Crazy Trip to Burundi and Tanzania

Crazy Trip to Burundi and Tanzania

Crazy Trip to Burundi and Tanzania
What a day, I took a tour of many types of Africa transportation, my body is beat up, I need to rest here in Kabanga, Tanzania for a day or two and allow my body to heal.
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Kabanga, Tanzania
East Africa
Friday, May 29, 2009
Where Andy Slept in Kabanga
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This is a map of my journey, it was hectic to say the least, it is hard to explain how difficult it can be to travel 100 miles.

I woke up early in Burundi, flagged down a motorcycle taxi and try to get a ride to the vans that go to Burundi. The driver was insisting that I take his motorcycle, he said 5000 Francs, which is about 10 dollars and I thought to myself, this is the free money in my pocket, the extra I do not need to exchange. I also wanted to see the countryside, a motorcycle seemed good. It was a cold trip, although the scenery was beautiful, Rwanda is truly a beautiful country.

TRANSPORT

Walked from the Rwanda border to the Burundi border across a river.
20 Dollars for 3 day visa at the border.
Collective Acura station wagon taxi for 2000 Burundi money to Kayanza.
Kayanza to Ngozi in a 14 passenger van carrying 20 for 1000 Burundi Francs
Ngozi to Muyinga in a collective taxi for 3000 Francs
Muyinga to Kobero, pronounced Kobelo in a private taxi for 10,000.

There is three kilometers between the Burundi side and the Tanzania border; I had to pay 2000 Tanzania Shillings to get to the immigration of Tanzania. I then paid 1000 Shillings for a two Boda Boda bikes to take me and my luggage to a hotel in Kabanga.

What a day, I am in great pain, my sciatic nerve problems and all my muscles are screaming. In Muyinga, Burundi I walked about two kilometers with my 70 kilos of bags looking for acceptable Hotels, however failed to find any fun place for one night.

So far Tanzania is a two thumbs up country, the people are friendly and life is good, although Burundi people were friendly and truly a good country.

While doing this whole trip, the people of Burundi never once tried to cheat me, while in the country of Uganda is was constant, and the country of Rwanda was neutral, sometimes yes and sometime no.

Burundi is the poorest country, while Rwanda is the richest country I have encountered here in East Africa. The roads in Burundi are very good for a poor country. Kenya has had the worst roads so far in East Africa, truly a mess, while Rwanda has the best.

Crazy Trip to Burundi and Tanzania