As we live in Kigamboni, we have one of two options – either sit in the ferry queue for hours or try your luck the long way round into town. We tried the latter on Saturday, and it was a disaster!!! We left home at 10.45 am, to get to the shoppers area at around 3 pm – total mileage, probably around 40!!!! The ferry has become a nuisance, as passengers are now forced to exit the vehicle and join the masses of people on foot, whilst one driver must drive the vehicle on to the ferry and lo and behold, no policing!! Then the passengers may get back into the vehicle. Now I am sure the reason for asking passengers to remain on foot, is to prevent drownings should God forbid, the ferry sink in the harbour mouth. With the latest sinking of the MV Skagit Ferry, I guess nerves are jittery.
Skagit (Photo credit: WSDOT)
But it all falls flat as soon as the passengers walk onto the ferry before take-off and get into the vehicles. My darling husband, ever the gentleman, will never allow me to go and stand in the holding area where hundreds of hot, sweaty bodies press forward for the gates to open, in immense heat and humidity, so he always does the passenger thing, with me taking over the driving part. This in itself is stressful, as the vehicles are crammed in so tightly, and the passengers all pass to get a front position – in the process bending your side-mirror backwards, or scratching the car with bags and buckets of all shapes and sizes.
I have now resolved to stay at home, and not take the ferry, for as long as possible, as I cannot bear this inconvenience anymore!!! And yes, I am frustrated!! Apparently the Tanzanian government has been given the monies in international donations some time ago, to build the much needed bridge over the harbour mouth, but the monies have all disappeared!!! So indulge me in my frustrations today…..
suletta 
The bridge money sound all too familiar. Great pics although I wouldn’t want to be the one driving. Parking on the ferry sounds like trying to find a parking spot here. I learned all my driving skills in a parking lot over here, lol
Dannie, I had to rush Kobus and my son to the hospital on the other side of the ferry two months ago – my baptism of fire, as it was the first drive on the ferry for me as driver. But I had to do what I had to do, and since then I fear no more! I have “balls”, a good thing in Africa!