.
Gam sa ham ni da. (Thank you.) An nyuong hi ge se yo, Yuksan! (Bye!)

Information
//Don’t exchange money from street people at the border. It seems they are impostor. One person said 1500 s is for one dollar. Another one said 1000 s is for one dollar. When I found the exchange shop in the immigration one dollar was 1610 shilling.
The exchange shop is at the inside of the Tanzanian border. It is located at the left side and before big tree. (Think that I am going to the north. If you are opposite way, it is located at the right)//
//In Mbozi there is cheap and clean hotel. It is 20,000 s (12.5$). It is located at the left side. The name is Mbozi Imperial Inn. They have a website here: http://mboziimperialinn.com . (Thank you, Daniel for googling)//
//Before Mbeya there is steep hill. //
//The cross road before the way to Mbeya center, on the right side there is gas station and on that grocery you can buy 12L water for 5500 s (3.5$)
Don’t go to Mbeya center. It is really hilly, and there is not cheap and clean hotel. After cross road, keep going 5 km (3 mi), on the left side there is hotel which is called Mbeya Golden city hotel. It is 30,000 s (19$), but I got discount and it was 25,000 s (15.5$) per night.
In the room, there was computer, but it didn’t work. I can use internet lane with my laptop. It is enough faster if you remind that you are in Africa. To use internet line is free!!!!!!! Awesome! But you need laptop. If you only have Ipad, you can’t use internet. A toilet is at the inside, and there is hot water. It is small room, but it is clean! In front of hotel, there is small local restaurant that you can buy meal for 2500 s (1.5$)//


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  1. Wow! Nice to read that you found a student learning Korean! Your pictures are amazing, Hyojin!

  2. It looks like your hotel was probably the Mbozi Imperial Inn. They have a website here: http://mboziimperialinn.com .

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