2015/01/19

Whirlwinds in Northern Tanzania

It´s been a mad hatter couple of days in Arusha. First of all not knowing that I was coming here, then getting the invitation to play at The Blue Herron, arriving and then life just taking over somehow.

Everything has passed in such a mad dash. It´s reminded me a little of Journeys #1 in China, when one moment you would be playing deep into the night in Jianghu Bar & next moment a top the Great Wall & the next arriving unslept disorientated in Chongqing and its skyline of dystopian skyscrapers.

Since arriving I met old Blues man Jeffrey and his wonderful partner Martina how have given me housing and a moments recovery at Blues and Chutney. Then a chance meeting with Corina and finding myself out in the bush on Safari. Again a chance meeting with Anne and Josephine and today at playing songs for the kids at St Josephs orphanage, an indescribably beautiful and humbling experience I will write more of.

Then tonight playing at The Blue Heron and it was a warm and attentive audience and a surprise to see people coming out on a Monday night. Special thanks to Beate and Michel for hosting the show.

I´m not one for mentioning everything that happens, i´m after the underlying experiences. But its a little whirlwind at the moment and all I can do is keep up.

There was a lovely younger crowd at the gig tonight too, and it was great to get a sense of some of the local people and what they do. Chris – a bear of a man who ventures deep into the bush to camp, at one with the predators and safe with them as they know each others place in the order of things, Jo who arrived at 19 and has set up a life taking people on horseback into the wild, Martina, a Swedish lady in exile from Berghain and making a new life, and Eddie a young industrialist, building machines despite the torments he knows success may bring here.

Okay, for me, I guess to sleep. I noticed I have a show in Dar Es Salaam tomorrow, so I must catch an early flight and arrive in a new city and tackle its unfamiliar transport system to an address I´m as yet unsure of. We´ll see what the morrow brings. Onwards.