You can’t get Tazmania’s currency (Tanzanian Shillings) here in UK - it’s another one of those restricted currencies, so visitors have to make do with the next best thing: US Dollars.
Current exchange rate is £1:1.54USD
I bought my $700 from the trusty Post Office for the sum of £472.98. So I was charged about a tenner, I think. I’m not entirely sure how much money I need, but the main outlay will be tipping the guides and porters. This is what’s recommended by the Adventure Co.:
- Head Guide ($25/day)
- Assistant Guide ($20/day)
- Cook ($15/day)
- Porter ($10/day)
They say expect $200 to be spent on tipping (depending on the size of your group), so that leaves me with $500 to blow in the wilderness.
Afterthoughts:
I came back with about $350. I lost track of how much we gave the porters in the end, but it was a very organised and civilized affair involving forms and calculators. Extra duties were compensated, and absences accounted. Adventure Co. make sure that all the staff are tipped fairly and evenly and give guidelines on how much.
With Bob being the senior among our group, I volunteered him to deliver the thank-you speech.
I still think it’s all a crazy-awkward business, is tipping.
I spent some money in a gift shop on the way back from Mweka - stuff for people back home. Sherril had a rant about one of the shop keepers trying to rip her off. There’s nothing you can buy in town that you can’t get at the airport - all of it is mass-manufactured and available all over the place.
Finally, ignore the touts. Don’t even bother talking to them - the fake friendliness gets old really quickly. You think they’re being nice, but they’re just after your money.