Packed and checked out of the hotel leaving our bags. Headed for the immigration office - but walked the wrong way. Turned around and walked the right direction on one of the major streets. The bonus was finding a great market en route. At the immigration office signed in, fought through a huge crowd, got directed down a dark hall and ended up in what someday will be modern reception office for the visa section- but at the moment is a construction zone. Got directed to the current (i.e. old) immigration office downtown (thanks LP). We were starting to worry about time - only two hours until we needed to be at the bus station. Rushed downtown and found the poorly marked office with only a little difficulty. Inside was chaos - a long desk crowded by people - no lines. We fought to the right area but were at a standstill when an American man asked if we wanted "his" guy to get the forms for us - he had a local friend up at the desk. The friend found out they couldn't give us another visa there, but that we should be able to get the visa at the border on our way out of Tanzania.
Walked back towards our hotel looking for a likely lunch spot. Ended up at the same restaurant we ate at when were were last in Dar. Had lunch, then went on a search for a pharmacy - Amy needs a few more tablets of Cipro to make the full seven day course, and we wanted to have a back-up antibiotic just in case. We found some pharmacies but they didn't have what we wanted. Finally walked into a Medic Supply place - they had what we wanted but we needed to buy in quantities of a hundred! They guided us to nearby pharmacy. At the pharmacy we were given options of buying German made, Egyptian Made, or Indian Made drugs - respectively about $40, $20, or $2.50! We got the Indian made, and ended up buying three different courses just because it was so cheap (Ciprofloxacin, Amoxacillin, and Azithromycin for about $8!). After our big purchase we hit the internet for fifteen minutes and then rushed back to the hotel, collected our bags and caught a taxi for the bus station.
The bus ride was pretty nice, still long, but a little more comfortable and through spectacular scenery. First up through the mountains then through Mikumi National Park. While driving through the park we didn't see any animals, but we did get the best African sunset yet! In Iringa it was a fight to get off the bus through the taxi drivers mobbing the door. Luckily for a change we weren't the target - tourists obviously aren't that common here (we were the only ones on our bus). Checked on the bus times to Mbeya for tomorrow or the next day (we're not sure yet). Then caught a taxi to the recommended budget place in town - the Lutheran Center. The facilities are a little basic - dorm accommodations on tiny beds and a very smelly bathroom - but it's very cheap (about $1 each). It was about ten when we set out to find something to eat. Ended up having chips at the Iringa Club (a local bar) - and were pleasantly surprised to find the beers a lot cheaper than in Dar!
