8/9/2014 A long but exciting day today. Started the day by going with Roger to Fifis to get coffee and use the wi-fi. Then Jamal picked us up and drove us to Merirani to see the tanzanite mines. Once we were off the main road the roads were dirt and perhaps the most difficult driving roads ive ever been on. Jamal was an amazing driver, though. He took the whole thing like a champ. I feel bad about the beating his vehicle took. But, thats what its for! LOL! We drove like this for about 1.5-2hrs before we reached Merirani and the mines. The scenery was arid and dry. There were many Masai goatherds with their flocks out and about. Also many with cows, herding them along. Typically they had a dog or two along as well to help. So many children just wandering around out in the middle of the boon docks. Many of the masai shepherds were children too. But they all seemed industrious and happy. No iPods or iPads to be seen...not a child with a social media device to be found. While it is true that most folks here are very well connected with cellular, it appears that most cell phones are of the old type and not smart phones. So they are able to keep in communication without being addicted to staring at their phones to see what their neighbor is having for dinner. We arrived at the mine and were greeted by a man who appeared to be elderly. I suspect he was not much older than I am, based on what I have been told about life expectancy here. He had a big grin and yellow crooked teeth and was very friendly. He invited us into the office which consisted of a brick hut with wooden utilities and a few chairs. He immediately opened a drawer on his desk and withdrew a guest book which he asked us to sign. I sensed he took pride in seeing people from so far away come to see the mine. After a little chit chat and seeing some of the other minerals they find while mining, we went up to the mine itself. It is up a little hill enhoused in another brick edifice. No glass windows or anything which keeps the airflow moving. The mine consists of a pit in the ground dug at an angle. It goes down about 1100 feet or so to the bottom. The mining conditions are primitive with crude, but sturdy wooden ladders to enter the mine. Mining itself consists of blasting and removing the debris in bags. The debris is sorted through in the mine itself under very low light conditions...only the flashlights they bring down. Additionally, they must pump fresh air into the mine as it is not ventilated. One grows tired very quickly in the low oxygen environment under ground. They asked if I would like to go into the mine. I thought about it...and thought about my physical condition, and decided, yes, i will go down. I would regret not taking the opportunity. Secretly they were laughing at this fat guy struggling to crawl down in the bowels of the hill, but they cheered me own and i manage to go down about 50 feet or so. We went down 4 levels Each downward segment is followed by a step or flat area and then the next downward part. It was getting very warm and I was having difficulty breathing. My legs felt like they might give out on me so I thanked them, expressed my excitement at the opportunity and asked to go back up. Roger was at the top taking photos of my progress as I descended and i was jealous that he was in the cool fresh air as i was struggling to get back up. I got to the last section and didnt think i could go any further..it was just too big of a step. But someone, one of the miners, held out his hand and literally pulled me out of the hole. I was so grateful but unable to do anything but pant and try to breathe. I told Jamal, Tell them im just an old fat man. He replied laughingly, They already said so. So after a few moments we got to Jamals vehicle, said our goodbyes and left. We were going to find a second mine and had a bit of a time locating it. In the end, they wouldnt let us in. But, several miners arrived on the scene to thrust their finds in upon us hoping we would buy. Most of it was junk, of interest only the the mineralogist or mineral collector, but one fellow had a green grossular garnet of about a gram and a half in size. It was not a clean stone, but the color was very nice and after a bit of jocular bargaining, Roger bought it. We then drove a ways further into the actual town of Merarini. Little more than a vast township of huts, it is home to many tanzanite traders who specialize in melee and smalls. This is where the indian dealers come for the very inexpensive goods they use. Along a certain street the sellers are packed one on top of the other along both sides. ITs a wild sight to see. One can literally stand at the end of the street and see the entire goings on of the industry. We left Merarini behind and began making our way back to Arusha. It was a long but exciting day I will remember for a long time. To top it all off, for dinner, Roger took me to Bigg Bite, home of the best indian food in Arusha. I am already dreading the trip back home. Tanzania is a fantastic, fascinating destination and I am in love with it. I am happy to report, this will not be my last trip here. I will certainly be returning.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 05:46:40 +0000
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