Bye Tanzania
So ends the trip. We are all glad to be leaving Stone Town. I could spend
another week on the beach, but most of us are happy to be going home.
As the flight was in the afternoon, the morning was spent on last-minute
shopping and photography. An easy end to the trip ahead of the long travel.
Addendum: Mercifully, the flights back went off without a hitch.
We even spent time in the proper Addis Ababa airport terminal, and it was a
much better experience. It is good to be back home.
Stone Town
Today starts a big, four day, Muslim festival. Everyone is running around in
traditional robes, and the streets are noticeably busier.
With more locals around, it is possible to make an observation about how
women are treated with less respect. I can walk in a straight line and
easily get where I'm going. Looking around my travel companions, Kelly, on
the other hand, bumps shoulders with the men as they go by. They seem to
harass her more when trying to sell their wares. If we are together and she
asks for directions, the answer sometimes comes my way. It is different than
what we're used to.
We went to see what remains of the slave trade. The Anglican Cathedral is
now built over the site, but they maintained a few of the "horror chambers"
where the slaves were kept. It was a little depressing to learn about, with
intentionally small rooms being stuffed with humans. The cathedral itself
was nice, but it was clear that stones get tossed at the windows every now
and then. The culture clash here is alive and kicking.
We had Ethiopian food for lunch. This was a first for many in our group.
It should be quite authentic, based on the proximity to that country. As
with all the meals we have been getting here, delicious.
The afternoon was whiled away going through shops and drinking at local
establishments. Many were closed for the holidays. There are many more
things to see in Stone Town, but the concensus is that it is not interesting
outside of the tourist areas. Or perhaps not inviting. The heat doesn't
help, it is very hot and humid.
It would seem a number of our group is eager to get out of here. I can
sympathize, though knowing we are flying out tomorrow tends to leave me with
the feeling there is never enough time to explore things fully. Sunset off
the coast of Stone Town can be quite dramatic.
Spice Tour and Hello Stone Town
The taxi trip to Stone Town was uneventful, though we had the driver couple
it with a stop for a spice tour. Like the Maasai village earlier in the
trip, the spice farm was definitely geared toward tourists. Nonetheless, our
tour was fun and informative. The guide was really nice, and showed us a
good sampling of the kinds of plants that grow on the island in larger
farms. Particularly standing out was the nutmeg nut, which is in a fruit and
has an internal red webbing that looks very alien. The other plant of
interest was the cinnamon tree, where it's the bark that had flavour, and it
is very delicious when fresh and moist. Roots of the cinnamon tree are used
by locals as a substitute for eucalyptus, and it really is very similar.
They made us leaf hats and fed us fruits, too.
Stone Town itself is a bit of a mixed bag. It has the potential to be
glorious with minimal effort in maintenance to the ancient buildings. The
metal-studded doorways, in particular, are really unique and very cool.
Unfortunately, most of them are rotting away. It is a curious contrast,
since all of the cars are constantly being washed and polished, meanwhile
their houses are in complete disarray. Utterly bizarre.
We ate lunch at a very authentic Indian restaurant called the Silk Route.
The butter chicken was delicious, and if there was more time, I would
definitely be back.
Our stay with the Clove Hotel is cheap but the venue has a kind of charm.
A rooftop terrace works very well, along with an honour system bar. It's
right in the center of the action, just a block from the coast line.
We went for a walk and ended up in a market where the locals shop. The
congestion and smells were a little too much, especially by the meat and
fish markets. There is something to be said for the modern supermarket.
Maybe it's not for everyone?
We had dinner at a night market. Street meat can be fun; it was nice to
try authentic shawarma and locally prepared lobster.
Scuba Diving with Sea Turtles
Another scuba day! This was a shorter dive to a closer reef. At first, this
reef seemed much less interesting, but then the stingrays and turtles
started popping up. We saw four of the latter in total. Beautiful creatures,
so graceful when they swim. There was also a large sea horse. I had seen one
of these in Cuba, but I always forget how strangely they move through the
water. Finally, we saw a fish with wings; it was the strangest fish I had
ever seen, and moved through the water like a bird flies in the air. So
bizarre!
The balance of the day was spent eating a great burger at the scuba
resort, then lazing away until dinner, a seafood barbecue at our own resort.
Amazing how the time went by, tomorrow will already be the transfer to Stone
Town. This part of the trip was so very enjoyable.
Zanzibar Scuba Diving
Scuba day! We took a Dhaw-style boat out to Mnemba Island and dove the reef
there. The first dive was a there-and-back trip along the reef, while the
second was a tidal drift dive. We saw everything we hoped to see except for
sea turtles. On board lunch was delicious and the two-deck setup made for
fun diving off the stern between the dives. This really is prime diving
territory.
On the way off the boat, I cut my foot on a sharp rock by the boat
anchorage. I decided to take a long walk to the other side of the island
along the beach. The idea was for the saltwater to clean our the wound. In
the end, it didn't, buy I learned how much more secluded our side of the
island beach was, and how much nicer our water was, too. This means that the
larger resorts, like the Hilton, actually have a much less appealing
seascape. Our Sazani is not only a deal, but really all around the best
choice.
Again, the rest of the afternoon was chill, and we went to a neighboring
resort for dinner. It's cool that you can do this, just walk off the beach
and explore the resorts. They are all very inviting.
The Real Vacation Begins in Zanzibar
First order of business: check out the scuba situation. Even in the morning,
it was too late to book for today, but a solid booking was made for tomorrow
to Mnemba Island.
With a free day ahead, we decided to walk along the beach to the
lighthouse. Moon was a slim crescent, and tide was high, so it was a fun, if
treacherous, walk, with waves crashing up on shore and crabs running all
over the place. This was fantastic.
We eventually happened upon the Dutch couple, Yona and Gwen's hotel, and
made plans with them. Their place had a shallow salt-water turtle pond, so
that provided a bit of amusement. They had sea turtles of all sizes.
The rest of the day we took it easy. This is, after all, vacation. We ate
out at a Rasta bar on the beach. This seemed very Jamaican to me, but
somehow fit.
Travel to Zanzibar
So much for unwinding.
We got up bright and early to make it to Kilimanjaro Airport for 08:00.
That's when we found out that our new flight did not successfully merge in
our old flight. The problem was that Fly540 had been bought out by Europe's
EasyJet, and all October flights had been suspended. They had apparently not
rebooked us properly on Precision Air, and for whatever reason, didn't
bother informing us until less than a day in advance.
There were eight of us in the Fly540 office hoping for a fix: our group
of four, a German newlywed couple, and a Dutch couple. To make a long story
short, the people on the ground at JRO didn't have the authority to rebook
the Precision Air flight, and couldn't get ahold of those who could on a
Sunday morning.
Our group was eventually confirmed for the four remaining seats on the
13:00 flight, but we could hear things getting very ugly as we ran away from
the Fly540 office to the security gate at 12:30.
Right before the plane left, the other two couples somehow managed to
make it onto the flight, much to everyone's surprise and applause. We
actually became good friends with the Dutch couple, Yona and Gwen, as we
shared a cab ride to neighboring resorts at the Northern tip of Zanzibar.
The first view of the beachscape through the Sazani Beach Hotel gates was
almost spiritual. From the colour of the water, to the fine warm, white
sand, it was perfect. When we jumped in the water, we were surprised just
how hot it was.
The dive shop was visible on the next resort over right from the beach,
but it was too late to arrange anything. Instead, we ordered drinks and
food, and had a great afternoon. The unwinding that got interrupted this
morning was finally taking place.
When the sun set, we made our way out of the hotel for a walk toward the
village. There really wasn't anything to see out there, but it made for a
good walk. With the lack of electricity and lights, it was amazing how well
the moonlight lit up the entire trip.
Kilimanjaro Day Seven, The Last Little Bit
Slept like a baby. The morning wake up and breakfast routine was not
unusual, but a little sad in knowing that it was the last one. We will miss
the amazing skills of our team to keep us comfortable.
After a three hour hike that became progressively easier, we got to the
Mweka Gate, just over 2000m. There was one final view along the way of the
mountain; it is notoriously hard to spot from the towns.
Here, it was time to say goodbye to our great team of 26. However, they
had one last touch that was greatly appreciated: sparkling wine. Yes, it
sounds corny, but it was a celebration, and it was more appreciated than one
might imagine.
Then came the long drive back to Karama Lodge in Arusha. There, we
enjoyed swimming, relaxation, and a warm shower. Time to unwind and change
pace for the next leg of the journey.
Then came an email about our flight to Zanzibar tomorrow being moved up
from 14:00 to 10:30... so much for sleeping in...
Kilimanjaro Day Six, Uhuru Peak, Descent!
Today was hard. Possibly the hardest I've ever had to push
myself.
We started the climb shortly before midnight, and it was immediately
apparent how unpleasant it was going to be. There was a lot of cold wind,
even though the outside temperature was only -3°C. After a few hours of
this, it was impossible to generate heat, and getting very hard to breathe.
It was all I could do to just keep my eyes open. It felt like I would pass
out every 10s or so. At times, I actually did, and it resulted in a stumble,
sometimes a faceplant. I was asked several times by a guide if I wanted to
give up my backpack, but stubbornly refused.
By the time we got to Stella Point, at the edge of the crater, the five
layers of clothing were not keeping me warm and my fingers were numb. Every
time we stopped, my head would start to throb. It was -10°C here. It was
very welcome when the guides pulled out hot ginger tea from a thermos.
Still, every moment spent sitting grew the headache and chill.
Six hours or so after starting, we finally made it to the top of Uhuru
Peak, 5895m. At this point, I was so cold and worn out that I got my
fake-smile photo with the sign and just wanted to start the trip down. I
didn't even go explore the glaciers with the others. Seeing photos, with the
beautiful colours of sunrise, perhaps I should have, but I certainly wasn't
receptive to the suggestion at the time.
One thing I did manage to do at the peak was to send a text message to
family and friends. Amongst all of the wonders of this mountain, and our
Africa experience as a whole, where power comes and goes and hot water is
unreliable, it is pretty amazing that the cell phone coverage was a solid
thing on the entire journey up, right through to the summit.
The descent was, if possible, even harder. The entire trail down was
separate from the more composed path up, and consisted of loose volcanic
scree. There was no traction at all, and every step was both tiring to the
limbs and dangerous. A lot of equipment and body parts got damaged just
sliding down. At one point, during a break, my backpack started rolling away
on its own. At least the headache and breathing issues went away.
All in all, the summit experience was unpleasant. There really wasn't
much to enjoy there. It is cool to have gotten there. But when I speak of
climbing Kilimanjaro, summitting will not be at the forefront of my
thoughts.
After making it back down to Barafu Camp, there was some time for a nap
and a good lunch. Then, it was time to pack up and continue the descent. On
the way down, the landscape changed from the arid cold desert, to slight
shrubbery, to small trees, to rainforest, all quite quickly. We ended at
Mweka Camp, at about 3050m, right at the edge of the rainforest. It would
have been possible to make it all the way down, but it was already a very
long day.
On one hand it is sad that this is the last evening camping out. On the
other, it will be nice to get back to having a shower and catching up on
internet.
Kilimanjaro Day Five, Barafu Camp
Big day, today, but in sections. We got going intentionally late, and took a
three hour hike to Barafu Camp, 4678m. At this point we are at the same
level as the Lava Tower a couple of days ago, but thanks to that
acclimatization hike, no one is feeling it.
The camp is very busy but desolate, right at the bottom of trail to the
summit. The summit is finally appearing visibly closer. There are tents
strewn all over, wherever the boulders will allow it. Half of them are for
people on their way up, the other half for those who are just on their way
down. When the winds come, you really feel it. When it's sunny, you boil. We
are told the hike to the summit will be just like that, but at night when
it's much, much colder.
We are turning in early to get a couple of hours of sleep before setting
off at 23:00 or so.
This is it.
Kilimanjaro Day Four, Karanga Camp
Today's routine was a little different than usual. We started ascent at
06:30 to climb the Barranco Wall, with the intention of having breakfast at
the top. This would allow for not having to climb right after eating.
The climb was straightforward, with a few technical bits. The twist came
at the top, where rather than a normal breakfast, Kelly's birthday was
celebrated with a little party. Actually, considering the setting, it was a
very big party. There were party hats, and the porters were singing Happy
Birthday, and the chef managed to procure a cake. The cake was iced and even
had a message on it. All this with a beautiful, clear view.
The rest of the hike was all up and down, with a final altitude at
Karanga Camp of about 4000m, which is pretty much the same altitude as where
we had started the day. It was a short day. About half of the groups went on
to the next camp and to do the summit tonight, but that is too rushed. After
they summit, they will have to make it a good way down the mountain, too. We
will have another short day tomorrow, plus an afternoon/evening break before
the summit.
Our favourite guy here is Norbet, the camp manager. He reminds us of
Rafiki from Lion King, in that he's always smiling and talking in melody.
When he comes to wake us up in the morning with tea, he sings the words.
When he brings food, he sings the dish name. In fact, it seems a lot of the
porters and workers on the mountain sing, just sing. It's a neat part of the
culture, but Norbet really exemplifies it.
Tomorrow should be the climax of the hike. Everyone is apprehensively
looking forward to it.
Kilimanjaro Day Three, Barranco Camp
Morning was cold, the tent was iced over. We started the day on time, and
most of the ascent was excellent. It was a slow and steady incline to 4600m,
and everyone was happy with it. Right near the end there was a small drop
and then a rise to about 4650m. It was this last bit that invoked altitude
sickness in a number of us. For the most part, it was mild headaches. In my
case, it was an 8/10 headache; it felt severe.
After lunch we began the descent. I was assured that the headache would
go away. Unfortunately, it didn't, and I had the entire descent feeling like
a massive hangover minus nausea. Two Tylenol Extra Strength eventually took
care of this.
The walk down from the Lava Tower went through some pre-historic forest.
It looked like a scene out of some dinosaur movie. The trees here are
hundreds of years old and look completely out of place on the mountainside.
The camp for tonight is Barranco Camp, back down at 3950m. As always, our
guys got to the camp ahead of everyone else, and chose the best spot.
Tonight, it's a camp with a view. The team were also waiting for us and
greeted us with The Kilimanjaro Song. Well performed! It was pretty awesome,
except for my headache. With a warm and sunny afternoon, we got to enjoy a
decent sponge bath and a bit of lazing around. There is also a lot of
beautiful scenery to photograph.
Tomorrow is a short day. Hopefully altitude sickness will not kick in.
Tonight is supposed to be colder again.
Kilimanjaro Day Two, Shira Camp
It would have been a perfect night, but digestion issues brought me to the
toilet a good number of times at night. On the bright side, there was a
dazzling display of starlight to keep me entertained on every trip. On the
other hand, I wasn't planning on chemical toilet being my best friend this
expedition.
Today's hike introduced us to the first taste of iodine-purified river
water. It isn't tasty. Adding some CrystalLight effectively hides some of
the flavour, but not the smell.
We climbed from 3000m to 3850m or so, during the morning. The distance
was about 7km. At this altitude, mild effects of altitude sickness could be
felt, and I was somewhat dizzy at times, needing frequent stops.
Along the way, we saw how Zara treats its porters. Porters in the park
are allowed two packs for a maximum of 20kg of weight in addition to their
backpacks. Some of Zara's were carrying very awkward packs that must have
weighed in at 40kg or more. They were slipping and falling all over the
place. Some had shoes falling apart, and we couldn't help but feel for these
guys. Our company's porters moved swiftly and with relative ease. That's not
to say they have an easy job, but there is a definitive difference. Without
getting into too many details, it is a social dilemma that needs to be
solved over here, and I'm glad we're supporting the good guys.
The vegetation at this altitude has changed from short trees to shrubs,
but even the density of the small plants is still quite impressive. Large
crows fly overhead. Trees that survive here grow by minimal amounts over
entire decades.
The afternoon activity consisted of a short, one hour walk to see
interesting lava formations near the Shira camp, where we will be spending
the night. There were many interesting photo opportunities here.
When we got back it was decided I have to start taking the heavy-duty
antibiotics (CiproXL) to ensure that my summit experience is not hampered.
Hopefully, results will be forthcoming.
Tomorrow is a big day. There will be hiking comparable in length to the
first day, and a rise in altitude to 4600m+, followed by some descent. The
goal is to acclimatize to the higher altitudes. We are to expect shortness
of breath, headache, nausea, and maybe even vomiting. Sounds like fun.
Kilimanjaro Rainforest and Machame Camp
Slept really well! The night sounds were all around and teeming with life.
Today's the big day.
After the very familiar trip most of the way back to Moshi, we finally
got to the Kilimanjaro Machame gate. This is at an altitude of about 1800m.
Sign in, followed by tea. We met a nice girl from Australia, who was
originally from Canada. She was going with Zara, along with a group we
recognized from Springlands from yesterday.
The climb was a fairly steady incline for 12km. Frequently stops as the
Diamox altitude drug made water pass very quickly. It also, at times,
created a tingly feeling in the fingers.
Most of the day was in the rainforest. It was cloudy or foggy, and the
scenery with the tall trees, vines, and mosses was phenomenal. Small amounts
of rain were not much of a hindrance.
At the lunch break it became clear what sets our company apart from the
others. The Zara group had been eating their standard-issue box lunch as the
crew was setting up our dining table and laying out the stainless steel
dishes and platters of food. They had assumed that it was for some kind of
distinguished group, and when we came up, we overheard "oh, it's the
Canadians." Funny. I expect we'll be hearing that all week. Lunch was
great.
We eventually emerged from the rainforest to where the trees were a
little less dense, and quickly came to the Machame Camp. There was a
ranger's office with sign-in, and a radio playing American Top 40. Even
halfway up Kilimanjaro there is no getting away from Ryan Seacrest.
Here, at an altitude of just over 3000m, the camp was already waiting
with awesome Mountain Hard Wear tents, including a much larger mess tent.
Not much happened next, just an introduction to how the camp works,
operating our private chemical toilet, and so on. Dinner was served in the
mess tent, and was delicious. Compliments to the chef (Jani) and the camp
manager (Norbet) for making that happen, and on proper silverware! Hot
drinks were also very welcomed; they just kept coming.
Sleep time now, tomorrow is a much shorter climb, but much earlier start.
Spacer Day
We had a relatively late start, as we were to get our laundry from Zamo at
08:30, and picked up by the hike guys at 10:00. Our laundry was still wet,
but otherwise clean, and we said a final farewell to Zamo. Our pickup was
delayed to 11:30, so we used the time to dry clothes and take a swim. Even
200m was hard at this altitude. But it was refreshing.
The drive back to Arusha was, once again, lengthy. It just sort of worked
out that we have had to make this trip many times. The hotel/spa that
Adventure International uses, Karama Lodge, is phenomenal. Individual huts,
all local materials and design, unique feel, and four star treatment. It's
not that we haven't been pampered on this trip, it's that we know that there
will be less luxury during the next week, so we should take what we can get!
After checking in, we got the Kili briefing from Frank Castro and his
Danish-English partner whose name I forgot to take note of. We also met our
guide, Godson (Gody). This talk was fantastic for putting us at ease about
the climb, and it really was a nice touch to be briefed by the top brass.
Dinner was as on par with everything else at this place, and we packed
our hike equipment. I sent a text message to Raf wishing him a good wedding
day from Africa. Early sleep time to take maximum advantage of a real bed.
Last Day of Safari
This is the last day of safari. It started with a long trip East toward
Arusha, and then a turnoff South. Along the way we saw Lake Manyara from
high up, and could see where we explored on the first day. Unfortunately,
there were pushy people trying to sell merchandise there, and I caved in for
some trinkets.
The journey to Tarangire Park was lengthy, but we got a more personal
discussion with Zamo about working conditions, how he gets paid, the
significance of tips to workers like him, and family life in Tanzania. This
was all new ground for us. Since he had been involved in organizations that
promote better conditions for porters on Kili and elsewhere, we were able to
get a better sense of how we should tip and generally interact with our team
during the upcoming hike. It was all extremely helpful, and a relief to know
that Summits Africa, our company for the Kili climb, though more expensive,
leads the way in treating their people right.
Eventually, we arrived at the Tarangire Park. This park was clearly more
within the reach of the locals, as we foreign tourists were outnumbered by
school children from many schools on field trips. In the park we saw much of
the same as on the rest of the trip, but the terrain was hilly, varied, and
quite interesting in and of itself. There were a lot of Baobab trees and
other vegetation we had not yet seen up close. On the whole, I thought that
we could have skipped this park without missing much. At lunch,
entertainment was provided by many Velvet monkeys. Although they would come
and steal food and were generally a nuisance, they were interesting and
rather cute, especially the little ones. The outing was saved when we ended
up encountering a group of two elephant families right at the road, and got
to see them eating up close. The baby elephants were suckling.
On the way out, our last safari experience was definitely interesting.
Apparently, elephants have good motor control of their penis. One of them
got a massive erection and then used it to scratch an itchy spot on his
tummy. It then retracted back to normal. Just when you think you've seen
everything there is to see... great way to finish.
The trip back to Moshi to the Springlands Hotel was very slow, and we
were stuck in heavy traffic in Arusha. The drive was scary as night came on,
with a lot of cars without headlights, or misaligned lights, or blinding
high beams. Also, lots of very creative passing and generous usage of the
highway lanes, shoulders, and sidewalks.
At Springlands, I was quite ready to pack it in. Thankfully, Zamo
suggested he could get someone to do our laundry for a reasonable price. We
tipped, thanked him, and went off for dinner, and to catch up on much-missed
Internet.
Ngorongoro
Early start today. It doesn't really matter, since the jetlag never really
set in.
To get back from the Ikoma Camp to Ngorongoro Park, we have to cross the
Serengeti again. We made good time, stopping only once or twice for an
interesting shot. The real destination was to return to the wildlife-rich
Ngorongoro crater.
It took a long time getting there over really rough roads. It's quite
amazing how much of a beating the Land Cruiser can take. The descent into
the crater itself was spectacular. We found it a little harder than in the
Serengeti to come across animals. The crater was full of zebras, water
buffalo, gnus, elephants, and rhinos, but they tended to be hundreds of
metres from the road. Where the wildlife was tricky, the panoramic vista of
the crater walls made for a beautiful setting. It seemed as though every
imaginable ecosystem was present within the crater. The salty lake plumed up
a cloud salt dust on one side, another was very green and rich, the middle
was dry grass, and other parts were just scorched clay. It is definitely the
most scenic of parks.
Lunchtime was spent at a lake toward the brim of the crater. It was
almost like an oasis of green in the otherwise surrounding dry area. We had
to be careful about eating inside the truck, as overhead hawks were preying
on those with food.
We drove out of the crater at the other end and headed back to the
Highview Hotel from a few nights back. It was early enough that the pool was
still open.
More Serengeti
Today was the main Serengeti outing. We started with many, many zebras on
the drive in. Then, we were able to observe lions hunting for gazelle
several times. We stuck around for at least twenty minutes, but each attempt
failed. The families of lion were up to nine in size. Nearby, we also
stumbled upon some elephants bathing.
We are told that the animals don't see individual humans. Instead, they
see they truck as a large, multi-headed animal that they are familiar with,
and know to not be afraid of. Getting out of the truck would change this,
obviously.
After lunch, we proceeded to the large hippo pond. On the way, we were
stopped by a large family of elephants who were eating by the road, and then
proceeded to cross. It was interesting that the older elephants were
guarding their young from us as they crossed. The hippo pond was rather
disgusting, as it was small and packed with at least a hundred hippos, all
of whom lived in, drank, and defecated into a tiny amount of water. The
smell!
Somewhere along the drive, we were treated the sight of a giraffe on the
run. This involves amazingly smooth motion. The heavy limbs could be
described as moving in slow motion. It was a highlight of the trip so far.
This evening we returned to the Ikoma Camp. The dinner was absolutely
fantastic, the best yet. After eating, we had some beers and played a few
rounds of Asshole. Glad I brought the cards.
Tonight, must get to sleep early, as we're starting off the earliest
we've started yet, and I have to be up at 06:00. This is actually before
midnight Ottawa time. It will be a busy day through the crater, and then
another park, before heading back to Highlands. Zamo says it is best to
start early, and he's been right on everything else so far...
The Safari Continues
Today was an early start. The hotel proved to be great by virtue of
extremely comfortable beds. Slept like a baby. Lots of ground to cover
today.
We started by entering Ngorongoro Park and traveled around the crater.
Amazing views, but very bumpy road. We will be returning to the crater
itself in two days. For now, the view from the ridge was enough to have
something to look forward to.
Along the road there were many Maasai villages and herders with their
flock. We stopped by a Maasai village and learned a lot about their rituals
and how they live. It was all very fascinating, from their schooling, to
circumcision customs, to how their family life works, whereby they are
polygamous based on the size of their herd, and each woman builds her house
for herself and children. The sandal of choice was constructed from treads
of worn out motorcycle tires; neat. Unfortunately, the whole experience here
felt a little touristy, with a entrance fee and somewhat pushy manner in
which their overpriced artistic wares were imposed. Still, it was very
informative.
We followed through to Serengeti National Park, for an afternoon game
drive. Immediately, large groups of animals were easily within eyeshot. The
small game (impalas, gazelles, zebras) were very plentiful, where we had a
hard time finding them before. We encountered lions near the road, several
hippos, groups of giraffes. Also were water buffalo, warthogs, and so on. We
even saw elephants off in the distance. The experience is very dusty and
dry, yet there are so many beautiful animals and plants.
Lodging tonight is just outside the North side of the Serengeti, at the
Ikoma Wild Camp. We are sleeping in tents under permanent wooden structures.
Not allowed outside after dark because of the hyenas. Interestingly, these
tents have full washrooms with showers built in. The common lodge house is a
lot of fun, and much beer was had. The food here, in the middle of nowhere,
is better, if that's possible?
The Safari Begins
We got up nice and early and headed out on Safari. The goal for the day was
to check out the Lake Manyara, as this is on the way West from Moshi to the
Serengeti. After getting our packs ready we got introduced to Zamoyoni
(Zamo), our guide and driver. Nice guy, great English, drives well,
knowledgeable. We stopped to pick up a box of water and drove over through
Arusha to the park, about four hours. In there, we saw blue monkeys,
baboons, zebra, water buffalo, gazelles and local deer-like creatures, and
even a giraffe. Zebras a very graceful and beautiful horses, beautiful as a
pack. It was a good way to start, but the lack of sleep coupled with heat
made for a tedious day.
The Safari truck is really cool. It is a Tanzanian-modified Toyota Land
Cruiser, made longer and more rugged, with a fourth row of seats. The top
vaults open to give shade and a view. It is really fun to stand up and take
in the wind when it's moving at 60km/h.
The way out of the park was breathtaking. The road climbed and climbed,
all with the lake visible in the beautiful colours of the impending sunset.
We get to stay at the Highlands hotel just outside Ngorongoro park. This
ends up being a significant upgrade from the initially planned camping. This
place is very nice, on the side of a mountain, with very much a small hotel
or spa feel to it. The rooms are much nicer (and hopefully quieter!) than
Springlands.
The Flight
Wake up call at 03:30 for flight at 06:00. The airport was surprisingly busy
for a Saturday morning on the US side. Flight to Dulles was uneventful,
though the sunrise was breathtaking. In Washington, we found out that flight
to Addis Ababa had been delayed by several hours until 15:00. This timing
wasn't clear at first, so I didn't have a chance to get out to the
Smithsonian to see space shuttle Enterprise. Instead, used free food
vouchers and walked around the airport. The flight to Addis was super long.
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner was great, with electronically tinting windows
and a wider body. Very quiet and gentle on the takeoffs and landings. It was
a little disconcerting, though, how the body is not rigid and is free to
twist. The walls would move differently than the seats, which would move
differently than the overhead compartments and bulkheads.
The flight, as mentioned, was very smooth, and it was quite a view flying
over the Sahara. Nice ripples of sand, with a view of the gently-swept,
organically-shaped 787 wing.
The airport in Addis was terrible. One delay after another, and a number
of other flights were also like this. The plane was broken, it was hot, they
were writing bogus boarding passes by hand. After hours of this, the two
remaining messed up flights were merged, so we got back on the 787, and did
our flight to Kili with a stop along the way on the coast, in Mombasa. In
total, we were late to the hotel about seven hours. Total travel time of
about thirty two hours. At least the baggage made it (for most of us).
We've been brought out to the Springlands hotel outside of Moshi. The
rooms aren't exciting, but the complex as a whole is nice, very resort-ish.
Tried some of the local beers and liked Serengeting the most, getting food
into myself was also a positive experience, though I had already had about
eight meals since leaving YOW.
Tanzania
Tomorrow starts my first ever trip to Africa.
This trip has been a long time coming, and the three weeks are laid out
roughly as follows: a week of Safari in and around the Serengeti, a week of
climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and a week of relaxation and scuba diving in
Zanzibar.
One of my goals is to keep a log of all of the journey along the way, but
without doubt, internet access will be a problem, as will time. So, the
entries will be written daily on my PlayBook, but will be posted after the
fact.
copyright ©2004-2016 pat suwalski
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