It’s time to head back to Dar es Salaam, Salim arrives at 10 and we pack up, we call into MCP to say our goodbyes and hit the road. We stop off to see the carver near Kilwa, he gives Martin the mpingo medicine and we buy some of his work, he’s delighted. It looks to me he hasn’t sold anything since we were there 2 days ago and we nearly buy up his whole stock. Martin is really impressed with his turning skills. We get back on the road, the unmade section seems especially tiring this time, and so long, it feels as if my skeleton needs to be pulled back together. Progress through traffic in Dar is slow, and we eventually make it to Focus’ shop at 6pm. He is waiting for us, and presents us both with a sculpture he has made from our mpingo log, mine is a modern version of the traditional man and woman sculpture you associate with African carving. It reminds me of a Lowrie picture, it’s a work of art. He also gives us a Karibu, welcome sign, We buy some gifts in the shop and then say our last goodbyes to Focus, and head for CEFA for our last night in Tanzania, at dinner we see our friend Daniel, and meet a man from Norwich who has just arrived, we share with him the knowledge we have gained in the last week, we have learnt a lot.

We meet Salim at 5.30 am and head for the airport. Once we say our goodbyes to Salim we head through to our gate. I interview Martin in the lounge and we board the plane for the ten hour flight ahead, After a few hours we see the Sahara desert below, it seems to go on and on and on. I begin to get the same feeling I got when I returned from Greenland, a longing for the sight and smell of a rose, it’s almost like a mirage. I never realised I had such an attachment to roses before this summer, and it strikes me as strange the accumulated sensations that make up the experience we call home.