First sale

Our second visit to a safari company to discuss business deals occurred on Tuesday of this week, as we trekked out to Massai Wanderings in the outskirts of Arusha. This meant more wholesomely character-building experiences on dala dalas, with only a very vague idea of what to look for in a destination. Fun.

I don't have a driver's license – and I'm talking about a Canadian one. If there's any motivation for wanting to drive myself in the comfort of my own car, then Tanzania's dala dalas (Swahili for “sardine trap of unusual social encounters”) are most certainly it. I've been putting off getting my Canadian drivers license for, well, around six years now. A mixture of laziness and a lack of time and necessity, it's been a mild inconvenience for friends and family who, on the odd occasion, have to cart me around town or province.

Having spent the past month in the some of the most uncomfortable public transit vessels available on Earth, the thought of driving myself in a comparably luxurious hatchback in Canada looks very appealing to me now. Such an experience would be the polar opposite of the crampness of dala dalas, as well as the reckless driving skills often on display here substituting my own (presumably flawless) abilities.

But back to business. Following two dala dala trips and an on-foot trek past a garbage dump and into an obscure patch of Meru countryside, we found our way to the headquarters of Massai Wanderings. After a business pitch not dissimilar to Monday's trip to Access 2 Tanzania Safaris, we left the office with a successful trial deal – and 75,000 Tanzanian shillings in our pockets to hand over to Mama Machumba Crafts.

Finally, a month into my trip, we've got results. Sure, 75,000 Tsh is only around $50 CDN, but it's a damn sight higher amount than zero. If that amount grows to the regular 90,000 Tsh weekly (for 30 products at full price), then we'll really have achieved something significant. We've yet to hear back from Access 2 Tanzania, but we'll be able to sell them a trial pack too, if they're interested.

As an added bonus to keep the mamas busy in the future, Massai Wanderings' co-manager Donna also asked us if we could provide banana fibre lunchboxes for her safari business to use. Most safari companies tend to provide packed lunches to their clients when on the road, in order to maximise viewing times in the wildlife parks. On my safari last week, we were given our lunches in disposable, cardboard, non-descript, white lunchboxes. Massai Wanderings' idea, though, is to use a more permanent, aesthetically-pleasing solution. Which we would sell to them. I like how that sounds.

This would be a totally new project, of course, and as a one-off order it wouldn't provide a steady flow of income – as the banana fibre bracelets/coasters do – but it's another great way for the women to make money. For the time being, we'll concentrate on our original deal – selling gifts to the safari companies – but this lunchbox thing has a lot of potential too.

I feel like I've got more done in the last two days than I have in the past month. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come, rather than a mirage in the middle of desert.