Lake Tanganyika Hols

We're back! We had a wonderful time on our much-needed, long-awaited holiday! We went to Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika, just the four of us, for a whole week and it was fantastic! I think the last time just the four of us together had more than two nights away on holiday was camping in Scotland when Louisa was only 18 months old! We are so incredibly grateful to the kind friends in Basingstoke Community Churches who made it possible! Thank you!


Three girls enjoying the sunset and a lovely meal out!

Lake Tanganyika

It was a dusty, bumpy journey to get there. We spent a night in Tabora on the way, staying with Esther's (our agricultural trainer) family. We continued on to Kigoma the following day, and were delighted to make it all the way with NO punctures! We just had one dodgey moment when we came across a truck and a bus stuck together in the sandy road and we weren't sure we were going to be able to pass... or avoid falling down the sandy bank! But our trusty landcruiser got us through!

Looking for a way through!

Made it!

So we chilled out with the resident zebras. We swam in the lake. We sat on the sand. We played Pit and Monopoly Deal. We kept guard from the thieving monkeys. But did not a lot else! We had a one-bedroom "cottage" with a washroom and a fridge and a double ring burner and lots of granola bars and popcorn (thanks to the amazing North American team who came for the Albinism Camp!). We had our own little private beach and very relaxed schedule! 

Swimming with the zebra

Snorkelling with the zebra

Coffee with the zebra


Louisa relaxing



Fishing with a khanga

Our private beach

The only moment of slight over-excitement was the monkey incident. We were playing a game we received from Laurena for Christmas , the "jelly-bean game" in which you have to spin to see which colour jelly bean you should take and eat. The only thing is that every colour has two flavours, one delicious and the other foul (like smelly socks or rotten egg).

Ewww! Dog food!!

We had enjoyed a first round one evening. However the following evening, waiting for the rest of us to come outside, Tim momentarily left his post by the jelly beans. He went only a few steps away, and in that flash of a second the monkeys stormed the area. They shook the box and devoured the jelly beans. They didn't even seem to mind the foul ones. There was a rather a lot of shouting.

But we got our own back on the thieving monkeys. They happened to find us with a water gun at the lake. Attack was launched! They didn't disturb our picnic after that!


not-so-innocent monkey

Bulls eye!

So if you ever fancy a relaxing holiday by a beautiful lake with zebras (and thieving monkeys), we can highly recommend Jakobsen's in Kigoma!