Went to bed so early last night I was up early this morning. Spent a couple hours wandering around the market. I was looking for some cloth that I liked so I could have a new sleep sheet made. Had a great time wandering - everyone seems in such a great mood. I didn't find any cloth a really liked so I bought the ugliest Malawi made wax print I could find. Took the cloth to the tailor next to Annie's and showed him the existing sheet and explained what I wanted different (longer, wider, and a pocket inside the pillow pocket).
Wandered up to the crafts market but only bought a dominoes set. I sat down at one point to watch some men playing Bawo and next thing I knew I was playing! It was great, because all the people that were hounding me before were now amused with this crazy white guy sitting on the ground with them playing Bawo. I actually won the first three games (admittedly with lots of coaching - everyone wanted to help me learn) before I lost. When I realized what time it was and excused myself everyone invited me to come back to play tomorrow - and seemed genuinely disappointed when they heard I was leaving. What a great note to end Malawi on.
Back at Annie's I changed to my nice "Airport" clothes and packed. At the tailor I picked up the second ugliest sleep sheet I have ever seen - the workmanship however is beautiful. He did an amazing job for his 160 Kwacha (just under $4).
Walked back to the central market to find a taxi and negotiated a ride to the airport. Had an unexciting flight to Dar es Salaam. In Dar a man approached me at the baggage claim and asked if I was going to Zanzibar. I told him I was going in a few days and he was very helpful in explaining when the flight went and what they would cost. A little later he asked if I needed a transfer into town and offered me one for 10,500 Shilling - which is about what the guide book said it should cost. I didn't want to get pressured into anything though so arranged to call a couple places to see who had rooms available. While talking to one (the Safari Inn - where I've ended up) I asked and they said it should only cost 5,000. He came down to six, but the first taxi I asked said five, and I took it.
The taxi driver was great and gave me a pretty good orientation of the city as we drove in. The hotel is way nicer than most of the places I've been staying (ensuite toilet / shower, sheets, towels, soap, ceiling fan, even a phone), but then again it's more than eleven times what I was paying in Cape Maclear ($8.57 vs. $.75).
Settled in, then went out to see if the internet cafe on the corner was still open. It's open 'til midnight, cheap (~$1.50 / hour), fast, and friendly - I spent two hours and started to grind through the fifty messages waiting. Back at the hotel worked on my journal and wrote some email. To bed fairly late relative to what I've been doing recently.
