Habari! It's James here again (the others all voted me in to write this - sorry!).

Tanzanian greetings to you all from Dar es Salaam. It's Friday here at 3.30 in the afternoon - perhaps less hot than last time but more humid. All having a WONDERFUL time here, Africa and Tanzania is amazing.

Yesterday we had our first Swahili lesson - Ryan, Rozzy and Rhona are all practically fluent by now and I can just about buy a mango and a cooking banana and stop the bus (an essential skill). We went to visit a guy called George who lives in Bugaruni (said Boogarooni), which is one of the poorest areas in Dar es Salaam. It's a pretty shocking place - 4 families (and families here are MUCH bigger than in the UK) to a very small house, glass-strewn dirt streets, kids playing football with a ball of rags tied together...

However, George and his family were amazing, and we all had a fantastic day. Never experienced such generosity and hospitality. He gave us a Swahili lesson and then told us we could now teach his kids... SO I had to come up with a quick history lesson. I decided to tell them the Legend of Troy. However, having studied Ancient History and not Classics I've never actually read it, but I managed to describe the film pretty well... Ryan taught them to play Hangman and the girls taught them Scottish dancing and the Moose song. We all sang and laughed and played til pretty late with his amazinbg family, it was amazing. Such fantastic food too - really nice.

George live and works in Bugaruni, trying to help the people there. It's pretty inspiring, espcially since he's one of the few who don't have to live there, yet he chooses too.

Todaywe went across town to buy bus tickets and walked through the biggest market ever - there were huge holes in the road and Ryan was a bit scared of them but I managed to steer himclear of falling in any or being hit by a bus (which is surprisingly easy to do).

Have fairly bathed in DEET so no mosquito bites as yet (unlike Ryan) although I've surely cursed myself by saying that.

Have rambled on long enough and said little of use, but I hope you feel a bit more informed. For the guys coming, we all HIGHLY recommend Merril type trianers (mine are "OutdoorScene" brand and were about 1/3 of the price and do as well) - they are absolutely amazing and get some if you can. Also, heat and mosquitos not a big prob at all, and look forward to sharing the amazing time we're having already.

Take care all,

J