Everyone is extremely nice with mzungus, or white people... Many children run up to me for a hug and always say "good morning", no matter what time of day it is. Many also say "Hello teacher", since most mzungus are here to teach. Mr. Elias estimates that around 25% of families have electricity, and 10% have running water. He says most families don't have to walk very far to have access to water, only a 40 minute walk!
The cheapest way to get to Ngaramtoni from Arusha is to take the Dala dala, or shared cab. Dala dalas are very old japanese mini-buses that were dumped in Africa some time ago. They are made to seat 15, but I have counted up to 31 people at once! The previous record I had witnessed was 23. Dala dalas don't run on regular schedules. Drivers wait until they are full to get going. Therefore, they are quite unpredictable. Dala dalas also compete for your business, so they make very risky passes to get to the clients first. You can get off anywhere along the road by asking the "collector", or by banging loudly on the roof. They are quite uncomfortable and smelly, and it's amazing that they stay in one piece. I think taking the dala dala is the riskiest thing in Tanzania. The 30-minute drive costs $0.20 per person. The other option is to take a cab, which costs $7-10 depending on your negotiations skills.
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