Meru from Monduli

On a very clear day, and from the right angle, you can see Mt Meru, fifty kilometers or so away.  It's hard to figure exactly how far it is; all the maps give driving directions, and it's nearly 100 km by car, but of course that's rather circuitous. 

I'm always happy to get a glimpse of the mountain.  

The View from the Shopping Center Parking Lot

A few more photos for you today...I don't think I'll ever get tired of photographing this mountain.  It was especially clear this evening when we came out of the grocery store at Sable Square (a shopping center built in a South African style that is on the outskirts of Arusha in our direction).  Mt Meru's rocky peak was glowing in the last of the evening light, so I snapped a few shots with my phone.

Here's a zoomed-out shot of Mt Meru in the distance, from the grocery store parking lot.

Driving home in the sunset light.

The Road to Arusha

Since I've only been here a few days, I'm still rather in awe of the landscape of my new home, and I keep taking dozens of photos out of the windshield every time I go anywhere.  I'd like to take you along via photos on the drive from Monduli to Arusha...

Here a shot along the road down from Monduli that connects to the main highway.  Ahead is the barren, desert-like (this time of year, anyhow) plain that stretches out below Monduli Mountain.  There are small little hills that just pop up here and there; the one ahead is one of the largest.  

Due to the way Monduli is positioned, Mt Meru is only visible from a few points at odd angles, but as soon as the road reaches the bottom of the hill it's visible off to the left and will be all the way into Arusha (and for miles beyond, if we kept going).  

You can tell it's well into the dry season, which runs from June through November.  I'm told all of this will burst into green as soon as the rains start, but for now it's desert-like and brown, but beautiful in its way.  The dust really through my allergies into overdrive for the first few days, but I'm beginning to adjust to the dry air now.  

See what I mean about those little hills that just pop up?  We've turned onto the main highway now. 

Mount Meru is about fifty-five miles from Monduli, but a mountain of that size can be seen for a long way.  At 14,968 ft (4562 m), it's the second highest mountain in Tanzania (after Kilimanjaro) and the fifth highest in Africa. To put it in perspective, that's about the same height as the highest of the Rocky Mountain in Colorado.  The volcanoes of northern Tanzania are striking because of their prominence as they rise out of the savannah instead of being part of a range. The mountain is just north of Arusha, so as we head that way it's first off to the left and then right in front of us growing larger and larger.  

Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano; its most recent minor eruption was in 1910.  The caldera is 2.2 miles wide, but I doubt I'll ever get up there to see it because, despite being slightly shorter that Kilimanjaro, it's more difficult to climb.  It is surrounded by Arusha National Park, though, so hopefully I'll make it there at some point to get an up-close look at it.  I love mountains, and I feel blessed to be living so close to such a magnificent one.

I learned in China, and it's being confirmed here in Tanzania, that you really can carry anything on a motorcycle.  Here, motorcycles are called piki pikis.   

I don't think I'll ever get tired of this view.  

Passing through Kisongo, the largest town between Monduli and Arusha, on our way.  The Andrew Connoly School of Preaching (associated with Bear Valley) is in Kisongo as well.  

Getting closer to the mountain as we pass the Arusha city limit sign...

There actually are some areas with trees.  Going into Arusha, there is a section of the road lined by huge mahogany trees, which were planted by the grandfather of the current owner of a large coffee plantation just outside the city. (I think the family is South African?).  

We made it into the bustle of Arusha.  There are larger grocery stores and malls and such in Arusha where we can find everything we can't get in Monduli.  

The mountain looms over the city, and is visible from nearly everywhere.  The drive from Monduli to Arusha is about an hour.  I hope you enjoyed following along on the trip! 

Drive to Monduli

I enjoyed the drive from the airport to Monduli, despite being tired and feeling gross after sleeping in my clothes on the flight; the landscape is so different here and I took plenty of pictures out of the windshield.  We could see Mt Kilimanjaro from the area around the airport, but there were clouds so we could only see the lower slopes.  Just seeing the base of it gives a good idea of how big it must be, though.  I look forward to seeing it better someday in clearer weather. 

did pass near Mt Meru, which is just north of Arusha, on the way as well; it wasn't terribly clear today but more so than Kilimanjaro.  I'll be close enough to that one to get plenty of chances to see it, though.  It's the fifth highest mountain in Tanzania.

We passed through the city of Arusha, the closest large city to us (and I believe it is the third largest in Tanzania), and then on towards Monduli mountain.  The landscape between Arusha and Monduli is mostly flat with sudden large, barren hills jutting up out of nowhere; it's clear we're well into the dry season (there haven't been significant rains since May and won't be until at least November).  The land is dusty, with brown, parched grasses and the occasional scrubby tree or bush.  It's barren but beautiful.  While I'm not looking forward to the mud of the rainy season, it'll be fun to see this desert-like land burst into bloom.  

And finally...pulling up to the gate in front of the Shorts' house.  I'll be staying in their guest house for a while.