travel advice

for anyone who is interested in travelling to East Africa... i highly recommend going to Tanzania! it was definitely one of the best trips i've ever taken. if you do go, don't buy the footprint guide because it is really terrible. i dont think the author ever spent much time in tanzania, and a lot of the information she gives is completely inaccurate. you're much better off going with the lonely planet guide - it seems to offer better information, perhaps due to the fact that it was written by several authors rather than just one. another guide book, which i didn't have a chance to use but which sounds like it's very good is the bradt guide to tanzania.
if you are looking for a cheap place to stay in dar es salaam, check out the YWCA hostel. it is right in the center of dar and is really cheap - especially if you ask for the family room which has two beds but is only 8,000 shillings. breakfast is included! (nothing special - just the normal bread and butter, a slice of watermelon, and coffee/tea - but i grew quite fond of it). the only downside is that the main dala-dala stop is located right outside of the hostel so it is generally very loud at night. bring ear plugs! also the mosquito nets are not always in the best shape so bring ducktape.
whatever you do, don't miss going to zanzibar!! it is so beautiful and definitely worth the 2 hour ferry ride to get there. i think the best time to go is end of may because the peak season hasnt started yet and so the prices are still reasonable. you can get a banda for two directly on the beah for $25 per night (kendwa rocks is a really great place on the north beaches, and mt zion bungalows on the eastern coast). even though may is technically still the rainy season, it barely rained at all while we were there - the clouds came and went very quickly so we had lots of time for sunbathing and swimming.
if you are interested in hiking - the usambara mountains are really beautiful. it takes a while to get there by bus but if you have a few days i think it is worth the trip. unfortunately i didnt' have enough time to explore the area, but there are supposed to be really nice hiking trails between all of the villages around lushoto. there is also a cultural tourism bureau here that offers guides/tours of the area.