Sounds of Africa

We are back in Ullapool enjoying the warm weather. We had a sunny lunch sitting outside Tea by the Sea today, and enjoyed the beautiful views along the loch. 

On the way north we played some of the music that reminds us of our Tanzanian holiday. Many lovely African songs were played in the evenings at our lodges and camps, often accompanied by dancing by the staff and sometimes us too! Three songs particularly stood out to me. 

Firstly, Jambo Bwana is a cheerful and catchy Swahili greeting song from East Africa, originally written in Kenya in the 1980s. Its famous line “Hakuna Matata”  means “no worries” and was subsequently used as a song title in the Disney film “Lion King.” We heard it (and sang it!) every evening.  
Secondly, we heard a lot of Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) which was the official anthem for the South African World Cup in 2010, written and sung by Shakira. It draws inspiration from traditional African music, and also Colombian rhythms. 
However my favourite song of all was Jerusalema, a Zulu song from South Africa. It has such a beautiful tune and is an anthem of hope, unity, and belonging; it is the song that we danced to at Lake Manyara Lodge. 

We also learned a few phrases while we were in Tanzania in addition to Hakuna Matata. 

Asante sana means thank you very much, and we had very many occasions to say that. Karibu means you’re welcome, and Pole Pole (pronounced “polay polay”) means take your time, take it easy.

For me these songs and words perfectly reflect the spirit of our trip - full of friendship, adventure and shared memories.