I'm not sure what I was expecting my first trip to Africa would be like, but walking out of the airport into Tanzania's capital, I could taste the adventure and chaos that hangs in the air. I quickly realised that I'd left 'comfortable' in a different time zone, and I loved it.
Dar has all the hallmarks of a city in the throes of rapid development; seemingly endless constriction sites birthing megamalls and business centres, far too much traffic for the crumbling roads to handle, constant yells from hawkers, and the ever present haze of dust and fumes. The latter has a spectacular 'golden' lining, and that is the vivid sunsets guaranteed by the light refracting though the pollution in the air.
A word of warning: security should be a primary consideration if you're planning travel through Dar. Rates of theft in the city left 'astronomical' in the dust years ago, and a thief isn't going to be too concerned with your welfare in the process of taking your handbag. As a mzungu (the questionable affectionate term for white folk), there's a big enough target on your head without carrying a handbag or hanging a camera around your neck. I avoided travelling at night or with a bag at all where possible, kept my phone and card out of sight in a money belt, and left other valuables locked at my accommodation. It's safe, particularly in the tourist hubs like Oyster Bay, if you're aware and careful.
On the odd occasion that it was safe for the camera to venture out.... well, the photos speak for themselves. To me they tell a story of a city whose citizens are too accustomed to suffering, yet hold hope and work hard in the face of it anyway.
I visited two businesses that particularly embodied this positive attitude in the face of adversity: Wonder Workshop, and Mama Maasai. Click here for a deeper dive into these inspiring maker spaces, where creators draw on community strengths to help those who would otherwise be left behind.
In short, Dar is a city much like its sunsets. It's dirty and dusty and dynamic, but in the right light, absolutely beautiful.
Click HERE for part 2: "Zanzibar - Where Island Life Meets Historical Hotbed"
