Moshi Monsters

Tim is still really enjoying his running and so 10 days ago we set off in convoy with some friends to drive to Tanzania for the kilimanjaro marathon. Dads were entered for the half marathon and mums and kids were planning to join the 5 km family run. Thanks to worse than usual Friday afternoon traffic (so bad it made the news headlines and was attributed to a trial of new traffic lights in Nairobi) Tim ended up with a car full of kids, leading the way, and I jumped in an adult only car straight from work. It was a very straightforward drive to the border and a pretty easy border crossing albeit with plenty of form filling and passport stamping. A novel experience for our kids who thus far have only driven across European borders. You have to leave your car log book at the check point, to try and reduce trade in stolen cars I think. Our experience of African bureaucracy didn't fill us with huge confidence but it was all fine and the log book was retrieved quickly on our way back through on Sunday.

We stayed in a small walkers' hotel in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, near to Moshi - the town where the run takes place. It reminded Tim and me of places we have stayed in in the Peak District - sparse, old furniture, concrete floors, solid food. But the views were stunning and it was a great place to relax and get ready before the run.

The family run started a bit later than the others so Judy (the other mum) and I set off with the kids about 30 minutes later than the men. 10km from Moshi we found the roads blocked, because of the run, with no alternative route to the start line. We tried to work out a solution with the policeman at the road block (as did the tour guide behind us who had a bus load of Canadians trying to run). But he couldn't help. He just busied himself talking into a radio trying to look important and uninterruptible. I'm pretty sure there was no one at the other end. After a few minutes of this and with no obvious reason why the road should be closed this far out of town we decided we would just drive through - 4x4's have their advantages. The kids were thrilled and ever so slightly anxious. But no chase ensued and we pulled in to the side (with plenty of other vehicles) when we came head to head with the full marathon and its lead runners. Oops.

After that we just waved our running numbers at the 4 or 5 other police stops we came to and in return were just waved through. And we got to the start line with plenty of time and a car full of energised, excited kids. And it was very worth it.

Once again, I mainly walked rather than ran but everyone had fun and were proud to have finished. And even the car breaking down on the way back didn't dampen our enthusiasm. But more of that another day.

Anne