Leaving Dar... for now

 It was the morning of my last day in Dar. I woke up quite late, since I was planning to stay awake till 3.35 A.M. (time of my flight). There were still lots of things to be done, but unfortunately I felt sick. I had diarrhea and I felt dizzy. I had cold sweat all over and wanted to vomit. It was hard to stay up, cause my head was spinning and my stomach was hurting so much.

the good road

I bit my lip, took and aspirin and tagged along while Marina went to buy the Halal-meat and to see Abbas' mom. I wanted to say goodbye to them, but after the drive I just felt more sick and culdn't even think about climbing stairs or seeing people. I was not in a chatty mood sort of speak. After the drive to the city we went to print out leaflets for two cars Abbas was trying to sell, so that we could put them up on a wall at the local supermarket. Here I decided to get out of the car and buy some gifts since the big Shrijees was just upstairs. Mainly I was looking to find something for the housekeeper. I wanted to get her a baby gift bag of some sort, since she was pregnant and do quite soon, but couldn't find anything good enugh there, so ended up just buying jams; Papaya/Ginger, Cherry and Mango. They definetley don't have them in Finland (well they do have mango, but it's really expensive) and I've never heard about jam that tastes like papaya/ginger, so got to give it a try then.

The family that lives under the big tree.

Slip Way peer

We went home to rest for a bit and then I forced myself up again to get some last minute gifts from Slip Way. After Slip Way I took Otso for a short, final walk. It was the best I could do in my condition. It really took all of my energy, since after that I couldn't do a thing. Seriously. Some packing and I was done. While Marina was cooking I layed on the kithcen floor, reading her instructions from the recipe book and trying to fight off the pain in my stomach. I couldn't eat that night. It was my last dinner, but I couldn't even think about eating anything. Even the smell of the food made me sick, so there I was, laying on the sofa, while the others had a nice dinner. I was anxious to taste it, since it was a recipe from the book I got Marina for her birthday ("Miss Masala"). It has information about indian kitchen and a dozen recipes on all currys and such (every indian foor recipe basically). I thought since Marina likes cooking and is now married to an indian family, she has to learn how to make proper indian food and I'd say with her enthusiasm, it won't be hard.

Slip Way booths

After dinner I said goodbyes to Merja who went to bed early. Marina and Abbas wanted to play Monopoly, but I just didn't have the strength to even sit up. So they played and I lay down watching them play, until it was 1 o´clock and time to leave to the airport.

I was scared. I felt so sick and dizzy and hadn't been eating properly, cause I was afraid to eat. I was terrified of dragging those heavy bags around and the thought of sitting in the plane for many hours didn't really sound like a good idea. Somehow I managed it. Even though I had the worst seat ever (the middle seat, stuck between two men). When I got out of the plane at Istanbul the next morning, I rushed straight to get the essentials (clinique products and some Amarula to bring home) and as soon as my gate was announced I rushed to the gate, put an alarm on my cellphone and fell asleep.

It was a good one-hour nap (which was intruded a few times) that got me enough strenght to get through the second flight. I felt sad while I looked out from the windows of the plane while landing. There was still snow and it was grey, with no sign of a sun anywhere. I did feel better after I saw my dad, who came to pick me up. He had washed the car so I could use a clean car when I came back How thoughtful and nice of him. Dad is the best!

So, anyways, made it home alive. Here I am. Stuck in boring Finland again. But for how long? Who knows. Hopefully not that long. I guess It's time to say goodbye to Dar... for now.

Goodbye Dar

Mlimani City mall shopping and Marinas B-day

After an amazing brunch on Sunday I went swimming  before we hit the Mlimani City mall. It’s a bit far from Masaki so this was my last chance to buy all things needed. I bought gifts for Joni and Lena (my friend and sister) and a birthday present for Marina (well actually two presents, I got a bit excited again). I had been waiting to hit Shoprite to buy a certain chocolate that I just love, but they didn’t have it anymore. What a disappointment. It seems that now you can only get it from South Africa. Better start planning a trip there... Anyways. Had a wonderful day shopping and hanging out with these two lovebirds.

When we got home it was already quite late and I was suppose to have dinner with David so we rushed to the supermarket to get all the supplies I needed for Marinas birthday cake and let the baking begin. Marina was making dinner and I was getting really frustrated trying to bake the cake without all the ingredients I’m used to. The sugar here is very different. They didn’t have vanilla cream in the store. A bunch of other ingredients were missing as well. So I tried to think about something to use instead. When I left the house in a hurry I felt bummed. The cake turned out too moist. I was just hoping that the gelatine I ended up using would work wonders during the night.

In the morning I woke up at 5 to finish the cake. I decided to go on with it anyway, since I guess it still tastes the same, whatever the consistency.  We went to Marinas room with her mom with cake, coffee and my presents singing happy birthday. That’s what we always do with my family so I wanted Marina to have the same kind of wake up.

The cake turned out okay (at least that what people say, maybe just trying to be polite). Marina left early for Arabic class and I spent the day packing and went to Slip Way to get a t-shirt I forgot there earlier.

In the evening we went to Zuane for a celebration dinner, where Marina got three more gifts from her mom and to top it off, her mother had arranged for the waiters to sing to Marina, while she finally got to blow a candle on top of a mudcake. Marina hates these kinds of things tough. She feels embarrassed when people gather around her. But the mudcake was so fantastic I don’t think Marina was bothered by the singing at all.

After dinner Monopoly, Coco wanted to play as well

Merja is back

Coco

On Saturday, Merja got home from Kilimanjaro. She couldn’t reach the top, but made a good effort. The problem is that most people try too hard. When you can’t breathe, get headaches and vomit it’s probably better to quit. People should know their boundaries, because when you push it too hard, you will probably end up real sick. So all in all, it was better for her to turn back.

Merja was full on energy tough, I don’t know how she does it. After she came we went swimming right away, but even before that she managed to do some laundry and unpack. She brought me back a beautiful necklace, which will go perfectly with a dress I have back at home.

after movie pizza

I spent the afternoon lying on the couch and watching tv (even fell asleep on the sofa, while Marina cooked us dinner). Later after dinner we hit the movies to see Identity Thief (or something like that). The trailer was good, but the movie was just like every other comedy ever made; entertaining, but at the end, not that funny after all. They always add something that just throws the movie over the limit. Like in this one, they added bounty hunters to it. Like, seriously, why?

Next morning I joined Merja for a brunch at Sea Sliff, where we met some finns that made the Kilimanjaro-trip with her. Everybody agreed on how terrible it was. It seems that climbing a mountain is overrated. But for me, the stories were funny and yeah a bit scary, but won't stop me from doing that myself one of these days. Hopefully before I turn 30 tough. The breakfast buffet was nice, but a bit too expensive to my taste, when you take into count what they were actually offering. Some places have a more wide spread of food and drinks with a more reasonable price, but I'm not complaining. I was happy to have a relaxed meal, while I could hear and smell the ocean. Even saw a few dolphins that morning.

brunch

Slip Way shopping and drinks at the peer

On Thursday I got up super early. I rearranged the fridge, washed some dishes, cleaned a bit, boiled bones for Otso, did some laundry and went out to buy some breakfast supplies. Since after all this Abbas and Marina were still in bed I decided to make them pancakes for breakfast.  After breakfast I headed to Sea Cliff to withdraw some money and check out if they had time to do my hair at the hairdresser and after 15 minutes of waiting I was already getting my hair washed and cut. From there I took a bajaji to Slip Way for some serious shopping. Bought a little something for a few friends and my dad (his birthday is just around the corner, so bought him something special). Also managed to finally buy stamps and a few postcards so maybe I’ll even remember to mail them before it’s time to say goodbye to Dar again.

After my usual afternoon routine (walk with Otso and then swim & shower, today without the swimming though) my legs were killing me after all that standing and walking and shopping and omg don’t even get me started on the bargaining. Like seriously, why do you have to go through so much of this and that before, eventually they usually will go with your price. Why not just come out and say it? I mean, I respect the effort and of course they want to make some money, but still. All the sellers at this small marketplace sell somewhat the same stuff so they should all know by now that I will go from table to table until one of them gives me the goods for a reasonable price. And you know, that guy will end up making a sale, unlike the others. And don’t get me wrong here, I don’t enjoy fighting over one euro or such, which is little money for me, but a lot for them, but when you add up these little things you end up saving a lot of money. And some of these people just think you’re stupid (tourists are easy to fool with), so if I know I can get something for half the price, it just makes me mad sometimes how they try to fool with you.

The next day Marina stayed home with me. We had last nights left over’s for lunch and afterwards took Otso out together so that I could buy us some fish while Marina waited outside with Otso. When we got home the tailor called that the dress I ordered for my mom was ready so I took Otso with me and we took a walk there as well. The dress was beautiful, but when I got home I tried it on and… I’m not quite sure if it will fit my mom, cause it fit me quite perfectly. I don’t know what went wrong. I told them (as they were measuring me) to add at least 5 centimeters more everywhere, so that it will be perfect for my mom. They didn't.

In the evening I met Sebastian real quick since he had something for me that my mom sent from Finland. Afterwards I had drinks with Craig at the Waterfront, which is (tadaa) at the waterfront. It’s a perfect place for drinks with a beautiful view. We also had drinks and took a walk at the Double tree hotel peer, which is (tadaa) really beautiful as well. It’s a great place for weddings, but too  fancy if you ask me. I’d rather get married on a beach.

animal house

Coco and Otso playing

Turning Japanese

On Wednesday did my normal routine: a very long walk with Otso and some swimming.  Afterwards I was dead tired and got a headache from spending too much time in the sun I guess. Well it didn’t stop me from meeting Wies for dinner and drinks at Slip way. We had drinks there at a beautiful restaurant by the sea. We decided to do sushi for dinner so took a bajaji to Osaka, a Japanese restaurant. Wies knows more about sushi then me, so I gladly let him do the ordering (which he was really good at, cause everything tasted amazing). We had some dumplings to start off with. Then rolls with rice and some seaweed, cucumber and fish inside (now I cant remember what the first fish was, but it was probably the best one). Next we had some raw tuna and salmon and smoked salmon.  Amazing.  I tried everything without dipping it into the soy and wasabi, because after dipping I felt it only tasted like soy and I was very keen on knowing what actual proper tuna tastes like.

We decided that since we were having a long dinner at a Japanese restaurant, we should go wild and order some sake to go with it. Now I’ve never had sake like this. It was really hot and had a very weird taste, which I cannot put into words, but we managed to finish all of it. Went good with the fish actually, so it was a perfect Japanese night out I’d say. (Except that afterwards we went to Qbar to watch a football game, so that kinda spoiled the whole Japanese thing, but it was good while it lasted). All in all it was a great trip to Osaka. 

Next day my tailor called that the clothes I ordered from him were ready! So I got cool new trousers and a dress to light up my day! yaaaaay!

Easter holidays with a different kind of family

The weekend went by fast. Marina and Abbas attended the funeral on Saturday and also on Sunday (the last children were found so there was a funeral on Sunday as well). I got up early, took Otso out, vacuumed a little and took a shower before the couple woke up so while they wanted to have breakfast at shoppers I had lunch instead. We hit a shopping center and I checked out the stores trying to find something to buy for my friends in Finland and ended up buying a t-shirt for Romario from the most expensive store there (Adidas). Marina and Abbas bought a rice cooker, but after that we left since there was too much people at Shoprite. We decided to visit it another time. Hopefully soon since I want to buy loads of my favorite chocolate and it is only sold there.

I went for a drink with David in the evening and we came back to my house to watch a movie after, so I stayed up way past my bedtime. Marina spent the whole evening in the kitchen, I swear, that girl is something. She was already preparing food for the next day, because Abbas’ parents were coming for lunch and it was the first time she was cooking for them. In the morning I forced myself up to help her, but the cake was already out of the oven when I woke up. There was still a lot of things to do and a lot of dishes to wash. We tested the rice cooker and the rice turned out really good. Abbas’ family liked the food (chicken tandoori),which Marina prepared and everyone had some more after the first piece. We even run out of fries so there you go. Success.

After some coffee and cake they left and I took Otso out for a short walk, because it was already getting dark . Now the Easter holidays are over and I only have one week left. It’s time to get busy!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter!