05-Feb-2005 -- As we managed to successfully visit 8S 39E (near Ikwiriri) before noon, we had a cold Coke and a short rest before starting our way back to Dar es Salaam. Taking the road via Kibiti and Mkuranga, we enjoyed the landscape and sceneries in the villages we passed.
Having the GPS "on" and once in a while looking at the indications, the team member being in charge of the "intelligence" realised that we were only 30 km from another Confluence - 7S 39E. During ongoing discussions on weather, yes, or no, we decided somehow 'ad hoc', to pay a visit to the same. Looking at our map, we realised that the area is near a "shortcut" connecting the Selous Game Reserve, Kisarawe and Dar es Salaam, which we used several times before visiting the Selous.
But we could not find a track road leading us cross-country straight to that road. And we realised the best option would be to drive closer to Dar es Salaam, where the first road in western direction at Themeke lead us to Kiserawe and brought us closer again to 7S 39E. We managed to get as close as 1.2 km from the Confluence. Near to this distance we made out a small village where a group of youngsters sat around the central area. Having seen a small access road, we asked one of them if this track could be used by car. The communication turned out to be difficult, as our Swahili is limited and his English as well. We invited him to lead us the way. Frightened on closing the door of the car he left it open and tried to understand why we would like to look for a road behind the village.
Apart from the lack of communication possibilities, we realised after some few metres that the track we saw earlier was not made to be used by any type of car. We stationed the car somewhere in a shade, filled our bag with cold drinks, and took the camera and the GPS with us. As before, we only saw puzzled faces of youngsters, but as soon as we started walking we were surrounded by the same group, highly interested in our intention to just walk in some direction we would be taking out of a device in our hand. They seemingly enjoyed the moments when two musungus (white foreigners) stood in front of some footpath crossing, deciding on which direction to take by looking on that electronic equipment, similar to a cell phone.
But our fellows: Omari, Lisiki, Jennifer, Laim, Abu and Fasili where very cooperative and gave us hints of better ways or paths, and those not to take due to some bees or wasps in a tree, or as it sometimes seemed a landowner who would not appreciate us passing his land. After some 20 min walk up and down in a very hilly environment, we got close to our point. Here we walked in some circles and reached 7°00'00.0"S 39°00'00.0"E (with an accuracy of 7m).
The group celebrated "all zeroes" with us, them having Sprite and us soda water - which they disliked. Taking our pictures and celebrating todays' second Confluence, we started our way back (again walking 1 km and climbing up and down). The celebration continued at the car, where mothers and children gathered around the car. We distributed our left over soft drinks and prepared to start our way back to Dar es Salaam.
On our way back to Dar es Salaam, having a rest under two solitaire trees, we reflected on the very different sites and areas we passed this day: From the floodplains at the Rufiji River up to the Pugu Hills, west of Dar es Salaam.