Gibbs Farm

Posted on November 17, 2012 by debbie

We rise just before 7:00 when coffee and tea are served on our porch. The four of us sit, sip and enjoy the view of the fertile valley below.

It is a leisure day at Gibbs Farm, a guest house and organic coffee plantation that also grows organic vegetables, herbs and fruit.

At 10:00 we meet up with Honest our guide for a hike to the elephant caves and waterfall. It is a short 2 hour hike on well-trodden paths. Quite unlike the Mt Makarot hike. We reach the caves, which aren’t really caves but are the banks of a creek. The elephants “mine” for minerals (calcium and sodium) using their tusks to loosen the rock and soil so that they may eat the rock.

We stop at a waterfall, a trickle right now but it grows in size as the rains come. We all peer over the edge looking 30M to the bottom.

We arrive back at the farm in time for the buffet lunch. The choices are endless – chicken, salads, samosas, rice, beef, noodles and breads. All delicious, except we have been in Tanzania for about 10 days and have not eaten any true Tanzanian fare.  The lodges are geared to the tastes of the North American and European tourists.

The afternoon is spent as each one of us wants. Murray walks outside the farm gates, L&R walk the vegetable garden and I lounge on the porch and then take pictures of the flora.

We end the day again on the porch watching the darkening sky over the valley.

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Back to our Roots

Posted on November 17, 2012 by debbie

Last night we arrived at the camp early, our dinner mates arrived late with tales of a mother leopard and two cubs within ½ kilometer of our camp and a huge herd of wildebeest even closer. Early this morning, 5 am or so, there is a lot of commotion in the herd and the noise is audible where we stay.

Today is a sad day, we are to leave the animals behind and spend a day or two lounging about. We have a long way to go so it we don’t loll too much. The Toyota is loaded and we are on the move. We round the first corner out of the camp and next to the side of the road is a male lion with his head completely concealed within the carcass of a wildebeest. One other Landcruiser is present and the 8 of us tourist types are completely enwrapped by the spectacle. I take my day’s quota of pictures in the first ½ hour of the our adventure.

The lion works very hard to eat what is remaining of its prey. Not particularly interested in appearances he had blood all over his face and mane but doesn’t seem to care, even though he is  continually photographed. He soon stands up, bites into the scruff of the dead animal’s neck and drags it a ways.  Again the cameras are recording every step. A sight that we were not sure we would be able to watch but we do and it is fascinating.

Twenty meters beyond 3 jackals are having their breakfast feasting on the remains of another wildebeest that did not make the natural selection long straw. Behind us close enough for pictures are a female and another male lion. With the spectacle in front of us neither of these other two photo ops are garnering any attention from any of the tourists.

As Pascal puts the 4WD into gear and we start to drive away we realize that the word has gone over the CB radio, there is a stream of vehicles heading to watch a lion eat a fairly protein rich breakfast. We had a semi private showing; luck plays such a big part of what we see on safari and we have had it in spades.

We have a dead line of 11am to be out of the park so our drive is mostly that, a drive. We do make a couple of stops to take pictures of gazelles and zebras much to the surprise of Pascal who comments “What are you guys – new comers?” Most of the tourists are Zebraed out by the third or fourth day and do not request a stop to see more, but R, L, Debbie and I are not most and we see the opportunity to ogle the beasts one more time, for when we return home we will only have pictures and memories.

Impala

Impala

Leaving the gate is sad. We had a good time it is amazing to be here and see live what we had seen on Walt Disney and other such TV programs when we were kids.

Oldupai Gorge

Oldupai Gorge

Next stop is the birth place of man, the Oldupai Gorge. First part of the lesson, the German fellow that first came to the area was an entomologist not an archeologist and although he knew he had stumbled on something big his interpretation of what he found was somewhat off the mark. First he didn’t quite get the name of the area correct and published it as the Olduvai Gorge. Since ancient times the Maasai have called it Oldupai Gorge, after a plant that grows in the area, and with the slip of one letter the world came to know the place as vai not pai. There has been an attempt to make the correction but it has not caught on and the world still lives with the slip of the pen made 100 years ago.

A slight deviation from the main road and we are on the door step of the Oldupai Gorge Museum. A small place but just the right size to keep up one’s interest. Most impressive to me was the casts of the foot prints made in the soil 3.6 million years ago. They look like what you yourself might make in the wet sand on the beach.

There is a short lecture that goes with the museum entrance fee. The presenter tell us of the various layers of sediment found in the gorge, what time they were formed and what was discovered in each layer. Giving us a short history lesson on when mankind started to make tools, when they vacated the region for a while because the environment became inhospitable and when they returned being able to walk upright all the time.

I do not feel nostalgic while I stand adjacent to the area where my ancient relatives once roamed but it is interesting to know that our roots run so deep.

 

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Random Thoughts

Posted on November 16, 2012 by debbie

Birds

There are so many birds here. Bland black and white ones with a 6 song repertoire, colorful orange and blue one, big ones, small ones, fast ones, slow ones, ground bound ones and ones that soar with the clouds. Some even try to steal Debbie’s chicken right out of her hands. They all, of course, have their individual calls, and they are so different from the ones we know. Some of the calls are very complicated, quite long with a wide variety of notes. They start singing at 5 am as soon as the light breaks the horizon and are quiet by 6 pm when the sun sets.

Heat

It is hot here in the Serengeti. Hot, every day. 30 C or more, but we are actually quite comfortable. The air is quite dry so the heat is similar to the prairies. There is also a fairly constant breeze which has a great cooling effect. Again, similar to home. Today the breeze abated and the heat was much more noticeable, but still bearable.

Garbage

The national parks and conservation areas are spotless. I have seen 1, exactly ONE, plastic bottle on the road. No garbage in the ditch and nothing at any of the picnic sites. Even in Arusha, a small city, there is not much garbage on the streets. If all of Tanzania is like this, it is an impressive accomplishment.

Bugs

OMG. There are bugs here. Imagine any bug and you can find it here. This morning, I played with a mini grasshopper about the size of a dime. I touch its back knee and it jumps across the breakfast table. I couldn’t begin to describe the kinds of bugs we have run into but spiders, tse tse flies, flies, beetles, flying bugs, crawling bugs and maybe THREE mosquitos are but a few. Malaria? I’m sure the numbers of mosquitos can be bad, but right now I do not know why we spent hundreds of dollars on malaria meds. My cynical self wonders how much input the drug companies have in recommending what areas require prophylactics and what areas don’t. The ordinary house flies here are terrible. They get worse as the migration brings more animals to the area. A sweep of the hand does not seem to be a threat to them. They pester and pester and pester. Flies here need to take lessons from their North American cousins.

Facilities

The facilities here are world class. There have been a couple of questionable washrooms but that is the case anywhere in the world. The tourist info centers, although simple, are well constructed, maintained and informative. The lodges and camps are well located yet unobtrusive and are not visible until you are upon them. All but the fussiest people can travel here and feel comfortable.

Sounds

Africa is a whole new symphony to our ears. The cars in the city do not use their horns incessantly as they do in Asia. Except for the sounds of the auto, the city is quite quiet.

The wilderness is a whole different world. I can ski up to the top of a mountain in Banff National Park and still hear the sounds of the highway thousands of meters below. Here when our Landcruisers engine is shut off there is no noise but the wind. In the day the animals are quiet, even the birds stop tweeting. We have heard grunting sounds from the elephants. Within a gigantic herd of wildebeests, we listen to snorts.

The hippos blow bubbles while breathing and grumble about this or that.

But most of the time the animals are silent. Mornings and evenings, the birds sing and the landscape comes alive with sound. Quite peaceful, really.

Sun

We are near the equator so the sun is intense. We climb to 3,000M on Mt. Makarot and even though I am quite tanned, my arms are pink. Debbie has sunscreen on but her nose, cheeks and throat have a slight glow.

People

I cannot get over the people here. I know I am a tourist and by default a guest (wanted or unwanted) but everyone is polite, helpful and happy. There are bad people everywhere and I hope I am not being lulled into a sense of security, but the folks here are great. The four of us have come to a consensus that the Tanzanians are kind. It is the best word we can come up with, but it is an accurate one.

Migration

Four animals take part in the great migration – wildebeests, elands, zebras and Thompson Gazelles.

It starts moving south during the short rains (Nov, Dec) and goes north after the long rains in June. Today (Nov 14) we drive though a herd of wildebeests and zebra. It is massive, there are animals 50 deep and a kilometer long. This group is the leading edge of the migration and is small. Parked mid herd listening to the snorting and baying with the ground all around us moving with the animals is something to remember.

Kopje

Kopjes are outcroppings of solidified lava. The molten rock bubbled up during times of volcanic activity. The entire area was covered with ash and soil over time. The soft layers eroded away leaving the flat Serengeti landscape dotted with little bumps, kopje.

Flora

For all the fauna we see and learn about, the flora side of the scale is a little lacking in the Serengeti. We now know about the acacia tree. You would call it an umbrella tree. There are 13 types of acacia trees and 7 types of acacia bushes. I think it is a symbol of Tanzania, if not Africa. Every so often we spot a flower sitting alone on the plain. It is called a crinum lily and is my favorite.

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Serengeti

Posted on November 16, 2012 by debbie

We sit on our low balcony at the Olduvai Lodge looking out over the Serengeti and it is peaceful and beautiful. Two Thompson Gazelles wander within binocular range, they are a joy to watch. Petite, light on their feet and playful.We leave the Olduvai Lodge reluctantly but excited to go further into the Serengeti.

The Serengeti is dry and dusty. Whenever we cross paths with another vehicle, I call out “Truck!” and we all close our windows. The dust gets everywhere regardless.

After passing through the official gate, Pascal takes us to a known watering hole and we find five lionesses lolling by the water trying to sleep and stay cool. They are aware of each vehicle that arrives, but are not too bothered by them. We watch one and how heavily she is panting in order to stay cool. Lions sometimes go 7 days between killing and eating, the time spent mostly just laying around.

We spot two cheetahs in the low brush. Brothers. Male cheetahs are usually solitary, but two brothers will choose to stay together after they become adults. The wildebeests nearby are nervous and eventually move away.

It is a day for cats as we come across a tree that contains a leopard and the two gazelles that she has recently killed. Leopards will kill 2, 3 or maybe even 4 animals and only eat 1. They kill to kill, a hunter’s instinct. The leopard is hard to see high up in the tree but with binoculars we all find her and watch and wait. She stays in the tree and we eventually move on.

Soon after watching the leopard R realizes that one of the tires, the same one that went flat the other day, is flat again. Pascal hops out to check and confirms that it is flat, the tire fix he got apparently is not a very good one. We drive to a level spot slightly off the road and Pascal starts to change the tire. We are told to stay in the truck. Unfortunately, the jack will not lift the vehicle up with all of us and our luggage in it, so we climb out with strict instructions to stay right beside the vehicle. I think to myself, here we are standing in the Serengeti with a leopard not that far away looking down upon us! We should try not to look too tasty. Pascal gets the tire changed, we hop back in and are on our way.

We see more than just cats and are still enamored with mongoose, warthogs and all living beings on the Serengeti.

We end the day at the Kati Kati tented camp. More rustic than last night but charming in its own way with metal bed frames, wooden furniture, a campfire and delicious food.

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Mt. Makarot

Posted on November 15, 2012 by debbie

It is 6:30am and a rap on the side of the dome tent we are sleeping in is our wake up call. We must get an early start in case (1) it rains, we want to get as far as possible before it does or (2) we are slow going up or down.

Breakfast is a real camping breakfast, only with a cook in a white chef’s coat. Eggs, croissants, PB, jam, fruit. We sort through the packed lunch and discard what we won’t eat, no use lugging it up the mountain and down again.

The local crew doesn’t seem to panic about time yet today our hiking guide and Pascel, our safari guide want us to jump to so we get more time to walk in the cool morning.

Up we go. Pole, Pole. Quite a steep climb. The pace is good. Sumati, our Maasai hiking guide leads. He stops every 500 meters or so for everyone to bunch up. Toumani, our ranger with a semi-automatic rifle, brings up the rear. We parade up the mountain single file high stepping to avoid the cow poop.

We all chat as we ascend; we learn about the ways of the Maasai and Chunga (Toumani’s people) and they about Canada and Canadians. Cresting what appears from the bottom to be the peak, we see the real peak not far but still up. Between us and our goal is a stretch of forest. Sumati says to be quiet as there are many animals here. So now the column is silent.

There are no trails except the cow tracks in the grassy areas and wild animal trails in the forests. That’s what we follow. All along the path are signs of cape buffalo having just passed by. Runny poop, some of it steaming.

Sumati spots a buffalo or two a few meters (like 100M) away. We watch them stumble through the forest. He hears several more go romping into the dense trees. They must have sensed us and got spooked. Toumani jumps into action. Unlocks his gun and walks on alert between us and where we spotted the beasts. He is all about caution and maybe a bit of drama as I do not think the animals are much of a threat.

On the peak of Mt Makarot

On the peak of Mt Makarot

This hike we are on is 15 km, a long way at the best of time but this walk is really taking its toll. The first 2 km is up and quite steep, the next 3 are down and also quite steep, then comes the hard part, 10 km of undulating terrain with negative elevation gain, a good portion of which is on fist size rolling rocks. Foot placement is all important. Debbie and L are having a difficult time of it.

At the foot of the mountain we connect to “The Road of Cows” (I think this is a generic name not specific to the road on which we trod). The road leads us to a cluster of Maasai villages.

Each enclosure is a “village”. It houses a family unit. It would be more like an acreage or yard to us westerners. The cluster of villages are the homes of relatives and others, and would be more like what in the west would be considered a village.

As we arrive at each village we are greeted by the inhabitants. Mostly women, the men are off tending the animals, and a few children, the ones not in school. They show us handicrafts they have been making to adorn themselves and family and to sell to the occasional tourist that happens by this area.

Debbie and L commit to purchasing a trinket or 2 from one the villages. We stop and are immediately surrounded by women selling their beaded goods. L and Debbie choose a couple of items each, bargain a little and walk away with beads on their wrist. The sales technique is somewhat different here. Only one or two of the women do the selling. The merchandise is provided by all in the village. Money made is communal funds and is put towards beads and supplies to create more jewellery.

Shopping at the Maasai village

Shopping at the Maasai village

The men and boys of the villages spend the days tending livestock – cows, sheep, goats and donkeys. Each day the animals are taken from the stockade to graze nearby and each evening they are gathered and ushered home to the protection of the village corral. The livestock is not only the source of food for the Maasai (the Maasai do not hunt nor eat wild meat) but are a form of currency, used to purchase fruit, vegetables and grains and for such things are dowry.

Passing through this area I feel it is a unique part of Africa that most tourists do not get to see. It maintains a traditional lifestyle not affected a great deal by modern life.

With 8 of the 15 km remaining, we leave the villages behind and start a long descending trail to the plains on the Serengeti. The going is tough with the rolling rocks. Fatigue is setting in and concentration is not as sharp as it was 4 hrs. ago. We are not as careful about avoiding the animal dung as we were when we started out.

We are all fatigued, R, L and Debbie are showing signs of a long day, but I am managing to hide them. Toumani must be impressed; he asks me if I am a soldier. I’m puzzled and say no and ask why? He says I am still looking strong and we have come a long way.

Getting on to 9.5 hrs. since we started out, we reach the rendezvous with Pascel and our ride to the next hotel. Before we climb in to the Landcruiser I locate my stash of pop and offer all the walkers a can. Coca Cola for everyone!

The Olduvai Lodge is our destination. NICE place, very NICE. Located in a small caldera and not another place in sight. It is remote. It is also the nicest place we have stayed. It is a tented lodge which means the rooms are surveyors’ tents, but this one is luxury, high class beds and furnishings with an open air ensuite at the rear that is sculpted from concrete and sheltered by a thatched roof.

Olduvai Lodge

Olduvai Lodge

It only took 15 km to go from roughing it in the wilderness to settling in in the lap of luxury.

 

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Ngorongoro Crater

Posted on November 15, 2012 by debbie

Before we left on our trip I talked about expectations and that we try not to have to high expectations in case things don’t turn out the way we think they should. Pascel, our guide, asks me what I want to see while we are in Tanzania, and I tell him everything and anything from termites to birds to elephants. Just whatever we see, we see. After a few days in the parks of Tanzania, our expectations, or lack of, have been exceeded by the weight of an elephant.

I also talked about being excited before the trip. Yes, I am now excited!

Looking down into the Ngorongoro Crater

Looking down into the Ngorongoro Crater

We spend the day in the Ngorongoro Crater. The caldera was formed when a volcano erupted and collapsed. It is the world’s largest caldera that is not filled with water. The drive down into the crater is hair raising at times, the road narrow, steep, mist covered and gravelly. The crater is about 16-19 km wide and is about 100 square kms. Roads crisscross the bottom.

At first we do not see many animals, and then we start to see wildebeest and zebra. Then gazelles – Grant Gazelles and Thompson Gazelles. L&R, Murray and I get excited as we are seeing animals that we have not seen in Tarangire. We are keeping track of the critters we see, just like we do when we scuba dive. The tally for the crater is 28 different species by the end of the day.

There is a lake in the crater and it is filed with flamingos. The mass of pink looks like icing. They are too far away to see details, but it is still a gorgeous sight. There are also storks, ibis, geese (Egyptian not Canadian!), eagles and cranes in the crater.

Pascal listens intently to his 2 way radio and notes where the other guides are finding popular animals. We can also tell when a popular animal is located as there is a gathering of safari vehicles. We get wind of lions. Two males perched on top of a rise, overlooking the crater. We drive up and Pascal seems to know where to park to get the best pictures.

I have learned that the best quality to have while on safari is patience. After all the other folks have snapped pictures and left to find the next beast on their list, we are still parked and watching and waiting; for something, or maybe nothing. All of a sudden one male gets up to reposition himself. We snap away. Then a few minutes later he does it again! We are the only tourists that get these pictures!

Patience pays off again while watching a black rhino. He is very far away and we watch him through our binoculars. He is sitting down, bum towards us with his head at an angle so we can see his two horns. We wait, and wait some more. All of a sudden, R says, He’s getting up! The rhino rises and starts grazing and walking sort of towards us, but still very far away. He stops, pees, continues grazing. Again, we are 1 of 2 safari vehicles witnessing this. Patience and luck that we have Pascal as a guide, who is willing to sit and wait, have allowed us to witness extraordinary sights.

I have wanted to travel to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti for a very long time. When we were watching the male lions, I was struck with a deep sense of… …I am not sure what the word is…serenity, contentment, fulfillment and pleasure all rolled together.  My unspoken expectations have been met.

Cape Buffalo

Cape Buffalo

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Tarangire, Day 2

Posted on November 10, 2012 by debbie

Second day in the park. More tembo, this park is known for its elephants. We have seen a lot of elephants which are amazing to us, but there is no shortage of other animals either. Waterbuck and Impala are in abundance. This morning it seems to be the day for ostrich, there are one or two singles and pairs and a few ‘flocks?’.

Yesterday Pascal said that knowing where to go to find animals is like fishing a stream well known to you. It is a gamble but an educated one. There are signs like another Landcruiser or two parked on the side of the track but it is pretty much luck. I am amazed that there are enough animals in the park that there are some standing, eating or whatever within 10 meters of the side of the road.

Today we see our first lions, there are a group of three under a tree. We have to use the binoculars to see them. Three heads with six ears lounging and taking in the day. Back on the road and a few more elephants, ho hum. There seem to be more herds of the giant beasts today. They hold our undivided attention. The trunk goes down wraps around a tuft of grass, a strong tug and into the back of the mouth. Two steps and repeat. For such huge animals they move with complete grace not making any sound whatsoever when their foot falls. They are in no hurry, not much to do except eat I guess.

We spot a few different animals like a couple of jackals, a marshall eagle, a troop of mongoose, and a springbok. The double trail dirt track leads us along an almost dry riverbed and we spot an entire convention of safari trucks. Some gathered high on the north bank and some gathered low on the south bank. With that much commotion there must be something special. Turns out there are a couple of points of interest.

First, one of the drivers managed to get his truck stuck in the only 3M dia. mud hole within sight, right up to the axles. Every guide knowing that it will one day happen to them, they are all willing to pitch in and help.Then, Pascal points out an Impala in a tree about 6M off the ground. It was dead of course; as far as anyone knows Impalas keep to the ground but it is a sure sign there is leopard about. Leopards are somewhat shy and like to eat in private so when a gaggle of humans show up the leopard hides. The grass in the area is tall and leopard colored so there is not much chance of seeing it but to see its dinner was something unusual.

We only have 24hrs within the park and our permit will expire so it is time to head for the exit. We are not far but the road is not good so we cannot rely on speed to get us out by our deadline. As we head north Pascal says ‘lion’. There on the side of road maybe 10M away perched on a mound for good vision was a female lion chillin’ for the day.

Out the gates and on to the highway, out of fantasyland and into reality. Outside the gate is as interesting as inside, in a different way of course, but it is what is inside the National Parks that is the reason we are ½ around the world.

We show up for the cultural Maasi dance and we four are the only ones who show up. The massi out numbered us 2 to 1. They dance and it is worthwhile to see what they do. I loved the musicality of their singing. We felt ackward being the only ones there. We are taken aback when they brought around a tip basket as we have been told that all tips go into a communal tip box, and between the four of us, we only have 5,000 Tshilling ($3.30 Cdn).

Tomorrow is a trip into the Ngorongoro Conservation area, another day of animals. There are some different types of beasts there; with some luck we will see a rhinoceros. It is quite strange, even though the animals are within a few feet of the car we do not feel in danger at all. I’m sure a rhino could put a huge dent in the side of the Toyota but I am not the slightest bit apprehensive about encountering the beast.

This will be the last post for a couple of days. Stay tuned.

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Tarangire National Park

Posted on November 10, 2012 by debbie

Pasco drives our Toyota Land Cruiser through the gate of Tarangire National Park and 100 m down the dirt road we see our first wild animal. A giraffe! We are in heaven! A giraffe!

This is only the start of a terrific day of safariing. We see a long list of creatures; the most thrilling are a herd of elephants and a trio of cheetahs.  The elephants, including babies, walk right past the vehicle and are within 10 m of us. The tusks on the older elephants are long and greyish white. Some of their tusks have been sawed off so they are not of value to poachers. They are light footed and graceful.

The trio of cheetahs are lounging under a bush. Most likely brothers, says Pasco, as males usually live a solitary life. Their colouring and faces are extraordinary.They watch us intently, ready to run.

We see warthogs and elands and dikdiks and wildebeests and water bucks and ostriches and impalas and the list goes on. We see a leopard tortoise and baboons and versus monkeys while we eat lunch.

We end our day at a tented lodge. The surveyor type tents are set up on platforms looking west over a distant lake and the far away hills. The scenery and then later the stars are awesome.

A fantastic day!

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Safari Time!

Posted on November 8, 2012 by debbie

Up and at ‘em, at the crack of 8 am. Another long sleep, the jet lag won’t get us that easy. Today is the official start to the ‘safari’. We are to spend the day and night at a lodge near Arusha. Tomorrow it is on the road.

Andy has arranged a taxi to the Moivara Lodge, a half hour trip to the other side of town. The taxi guy is again very personable and chatty. I do not know why everything I have read about Africa portrays a foreboding place where you are not advised to set foot out of your hotel. Maybe we are just lucky but I have not seen even a hint of any criminal element. Every single person, including the unsolicited guides we acquired on the first day, has been extremely polite and amiable.

The taxi driver told us that the proper name of the vanlike buses is “dala dala” or “Ice”, not “matatu”. Apparently matatu is the Kenyan name. Ice is the model of the Toyota van that is used for most buses. Dala dala comes from when the fare used to be only 5 shillings, and 5 shillings was known as a dala. So a ride anywhere in the city was a dala and the bus was a dala dala. Now the fare is quite a bit more, but the bus is still called dala dala.

The trip is uneventful but we did go through an intersection that is controlled by traffic lights. I am surprised because up till now I had not seen one set. Our driver tells us there two intersections in Arusha that have lights. After passing through I am not convinced that they are any more efficient than the uncontrolled intersections we have witnessed the last two day. There was not one traffic jam in town and at the lights the traffic was lined up 20 cars deep.

The lodge is in a rural area near the foot of Mount Meru. Very pretty location, surrounded by a coffee plantation, but if you wish to get to town it is far too remote and would cost a fortune in taxi fare. The main building of the lodge is quite impressive. It serves as an entrance to the whole complex. Immediately on the inside is the terrace which serves as the restaurant and bar and a large grassy lounging area with a pool. We are in in low season and there are no other tourists around. We start down a path into the jungle where there are 40 or so individual cabins for the guests, one of which is designated for us. Quiet back here.  Also very jungley and I immediately search out the Claritin in my pack and take one. I’m guessing my body, with its dislike of rotting undergrowth, will not be happy so why fight it, be proactive, and take the meds first. Debbie thinks the jungle looks ominous, she expects something wild to come of out of the undergrowth and either eat her or carry her away.

The room is above the 3 star room rating Debbie and I are used to but I guess it will have to do. The living space is more than ample, the wash room has a separate toilet stall, a shower and a tub (not integrated). Interesting note: The doors to the toilet enclosure can be locked from the OUTSIDE. Why?

I guess the place is supposed to have an African feel but quite frankly I do not think I could tell if I was here or any other place in the world. There is African art on the walls and the furniture is the heavy dark wood that is common in the area. It is still funky, with the flowers on the bed and the long sweeping mosquito net over the bed, and therefore perfectly acceptable to us.

After settling in our abode we go next door to find R&L, our safari mates. They are in the midst of a late morning nap. After arousing them we set out on our planned walk. The front desk person points us in the direction of the trail head and we are off. About 10 minutes into the walk we realize we are not even going to leave the lodge grounds. We are back at the lodge in 20 minutes and decide to have lunch before we attempt another bout.

We explain to the lady at the desk that we want to climb the very small mountain behind the lodge and asked where the trail is. She is reluctant to let us go without a guide. They cannot be responsible for us if we go alone. So we leave anyway through the gate and into the scary African landscape. We discover very quickly it is not scary at all, not that we expected it to be. Heading up the road we pass a kindergarten, I stop to ask how we ascend to the top of the adjacent mound and as luck would have it the trail is at my feet. So up we go, don’t run into one lion, or elephant or bandido (Spanish for African bandit).  We do however come across a black widow spider den. Something L had seen before but is new to the other three of us.

We conquer the top, stopping to look at coffee and bananas growing, and descend down, without incident.

 

Coffee Beans

Coffee Beans

We do run into a couple of little kids that do not see too many non-residents and have fun playing hide and seek. The kids are happy and able to play with whatever is at hand, including Murray. They run up and down a path laughing and giggling.

We arrive back at the lodge sweaty, dusty and happy from moving our bodies. The pool looks inviting so we grab drinks and soak our dirty feet and legs in the cool water. The water cools our bodies while we watch unfamiliar birds flit around the sky.

We have officially started our safari. Tomorrow, hopefully zebras and more.

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Arusha by Matatu

Posted on November 7, 2012 by debbie

During the night, each time we wake up, there is a new sound to identify. Barking dogs, crickets, traffic. As it gets light to towards morning, there are new sounds, Birds, voices, the muezzin – the call to prayer for Muslims.

After about 13 hours of sleep we are ready for adventure. We decide to take the ice (matatu) (small vanlike buses) into downtown. Andy’s wife and daughter are going downtown so they volunteer to show us the ropes. The vans are slightly bigger than the ones we rode in Kalimpong, India, but the idea is the same. Cram as many people in the van as possible (there is ALWAYS room for one more) and charge a small amount for bus fare, we pay 300 Tshillings each (20 cents).

Before parting from our two guides, the daughter instructs us to be careful of our belongings, only pay 300 no more and to tell the van driver our stop is “The Happy Sausage” for our return trip. We head down the street looking for the NBC Bank to check out rates to exchange money. We have trouble locating the bank, but we walk down streets where the locals shop.

Parking Meter Lady (in black skirt)

There are no parking meters here. There are women who oversee street parking. Each has a bright yellow vest and oversees a portion of the street. Payment is given to her to be able to park. This photo is taken on the sly as no-one wants their picture taken, even after being asked by Murray in his charmingest way.

We stay away from the Clock Tower as that is where the touts hang out looking for prey. All the guide books and tourist information base use the Clock Tower as the reference point for all things Arusha. Naturally all travelers and tourists pass through the area several times a day. So those that ‘prey’ on visitors will also gravitate to that area. We traveled around the rest of the city today and got hassled very little. My travel tip would be to stay away from this area and enjoy the rest of the city at your own pace without an unsolicited city guide.

We have learned some Sawhili. The most used words so far are “appana assanti” which means “No Thank You!”. We use it to get rid of the touts that want to follow along on our journey. Works pretty good!

(Mur again) I find the town crowded. There are people on the move taking up sidewalk and 2 wide on the street. The infrastructure is in poor shape. Not much is not in need of some repair. But the system seems to work. There is no need for useless signs like ‘watch your step’ or ‘uneven pavement’, I have not seen a single person in distress with a sprained ankle or anyone laying in the bottom of an exposed gutter.

Traffic here has its own rhythm. Motor vehicles rule the roost, beware. Bicycles weave a line about half a meter wide down the side of the road and pedestrians use the remaining 2 feet. There are no traffic lights so each vehicle in its turn squeezes and oozes around corners and through intersections. Peds cross wherever on their own time but the cars are allowed to run them down, except for us stupid tourists. We even had a car stop for us today.

We walk and walk and walk and get our fill of the city of Arusha. Another good nights sleep and we will be ready for our safari.

 

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