Flight Back

I am going to take this opportunity to share the final gifts that were granted me as my time at Language School drew to a close.  I have a story about a man from South Sudan and another from our class visit to the residential rehabilitation centre for  street kids (male) in Arusha.  They are both taking some time to reflect upon so, with your patience, I am going to jump ahead to the flight home from Arusha. This post will have a number of photos of this country from a rare perspective for most travelers.

I arrived at the little Arusha airport and was greeted by the pilot who was waiting for his co-pilot and another pilot in transit.  I was concerned about my luggage weight and had separately packed my books and binder from the course as well as the few books I had purchased a few days earlier at the Lutheran Book Story in Arusha.  I was prepared to arrange shipping the next week when there would be another flight between Arusha and Dodoma. However, the pilot said he thought there would be enough capacity so he helped me take things to the check-in desk. Seeing the little 4 person place sitting on the runway reminded me of my one and only experience of flying in a small plane.  I was working for the Planning Department in a city in Southern Ontario and we were in need of some new aerial views of the city’s growth. That had been a pleasant experience so I was not nervous about this flight.

The forecast was good and take off was splendid. What a delight to see the various farming and landscaping patterns on the outskirts of the City which is nestled close to Mount Meru (left rear).  Mount Kilimanjaro is further to the right. As we began our south bound route we stayed below the clouds until they got sizable and then climbed to get above them.  Slowly the landscape began to change from the lush environment that had been my home for 3 weeks.

Now there was evidence of the sporadic homes that one would see along the long road that connects Arusha and Dodoma.  In this photo, the self-contained homesteads are evident.  The outer ring would be a living fence of sorts to keep the animals in and amongst the home which dot the land within the fenced area. There was a small crater that we flew over.  I wish I had spent more time studying the geography of the area so I could report more accurately what the crater is from. As we came further south the landscape began to change and Dodoma was in sight. Too  bad we came in on the wrong side for me to take some pictures of UDOM.  That would have been awesome!  As we approached the airport I got a good look at the area where I live.  Known as Area ‘D’ it is one of the newer subdivisions in the City.  My house is just in front of that little hill you see in the background.  They are building a new residence for the President up on that hill for those times that Parliament sits.   Soon it was time to land.  We crossed over one of the roads that I drive back and forth to work.   Soon we veered one more time to the left and we landed at the tiny airport in Dodoma without a single problem.  It was a great journey and gave me a whole new perspective on the wonders that bush pilots must see as they deliver people and goods to more remote places.  Glad you could join me in the journey!