THE HILLS of KILIMANJARO: Learning and Discovery-Part 2

TUK-TUKS AND BANANA BEER

The first logical question may be what is a tuk-tuk? Next, what is banana beer? And third, what do they have in common, if anything?

I'll begin by answering the third question first. Both were opportunities for Learning and Discovery during our first morning of the Hills of Kilimanjaro pre-trip excursion. And both were not included in the printed itinerary. 

Despite this being only the first morning of the first full day in Tanzania, I was quickly coming to realize that this trip was going to be like none other I had been on. We were already ankle-deep in the local culture, and it was only 10:00 in the morning. What next?

A ride to town in a tuk-tuk! 

A tuk-tuk is a small, three-wheeled auto rickshaw that holds 1-3 passengers in the rear seat, or a fourth passenger if he/she squeezes next to the driver in the front. According to an online source, "Tuk-tuks have a reputation for being dangerous," which did cross my mind as we tootled down the highway, but I quickly let that thought go because with the loud, upbeat music blaring from the rear speaker, I was having way too much fun.

Apparently, while we were visiting the family across the street, arrangements had been made for a mini-fleet of tuk-tuks to assemble at the hotel to take us to the nearby village of Lawate. Two-by-two we crawled in the back seats of the waiting vehicles, and then we were off. 

The driver's seat and interior as seen from the back seat.

Once there, we stopped behind a row of single story brick buildings. Houses or shops? I wasn't sure which. 

But this open-air kitchen (below) resembled the open kitchen we had seen earlier, so I presumed this was a community/residential kitchen. We saw two pots cooking on the simple wood fires.

This woman greeted us and then followed us around during our 45-minute visit. Our guide greeted her by name, so I assumed she was part of the "unofficial" greeting committee.

In an adjacent open-air room a woman was busy making chapati, an unleavened flat bread.

It seems that all cultures have their own version of unleavened bread. It is the most basic staple made from flour, water and salt.

Of course, we were given a taste. 

And then Abraham taught us about banana beer. I have to be honest. I can't remember the exact process. It involved piles of grain, soaking, drying in the sun, then fermenting, but I don't recall him talking about bananas. Maybe I missed something?

But I do remember going to the pub next door where there was a big yellow bucket filled with a foamy, murky looking liquid and a woman who ladled the liquid into a large yellow cup.

Abraham took a big sip, much to the delight of everyone in the room,

and then he explained how it is customary to pass the cup around the room so that everyone could share in the drink.

One look on Kate's face reveals what her taste buds told her.

Nevertheless, smaller cups of the banana beer were passed around as is the custom,

and then the dancing began.

Even Doug danced a bit.

And then it was time to go. 

Back at the lodge, Lenny was loading the last duffel in the Land Cruisers,

and we hit the road to our next stop with the promise of seeing our first African animals.

I can't wait!