Changing plans and shirts

So we’ve arrived in Kenya after our last border crossing. But the night before we left Tanzania, we completely changed course. So we’re in Mombasa instead of Nairobi. And spending our final days on the coast soaking up the humid air and Muslim culture; rather than driving through the Masai Mara on another safari and eating more dust.

We decided to visit the Ngorogoro Crater (actually a caldara) in Tanzania during a two day safari there. It is an UNESCO world heritage biosphere and for good reason. We drove up these steep mountain roads to the rim through lush tropical green growth, then we droped down, down and down into the caldara where it is like a wildlife buffet on a very dry floor with a salt lake. We finally saw lions, about a half dozen and got super close. Plus water buffalo with their massive horns. That’s two out of the Big 5, if anyone is counting. Plus tons of zebras, giraffes, elephants, hippos and impala. And the entire time you are surrounded on all sides by these massive cliffs. The other day was in Lake Manyara and Gillian was excited to see lots of monkeys in addition to other creatures of the wild.

We were super lucky and ended up doing the trip with two guys living in Seattle – Australian Peter and Tanzanian Louis. They were absolutely hilarious and we were drinking gin and hunting animals all day. Plus they had booked a fancy resort for the overnight stay, so when the tour company matched us up as a group, we got to stay there as well. And we ate a six course meal including roast beef and mashing potatos. We were suppose to have camped at a much less desirable lodge.

So only five days to go. We’re excited about have the same bed every night, no more long smelly bus rides (only short smelly TTC rides) and changing into some new clothing. We’ve been wearing the same 2 1/2 sets for three months. It is going to take 5 loads of washing to get the African dirt out. Or maybe they end up in the Goodwill bin.

See everyone soon.

Rice and Beans Strike Back

A plate of rice and beans during a hike out of Loshoto just knocked Gillian down. But she is back up again.

After Zanzibar, we hit Dar Es Salaam for a day then took another long bus ride to Loshoto to do a little hiking in the mountains through villages. Luck was not on our side for this segment of our trip. When we booked and paid for the trip, we were promised lots. But the reality of the trip failed to live up to expectations. The hikes turned out to be much shorter, there were extra charges, the ‘bus ride’ ended up being the back of a pickup and the third day of the trip was logistically impossible according to our guide. Plus the ‘picnic lunch’ on the first day ended up being rice and beans at a dirty restaurant that sent Gillian’s tummy for a tumble.

So we limped back to Loshoto a day early and we protested heavily until they refunded some of our money. Some of the hiking and villages were lovely, but the shady planning by the tour company put a damper on the trek.

Gillian has recovered after a day in bed and we’re back on the road. We’re currently in Moshi at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. The clouds kept it wrapped up today, so we’re praying for a peak (misspelling intentional) in the morning.

A few safaris and shopping is the plan for the remaining days.

Zanny in Zanzibar

Hello from Zanzibar,

The train to Gombe National Park to see Tanzania’s famous chimps turns out to be very unreliable. We learned from several locals that it could take 40 hours (the official line) or 4 days. Break downs are very regular.

So with time ticking until the end of our trip, we decided at the last minute to cut Gombe from the itinerary (just to risky) and head to Zanzibar for a few more days than planned. And boy are we happy with our choice. The island has been amazing, although a little more expense compared to recent travels. We spent four nights in wonderful Stone Town – a collision of Arab, European and African culture. The city is a little like Venice. Lots of narrow, winding alleyways, and plenty of buildings in disrepair. We arrived the night before Ramadan, so it was a little quiet, but still nice. There are a few tourist restaurants open to feed us while the sun is up, but they often have shutters closed in respect for local religion. We spent time on a spice tour and visited a national park with tons of cute monkeys. The latter made Gillian very happy.

We are now treating ourselves to four days in Kendwa, a northern beach getaway. We’ve just chilled on a big beach and spent yesterday diving some incrediable reefs. Tons of great fish and turtles.

Next we head to Losotho for some hiking than Arusha.