Finally in Tanzania!

If there was one thing I wasn't prepared for it was the sight of Kilimanjaro at night.

It was oddly clear, dry and dusty, with a hint of warmth still in the air as we sped down the two lane road that leads from Kilimanjaro Airport to Moshi.

Passing petrol stations and random roadside shops and villages, my determined driver swerved around errant pedestrians who walked precariously close to the road.

It was like passing ghosts. Ghosts with nowhere and everywhere to be. They sometimes shouted as we passed by. The only vision of the wanders was a blurry face.

I might add that it was 3:30 AM. 

As the cab driver sped down uninhabited stretches of highway, I had a nagging sense something was watching me.

It took me a moment to see it, but shrouded in darkness was Africa's highest mountain. 

It was more like a massive wraith, watching from the horizon. 

Kili is about 15 miles from the road. And most days clouds and mist keep it well hidden. 

Seeing it, with small arms of snowy glaciers reaching for the summit, was breathtaking. 

Being stopped a few kilometers later and met with "police" brandishing AK-47 rifles was less magical. I find law enforcement who wear Las Vegas t-shirts and flip-flops to be slightly dubious at best.

My driver turned on the interior dome light and said something while gesturing towards me. Whatever he said, I was obviously not the Droid they were looking for. 

Tanzania,  Day One...hakuna matata.