Thanks to Lynn at Tent with a View, I am able to post this and a new Saadani Photo Album. We are safe and happy but you probably will not hear from us again until maybe Amsterdam airport. Hakuna Matata
Saturday, February 25, 2012
First I want to say Happy Birthday to Mark and hope he and Darren have made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. We are rooting for you guys.
Right now, G & I are sitting inthe middle of nowhere overlooking the Indian Ocean in East Africa. But I will start from the beginning..
Got up, ate a small breakfast, packed up our stuff and met the van. It was a good time to be leaving Zanzibari. This morning all the tables were set - which means a full house - 22 folks up from 6. We liked it nice and cozy. The van was wasting no time getting to Stone Town airport. The ride that should have took an hour and a half took only about an hour. Great - more time waiting at the tiny airport. Our flight was supposed to leave at 11am. Well, 11 came and went. We heard them calling ZanAir to Dar es Salaam, ZanAir to Arusha, and then finally ZanAir to Saadani. Geoff and I were the only ones who responded to that call. Finally we are on board with the captain all set to go, when one of the crew notices that our bags are not on the plane. "just wait a minute till they get your bags" the captain said. Naturally, I pipe up "How do we know they are not on their way to Arusha?" "Um, good point - I will call. Well, my lady you are so right. Your luggage is on the Arusha plane. They are coming back now." "Coming back?" Apparently, the Arusha flight was on the runaway preparing for takeoff. They hailed them down and brought the plane back so that we could get our bags. Nuts!! Then the pilot says "In this heat you need your luggage, that would not have been good." REALLY?
Twenty minutes later we land at a tiny landing strip in the middle of Saadani National Park. Steve (he runs this end of Tent With a View with his wife Lynn) is there waiting patiently for us. I ask about the fly-camping and his opinion was that it is really too hot to be out there in the middle of the day - not a good time for it. So that settled that question. I am a bit disappointed though.On the up side, we have been assigned the honeymoon suite. No time for a game drive through the bush since the plane was so late. We take off for the lodge. A bumpy hour or so later we arrive. G & I are pretty weary by the time we reach the "mess". He has just about gotten over whatever he has and I might be getting it but not sure. It's not really stomach, just a big achy feeling. Since it was after one already, we chose to eat lunch and then go to our "tent". Ate and made conversation. Watched the other folks get back from safari. A group from England traveling like we did with OAT. They are on the elder side. In fact Steve built a platform to make it easier to get in and out of the Land Rover.
At last, Lynn escorted us to our home for the next 5 nights. It all the way down the beach at the very end of the line. We should be getting plenty of exercise just going to and from meals. Running water - no little man filling up the bag for the shower. All the bandas sit on stilts up in the mangroves with views of the sea. We also have a sunken bath tub to "honeymoon" in. It extends out from the tent and sits right in the mangroves. Will have to try that out when the water rises out back. Fortunately, the winds have kept up and there is a nice breeze going through.
Since my plan got shot, I have no idea what is in store for the next 5 days. I know tomorrow, we want to do nothing but maybe walk around a bit and explore. Almost time to get ready to trek down to the mess.
Next time...the Honeymooners
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Dinner was a wonderful 5 course affair with a private table set up with a nice breeze. Since we ate a half hour before everyone else - 7:30 instead of 8pm - we were the first to leave. Walked back on the beach under a beautiful starlit sky. One thing about eco-lodge is that there are no external lights at all. At night it is dark and quiet - well almost quiet - we still have the bush sounds of monkeys and birds. Not feeling at the top of my game, I fell asleep around 8:30. At 5am a huge storm came through - lots of rain and strong winds. G got up and closed some of the flaps on the windows and we settled back down to sleep again. The only damage to our banda was that the front door swelled up so much we can't close it. Hopefullly,
Steve can fix it this afternoon.
Didn't make it out of bed until around 9am. I am still out of sorts. Walked down to the mess - the first order of business was to order some ginger tea. The thermos arrived and it was the best tasting tea that I have had. Not taking any chances in the food department, we both just had papaya and toast. Steve left to get some new folks so Lynn sat and chatted with us for a while. We wanted to know what is included since we didn't get to fly-camp- which by the way, means camping in a pup tent with fly netting over it so the lions don't get you. Apparently, they don't know what to do with netting. Anyway, all our park fees and game drives are already paid for so we basically can do what we want without any more charges. I just have to feel up for the bumpy roads.
After breakfast, G got out the fly rod to try a flick in the creek - as the Aussie's say. Steve & Lynn are Aussies and he also loves to fish. We took a walk down to the creek by our banda. He flicked some but no success. Tide is too low. Walked back for another rest before lunch. Got down to the mess for lunch and met the new folks. A couple from France and a young couple from UK. Lunch was good but I just picked at it and ordered another thermos of tea. We made some tentative plans for a walk this afternoon - hopefully it will cool off, it is very humid now. We will also try to go on safari for sunrise tomorrow. I am thinking positive thoughts about my tummy.
We are back at the shack watching the tide come back in. Looked like the sun was going to come out but it has been cloudy for most of the day. Steve showed up to fix the door. From the sounds of things, we might be left with a toothpick when he is finished. It took about a half hour, but the door now closes - at least until it swells again. Nothing left to do now but put on our suits and head for the ocean. The water was warm yet still refreshing. Took a walk down the beach came and got ready for dinner. Met up with Steve at the lounge and the six of us are aiming for the 5am wake up to go out for safari tomorrow.
Next time... Saadani Safari
Monday, February 27, 2012
The walk back on the beach last night was a bit buggy due to the rains - no mosquitos but lots of other stuff. The air was very still and heavy. Around 4am the sky lit up with bright lightning all around us. Didn't look the rain was going to make it here, so we all gathered at 5ish for coffee before heading off. On our way down the beach to meet everyone atthe mess, we noticed that the waves were all lit up. Apparently, the rains had brought the phosporus plankton. What a sight.
We headed to the park with great intentions. However, the roads are deteriorating more and more every day it rains. We were 15 minutes or so into the trip when the rain started. We made it to the checkin station where there was shelter, and then the downpours came. It subsided in a while but by then there was no way the road was going to be good enough to travel. Turned the Land Rover back to base for breakfast. The plan now is lunch at 1pm and try to go out again at 3pm. It is now 9:30 and it is still raining. The only good news, is that it is a bit cooler with the rain. I will be surprised if we see the sun again for the rest of our duration. My tan is already peeling off - Ce la vie - knew the sun wasn't going to last forever. It is not in our karma! We are thankful that we had such good weather up until now. At least saw and did a lot before getting here to the rain. Now we can sit in our banda and watch the ocean. Till later..
Well what to do on an overcast muggy African morning? Take a bubble bath in the middle of the mangroves, what else!! The bubble bath was absolutely glorious. So much better than a pup tent in the bush. Had a honeymoon of a time and then went down to meet everyone for lunch. Headed out for safari at around 3 with Steve.
The skies cleared as we headed out to Saadani National Park. Not much was to be seen - I won't bore you with names (although G has written them all down in his diary) - but there were many beautiful birds, one strange hump billed duck. As for bigger stuff the most we saw were some water bucks. However, there was plenty of "evidence" that the elephants, cape buffalo, and giraffes were around somewhere - just not where we were. Steve did a fine demo on the dung beetle and the tree that produces cream of tartar. One great story was about the Whistling Thornication Tree. A tumor is created by ants feeding at the base of the thorns. When elephants go to eat the leaves, the ants crawl out to protect their nest. The elephant having developed a fear of the fire ant does his best to stay away so as not to get these creatures up his nose. Elephants are greatly afraid of fire ants and can smell them for miles. When the ants crawl inside the elephants trunk, the "ellie" goes nuts beating himself up by thrashing his trunk around to release the ants. Hard to imagine something so big being afraid of something so small.
In the end, we all had a fun time and was grateful to finally get out and see something. Didn't get back to camp till 7:30 or so - quickly hightailed out to our banda for a quick shower and then back to the mess for dinner.
We are just not back from dinner after a wonderful walk down the beach. The stars are back in full force and there a cool breeze. Dinner was absolutely fabulous tonight. (You can tell I am feeling sooo much better). There was a buffet with tradtional African food. Everything was so yummy. The 2 young kids from UK are leaving us tomorrow morning. The French couple and ourselves will be going on the river cruise to see some hippos and crocks and then do a game drive on the way back. Tomorrow's wakeup is at 5:30am. On that note I will say goodnight.
Next time.. Rolling Down the River
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Bright and early wake up for our river cruise and guess what? Yes, it is raining again. Of course, it waited till we were all at the lodge ready to go. A few gloomy faces, with Lynn trying her best to keep our spirits up. The plan is not to reconvene at around 8:30 and see what the weather is doing. Right now it looks worse rather than better, but things change quickly.
Got down to breakfast and everyone decided it was a go. We are just four now - the French couple and us. The UK kids left this morning. It turns out they were in Dhow Palace with us in Stone Town. We knew we recognized them. Back in the Land Rover with a new guide we slowly made our way towards the park. Of course, there was paperwork to do. While hanging around waiting for the red tape to be finished, we all were remarking on the heavy road equpment left outside. Steve was tellinng us the day before that it had been donated to help build the roads. It worked for about 18 months and then the bearings went. It has been sitting there ever since and will continue to do so as are so many other machines just rotting away unattended. The theory being, that since it was donated it is no one's real responsibility. Therefore, no one fixes anything. The Peace Corps gal we met in Usa River told us the same story not only about donations but also about volunteering. With all the help coming in, the locals feel that they don't have to do anything. They just wait for the next wave of volunteers and donations. They are not learning how to be self sufficient. It is complicated because lots of good people want to help but the system seems to be broken.
Finally back on the road to Wami River where we will board a river boat and scope out the hippos and crocks. Along the way, there was plenty of bird life to admire along with small villages and salt flats. Reached the dock around 11:30 and had great fun watching the hippos. Spotted a 2 day old baby with his mom, Some crocks going for the water. They are really hard to spot because they blend right in. Today also happens to be Jerry B.'s birthday. Did our little ceremony in the Wami River and hope that the hippos will protect him from the crocodiles! Ate our box lunch while watching the hippos splash and groan. After about an hour of this, it was back in the bus for a short game drive before heading back to camp. Finally, we came upon some very good looking giraffes, who didn't mind posing. Stayed for a while to enjoy the show. Also saw some more water bucks and of course, the birds. The giraffes certainly were the highlight and you can see the difference from the Serengeti species - these are lighter.
Camp is very quiet now. There are only the four of us left and the French couple leaves tomorrow. Don't know if anyone else is coming. The lodge was deserted when we got back. G & I walked up to the research center hoping to find Lynn but no luck. Came back to Venus (which is the name of our honeymoon banda), donned our suits, and headed for the ocean. Still low tide but was splashed around enough to cool off. Relaxing now and hoping for a good day tomorrow for our final hurrah! We will try to get in another bubble bath tonight after dinner. Hoping we don't have to wake up at 5am.
I am waiting for the bath to fill so I thought I would type this. Dinner was so awesome tonight. Steve and Lynn set up two private tables on the beach for us. The stars were all out, there was a cool breeze, and the setting could not have been more perfect. They also gave us a champagne split with dinner - which I held on to - going to enjoy it in the bubble tonight. This was Eric and Isabel's last night but we still have one more to go. Not sure they can top this one.
We get one more shot at safari tomorrow afternoon - no more early calls. Sweet dreams
Next time...The Last Safari
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Woke up finally to some sunshine. Just back from breakfast. Said adeiu to Eric & Isabel. Hoping we will meet again. They were talking about buying a holiday housee in Provence, France. Told them to let us know and we will help christen the place. Lynn gave us a tour of the kitchen and the outdoor cookbox they use for the oven. The food has been incredible, so they sure know how to use the thing.
We are the last guests here today which means we will get a private safari for our last shot at the bush. Hoping to see some elephants and maybe some buffalo or lions - good luck to us. Speaking of elephants, this property was once a coconut plantation and one thing elephants love is the sap and the vegetation on the tops of the palms. Apparently, Steve has one pesky little elephant or two that keeps knocking down his trees for a treat. They have going down at the rate of 6 per night. He has finally set up a patrol to stop try and stop the damage. Don't want any trees falling down on the bandas with guests inside.
Off to meet Lynn at the research center and hopefully get this posted along with the album. After lunch we safari till dinner. Tomorrow we will take the canoe out on the creek behind us and try to find the momma crock that lives there. Then we head to the airstrip for a 4pm flight to Dar es Salaam - wait 6 hour wait at their hot sticky airport until the KLM flight to Amsterdam - 3 hours in Amsterdam and then we head to Boston. If all goes well, we should land around 1:30pm or so on Friday. It will be one very, very long day.
Next time... The Road Home
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Lazy Daze
Well the inevitable happened, woke up to clouds and a few sprinkles here and there. Sun has been trying to make it out but can't seem to stay out. Probably just as well. My shoulders are still sunburned a bit and Geoff is not doing too well this morning. A slight tummy disorder that hopefully will clear up before we are back in the bush tomorrow night. We did talk to David and Tara (the owners) this morning - if G is still not up to snuff, we have a bungalow so we can stay at the lodge and not have to camp - which is sounding better to me all the time, especially since Tara said it is one of the nicer accommodations. So we will see how it all plays out.
There were lots of hugs and goodbye kisses last night, as we wished our new friends safe travels on the journey home. We will miss them. It may even prompt a trip to Kent, England one day. After the goodbyes were done, we made a couple of phone calls on our softphone from the computer. Talked a bit to Lucy, Aunt Barbara, and tried B&K (G's parents) but no luck there. We had called my brother, Jerry last week from Stone Town. It is always nice to hear voices from home when we are away for so long. It reminds me of when I used to go to camp for the summer. All is well with everybody, and they all enjoy reading the blog.
Lucy wanted to know more about the human side of things - what the people are like. Since I have the time, I will try to explain how I see things. After we left Usa River, it seemed the hustling began. We had such a great experience with the people in Usa that I was a bit disappointed. Whenever the jeep stopped, we were swarmed by kids selling all kinds of junk and sticking it in your face. On the road to Serengeti, you pass by lots of Maasai. There are many herding their cows and they will wave or smile, but you will also see many Maasai children along the road begging for food or money. I wanted to stop once, they absolutely break your heart. But Kiki said that if you give them money, they do not share it and the village doesn't benefit. So that is why we went to the Maasai village. There the proceeds go for the good of the whole. No interaction with locals except those working in the camp when in the Serengeti.
Stone Town was also full of usually young men hustling (1/4 to 1/3 of the country is under 25 mainly due to AIDS) - wanting to sell you tours, food, necklaces,etc. On occassion, you can get past the show and actually talk to these guys and they are very friendly and like to talk. But not wanting to be harrassed all the time, we mostly tried to avoid them. We were told if you want to get a guide, look for an older gentlemen. Actually, that is what happened when we finally found the restaurant we were looking for. The older men won't try to hustle you and are very interested in sharing their country with you. Out here in Nungwi on the beach, there are many guys trolling for tourists but there are also the ladies on the flats that we tried talking to yesterday, or the guys who fish for a living. Even if they don't speak good English they always say "Jambo, how are you?" Communication here is harder because English isn't as prevalent. As for the village, it was pretty quiet when we went through, everyone was busy and not paying too much attention to us.
One thing that sticks out the most on this island is the children. Education is very important and we passed by hundreds of school kids on the way up the island. The little ones are adorable and love waving and saying "Jambo" every time tourists pass through. You see them playing with the most amazing stuff. No Toys R Us here, so they make do with whatever is available and have a ball doing it. They are also not attached to Mom 24/7. They run free - whether it is down the road with traffic zipping by or down the beach through the minefields of sea urchins. There must be a great deal of trust. Something that seems to be lacking in our part of the world.
Unlike some other places, where the resorts are all off by themselves, in Zanzibar they are mixed in with the local culture. You see the differences the minute you leave the gate. Again as I said about Usa, some tourists are uncomfortable with this. I'm not so sure how the locals view it. Our taxi driver said that Zanzibar is doing better and better. Lots of jobs, health care, and with greater tourism, more prosperity. Not sure what we will encounter in Sadaani. I certainly believe that if you are going to be a tourist, it is good to get out and actually see the country you are in and not just hang out at the pool! You might as well go to Miami if that is what you want.
Speaking of the pool, the clouds are breaking up and our pool man is just about finished. Looks like its time to get out there and hit the chaise. Geoff woke up around 11:30ish and we headed for the sea urchin minefields. He was a bit woosy but managed to get out there anyway. Spotted some more starfish - mainly what we saw yesterday. Had a Jerry B. moment - he is now officially part of the Indian Ocean.
The honeymooners have gone and now there is a French family of four in the next villa. Time to be moving on. Don't know when my next posting will be - won't have wifi till Sadaani lodge - so it all depends on if we go camping or not. Till then..
One more thing - Tundra Girl wants to know what the "look" is. It is that look when you have had just too much vacation. You yearn for your own bed, pillow, and toilet. You walk around in that fog on your last day not looking forward to what is in store for the journey home - because you never know what will happen and how the airlines will somehow mess it up. That is the "look".
Next time... On to Sadaani
There were lots of hugs and goodbye kisses last night, as we wished our new friends safe travels on the journey home. We will miss them. It may even prompt a trip to Kent, England one day. After the goodbyes were done, we made a couple of phone calls on our softphone from the computer. Talked a bit to Lucy, Aunt Barbara, and tried B&K (G's parents) but no luck there. We had called my brother, Jerry last week from Stone Town. It is always nice to hear voices from home when we are away for so long. It reminds me of when I used to go to camp for the summer. All is well with everybody, and they all enjoy reading the blog.
Lucy wanted to know more about the human side of things - what the people are like. Since I have the time, I will try to explain how I see things. After we left Usa River, it seemed the hustling began. We had such a great experience with the people in Usa that I was a bit disappointed. Whenever the jeep stopped, we were swarmed by kids selling all kinds of junk and sticking it in your face. On the road to Serengeti, you pass by lots of Maasai. There are many herding their cows and they will wave or smile, but you will also see many Maasai children along the road begging for food or money. I wanted to stop once, they absolutely break your heart. But Kiki said that if you give them money, they do not share it and the village doesn't benefit. So that is why we went to the Maasai village. There the proceeds go for the good of the whole. No interaction with locals except those working in the camp when in the Serengeti.
Stone Town was also full of usually young men hustling (1/4 to 1/3 of the country is under 25 mainly due to AIDS) - wanting to sell you tours, food, necklaces,etc. On occassion, you can get past the show and actually talk to these guys and they are very friendly and like to talk. But not wanting to be harrassed all the time, we mostly tried to avoid them. We were told if you want to get a guide, look for an older gentlemen. Actually, that is what happened when we finally found the restaurant we were looking for. The older men won't try to hustle you and are very interested in sharing their country with you. Out here in Nungwi on the beach, there are many guys trolling for tourists but there are also the ladies on the flats that we tried talking to yesterday, or the guys who fish for a living. Even if they don't speak good English they always say "Jambo, how are you?" Communication here is harder because English isn't as prevalent. As for the village, it was pretty quiet when we went through, everyone was busy and not paying too much attention to us.
One thing that sticks out the most on this island is the children. Education is very important and we passed by hundreds of school kids on the way up the island. The little ones are adorable and love waving and saying "Jambo" every time tourists pass through. You see them playing with the most amazing stuff. No Toys R Us here, so they make do with whatever is available and have a ball doing it. They are also not attached to Mom 24/7. They run free - whether it is down the road with traffic zipping by or down the beach through the minefields of sea urchins. There must be a great deal of trust. Something that seems to be lacking in our part of the world.
Unlike some other places, where the resorts are all off by themselves, in Zanzibar they are mixed in with the local culture. You see the differences the minute you leave the gate. Again as I said about Usa, some tourists are uncomfortable with this. I'm not so sure how the locals view it. Our taxi driver said that Zanzibar is doing better and better. Lots of jobs, health care, and with greater tourism, more prosperity. Not sure what we will encounter in Sadaani. I certainly believe that if you are going to be a tourist, it is good to get out and actually see the country you are in and not just hang out at the pool! You might as well go to Miami if that is what you want.
Speaking of the pool, the clouds are breaking up and our pool man is just about finished. Looks like its time to get out there and hit the chaise. Geoff woke up around 11:30ish and we headed for the sea urchin minefields. He was a bit woosy but managed to get out there anyway. Spotted some more starfish - mainly what we saw yesterday. Had a Jerry B. moment - he is now officially part of the Indian Ocean.
The honeymooners have gone and now there is a French family of four in the next villa. Time to be moving on. Don't know when my next posting will be - won't have wifi till Sadaani lodge - so it all depends on if we go camping or not. Till then..
One more thing - Tundra Girl wants to know what the "look" is. It is that look when you have had just too much vacation. You yearn for your own bed, pillow, and toilet. You walk around in that fog on your last day not looking forward to what is in store for the journey home - because you never know what will happen and how the airlines will somehow mess it up. That is the "look".
Next time... On to Sadaani
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Out of Toothpaste
NOTE: New pics in Nungwi Pt 2 album
Just got back from tea time - 5pm and thought I would write a bit. The seas are roiling right now. The surf is pounding the lower rocks something fierce. It rained for a short while this morning which cooled things down a bit. The rain left but the winds have stayed. This made walking the beach to the village very bearable. We were in search of toothpaste. Having another week to go, we weren't sure if we were going to make it.
Zanzibar tip: They are a very modest people and mostly Muslim. When walking in the towns and villages, it is advised for women to cover their shoulders and most of the legs. So ladies bring your shawls, sarongs, kangas, whatever you want to call them, to cover yourself up. They pack well and come in handy.
We planned to head out after breakfast, but the sky looked like it was threatening again so we hung out by the stairs to the beach. Along came Karen and Tom, who are great fun and very positive people - not cynics like ourselves. They said they were walking to the turtle aquarium in the village. So we manned up and walked with them. The rain passed us by. We split up when we got to the aquarium - this, by the way, is a turtle rescue project. They protect the eggs and release them once a year on Feb. 20th - the day we arrived, so we just missed that event. Having seen our fill of turtles in the Galapagos, we skipped this attraction and headed for the village which consisted of 2 small stores and what looked like a bike repair shop. Got lucky and found the small tube of toothpaste for 500 Tshill = about 33 cents. Strolled around the hood and made our way back to the beach. Wanted to walk out on the flats to see the sealife, but my foot started acting up so we headed for the cafe at the aquarium where we met up with K & T again. They went back and we ordered some Zanzibar spiced tea. They actually grind up the spices and brew it from scratch. The tea comes out in a big thermos all for 2000 Tshill about $1.30. Drank our tea and rested the foot. Feeling a bit rejuvenated, we headed out to the flats making our way slowly to the hotel.
The majority of what you see out there are sea urchins. They are absolutely everywhere. When threatened, they make beautiful blue and red 5 pointed stars in the middle of their bodies. We tried to get a picture but the wind was blowing the water too hard plus we didn't have the underwater camera. We will try again tomorrow - hopefully the wind will be calmer. There are also several different kinds of starfish. Yesterday we saw the blue one today we saw and orange and a red one plus several small skinny ones trying to burrow into holes. As we approached our hotel, we met a pair of women who were tying seaweed on to string and replanting it into the sand to cultivate it for food. There were also woman digging out very small shellfish kind of like snaily. Stayed and watched for a while and then went up to the villa.
Made our lunch from the croissants from breakfast and energy bars. Also had some jerky that we brought from home - compliments of Pete and Sue. Of course, jumped into the pool. Sat in the pool and read my Kindle - a great Carl Haissen novel. John & Susan dropped by to inspect the mansion as we have been referring to it. Except for the young Turkish couple next door (who are obviously on their honeymoon), everyone else is up in the regular hotel rooms. They were quite impressed with our spread here. They all leave tomorrow at around 4:30am so tonight will be our last night together. You can tell they are ready to go home. They have the "look". We, however, have one more full day here and then we leave Saturday for yet another adventure. Right now it is off to dinner.
Next time...Lazy Daze
Just got back from tea time - 5pm and thought I would write a bit. The seas are roiling right now. The surf is pounding the lower rocks something fierce. It rained for a short while this morning which cooled things down a bit. The rain left but the winds have stayed. This made walking the beach to the village very bearable. We were in search of toothpaste. Having another week to go, we weren't sure if we were going to make it.
Zanzibar tip: They are a very modest people and mostly Muslim. When walking in the towns and villages, it is advised for women to cover their shoulders and most of the legs. So ladies bring your shawls, sarongs, kangas, whatever you want to call them, to cover yourself up. They pack well and come in handy.
The majority of what you see out there are sea urchins. They are absolutely everywhere. When threatened, they make beautiful blue and red 5 pointed stars in the middle of their bodies. We tried to get a picture but the wind was blowing the water too hard plus we didn't have the underwater camera. We will try again tomorrow - hopefully the wind will be calmer. There are also several different kinds of starfish. Yesterday we saw the blue one today we saw and orange and a red one plus several small skinny ones trying to burrow into holes. As we approached our hotel, we met a pair of women who were tying seaweed on to string and replanting it into the sand to cultivate it for food. There were also woman digging out very small shellfish kind of like snaily. Stayed and watched for a while and then went up to the villa.
Made our lunch from the croissants from breakfast and energy bars. Also had some jerky that we brought from home - compliments of Pete and Sue. Of course, jumped into the pool. Sat in the pool and read my Kindle - a great Carl Haissen novel. John & Susan dropped by to inspect the mansion as we have been referring to it. Except for the young Turkish couple next door (who are obviously on their honeymoon), everyone else is up in the regular hotel rooms. They were quite impressed with our spread here. They all leave tomorrow at around 4:30am so tonight will be our last night together. You can tell they are ready to go home. They have the "look". We, however, have one more full day here and then we leave Saturday for yet another adventure. Right now it is off to dinner.
Next time...Lazy Daze
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Mnemba Island
The boat finally showed up with 8 other people. Four from Paris, two from Finland, one from South Africa, and her friend from England. All very nice and we had a great time talking with all of them. It took us 2 hours to get to the island and the reef - mainly because of the low tide. On route, the captain caught a Dorado (mahi mahi) which I was convinced was going to be prepared somehow for our beach barbeque. Beautiful looking fish. Arrived at the reef and we all went splashing in. Well, frankly, we have seen much better. G & I were a bit disappointed because we had heard that this was special. Not so much. We all started to get cold and then the little stingy things came along. Hightailed it back to the boat. Lunch was announced - little time containers were passed around. Opened it up and guess what? RICE!! Susan & I looked at each other and cracked up. So much for our beach barbeque. Stopped at another reef after lunch. This was a bit better and G got a good shot of the blue starfish - my favorite. There were so many sea urchins and some were huge. When we had our fill, we were back on board and headed for shore. Watermelon and fresh coconut juice, directly from the coconuts, were passed around. Getting back was shorter since the tide was up.
On the way back, we started asking the other folks what they paid for this tour. We got $38 & $35 responses. The four of us agreed there was no way we would pay $65. We were dropped off first. Emma was nowhere in sight. John asked the guy that was there how much the trip was. $40 he said. Fine. We paid up and walked back to our hotel. We have no idea how this operation is run. Communication is not their strong suit. TIA (this is Africa)
Karen & Tom greeted us as we got back and told us that there was a Maasai show tonight before dinner. Not sure what that is about since we saw the real deal. In fact, the "guard" here is a Maasai - maybe it's his tribe coming to perform. Hope dinner isn't too late. The rice just didn't cut it for lunch. Really glad we didn't have to spend the whole $130 though - now I have no guilt getting that massage I've wanted to get.
Next time...Out of Toothpaste!!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Walking to the Village
Dinner was absolutely delicious and we found out that our dinner is included with our master grand villa so no worries on ordering one meal. Even though it was plenty of food. Fell asleep with a cool breeze and woke up in Paradise. No we have not changed rooms. In fact, we are thinking about renting out the top floor of our villa. The private pool is a very special treat.
There are only 3 other couples here and the place is very quiet which is great. After breakfast, we headed down the beach with John and Susan from Kent, England. You can walk the beach to the village at a leisure pace and it takes about 30 minutes or so. When we turn the bend, there are resorts lining the stretch. Most of them are huge with blaring music with the bass beat - and it is not even noon! We are definitely getting old. Never made it into the village, but stopped on the beach at the Waves for an iced coffee.
There are hundreds of dhows lining the flats waiting for the tide to come in and then they take their boats out. The women comb the flats in the low tide for mollusks and trap small fish and octopus. You can see them beating the octopus on the beach to tenderize them. Got back to the villa around noonish and basically did nothing but read, swim and lay around.
Ok, I have to admit something now that I have been in denial for about 3 days. I have a cold. It is a real pip. And, yes Diane, I am taking Zycam like crazy. So either it is not working, or I would be much, much sicker than I am. I have to say that if I have to have the sniffles, this is the place to do. Don't have to do much. Although we did arrange a snorkeling trip for tomorrow. I hope I feel somewhat better by then. They do not have much in the way of supplies at this hotel, so when I asked for a box of tissues, they handed me a package of napkins! At least they are the big ones.
Next time...Mnemba Island
There are only 3 other couples here and the place is very quiet which is great. After breakfast, we headed down the beach with John and Susan from Kent, England. You can walk the beach to the village at a leisure pace and it takes about 30 minutes or so. When we turn the bend, there are resorts lining the stretch. Most of them are huge with blaring music with the bass beat - and it is not even noon! We are definitely getting old. Never made it into the village, but stopped on the beach at the Waves for an iced coffee.
There are hundreds of dhows lining the flats waiting for the tide to come in and then they take their boats out. The women comb the flats in the low tide for mollusks and trap small fish and octopus. You can see them beating the octopus on the beach to tenderize them. Got back to the villa around noonish and basically did nothing but read, swim and lay around.
Ok, I have to admit something now that I have been in denial for about 3 days. I have a cold. It is a real pip. And, yes Diane, I am taking Zycam like crazy. So either it is not working, or I would be much, much sicker than I am. I have to say that if I have to have the sniffles, this is the place to do. Don't have to do much. Although we did arrange a snorkeling trip for tomorrow. I hope I feel somewhat better by then. They do not have much in the way of supplies at this hotel, so when I asked for a box of tissues, they handed me a package of napkins! At least they are the big ones.
Next time...Mnemba Island
Monday, February 20, 2012
Spice Tour to the BeachI
OK - I think we are back in business. The problem was not with Google Picasa but actually with photobucket which hosted the blog template. So we have changed the template and hopefully all is well. We'll see,
We have landed in Paradise. Our accommodations are amazing!! But let me start at the beginning of the day. As usual, woke up with morning prayers at 4:30am and then had to get back to sleep. We will not be missing that. Had a light breakfast, packed our stuff up and still had about an hour to kill. Decided to run out and get some small take home stuff that will fit in the suitcase. Abraham and Idi picked us up at exactly 10am and we were off to the spice farm. We learned an awful lot. I won't bore you with all of it but one of the coolest things is that the stuff that is in Vick's VapoRub comes from the root of the cinnamon tree. I found this very strange. Two very different scents. Also, they use a slice of the star fruit on the forehead to signify if a woman is signal or if a man is gay. Abraham was kind enough to demonstrate. They are very big in growing clove, and use it in their massage oil - which I am going to test out before we leave Paradise.
We had a fabulous lunch of traditional food. It was so much tastier than last night's dinner. I also asked for a taste of the local brew - which is illegal. Abraham was able to get some. I took one whiff and that was it. It is made from fruit but smelled like pure grain alcohol. So I gave my glass to the boys who totally enjoyed. It was back in the a/c van for an hour ride up to Nungwi, passing hundreds of school kids along the way and small villages.
The road to the Zanzibari Hotel is dusty and bumpy - what a change. You can get to the village either by the beach at low tide or a 15 minute walk down the road. We will try that tomorrow morning at low tide. Now to tell you about our cottage - it is huge. It is almost as big as our house -we have our own beach and pool. Lots of room to spread out and relax - heaven.
Waiting for dinner now - they are letting us split one meal - which is also good. Hope the food is good I expect it will be. I also expect to sleep very well tonight. Sweet dreams
Next time... Walking to the village
We had a fabulous lunch of traditional food. It was so much tastier than last night's dinner. I also asked for a taste of the local brew - which is illegal. Abraham was able to get some. I took one whiff and that was it. It is made from fruit but smelled like pure grain alcohol. So I gave my glass to the boys who totally enjoyed. It was back in the a/c van for an hour ride up to Nungwi, passing hundreds of school kids along the way and small villages.The road to the Zanzibari Hotel is dusty and bumpy - what a change. You can get to the village either by the beach at low tide or a 15 minute walk down the road. We will try that tomorrow morning at low tide. Now to tell you about our cottage - it is huge. It is almost as big as our house -we have our own beach and pool. Lots of room to spread out and relax - heaven.
Waiting for dinner now - they are letting us split one meal - which is also good. Hope the food is good I expect it will be. I also expect to sleep very well tonight. Sweet dreams
Next time... Walking to the village
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Night Time in Stone Town
NOTE: I have added a few shots from tonight's experience in the Stone Town album
Just got back from dinner at the rooftop of 236 Humurzi. Thought I would do a quick update before taking off for the beach tomorrow. If you ever decide to go to this restaurant, go for sunset and order drinks. The food was not worth the money. The music was fine and of course I danced a bit. The other people were interesting to talk to, but overall not really worth it. One thing that was cool, at sunset the Hindu Temple rang a series of bells and then the Mosques chimed in with their prayers through the loudspeakers. It is a very different atmosphere another experience to hold with us for along time.
We left the restaurant and walked through the park - all the foodies were still there. Got some shots of the food bizarre and also the playground which is very cool. They even have video games and tv's in there for the kids.
Sorry if my writings go on too long - as I like to say "Steve King disease". But there is so much to take in and I don't want to forget a second of it. I expect things should slow down somewhat, now that we are on our way to the beach. Hoping we do nothing more than snorkel and sit by the pool, maybe G will try to fish.. I appreciate those of you who read every word and look at every photo, but please do not feel compelled to. Editing is tough and as you probably can tell I do not even have time to proof read.
Hakuna Matata
Next time...The Spice Tour to Nungwi
We left the restaurant and walked through the park - all the foodies were still there. Got some shots of the food bizarre and also the playground which is very cool. They even have video games and tv's in there for the kids.
 |
| making sugar cane juice |
Sorry if my writings go on too long - as I like to say "Steve King disease". But there is so much to take in and I don't want to forget a second of it. I expect things should slow down somewhat, now that we are on our way to the beach. Hoping we do nothing more than snorkel and sit by the pool, maybe G will try to fish.. I appreciate those of you who read every word and look at every photo, but please do not feel compelled to. Editing is tough and as you probably can tell I do not even have time to proof read.
Hakuna Matata
Next time...The Spice Tour to Nungwi
Exploring Stone Town
Landed safely and got picked up by our Tent with a View guys in an air conditioned van. Wow that was different. We made plans to do the spice tour on Monday on our way up to the beach. They dropped us off at Dhow Palace in the middle of the old city not far from the ocean. Very old hotel that used to be some bigwigs house until the late 1900's. Free wifi - yippee. They schlepped our baggage up 3 flights of very steep stairs - no elevators in this town. Room was ok but between the great climb (you don't wantto forget anything) and not getting a wifi signal up there, it was time to change rooms. Nothing new for us. Marched downstairs and got a room on the ground floor in back. Although a bit smaller, there is more places for our bags and wifi (when working) is an excellent signal.
Rested a bit and uploaded all the pictures we weren't able to during safari. Took a shower and we were off to explore the nightlife of Stone Town. There are tour shops everywhere. Talked to a kid hanging out on the street from one of these and asked where to go for dinner. "Oh you go straight down take a right and go to Fodonhani Park lots of good cheap food." Thanked him very much and proceeded to find this restaurant. The restaurant turns out to be the park itself. It was filled with food vendors. Some get prettty aggressive in their selling techniques. We tried the shredded chicken they call schwarma in a gyro. It was out of this world. Probably go back for another one for lunch. Did I mention, this show goes on day and night. We tried the lobster and kingfish kabob with naan bread. OK but not as good as the chicken. We also tried the sugar cane juice. I would have expected this to be wicked sweet but it was wonderful. They split the can and stuff it with limes and ginger and then ring it through a press to get the juice. Tastes great. Now we are praying that we don't get sick - you never know about street food. I took some great shots of all this action but unfortunately, the camera card was in the computer and not the camera. It recorded internally in the camera but my tech guy brought the wrong usb cable - so I will try and get more shots tomorrow night but no promises.
Today we will explore the city with our trusty guide book and map - no guides. Also on the hunt for this la-di-dah restaurant at the rooftop of some hotel that overlooks the city.Supposed to be quite the place. Not sure if we will go or not.
Woke up to the sounds of the morning prayers streaming through the speakers throughout the city. Right now it is gettinng time for breakfast. later...
Breakfast was so-so. Got our stuff together and ventured out into the crowded, narrow, hot streets of Stone Town. Lots of huskters that we had to keep shooing off. Passed through some shopping stalls and bought a few things. Needless to say, Obama is a big hit here and he is on many a shirt. Ran into a South African film crew that was shooting the Souther African version of Master Chef. They will be selling their wares down at the food market tonight. We trapsed all over town looking for the famous rooftop restaurant. We did find the large market and the old slave market at Saint Monica's church. Stopped in for a bit of Sunday Mass. We headed back down to the ocean and it was definitely time for lunch. We were hoping that our chicken guy was going to be there, but no luck. Spotted umbrellas all the way down the beach and headed straight for them. It is not easy to get a beer in this town. Although there are other religions, Muslim seems to be predominant. Got to the restaurant, grabbed a table by the ocean, put my foot up, and was able to order a nice tall, cold Safari beer. Turns out the place is called Mercury's, named after Freddie Mercury of Queen. Who knew he grew up in Zanzibar and played in the park where we ate dinner last night. Ordered some African pizza, which was fine once we douced it with chili sauce. I also could not resist leaving without buying a "We will rock you" t-shirt. After lunch we were back on the rooftop hunt. By this point, we had been up and down a couple of rooftop restaurants and did not get excited about any of them. Asked about the 100th person where this place was and he was kind enough to take us there. Probably passed it 100 times during the day. 236 Humuniv was originally Emerson & Green until they split up. Green got the building and renamed the restaurant. The rooftop has an amazing view. We have booked a traditional dinner (on the floor - hope I can get up) with traditional music, for tonight. They are saying the prayers now - the loudspeaker needs some work - very squeaky! Anyway, we will head over to 236 (now that we know where it is) at around 6 for sunset.
Quite honestly, I don't think Stone Town is for everybody. I would think it would be something like the Casbah. It is very close, dirty, uneven streets, and HOT. But the people are very friendly and helpful and always willing to talk to you. Things look very exotic and with a middle eastern texture. Two nights is plenty of time to experience the sights and sounds of Stone Town.
Right now I am sitting pool side, getting ready to upload all of this. You will have to wait for the review of tonight's dinner. I plan on not being in any shape to be typing tonight!!
Next time...To the Beach
Rested a bit and uploaded all the pictures we weren't able to during safari. Took a shower and we were off to explore the nightlife of Stone Town. There are tour shops everywhere. Talked to a kid hanging out on the street from one of these and asked where to go for dinner. "Oh you go straight down take a right and go to Fodonhani Park lots of good cheap food." Thanked him very much and proceeded to find this restaurant. The restaurant turns out to be the park itself. It was filled with food vendors. Some get prettty aggressive in their selling techniques. We tried the shredded chicken they call schwarma in a gyro. It was out of this world. Probably go back for another one for lunch. Did I mention, this show goes on day and night. We tried the lobster and kingfish kabob with naan bread. OK but not as good as the chicken. We also tried the sugar cane juice. I would have expected this to be wicked sweet but it was wonderful. They split the can and stuff it with limes and ginger and then ring it through a press to get the juice. Tastes great. Now we are praying that we don't get sick - you never know about street food. I took some great shots of all this action but unfortunately, the camera card was in the computer and not the camera. It recorded internally in the camera but my tech guy brought the wrong usb cable - so I will try and get more shots tomorrow night but no promises.
Today we will explore the city with our trusty guide book and map - no guides. Also on the hunt for this la-di-dah restaurant at the rooftop of some hotel that overlooks the city.Supposed to be quite the place. Not sure if we will go or not.
Woke up to the sounds of the morning prayers streaming through the speakers throughout the city. Right now it is gettinng time for breakfast. later...
Breakfast was so-so. Got our stuff together and ventured out into the crowded, narrow, hot streets of Stone Town. Lots of huskters that we had to keep shooing off. Passed through some shopping stalls and bought a few things. Needless to say, Obama is a big hit here and he is on many a shirt. Ran into a South African film crew that was shooting the Souther African version of Master Chef. They will be selling their wares down at the food market tonight. We trapsed all over town looking for the famous rooftop restaurant. We did find the large market and the old slave market at Saint Monica's church. Stopped in for a bit of Sunday Mass. We headed back down to the ocean and it was definitely time for lunch. We were hoping that our chicken guy was going to be there, but no luck. Spotted umbrellas all the way down the beach and headed straight for them. It is not easy to get a beer in this town. Although there are other religions, Muslim seems to be predominant. Got to the restaurant, grabbed a table by the ocean, put my foot up, and was able to order a nice tall, cold Safari beer. Turns out the place is called Mercury's, named after Freddie Mercury of Queen. Who knew he grew up in Zanzibar and played in the park where we ate dinner last night. Ordered some African pizza, which was fine once we douced it with chili sauce. I also could not resist leaving without buying a "We will rock you" t-shirt. After lunch we were back on the rooftop hunt. By this point, we had been up and down a couple of rooftop restaurants and did not get excited about any of them. Asked about the 100th person where this place was and he was kind enough to take us there. Probably passed it 100 times during the day. 236 Humuniv was originally Emerson & Green until they split up. Green got the building and renamed the restaurant. The rooftop has an amazing view. We have booked a traditional dinner (on the floor - hope I can get up) with traditional music, for tonight. They are saying the prayers now - the loudspeaker needs some work - very squeaky! Anyway, we will head over to 236 (now that we know where it is) at around 6 for sunset.
Quite honestly, I don't think Stone Town is for everybody. I would think it would be something like the Casbah. It is very close, dirty, uneven streets, and HOT. But the people are very friendly and helpful and always willing to talk to you. Things look very exotic and with a middle eastern texture. Two nights is plenty of time to experience the sights and sounds of Stone Town.
Right now I am sitting pool side, getting ready to upload all of this. You will have to wait for the review of tonight's dinner. I plan on not being in any shape to be typing tonight!!
Next time...To the Beach
Saturday, February 18, 2012
5 Day Update: SERENGETI!!
We just landed in Zanzibar. We are happy and healthy. This is a 5 day catch-up. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Be sure to view the new photo albums. There are also a few more shots that I added in the Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater albums. I culled them when I was trying to conserve bandwidth.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Had another good dinner from Reggie last night. And we made it very clear that we weren't leaving because of their establishment. Quite the opposite, Country Lodge is very comfortable. Erika told us to go to their other property, Bourganvilla, which is next store - but we never made it. We were very happy where we were. After dinner we were able to upload some of the pictures and the blog post from their computer. They were very nice not to charge us since we were leaving a day earlier than planned. However, not wanting to take advantage of the situation, we only posted as much as we could without taking up too much time and bandwidth.
Packed up and had breakfast and met Kiki at 7:30. We are now sitting at the reception area for Ngorongoro National Park, where we had to register for yesterday's tour. Really glad we got here early yesterday. It is not around 8am and this place is a circus. Never seen so many land cruisers. So, while we wait for Kiki to get back, I thought I would take this time and just write a few more stories about yesterday.
International Ladies Room Humor: As I was coming out of the ladies room (we are still in the crater), a British woman asked "One hole?" "Three" I said,"plus toilet paper" British woman: "Oh, lovely!" Don't know why but I got a real giggle out of that - probably the accent.
Looking forward to getting on the road. We have Jerry B. with us this morning and I explained it all to Kiki. He knows a special spot in the Serengeti that would be a good place for our little ceremony. For those who do not know about Jerry B., he is a very good friend who passed away a few years ago and now we are spreading his ashes wherever we go. He always wanted to travel and now he finally is seeing the world.
Finally got all our papers in order and we were off on the bumpy road to the Serengeti. Along the way, we stopped at a Masai Village and took a tour of the Masai houses and how they live. We learned that they wear the red cloth when taking long walks, because the animals do not like red. They can have as many wives as they want as long as they have enough cows to buy them. The first marriage is arrangeed and thereafter it is 10 cows per wife. The women build their own houses and take care of the children, while the men hang out with their cows. Just before we were leaving, one Masai asked if we had a $20 bill for a wad of small bills - they have no pockets to carry money. Geoff did the exchange - one of the $2 bills had Happy Valentine's Day 1999 written all over it. What are the chances that we should receive that bill on Valentine's Day from a Masai no less!
In route we came across some sheep and a couple of camels. Although not wild, it was a bit bizarre to see a camel - I think it is an omen for the Israel trip. We ate lunch under a beautiful tree where a Masai family was resting. We shared out food with them. All was very peaceful until 3 more jeeps showed up and practically ran over the Masai. Then Kiki was having problems with the jeep. The terminals to the battery have been coming loose for the last couple of days. Well they finally said "Uncle". One of the other guides got his wrench out and helped him tighten them up. We were back on the road and made it to the ranger station. More paper work and this time a flat tire! Oy! It was not after 3pm and we were just starting our game drive. We did get lucky and spotted some lions, cheetahs, and the best of all was a leopard on a tree branch. Payback for the flat tire. Spotted more giraffes trying to find the tent site. It took a while but we managed to drive in at around 7pm. We were all bushed and very dusty. Told Kiki we would see him at dinner and talk about tomorrow.
Next time... Under African Skies
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
And that is where we sat after dinner -- under African skies. The stars were absolutely magnificent last night. When we had our fill of star gazing we crawled into bed and fell asleep listening to the lions roar. What a place! We met Kiki for breakfast and headed out around 8:30 for Seronera- the middle of Serengi- to see the migration. On the way, there was a pride of lions that was full from a fresh zebra kill. Probably the ones we heard at around 5am. Hung out with them for a bit and then headed for the migration. At the registration point, we ran into our photog friends from the Mount Meru Game Lodge and said hi. On the road, we ran into some elephants, tons of gazelles, and many more animals. Unfortunately, when we stopped for an elephant crossing, the jeep refused to start again. Had to get pushed to get it going again. Could not turn it off again for fear of it not starting.
We hit the migration and wow what a sight. We were amidst wildebeest, zebras, and elephants. Not to mention, right in the middle of all this sat Serengeti's Pride - a lion pride of about 16. An unbelieveable experience. The herds went on for miles. No way can my camera capture all of it. Breathtakingly awesome. Stopped for lunch at the tourist area and ate with the wife of a very famous wildlife photographer, who I will google when I get some internet. During lunch Kiki tried to get the jeep fixed but no luck. Well at least it still runs as long as we don't turn it off. After lunch we saw more lions and a pair of cheetahs taking a nap.
Headed back to camp around 5:45 down gazelle highway. These guys are crazy. There a hundreds of them along the side of the road and they run back and forth in front of the jeep for fun. There are also ostrich and every once in a while a giraffe. These roads are so bumpy, Kiki calls it African massage. Got back for a quick beer with Kiki and a shower. Sat around the campfire till dinner. More people tonight. Turns out Kazan Lodge is a Norweigan based company-which explains all the Scandinavian folks, both Swedes and Norwegians, we met at dinner. We are having a good time with them. There is also a young couple from Australia which we haven't met yet. We have one more night here and we are going to be sorry to leave.
Next time...Sunrise on the Serengeti
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Awoke before dawn, collected out breakfast boxes and met Kiki. Kiki drove us up to this ridge that overlooks the lake to see the sunrise. Didn't see the actual sun rising but we saw the sky turning magnificent colors. Figured, this was as good a time as any for the Jerry B. memorial spot. Dusted his ashed over the Serengeti at sunrise. I think he would be very happy about that. The first spottin was a cheetah in the high grass looking for prey. Our next find was a group of lions - 4 females, 2 baby cubs, and 4 juveniles. We stayed and watched for a while. Then while crossing the dry river bed, were 4 cheetahs. We followed them for a bit till it was time for breakfast. Drove for a bit because we had to park on a hill so we could start the jeep again. That done, we ate and rested. After breakfast, we went around Lake Ndutu - this is flamingo central. Also mixed in were cape teals and various other birds. Lake Masek (a salt lake) was up next. A wildebeest graveyard. When the wildebeests cross the lake they can get stuck in the mud and die. The carcass can get dragged up by hyenas - the bones can get washed ashore when the rains come. It was now coming on 11am and we headed back to camp. Resting now at our tent. Lunch at 1pm and our last game drive around 4ish. Till later...
We are resting comfortably in our tent after lunch listening to thunder in the background-not sure if the rain will make it here or not. G thinks it is going to miss us - we'll see. Talked with the Aussies a bit during the meal. Very nice young couple. While I have some time before before our game drive, I'll write about this luxury tenting experience. First of all, we happen to have the best tent in the place - even though it is number 13! It is situated at the end of the line, so nobody walks back and forth. It is nice and private. It is also huge compared to some of the other tents, which I think maybe older. The sink has running water, but every morning - at the time you request - they bring hot water and pour it in the canvas bags outside for washing and shaving. They will also bring you a thermos of hot water to make coffee/tea in your tent before either going out or going to breakfast. There is a very nice flushing toilet with a beautiful view. And when you want a shower, the guys boil water, climb a ladder and fill the tank. They keep the water coming as long as you want. Mealtime is camping style and we all sit together. The guides also eat with us and that was a lot of fun. You get to hear everyone else's stories. It is so peaceful to just sit and listen to all the animals. All in all, it is a much richer experience than being at a resort. We are extremely happy we chose this accommodation and even happier that we got our extra night. I recommend it highly.
Well, it finally rained but nothing to get too excited about. We have been pretty fortunate so far in that department. At 3:30 we headed out again for our last horrah. Spotted the occasstional lion, zebra, gazelle - these have all now become ho hum. Doesn't take long too get spoiled. Told Kiki I wanted to leave the Serengeti with a grand finale. Nothing happened until around 5ish we saw a bunch of jeeps huddled around a tree watching a sleeping leopard. Since you have to leave the park at 6ish anyway, we all figured there was nowhere better to go - so everyone stayed and watched the cat stretch, roll, dream, in the hopes that maybe he'll get up. Our wishes were granted when he rose with a growl and started prowling around. He flushed a dyk dyk out of the bushes and set chase for a while. Our camera could not catch the action but it was something to see. Fortunately for the dyk dyk, he managed to escape the leopard for now. So the big guy looked around for a while and finally laid back down. Somehow the jeep started on its own without a push, so we could follow the leopard in route. We got the grand finale we wanted. It was 7pm by the time we got back at camp and had to have a quick shower to make it to dinner by 7:30ish. Talked some more with the young couple. Everyone is going to Zanzibar, so I am pretty sure we will run into folks while we are there. It is so nice not traveling with a group, but instead, meeting folks as we go. Spend a day or two together and then move on. It's always interesting.
Back in the tent and pack. The lions are roaring something fierce. They sound way too close this evening. I sure hope they found dinner. We go back to Country Lodge through the Ngorongoro National Park. Maybe we will some more wildlife. But as it is, we are very happy with our safari, accommodations, and our fantastic guide.
Next time.. Back to Karatu
Friday, February 17, 2012
A leisure breakfast this morning. Had a great talk with Daniel and Alyson, the Aussies living in London. Finally got on the bumpy road back to Karatu by around 9ish. Stopped at Ngorongoro Crater gate for a break and photo op. Met up with another Serengeti Pride jeep. Talked with the guys, Mark and Darren, who are on their way to climb Kiliminjaro. Took some photos and we were off to Country Lodge. Arrived about 12:30. Reggie was at the desk and we talked about dinner. I asked if we could eat next door to their other lodge, Bougainvillea, a bit more up scale than this one. The guys we met this afternoon were there so we asked if we could join them. It turned out to be a good thing because this lodge has been invaded by about 50 teenagers on holiday. We were able to get a swim and a rest in by the pool before the invasion but it got to be too much after a while. We met Kiki for a drink before dinner at the Bougainvillea lodge next door and set up a time to leave to for Arusha airport tomorrow. We have a 2pm flight to Zanzibar. Also shared some of the pictures from the safari and also of home. It would be nice if Kiki could come to the States one of these days, but getting visas is very tough.
Said goodnight to Kiki and met up with Mark and Darren for dinner. They are from Vancouver. Mark has planned this trip so that he summits the mountain on his 40th birthday. Darren is his support team. They make quite a pair. Mark has invested in every kind of equipment - boots, layers of clothing, all sorts of hiking stuff. We asked Darren what he's got "I'm going up in Berkinstocks and shorts." The one thing Mark doesn't have is an extra battery for his camera. He'll be standing at the summit taking pictures with his cell phone. They will be hiking up with one other woman who is traveling alone. Hopefully, she thought of an extra battery. We had a great time talking with them and maybe one day we wil all meet again. Dinner was excellent. Reggie made the fish dinner he promised us when we left a few days ago. The boys ordered some traditional African food so between the two it was all delicious. We finally said goodnight around 10pm - wished them luck going to the summit. I hope they let us know how they did.
Back in the room and the kids are still at it around the pool. Hope somebody shuts them down soon, its almost 11pm. Good thing we don't have to get up too early. I do give them credit for one thing. I left or dropped by Kindle by the chaise this afternoon and didn't discover it was missing until we got back from dinner. Geoff went out and found it lying one of the chaises - not the one I was on. So nobody took scarfed it up. I am very thankful for that. I have grown very found of my Kindle and would definitely be bummed if it got stolen or lost.
I hope to have wifi in Zanzibar. I have an awful lot to upload. Sweet dreams all
Next time.. The Road to Zanzibar
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Taking it very easy this morning - don't have to leave till 10am, which is a real luxury for us so far. The kids finally quited down at the stroke of 11. The chaperone must have plugged the plug because all was silent. Had a great sleep and we are raring to go.
Safari Tips
Before we move on to our next adventure thought this would be a good time to share some of our safari tips if you are ever planning on going.
Got to go to breakfast and hit the road - it just got later than I thought. So late that the whole lodge had cleared out by the time we got to the restaurant. We were greeted with a quite table for two outside on the patio. The buffet was closed up, so we got treated to table service. We ate and relaxed while enjoying the great view. Reggie stopped by and we talked for a while. Took his picture and told him he was going into the travel blog. Not sure he knew what that was. Told us to say hi to Erika. He also gave us some pointers of where to go in Zanzibar. Kiki came to get us at exactly 10am and the guys came out to give the jeep one last push. Got to the Arusha Airport in plenty of time. It is quite small and it seemed pretty efficient. In fact, we left 45 minutes early. Hope our pick up guy will be there when we land. We are now flying highover Tanzania in a 12 person small plane on our way Zanzibar.
One more thing to say before the next phase of our journey begins. We would like to thank Erika for making this happen. A special thanks to Kiki for being a fabulous guide. Our appreciation for Bertha in the office, who, we know works very hard. A thank you to Marc and staff at Mount Meru Game Lodge, Reggie and his group at County Lodge, the whole crew at Kensan Luxury Tents. Management and staff alike have all been great. All the people we met along the way, both local and tourists, were extremely friendly and interesting. We thank the weather gods for bright blue skies during the day and beautiful starfilled skies at night. A nice change of pace from our most recent trips of rain and cool temps. It is very special to have great accommodations for a whole stay. Serentegit Pride Safaris has a alot to be proud of. I hope our luck holds out for the rest of our trip.
Arrived at the airport around 12:30. Said our goodbyes to Kiki with big hugs and kisses. Promised to email and keep in touch. Check in went very smooth and I am now writing from a small 12 person plane on the way to Zanzibar. Who would have ever thought?!! The scenery is beautiful and we are very excited about seeing the ocean again after being in the bush for so long. Happy landings.
Hakuna Matata!
Next time .. Exploring Stone Town
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Had another good dinner from Reggie last night. And we made it very clear that we weren't leaving because of their establishment. Quite the opposite, Country Lodge is very comfortable. Erika told us to go to their other property, Bourganvilla, which is next store - but we never made it. We were very happy where we were. After dinner we were able to upload some of the pictures and the blog post from their computer. They were very nice not to charge us since we were leaving a day earlier than planned. However, not wanting to take advantage of the situation, we only posted as much as we could without taking up too much time and bandwidth.
Packed up and had breakfast and met Kiki at 7:30. We are now sitting at the reception area for Ngorongoro National Park, where we had to register for yesterday's tour. Really glad we got here early yesterday. It is not around 8am and this place is a circus. Never seen so many land cruisers. So, while we wait for Kiki to get back, I thought I would take this time and just write a few more stories about yesterday.
International Ladies Room Humor: As I was coming out of the ladies room (we are still in the crater), a British woman asked "One hole?" "Three" I said,"plus toilet paper" British woman: "Oh, lovely!" Don't know why but I got a real giggle out of that - probably the accent.
Looking forward to getting on the road. We have Jerry B. with us this morning and I explained it all to Kiki. He knows a special spot in the Serengeti that would be a good place for our little ceremony. For those who do not know about Jerry B., he is a very good friend who passed away a few years ago and now we are spreading his ashes wherever we go. He always wanted to travel and now he finally is seeing the world.
Finally got all our papers in order and we were off on the bumpy road to the Serengeti. Along the way, we stopped at a Masai Village and took a tour of the Masai houses and how they live. We learned that they wear the red cloth when taking long walks, because the animals do not like red. They can have as many wives as they want as long as they have enough cows to buy them. The first marriage is arrangeed and thereafter it is 10 cows per wife. The women build their own houses and take care of the children, while the men hang out with their cows. Just before we were leaving, one Masai asked if we had a $20 bill for a wad of small bills - they have no pockets to carry money. Geoff did the exchange - one of the $2 bills had Happy Valentine's Day 1999 written all over it. What are the chances that we should receive that bill on Valentine's Day from a Masai no less!
In route we came across some sheep and a couple of camels. Although not wild, it was a bit bizarre to see a camel - I think it is an omen for the Israel trip. We ate lunch under a beautiful tree where a Masai family was resting. We shared out food with them. All was very peaceful until 3 more jeeps showed up and practically ran over the Masai. Then Kiki was having problems with the jeep. The terminals to the battery have been coming loose for the last couple of days. Well they finally said "Uncle". One of the other guides got his wrench out and helped him tighten them up. We were back on the road and made it to the ranger station. More paper work and this time a flat tire! Oy! It was not after 3pm and we were just starting our game drive. We did get lucky and spotted some lions, cheetahs, and the best of all was a leopard on a tree branch. Payback for the flat tire. Spotted more giraffes trying to find the tent site. It took a while but we managed to drive in at around 7pm. We were all bushed and very dusty. Told Kiki we would see him at dinner and talk about tomorrow.
Next time... Under African Skies
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
And that is where we sat after dinner -- under African skies. The stars were absolutely magnificent last night. When we had our fill of star gazing we crawled into bed and fell asleep listening to the lions roar. What a place! We met Kiki for breakfast and headed out around 8:30 for Seronera- the middle of Serengi- to see the migration. On the way, there was a pride of lions that was full from a fresh zebra kill. Probably the ones we heard at around 5am. Hung out with them for a bit and then headed for the migration. At the registration point, we ran into our photog friends from the Mount Meru Game Lodge and said hi. On the road, we ran into some elephants, tons of gazelles, and many more animals. Unfortunately, when we stopped for an elephant crossing, the jeep refused to start again. Had to get pushed to get it going again. Could not turn it off again for fear of it not starting.
We hit the migration and wow what a sight. We were amidst wildebeest, zebras, and elephants. Not to mention, right in the middle of all this sat Serengeti's Pride - a lion pride of about 16. An unbelieveable experience. The herds went on for miles. No way can my camera capture all of it. Breathtakingly awesome. Stopped for lunch at the tourist area and ate with the wife of a very famous wildlife photographer, who I will google when I get some internet. During lunch Kiki tried to get the jeep fixed but no luck. Well at least it still runs as long as we don't turn it off. After lunch we saw more lions and a pair of cheetahs taking a nap.
 |
| Serengeti's Pride |
Headed back to camp around 5:45 down gazelle highway. These guys are crazy. There a hundreds of them along the side of the road and they run back and forth in front of the jeep for fun. There are also ostrich and every once in a while a giraffe. These roads are so bumpy, Kiki calls it African massage. Got back for a quick beer with Kiki and a shower. Sat around the campfire till dinner. More people tonight. Turns out Kazan Lodge is a Norweigan based company-which explains all the Scandinavian folks, both Swedes and Norwegians, we met at dinner. We are having a good time with them. There is also a young couple from Australia which we haven't met yet. We have one more night here and we are going to be sorry to leave.
Next time...Sunrise on the Serengeti
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Awoke before dawn, collected out breakfast boxes and met Kiki. Kiki drove us up to this ridge that overlooks the lake to see the sunrise. Didn't see the actual sun rising but we saw the sky turning magnificent colors. Figured, this was as good a time as any for the Jerry B. memorial spot. Dusted his ashed over the Serengeti at sunrise. I think he would be very happy about that. The first spottin was a cheetah in the high grass looking for prey. Our next find was a group of lions - 4 females, 2 baby cubs, and 4 juveniles. We stayed and watched for a while. Then while crossing the dry river bed, were 4 cheetahs. We followed them for a bit till it was time for breakfast. Drove for a bit because we had to park on a hill so we could start the jeep again. That done, we ate and rested. After breakfast, we went around Lake Ndutu - this is flamingo central. Also mixed in were cape teals and various other birds. Lake Masek (a salt lake) was up next. A wildebeest graveyard. When the wildebeests cross the lake they can get stuck in the mud and die. The carcass can get dragged up by hyenas - the bones can get washed ashore when the rains come. It was now coming on 11am and we headed back to camp. Resting now at our tent. Lunch at 1pm and our last game drive around 4ish. Till later...
We are resting comfortably in our tent after lunch listening to thunder in the background-not sure if the rain will make it here or not. G thinks it is going to miss us - we'll see. Talked with the Aussies a bit during the meal. Very nice young couple. While I have some time before before our game drive, I'll write about this luxury tenting experience. First of all, we happen to have the best tent in the place - even though it is number 13! It is situated at the end of the line, so nobody walks back and forth. It is nice and private. It is also huge compared to some of the other tents, which I think maybe older. The sink has running water, but every morning - at the time you request - they bring hot water and pour it in the canvas bags outside for washing and shaving. They will also bring you a thermos of hot water to make coffee/tea in your tent before either going out or going to breakfast. There is a very nice flushing toilet with a beautiful view. And when you want a shower, the guys boil water, climb a ladder and fill the tank. They keep the water coming as long as you want. Mealtime is camping style and we all sit together. The guides also eat with us and that was a lot of fun. You get to hear everyone else's stories. It is so peaceful to just sit and listen to all the animals. All in all, it is a much richer experience than being at a resort. We are extremely happy we chose this accommodation and even happier that we got our extra night. I recommend it highly.
Back in the tent and pack. The lions are roaring something fierce. They sound way too close this evening. I sure hope they found dinner. We go back to Country Lodge through the Ngorongoro National Park. Maybe we will some more wildlife. But as it is, we are very happy with our safari, accommodations, and our fantastic guide.
Next time.. Back to Karatu
Friday, February 17, 2012
A leisure breakfast this morning. Had a great talk with Daniel and Alyson, the Aussies living in London. Finally got on the bumpy road back to Karatu by around 9ish. Stopped at Ngorongoro Crater gate for a break and photo op. Met up with another Serengeti Pride jeep. Talked with the guys, Mark and Darren, who are on their way to climb Kiliminjaro. Took some photos and we were off to Country Lodge. Arrived about 12:30. Reggie was at the desk and we talked about dinner. I asked if we could eat next door to their other lodge, Bougainvillea, a bit more up scale than this one. The guys we met this afternoon were there so we asked if we could join them. It turned out to be a good thing because this lodge has been invaded by about 50 teenagers on holiday. We were able to get a swim and a rest in by the pool before the invasion but it got to be too much after a while. We met Kiki for a drink before dinner at the Bougainvillea lodge next door and set up a time to leave to for Arusha airport tomorrow. We have a 2pm flight to Zanzibar. Also shared some of the pictures from the safari and also of home. It would be nice if Kiki could come to the States one of these days, but getting visas is very tough.
Said goodnight to Kiki and met up with Mark and Darren for dinner. They are from Vancouver. Mark has planned this trip so that he summits the mountain on his 40th birthday. Darren is his support team. They make quite a pair. Mark has invested in every kind of equipment - boots, layers of clothing, all sorts of hiking stuff. We asked Darren what he's got "I'm going up in Berkinstocks and shorts." The one thing Mark doesn't have is an extra battery for his camera. He'll be standing at the summit taking pictures with his cell phone. They will be hiking up with one other woman who is traveling alone. Hopefully, she thought of an extra battery. We had a great time talking with them and maybe one day we wil all meet again. Dinner was excellent. Reggie made the fish dinner he promised us when we left a few days ago. The boys ordered some traditional African food so between the two it was all delicious. We finally said goodnight around 10pm - wished them luck going to the summit. I hope they let us know how they did.
Back in the room and the kids are still at it around the pool. Hope somebody shuts them down soon, its almost 11pm. Good thing we don't have to get up too early. I do give them credit for one thing. I left or dropped by Kindle by the chaise this afternoon and didn't discover it was missing until we got back from dinner. Geoff went out and found it lying one of the chaises - not the one I was on. So nobody took scarfed it up. I am very thankful for that. I have grown very found of my Kindle and would definitely be bummed if it got stolen or lost.
I hope to have wifi in Zanzibar. I have an awful lot to upload. Sweet dreams all
Next time.. The Road to Zanzibar
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Taking it very easy this morning - don't have to leave till 10am, which is a real luxury for us so far. The kids finally quited down at the stroke of 11. The chaperone must have plugged the plug because all was silent. Had a great sleep and we are raring to go.
Safari Tips
Before we move on to our next adventure thought this would be a good time to share some of our safari tips if you are ever planning on going.
- Be prepared for dust, and I mean DUST
- Roads can be bumpy, and I mean BUMPY
- Invest in a case of 1 1/2 liter water - you will need every drop
- Instead of paying extra fora box lunch at the lodges, go to the supermarket and pick pbj. Saves money and is fine safari lunch fare.
- Early morning and late afternoon game drives are best - animals more active
- Have patience. You may wait a very long time watching an animal sleep, stretetch, dream, and roll over. But when they decide to get up, that is when the show begins and it makes the dust, bumpy roads, and waiting all worthwhile, because absolutely anything can happen.
- Have a good zoom camera. We are not photo professionals and did not want to lug around heavy equipment, so we invested in a good point and shoot with a pretty decent zoom. The Panasonic Lumix 16x zoom has worked well for us. The reaction time is fantastic - you see the shot immediately, there lots of controls and custom settings at you fingertips - no touching through electronic menus on a screen you can't see (especially at our age). The screen is pretty decent and has a very bright setting. There is a more expensive model that is the same camera only with GPS and Facebook features. Both of which we feel are a waste of time and only use up the battery - which we have to say has been great - although we did bring a back up battery. Also bring either an extra sd card or a thumb drive just in case you fill up. You take an incredible amount of shots just to get the "one". As far as i was concerned getting a picture was great, but the experience of just being there was greater.
- A good set of binoculars. We had two pairs. A small Pentax 10x24 and a larger pair Nikon 10x42 - a bit more bulkier but worth it.
- Make sure you have the right adapters and an extension cord helps
- Clothesline - you are forever washing the dust out of stuff - but things dry in an instant around here
- As for clothes: Convertible pants are the best. The mornings are cool when you start out and then when the sun gets high you can zip down to shorts. Wash and wear t's. I did not need the jacket, rain gear, or sweater but found that the light sweatshirt with a hood worked great for early morning and late evening - and for the occassional drizzle (which we were fortunate not to have too much of, the hood was fine) again if you do get wet you dry up in seconds. This is not to say do not take rain gear - you never know. I was very happy with my Keen sandals, even if my foot wasn't. They are protective and easy to clean - no socks to keep washing out. Actually, my foot only acted up a couple of times and I just sucked it up as usual. We didn't walk alot but you could be standing in the jeep for hours.
- The Jeep: you never know which kind of jeep you will get. Some have pop up covers, some have a canopy for shade, and some, like ours, just opens up and the sun comes blasting in. Better views when you stand, but it is hot. Plus be prepared for flat tires, dead batteries, etc. They take a beating.
- SUNBLOCK and if you are prone to sunburn bring a lightweight long sleeve shirt
- Insect Repllent - didnt' need it so far. Didn't see one mosquito - Don't know about Zanzibar
- Malaria Pills
- Visas - $100/pp when you enter the country.
- I advise the luxury tent camping whenever possible. But that's just us. Can't say enough good things about that experience.
- Money: exchange a couple of hundred when you land at the airport. Bring US dollars minted after 2001 and in mostly small denominations. You need small bills for tipping baggage handlers. Tips for the lodge staff are left in a communal box at the end of you stay. We are not shoppers and have not spent too much on more stuff to lug around, but you need lots of tip money and $$ for the occasional beer or two or three...
- And last but not least, you for the ladies, be prepared to "check the tires" and squat. Driving the bumpy roads to Serengeti, we were in the middle of nowhere and we had be driving for hours. I had one too many cups of coffee and expressed this to Kiki. "OK, I'll pull over and you can check the tires" Great - just have to hope a dust cloud doesn't get you when your pants are down. So, therefore, as with any excursion, ladies, carry lots of tissues.
Got to go to breakfast and hit the road - it just got later than I thought. So late that the whole lodge had cleared out by the time we got to the restaurant. We were greeted with a quite table for two outside on the patio. The buffet was closed up, so we got treated to table service. We ate and relaxed while enjoying the great view. Reggie stopped by and we talked for a while. Took his picture and told him he was going into the travel blog. Not sure he knew what that was. Told us to say hi to Erika. He also gave us some pointers of where to go in Zanzibar. Kiki came to get us at exactly 10am and the guys came out to give the jeep one last push. Got to the Arusha Airport in plenty of time. It is quite small and it seemed pretty efficient. In fact, we left 45 minutes early. Hope our pick up guy will be there when we land. We are now flying highover Tanzania in a 12 person small plane on our way Zanzibar.
One more thing to say before the next phase of our journey begins. We would like to thank Erika for making this happen. A special thanks to Kiki for being a fabulous guide. Our appreciation for Bertha in the office, who, we know works very hard. A thank you to Marc and staff at Mount Meru Game Lodge, Reggie and his group at County Lodge, the whole crew at Kensan Luxury Tents. Management and staff alike have all been great. All the people we met along the way, both local and tourists, were extremely friendly and interesting. We thank the weather gods for bright blue skies during the day and beautiful starfilled skies at night. A nice change of pace from our most recent trips of rain and cool temps. It is very special to have great accommodations for a whole stay. Serentegit Pride Safaris has a alot to be proud of. I hope our luck holds out for the rest of our trip.
Arrived at the airport around 12:30. Said our goodbyes to Kiki with big hugs and kisses. Promised to email and keep in touch. Check in went very smooth and I am now writing from a small 12 person plane on the way to Zanzibar. Who would have ever thought?!! The scenery is beautiful and we are very excited about seeing the ocean again after being in the bush for so long. Happy landings.
Hakuna Matata!
Next time .. Exploring Stone Town
Monday, February 13, 2012
Two Day Update: Game Drives
Sorry but I can't put any pictures in this text. Please go to photo albums - and this is just the tip of the iceburg- there are so many more great shots but we can't hog the internet all night!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Got wise last night and sat at the bar end of the patio so we could order off the bar menu - not only is it cheaper but you can eat earlier. After the traditional lunch we had at Mulala-which consisted of beef with sour tomato, green beans and carrots, boiled bananas and potatoes, and sticky porridge-it was good to just get a salad. Folks like to eat around 7:30 -8 around here. Having a hard time getting used to that.
Up dressed, packed, ate breakfast and met Kiki at 8am sharp. Piled all our crap in the jeep and we were only going on safari. We stopped in Arusha to pick up some water and food supplies for lunches. After being in Arusha, I am even happier that we spent our first nights at in Usa River. Mount Meru Lodge was so peaceful - not a tv in sight! We have been in some of the most remote places in the world and there is always some yahoo staring at a tv screen checking the stock ticker! Hate that.
I took a few pictures on the road. Some of the Masi traditioinal houses. Also came across some giraffes on the way to the park. So cool, these guys just hanging out by the side of the road. We arrived at Lake Manyara National Park around 11am. Did the quickie walk around the tourist info center. Saw a couple of large groups with there tour guides. So glad we are not in a pack. Kiki did his registration thing and then we got in the que to see what we could see. The majority of what we saw was baboons, also blue monkeys, impalas, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, lots of flamingoes in the distance around the Lake, and even some far off elephants. We did the best we could in the photography department. We are still learning the tricks of our new zoom camera. The heat was very intense and that spoiled a lot of the really far away shots. However, I think this park was a warm-up of things to come. There are no preditors here - so no big cats.
We stopped for our picnic lunch with everyone else at the picnic area around the lake. Made some pbj sandwiches, took some lake shots and off we were. Finished touring the area around 2pm and headed for the Country Lodge. Where I am now sitting and writing after a nice dip in the pool and a shower. We are listening to the thunder and the rain coming down. Hope it is just an afternoon shower. This room is very nice - tres big compared to the other lodge. As expected, dinner is at 7:30 - don't get a choice here.
We met with Kiki before dinner to set up a plan for the morning. Wake up call at 5:30, on the road by 6:30am.
Next time.... Ngorongoro Crater
Monday, February 13, 2012
All I can say is WOW what a magnificent place. It is absolutely majestic. Yesterday's game drive was really a warm-up act to this show. We have a list of animals we saw. We got down to the crater at around 9am and didn't leave till around 3pm. There is no explaining what we saw. You really just have to look at the photos. In fact, I removed some photos from yesterday's album, like the elephant, because today was so much more spectacular. I realize that a camera can do just so much, and we do not have the big fancy equipment. So it is what it is. If you want the real experience, you will just have to find a way to get here yourself!
One of things that Kiki told us was that the wildebeest travels with the zebras because the zebras see better than they do. So when the zebras start running, so do they! One highlight of the trip was when a lion came around the jeeps and took cover by the side of ours. The guys in the jeep next to us took a shot of us with the lion and hopefully they will email it to us. It was a nice exercise getting our card across to them. I have to say that I did not find the "traffic" in the crater to be bad at all. Everyone was really nice and accommodating to everyone else.
At one rest stop, we talked to a group from Israel. Very friendly, happy folks. I asked about traveling around their country alone and got a great response. Just rent a car at the Jerusalem and go! They said the driving was very easy and be sure and go to Petra. Best time of year, Passach (passover). Well that got the wheels turning for our next adventure.
Getting back to this trip - One of the nice things about traveling on our own is that we get to change (or try to change) the itinerary if we want. After having such a wonderful experience in Usa River Village and with the ladies of Mulala with their cheese production and coffee demonstration, we felt that going spending our free day in Karatu with another coffee & village tour may not be the best use of our time here. We came for safari. So after talking it over with Kiki we decided to try to leave Karatu a day early and try to book into the Kazan Luxury Tents a day earlier giving us a whole other day in the Serengeti. Fortunately, for us, we had a great team working on changes plans at the last minute. Between Lema in New York, Erika in Massachusetts, Bertha in Usa River, Kensan Luxury Tents office in Arusha, and Kiki with us down in Ngorongoro Crater, we managed to get our itinerary changed. Thank the technology gods for cell phones and credit cards. We owe a great deal of thanks to those mentioned to make this happen. Hugs and kisses all around! After what we experienced today, I can only image what the Serengeti hs in store for us. I am also looking forward to spending some time in a tent in the African open (although the swimming pool has been kinda nice).
Made it back to the lodge around 5ish and immediately jumped in the pool. We would also like to thank Country Lodge and Reggie for the great hospitality and food. We will pass this way again on the way back to the airport going to Zanzibar.
If I make this upload, it will be the last one till we get to Zanzibar.. see you there.
Next time ... Valentine's Day in the Serengeti
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Got wise last night and sat at the bar end of the patio so we could order off the bar menu - not only is it cheaper but you can eat earlier. After the traditional lunch we had at Mulala-which consisted of beef with sour tomato, green beans and carrots, boiled bananas and potatoes, and sticky porridge-it was good to just get a salad. Folks like to eat around 7:30 -8 around here. Having a hard time getting used to that.
Up dressed, packed, ate breakfast and met Kiki at 8am sharp. Piled all our crap in the jeep and we were only going on safari. We stopped in Arusha to pick up some water and food supplies for lunches. After being in Arusha, I am even happier that we spent our first nights at in Usa River. Mount Meru Lodge was so peaceful - not a tv in sight! We have been in some of the most remote places in the world and there is always some yahoo staring at a tv screen checking the stock ticker! Hate that.
I took a few pictures on the road. Some of the Masi traditioinal houses. Also came across some giraffes on the way to the park. So cool, these guys just hanging out by the side of the road. We arrived at Lake Manyara National Park around 11am. Did the quickie walk around the tourist info center. Saw a couple of large groups with there tour guides. So glad we are not in a pack. Kiki did his registration thing and then we got in the que to see what we could see. The majority of what we saw was baboons, also blue monkeys, impalas, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, lots of flamingoes in the distance around the Lake, and even some far off elephants. We did the best we could in the photography department. We are still learning the tricks of our new zoom camera. The heat was very intense and that spoiled a lot of the really far away shots. However, I think this park was a warm-up of things to come. There are no preditors here - so no big cats.
We stopped for our picnic lunch with everyone else at the picnic area around the lake. Made some pbj sandwiches, took some lake shots and off we were. Finished touring the area around 2pm and headed for the Country Lodge. Where I am now sitting and writing after a nice dip in the pool and a shower. We are listening to the thunder and the rain coming down. Hope it is just an afternoon shower. This room is very nice - tres big compared to the other lodge. As expected, dinner is at 7:30 - don't get a choice here.
We met with Kiki before dinner to set up a plan for the morning. Wake up call at 5:30, on the road by 6:30am.
Next time.... Ngorongoro Crater
Monday, February 13, 2012
All I can say is WOW what a magnificent place. It is absolutely majestic. Yesterday's game drive was really a warm-up act to this show. We have a list of animals we saw. We got down to the crater at around 9am and didn't leave till around 3pm. There is no explaining what we saw. You really just have to look at the photos. In fact, I removed some photos from yesterday's album, like the elephant, because today was so much more spectacular. I realize that a camera can do just so much, and we do not have the big fancy equipment. So it is what it is. If you want the real experience, you will just have to find a way to get here yourself!
One of things that Kiki told us was that the wildebeest travels with the zebras because the zebras see better than they do. So when the zebras start running, so do they! One highlight of the trip was when a lion came around the jeeps and took cover by the side of ours. The guys in the jeep next to us took a shot of us with the lion and hopefully they will email it to us. It was a nice exercise getting our card across to them. I have to say that I did not find the "traffic" in the crater to be bad at all. Everyone was really nice and accommodating to everyone else.
At one rest stop, we talked to a group from Israel. Very friendly, happy folks. I asked about traveling around their country alone and got a great response. Just rent a car at the Jerusalem and go! They said the driving was very easy and be sure and go to Petra. Best time of year, Passach (passover). Well that got the wheels turning for our next adventure.
Getting back to this trip - One of the nice things about traveling on our own is that we get to change (or try to change) the itinerary if we want. After having such a wonderful experience in Usa River Village and with the ladies of Mulala with their cheese production and coffee demonstration, we felt that going spending our free day in Karatu with another coffee & village tour may not be the best use of our time here. We came for safari. So after talking it over with Kiki we decided to try to leave Karatu a day early and try to book into the Kazan Luxury Tents a day earlier giving us a whole other day in the Serengeti. Fortunately, for us, we had a great team working on changes plans at the last minute. Between Lema in New York, Erika in Massachusetts, Bertha in Usa River, Kensan Luxury Tents office in Arusha, and Kiki with us down in Ngorongoro Crater, we managed to get our itinerary changed. Thank the technology gods for cell phones and credit cards. We owe a great deal of thanks to those mentioned to make this happen. Hugs and kisses all around! After what we experienced today, I can only image what the Serengeti hs in store for us. I am also looking forward to spending some time in a tent in the African open (although the swimming pool has been kinda nice).
Made it back to the lodge around 5ish and immediately jumped in the pool. We would also like to thank Country Lodge and Reggie for the great hospitality and food. We will pass this way again on the way back to the airport going to Zanzibar.
If I make this upload, it will be the last one till we get to Zanzibar.. see you there.
Next time ... Valentine's Day in the Serengeti
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Mulala Mama
NOTE: New Photo Album & Map Location
Before I begin about today's adventures, I would like to say some more about our walk through Usa River Village. I am sure that many tourists will only see the poverty. This is not unique to Usa or Africa or any other part of the world. Poverty is global. What is unique, however, is the character of the people we came across. All friendly, smiling, willing to stop and say hello (jambo). They even have their own handshake, which I just about got down pat. There were no begging children or hucksters coming out of shops and on the street. We hear that in Arusha, which is a bigger, almost a city, this may be different. But Usa River village is for the local people - we did not see any other tourists. Frank did tell us that a supermarket was going up on the main road - that will be for the tourists. When we talked with Moody from the orphanage, we learned that most of the children there are from parents who have died from AIDS. It is a heartbreaking situation. But it was really good to see that the village was taking care of its own. This was our first experience in an African village, so I do not know what others will be like. But if you have an opportunity to visit Usa River, please look beyond the dusty roads and into the eyes and soul of its people. We were fortunate to have taken advantage of this opportunity.
Now on to today. Woke up a bit groggy and made our way to breakfast. Ate lighter than yesterday but drank lots of coffee to get our eyes open. Guess we are still trying to adjust to the time. Met a guy from Cambridge, MA who was there with his niece who is in the Peace Corps in Rowanda. We chatted with them for a while. He told us to look up the Makahla Harrington room at the school in Karatu which was named after someone he went to school with in Ma. We will try not exactly sure what we are going to do in Karatu.
Kiki came at 8:30 and off we went to the Tangeru market, stopping along the way to pick up Bertha. She is Lema's (Erika's business partner) sister and also works for Serengeti Pride Safaris. The market was wild. It is most agriculture with a bit of flee market thrown in. We walked through the produce section since Bertha was shopping. We avoided the flee market - lots of shoes and lots of people. Good to get there early, my guess is it just gets busier. I took as many pictures as I felt I could get away with. Caused a bit of a riot with the bean ladies trying to get a shot of the beans - they didn't want any part of that. I wasn't even aiming for them either. The whole atmosphere is very colorful.
Back in the jeep and we dropped off Bertha and headed up to Mulala. Not sure where to begin this experience. We were warned that the road up was bumpy. Yes parts of it is very bumpy and extremely dusty. Once we arrived, we were greeted with the Mulala women in song and dance to welcome our arrival. Mulala Mama Anna gave us a very warm welcome. We enjoyed a very fine cup of local coffee which they process themselves. Pallangyo, who lives in a village near by, guided us on a 2 hour hike up and down the dusty road through the fields to view the vistas of the village. Spotted the very top of Kili and were probably fortunate to see that. Most of the time it is hidden by clouds. Learned alot about the medicinal plants - some of which are similar to what we experienced in the Amazon in Ecuador. P also explained about the Dracena plant that use to make the borders of their land. Nature's fencing - like we use hedges. After the hike, it was time for lunch. The ladies prepared a delicious traditional meal which we enjoyed. Then it was time for more singing and dancing. At this center, the ladies make cheese, coffee, and honey from stingless bees. P explained how they make cheese and then took us down to see a traditional style house. Very small teepee structure with a few tiny separate rooms a firepit and also room for the cow, so the neighbor doesn't steal her. Then came the coffee demonstration - from picking to shelling to roasting and grinding. Definitely not a push button operation. These women work extremely hard and sing and dance through the whole operation. P showed us the bee hives which are made out of logs. They are harvested twice a year. It was time to say goodbye and we gave Mama Anna our gift we brought from home - a tile magnet with a map of Sconticut Neck, Fairhaven so she can see where we live and some shells and seaglass from our beach. Mama Anna has never seen the beach. Lots of kissing and hugging and of course, more singing and dancing and we were back on the dusty trail. Kiki gave P a ride into Usa and Geoff gave him money for the Toyo (motorcycle taxi) to take back up to his village. Arrived back at Meru Game Lodge around 4pm. We were covered in dirt and dust from head to toe - stripped down and washed everything, including shoes, in the shower with us. We stringed our clothes line on the porch outside. I hope it dries by tomorrow. Oh, and the power is off. It has been going on and off since we arrived, but this is the longest it has been off. Hopefully it will come on soon so I can post this.
Tomorrow we finally leave for our first game drive. Very excited. Kiki comes at 8am - we will stop in Arusha for some provisions. So we will get a chance to see that town. I am very glad we chose to stay here - it has been a thoroughly wonderful experience. I have added our next map locations in case I don't get wifi for a while
Next time... Where the Wild Things Are
Before I begin about today's adventures, I would like to say some more about our walk through Usa River Village. I am sure that many tourists will only see the poverty. This is not unique to Usa or Africa or any other part of the world. Poverty is global. What is unique, however, is the character of the people we came across. All friendly, smiling, willing to stop and say hello (jambo). They even have their own handshake, which I just about got down pat. There were no begging children or hucksters coming out of shops and on the street. We hear that in Arusha, which is a bigger, almost a city, this may be different. But Usa River village is for the local people - we did not see any other tourists. Frank did tell us that a supermarket was going up on the main road - that will be for the tourists. When we talked with Moody from the orphanage, we learned that most of the children there are from parents who have died from AIDS. It is a heartbreaking situation. But it was really good to see that the village was taking care of its own. This was our first experience in an African village, so I do not know what others will be like. But if you have an opportunity to visit Usa River, please look beyond the dusty roads and into the eyes and soul of its people. We were fortunate to have taken advantage of this opportunity.
Now on to today. Woke up a bit groggy and made our way to breakfast. Ate lighter than yesterday but drank lots of coffee to get our eyes open. Guess we are still trying to adjust to the time. Met a guy from Cambridge, MA who was there with his niece who is in the Peace Corps in Rowanda. We chatted with them for a while. He told us to look up the Makahla Harrington room at the school in Karatu which was named after someone he went to school with in Ma. We will try not exactly sure what we are going to do in Karatu.
Back in the jeep and we dropped off Bertha and headed up to Mulala. Not sure where to begin this experience. We were warned that the road up was bumpy. Yes parts of it is very bumpy and extremely dusty. Once we arrived, we were greeted with the Mulala women in song and dance to welcome our arrival. Mulala Mama Anna gave us a very warm welcome. We enjoyed a very fine cup of local coffee which they process themselves. Pallangyo, who lives in a village near by, guided us on a 2 hour hike up and down the dusty road through the fields to view the vistas of the village. Spotted the very top of Kili and were probably fortunate to see that. Most of the time it is hidden by clouds. Learned alot about the medicinal plants - some of which are similar to what we experienced in the Amazon in Ecuador. P also explained about the Dracena plant that use to make the borders of their land. Nature's fencing - like we use hedges. After the hike, it was time for lunch. The ladies prepared a delicious traditional meal which we enjoyed. Then it was time for more singing and dancing. At this center, the ladies make cheese, coffee, and honey from stingless bees. P explained how they make cheese and then took us down to see a traditional style house. Very small teepee structure with a few tiny separate rooms a firepit and also room for the cow, so the neighbor doesn't steal her. Then came the coffee demonstration - from picking to shelling to roasting and grinding. Definitely not a push button operation. These women work extremely hard and sing and dance through the whole operation. P showed us the bee hives which are made out of logs. They are harvested twice a year. It was time to say goodbye and we gave Mama Anna our gift we brought from home - a tile magnet with a map of Sconticut Neck, Fairhaven so she can see where we live and some shells and seaglass from our beach. Mama Anna has never seen the beach. Lots of kissing and hugging and of course, more singing and dancing and we were back on the dusty trail. Kiki gave P a ride into Usa and Geoff gave him money for the Toyo (motorcycle taxi) to take back up to his village. Arrived back at Meru Game Lodge around 4pm. We were covered in dirt and dust from head to toe - stripped down and washed everything, including shoes, in the shower with us. We stringed our clothes line on the porch outside. I hope it dries by tomorrow. Oh, and the power is off. It has been going on and off since we arrived, but this is the longest it has been off. Hopefully it will come on soon so I can post this.Tomorrow we finally leave for our first game drive. Very excited. Kiki comes at 8am - we will stop in Arusha for some provisions. So we will get a chance to see that town. I am very glad we chose to stay here - it has been a thoroughly wonderful experience. I have added our next map locations in case I don't get wifi for a while
 |
| for Erika |
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Forest Tour?
NOTE: NEW photos in the Usa River Album
The forest tour turned out to be a Usa Village tour. Somewhere along the way, I misunderstood something. But no worries. We took a short nap and woke up in time to meet Frank, our local guide for the tour. Also spent some in the morning getting our room in shape - ie fixing the toilet (which was dripping all night) and procuring a fan. I have to say that the staff jumped at the ready whenever we requested something. The crack maintenance team fixing the toilet, no problem. A fan was brought to the room immedately after requesting it. Great service and we really appreciate it.
Frank showed up somewhere around the scheduled time and we all headed out down the dusty road. The whole tour took about an hour and a half. There are some pictures in the Usa Photo Album on left. The highlight was the orphanage. Those kids were absolutely adorable, friendly, and very well behaved. Moody, the administrator gave us then grand tour. We chatted for a while and gave him our card plus a donation. He promises to keep in touch.
Hiked back to the lodge and sat and watched the animals some more. Apparently the lodge keeps these guys well fed. There was more activity this afternoon around the watering hole. Relaxed for a bit and then headed to the room to shower. I am now sitting in the lounge waiting for dinner with a wonderful Kilimanjaro Brew - yum!
Tomorrow we go to the Tangere Market and the Mulala Women's Collective. I am excited about doing this but I am also anxious to get on the road for safari. We keep hearing all these stories and seeing everyone elses pictures.
Next time . .. Mulala Mama
 |
| Usa Village |
Hiked back to the lodge and sat and watched the animals some more. Apparently the lodge keeps these guys well fed. There was more activity this afternoon around the watering hole. Relaxed for a bit and then headed to the room to shower. I am now sitting in the lounge waiting for dinner with a wonderful Kilimanjaro Brew - yum!
 |
Next time . .. Mulala Mama
Can You See Kilimanjaro?
NOTE: I have started the Photo Albums in the left panel.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Well not yet, because we are sitting in the Amsterdam airport. It is about 8am here. We left Boston at 6:30pm. Got a good night's sleep last night and took care of all the last minute minutia before leaving for Cambridge. Deidre and the kids dropped us off at Logan. So far everything has been pretty smooth. Had great seats on the first flight and made friends with Sheila, our flight attendant. She gave us some Delta swag which they don't hand out anymore to the general population. Some of it might come in handy during the trip. This KLM flight leaves Amsterdam at 10:15am and arrives at around 8:30pm Tanzania time. We will be thoroughly exhausted by then.
Till later....
The KLM flight to Kiliminjaro was packed solid. Our two cozy seats in the back were just fine. They must have fed us five times. We watched the full moon rise just as we were coming into Kiliminjaro - absolutely beautiful. Since we were sitting in the very back of the plane, we thought it would be midnight by the time we got off. But to our great surprise, they opened the back door and we were the first ones off the plane and in line for our visas. I waited for the the luggage while Geoff went to exchange some money. He also ran into Kiki, who was there to pick us up. He will also be our guide for the next 10 days or so. We got out of the airport and on the road in record time. The weather is breezy and warm.
Settled into the Mount Meru Game Lodge. Showered and ventured out to see who and what was around. Not many people here. Met a few folks at the bar - also on private safaris. A couple from Ontario, two men on photo safaris - one from Israel (will have to talk to him some more) and the other from San Diego. Had a drink with them and then turned. in. Looking forward to a good night's sleep with some very strange sounds out there.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Slept until 9:00 and finally crawled out of bed to get some breakfast. This place is beautiful. Had a terrific view of zebras, ostrich, peacocks, and more. They also have an animal orphanage to help out the stranded and wounded animals. Danny showed us our first glimpse at the majestic Mt. Kiliminjaro. Everyone has been very nice and helpful. Met Mark and Mia the owners, lovely people. We are taking our time this morning -- getting our barrings and trying to get over our jet lag. This afternoon a walk through the forest.
Next time.... The forest tour
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Well not yet, because we are sitting in the Amsterdam airport. It is about 8am here. We left Boston at 6:30pm. Got a good night's sleep last night and took care of all the last minute minutia before leaving for Cambridge. Deidre and the kids dropped us off at Logan. So far everything has been pretty smooth. Had great seats on the first flight and made friends with Sheila, our flight attendant. She gave us some Delta swag which they don't hand out anymore to the general population. Some of it might come in handy during the trip. This KLM flight leaves Amsterdam at 10:15am and arrives at around 8:30pm Tanzania time. We will be thoroughly exhausted by then.
Till later....
Settled into the Mount Meru Game Lodge. Showered and ventured out to see who and what was around. Not many people here. Met a few folks at the bar - also on private safaris. A couple from Ontario, two men on photo safaris - one from Israel (will have to talk to him some more) and the other from San Diego. Had a drink with them and then turned. in. Looking forward to a good night's sleep with some very strange sounds out there.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Slept until 9:00 and finally crawled out of bed to get some breakfast. This place is beautiful. Had a terrific view of zebras, ostrich, peacocks, and more. They also have an animal orphanage to help out the stranded and wounded animals. Danny showed us our first glimpse at the majestic Mt. Kiliminjaro. Everyone has been very nice and helpful. Met Mark and Mia the owners, lovely people. We are taking our time this morning -- getting our barrings and trying to get over our jet lag. This afternoon a walk through the forest. |
| Our View at Breakfast |
Next time.... The forest tour
Monday, February 6, 2012
Bummer
Not much else to say about last night's game. Nobody ever really expected the Pats to get as far as they did this year, so give them credit for that. We here at Reservation Rd. did, however, have a good time up until the last quarter or so. We started our pre-game entertainment with a viewing of the Green Hornet which was pure fantasy, action, and fun to watch. There was lots of food and potables with phoning across the country to check in with Pat fans around the nation.
It may be sad, but in the big scheme of things it is, after-all, only a game and this too shall pass. Hate to say this, but "There's always next year". Seems to be a New England motto.
Meanwhile, the anticipation grows for our Countdown to Africa. I have added some more links in the Travel Links section on the left hand panel about our travel contacts and information and some of the places we will be staying.
Next time ... Can you see Kilimanjaro?
It may be sad, but in the big scheme of things it is, after-all, only a game and this too shall pass. Hate to say this, but "There's always next year". Seems to be a New England motto.
Meanwhile, the anticipation grows for our Countdown to Africa. I have added some more links in the Travel Links section on the left hand panel about our travel contacts and information and some of the places we will be staying.
Next time ... Can you see Kilimanjaro?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
For the Ladies
So for all you interested ladies, this is what I have packed. Three swimsuits: 2 tankinis - one heavier weight and one very, very light for the very hot days, and one bikini (no laughing) - I might be 60 put I am not dead - besides nobody our age can see anymore.
If you have looked at the temperature app on the left panel, you will notice that it shouldn't be cold too often. However, the Serengeti and Crater temps may vary, especially at night. I am leaving the fleece behind (which is what I usually take on the plane). Instead, I have replaced it with a lightweight water resistant jacket from EMS (I have had this for years) - I think this will be more practical than a bulky fleece. A lightweight sweater which I also wear on the plane over a collared lightweight short sleeved t-shirt - so I can shed layers as we travel. I wear all this with a pair of non-wrinkle EMS travel pants that roll up into capris. In the duffel, I have a long sleeve biking pullover and turtle neck, if the temps really dip. I also pack a bug-free button down long sleeve to wear over a t-shirt or by itself. In the event that we should go somewhere special (it will be Valentine's Day after all), I have a nicer long sleeve non-wrinkle jacket and a short sleeve cover. I have also packed 2 sundresses (that literally roll up in a ball with no wrinkles). The go-everywhere Marmot rain jacket (no rain pants this time) is always tossed in - in the hopes that it won't be needed - HA! The rest is shorts, tiny t's, and my traveling underwear from ExOfficio - which I absolutely love!! Washes and dries in no time flat.
To finish it all off there is, sunscreen, bug repellent, drugs for malaria, vitamins (individually wrapped in tiny zip lock bags for daily disbursal), first aid kt, and my trusty sun visor and I am all set.
So that's it - lots of choices for lots of options. Which doesn't count out that somewhere, sometime, I will not have the one thing I will absolutely need. It is inevitable.
Hope this helps anyone else who has had the packing dilemma. No matter how many times I do it, I feel like I am just doomed to agonize over it all. However, somehow I manage to make it out the door and onto the plane. After that - que sera sera - whatever will be will be.
Once again ... GO PATS!!
Next time... Superbowl Champs??
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