Nzega
Approximately 400 000 people live in Nzega District but only 30 000 inhabit the city itself. There are lots of villages around the town and many of them can only be reached by bike; there are no roads for motor vehicles.
Nzega lies 250 km south of Mwanza and Lake Victoria in the middle of the country. Nowadays the journey between Nzega and Mwanza takes 4 hrs thanks to the asphalted road. A gravel/sand road connects Nzega with the capital of the region, Tabora, 125 km away. It is difficult to use most time of the year. During the rainy season only four-wheel drive cars can travel here. Tabora is therefore isolated in periods and the only way to reach Dar es Salaam is by train or flight. The train runs on a single-track railway and is so slow that it is quicker to go by foot in some sections. Going by train is an interesting experience but doing it once tends to be enough if there are other alternatives available. The road connecting Nzega with Dar es Salaam has finally been asphalted as well which makes the bus connection an attractive choice for traveling the 925 km. To fly the same stretch you would have to go to Shinyanga which is 85 km from Nzega and from there take a flight via Tabora.
Nzega is the typical small African town. The place is swarming with shops offering practically the same. For a good price you can get utility articles but there are no souvenirs since the city is not visited by tourists. The pricing is a bit different from what we are used to: it might be cheaper to buy 5 packs of tea containing 50-gram than one weighing 250 grams. Colorful fabrics are always offered at low prices.
A visit to the market is a must. The fruit stalls are full of seasonal fruit and to eat fruit ripened where it was picked is a totally different experience and a so much better one comparing to when imported to Sweden. Peanuts, herbs and honey are some of the exciting things to bring home. Straps made out of old hoses from trucks are perfect to use for all sorts of things at home. You can also by ice cream at Diana’s Dream.
If you wish there are bike taxis for the 4 km journey back to our guest house. To get to the alley leading to the guest house on the carrier of a bike is an adventure in itself.
