November 22

This morning we ventured into the Ngorongoro crater to check out some of the wildlife there, unfortunately missing my final chance to see a rhino while seeing little else of note. Some days you get 'em eh.
Safe to say though, that we are glad to see the back of the long and bumpy game drives for at least another while. We made our way back to Arusha afterwards with as many completely random questions as possible for our safari guide, who we nicknamed "the black Bill Connolly" for his endearing, ahem, sense of humour.
We returned to Snake Park and another memorable experience awaited there quite by surprise. Our ever-effervescent tour leader Geoff took us to the village beside Snake Park (which was owned by Mzungas, or white people) and one which they have poured money into developing, especially the local school.
We took a roundabout way to the school through the village (basically a cluster of huts and small houses) and there we were taken around to see young people and old people being taught computer lessons on computers donated to Snake Park from the UK and Europe (grown adults were being taught how to open paint when we walked into the computer class).
Then we went into a class of youths who were learning to make a CV in English. We were told to talk to some of the kids and I sparked up a conversation quickly with a young guy who wanted to be a bar manager in future. "Really," I said, "see Joe over there, he used to be a bar manager in London", "Wow, that's where I want to work also," he said. So I called Joe over to talk to him.

Joe, however, had left another kid to come over so I went over and apologised to him before asking him what he wanted to become.

"A journalist!"
Some things do just happen for a reason I reckon. He couldn't believe it when I told him that's what I had done and he went on to tell me he dreams of writing for a big newspaper in the English language and asked me what should I do. I said concentrate on what you know and maybe the area you are surrounded by, before asking what stories are happening in this village.
"Hunger is a big problem," he replied.
Truly impossible to relate or even to fathom. Nevertheless I told him to start sending stories and job applications wherever he could. He said that it is his dream and that he really wants it so bad. I told him that if he works hard and follows that dream it will come true, but I was not sure how much I believed the words coming from my mouth.
This encounter is something I really hope I never forget.

Above: Inside a classroom in the school close to Snake Park. Whoever gets the worst test results must wear a Bolton Wanderers jersey home.