Final Thoughts

December 10, 2018

A vacation is a lifetime in itself.  It begins with so much anticipation, followed by a feeling of unreality, hardly believing that it is really happening.  The next few days become days of living in the moment, simply enjoying, absorbing, recognizing, being.  And suddenly it comes to an end.  The moments have become memories, and a part of you wants to continually scroll through pictures in your mind, and to share the stories of your experience in an almost desperate attempt to hold onto what was.  

Our hope was to see the “Big Nine” on this trip.  We did!  We saw elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, leopards, cheetahs, Cape buffalo, lions, zebras and so much more.  Jim identified more than 64 different species of birds.  

We had to drive about two hours to return to Arusha where we started.  After days of traveling over rough dirt roads, it felt luxurious to ride on blacktop.  We were stopped by police claiming a speed violation, but in reality is was a stop to collect bribe money.  There is so much about the culture in Tanzania that is incredibly different than the experience of our daily lives at home.

I will remember the sounds, smells, sights and colors of Tanzania as long as I live.

Before we boarded our plane in Kilimanjaro at 8:40 PM, we were taken to a beautiful hotel/spa in Arusha where we had day rooms to rest, take showers, walk around the grounds or whatever we chose to do to relax in preparation for the long ride home.  This was by far the most beautiful place we stayed.  Part of me struggled with the knowledge that while this was available to us, the people who live daily in the immediate surroundings beyond the gates will never have opportunity to experience its beauty.  It had been a coffee plantation decades ago, and now the grounds are a  lovely cultivated garden.  We were served another beautifully prepared lunch and then showered and relaxed.  The lawn behind our room was a living picture of a setting for an English lawn tea.  I could easily imagine women in the late 1800’s strolling the groomed flower gardens in their long dresses and hats and gloves.

The flight home is long of course, and we all tried our best to sleep on the first segment of our flight to Amsterdam.   But when we transferred to our last plane which would return us to Michigan, I often saw or was a part of little groups of our people, huddled over iPads and iPhones sharing pictures, or standing in the aisles sharing stories.  The friendships and memories we have created on this trip will remain with all of us for a long, long time.

It will be good to be home again.  I look forward to Christmas celebrations with family and friends.  But we are so thankful for these past 10 days.  What a blessing we have experienced in seeing this part of God’s beautiful creation we never dreamed we would see, to make these new friendships, and to be able to share life with the very friendly people of Tanzania.   To God we say, “Asante sana”. Thank you very much.

Heading Home

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Today starts the long way back to home.  We left at 8:00 AM once again.  Maybe all this early rising will turn me into a morning person.  One can only hope...

The ride back to the Tarangire was pretty much the same bumpy, rough dirt road we took on the way to the Serengeti.  I actually slept a little bit in spite of the incredibly noisy ride.  Because we had rain during the night, the animals were not as visible as they usually are.  I have been amazed at how they hide themselves.  We can see zebras by the dozens when the sun is out, but once the rains come, it is like no creature was ever there.  The grasses on the land aren’t that tall (at least from my perspective in the Jeep) so I would think that if they hunkered down, I would be able to spot their backs.  I can only think that the grass is much taller than I think.

We stopped at some of the same “rest stops” as we did on the way out, and the gift shops got a good workout.  There are both trinkets and beautiful art at some of these places.  We stopped again at the tanzanite shop, and Jim and I were able to watch a short video on the mining process and watch a man actually cut facets into a gem stone.  It interested me that every tiny chip is saved.  It is an interesting process, and definitely requires incredible skill.

I should mention that the Jeep that i have been referring to is actually not a Jeep at all.  It is a Toyota Land Cruiser that has been especially adapted to accommodate a longer length and is reinforced to handle the rough roads.  I use the term Jeep because that is how I think of them.  It has been truly impressive to see how well it handles, and of course, a good part of that is the excellent driving skills of our guide/driver, Martin. 

As we drove along the way, we saw people walking along the road and hanging around in their villages.  We saw a few churches, and I thought that perhaps some of them were walking home from a time of worship.  I loved their colorful clothing, and also seeing them as community. How I would have loved to be able to spend time talking to some of them one on one,  I have so many questions about who they are, what they feel about life and what their daily lives are like. But this was a trip to see the beautiful animal kingdom of Tanzania.  

We arrived at the Tarangire Sopa Lodge near dinner time.  This is the same lodge we stayed at on the way out, and the familiarity was nice.  Because of the dust from the roads, and the hot temperatures we were all grateful for a quick shower before dinner.  We group from the individual Jeeps took their drivers out for dinner as a personal thank you for all their effort.  It was fun to be able to converse on a more personal level, and learn a bit more about their lives.

After dinner we had a little farewell time.  How thankful we are for Lynn and Beth who have worked so hard to make this trip such a beautiful experience for all of us.  I know every single new friend we have met on this trip has enjoyed it to the fullest.

Tomorrow we head back to Arusha where we will have a day stay at a hotel to shower, repack, and then head to the airport for the long flight home.  

Day 7

Saturday, December 8, 2018

We almost missed the bus!  The hot air balloonists had a 4:30 AM wake up call, and the printed schedule said the rest of us would be meeting up with them at 10:00 AM. We interpreted that to mean that we would be loading up at 10:00 AM. But, not wanting to miss a single thing, we were up and in the lodge for breakfast at 7:30 AM. It was then that we learned that the balloonists were more than an hour away and we would be loading at 8:00 AM to meet them there!  Unfortunately two others also didn’t read that information correctly and were still in the shower, so one bus driver stayed back to drive them to our destination.  We were glad we had gotten up early!

Any time we are in the Jeep, our driver (and all of us) are scanning the grounds for animals and the skies for birds.  Once again we weren’t disappointed .  Soon after we had left our lodge we came across a group of lions who had just finished their breakfast at the expense of a poor zebra.  It was amazing to see how clean that carcass was!  Only a little of its head was left and the hyenas were waiting in the background to finish it up.  We have noticed that there are few bones laying around.  Mostly what we have seen are skulls.  Our driver told us that is because the hyenas eat most of the bones.  

We reached the welcome center for the Serengeti around 10:30 and found some very happy balloonists!  After their balloon ride they had a bush breakfast that looked just like a scene from “Out of Africa”.   They said the experience was awesome.  The plan was for us to have a game drive for the rest of the day, eating a picnic lunch which the hotel had prepared for us along the way.  But shortly after we returned to the Jeep, the heavens opened, and the rain poured down.  Because the Serengeti is mostly clay based and the soil level is so shallow, and because it has been so dry, the land and roads immediately became a slippery mess.  Several of those in our Jeep elected to just return to the lodge, but on the way there we came across a pride of 4 lions lounging beneath a tree.  They had just devoured another poor zebra.  About all that was left was head and legs, and at least 18 hyenas waited in the visible distance for the second course.

There seem to be many travel guide companies in Tanzania, so we often see people also on safari, and consequently have met many people from other countries along the way.  Rather than trying to “out do” each other, the field guides from other companies share information on animals they have sighted.  While we were watching this pride of lions, our driver noticed that a Jeep from a competitive company was stuck.  He drove behind that vehicle to help him get out of the deep rut by pushing him with our Jeep.  That didn’t work, so the other driver and our driver got out of the vehicle and starting shoveling.  They were so very close to those lions, and I was really uneasy.  I was very happy to see our driver back in his seat!  He was successful in pushing that Jeep out of the ditch and back onto the road so it all ended well.  

It was interesting to see how the animals all but disappeared in the rain, but then as the rain cleared they started to reappear.  I couldn’t figure out where they had gone because the Serengeti (at least the part we are visiting) is a vast grassy plain with few trees.

Shortly before arriving at our lodge, we came across another huge pride of lions.  This pride consisted of at least 20 lions.  Two were males, one of whom had a black mane which designated him as the older of the two.  They were actively devouring a zebra and you could hear their grunting as they tore at the meat.  The females were laying back, waiting for the males to finish their meal (even though they did the killing).  The little ones would be the last to eat. The sight, the sounds and the knowledge that we were experiencing this was mind boggling!

Our four drivers keep in close contact with each other via radio, and try to make sure that we all then get to share similar experiences.  Today, however, the radios were not working well - probably because of the heavy rain.  We ended up being the first Jeep back at the lodge, and the others came back in maybe half hour intervals.  It was fun hearing what everyone else experienced.  Not everyone saw the same things, but everyone was blessed with another great day.

Tomorrow we head back to the Tarangeti.  And that is our first step back towards home.  I find myself thinking about home and Christmas a little more every day.  Right now, sitting here wearing shorts and flip flops it is hard to imagine snow, but it will be part of our story again soon enough.  For now, though, I am going to sit here and watch the zebras meander outside our window and the monkeys run along the outside corridors.

Day 6

December 7, 2018

We take turns sitting in our seats in our Jeep (there are 6 people to a Jeep) and today was our day to sit up front.  Jim got to sit next to the driver who sits on the right side of the Jeep. It is really hard to get used to the driver sitting on right side of the vehicle and driving on the left side of the road.  There was one day when Jim and I were sitting in the back waiting for our morning departure, when suddenly the Jeep began to back up.  Jim sort of jumped forward thinking there was no one in the drivers seat.  But there our driver was, sitting in the drivers seat, on the right side.  It made us laugh.  We have a fantastic driver/guide.  He is not only a good driver on these very rough roads, but is also able to answer virtually every question about the animals and birds we see as well as information about his country and the tribes that live in Tanzania.  We are grateful to have Martin!

We left the crater rim around 7:30 AM. We were told we were going to get an African massage during our 5 hour trip to the Serengeti, and they weren’t kidding!  From the top of the volcano to the beautiful lodge where we are staying tonight was long, loud and a rocky ride on fairly narrow dirt roads.  The vibration of the vehicle made for a massage, indeed!  But no one seemed to mind - it is all part of the adventure.  

We arrived at the huge Serengeti National Park and in less than an hour came across 8 lions laying right at the roadside.  It gave me goosebumps!  When Jim opened his window to take a picture he was no more than 3-4 feet from a huge male lion!  If he had opened the door and stepped out he would have stepped on its tail. To see two male lions up so close was unreal.  I’ve never seen lions in a zoo that had such massive manes.  If we had to leave to return home tonight, I would be satisfied.  This experience has been glorious!

It wasn’t long thereafter that we spotted a cheetah.  With the use of binoculars we could see her nursing one of her three babies.  I cannot convey what it feels like to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat.  Just a short distance further we saw a leopard in a tree.  We have seen the Big 8!  What a gift this trip has been.

We arrived at our lodge around 1:00 and had a short rest before we went on one last late afternoon game drive.  We thought we had been skunked, but as soon as we turned around to go back to the lodge for dinner, one of the women in our group who was in the last Jeep (there are four) spotted a leopard!  We had actually driven right under him when he was up in a tree sitting on a branch that draped a bit over the road, but didn’t see him!  We turned around again and  saw him climb up a another tree where he posed beautifully for us for as long as we stayed.  He was well photographed!  The drivers communicate with each other by radio so that if one Jeep sees something he can tell the others so we all get to share in the adventure.  

I am frustrated that I can’t post pictures from here, but maybe I’ll add some after we get home.  I am glad I am recording the events of our stay here though, because already it is difficult to keep track of what we saw and did over the past days.  I only know it has been amazing and wonderful.

So I go to sleep once again in really nice accommodations in the middle of what feels like nowhere, knowing I am surrounded by God’s beautiful creatures and thanking Him once again for the blessing of this experience. 

Tomorrow several people in our group will be rising very early for a sunrise balloon ride over the  Serengeti followed by an English Breakfast in the bush.  If only I wasn’t afraid of heights!!

Day 5

Wednesday, Dec 5, 2018

We left the Tarangire this morning, spotting more animals along the way.  One of the most fantastic things we witnessed happened as we were driving down a dirt road at probably 20 miles per hour.  All of a sudden a Huge giraffe came crashing through the brush and ran directly in front of our Jeep.  If our driver had not applied his brakes we would have surely hit him!  Seeing that giraffe up so close gave us a whole new perspective on the size of that graceful animal.  He was larger by far than any giraffe I’ve ever seen in any zoo.  Unfortunately it all happened so quickly that there was no time for pictures.  There we were 6 people in our Jeep bemoaning that fact for a while.  The lead driver said we were very lucky to see that because it happens so rarely.

We drove through village after village that were both colorful and shocking.  I frequently heard one or another of our group talking about how much they recognized the huge blessing we enjoy in life.  We see so many small children along the edge of the roads herding goats or walking who knows where.  I can’t imagine a child in America walking along by themselves like that, with the responsibility of what is probably the entire family income.  

We drove through the Lake Manyara National Park this morning.  We stopped at a huge lake that is actually brackish.  But it was there we saw our first hippopotamuses.  Jim keeps adding to his bird list.  The birds are so colorful and unlike the ones we have at home.  We drove on to a small village and visited a large gift shop.  I’m coming home with a beautiful, sparkly anniversary gift from Jim.  I won’t tell you what it is, but we are in Tanzania, and they do mine a beautiful stone here which is named after the country (or maybe the country is named after the stone), and I never did have an engagement ring....  Now I just have to figure out customs.

Once we left the gift shop and headed for the caldera of Ngorongoro, the dirt roads became so bumpy.  I think we will never complain about Michigan roads again!  We were jostled all the way to the lodge where we were staying, and both Jim and I are sporting bruises on our arms and legs to prove it!  But what a beautiful, incredible sight we beheld as we gazed over the Caldera!  It is 12 miles across and tomorrow we will be driving down into it.  We still have to spot that male lion and find a leopard so we can say we have seen the Big Five, and tomorrow is our best chance of doing so.

We arrived at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge shortly before dinner.  The lodges are great and our room overlooks the caldera.  The restaurant is  lovely and while Jim doesn’t particularly like the African interpretation of our food, it is beautifully prepared and served.  We are served a starter course, a soup course, the entree and a dessert with choices for each..Once again we were treated to an African chorus for dinner entertainment. 

Tomorrow we go into the caldera!

Tuesday, Dec 4, 2018

No words.  That is what comes to me as I sit down to try to describe today.  From beginning to end it was unbelievable.  I can’t even believe we are in Africa, let alone just feet from a huge elephant!  

We started our first day of safari this morning with a short stop at a local orphanage.  Many of the kids we saw have lost their parents due to HIV.  Their reaction to the simple gifts we brought them (including Jim’s little cars) was priceless!  Before the kids even received the gifts they went around and shook everyone hands wishing us good morning. They were so excited to see us.  They performed a few songs for us, and then the excitement of them receiving gifts bubbled over!  It was humbling to see how happy they were with our little gifts, when in reality we have so much more that we keep for ourselves.  As we drove away, the kids were all standing by the building singing “May God put his blessing on you” over and over.  It still resonates in my head.

 

We soon left paved roads in exchange  for rutted dirt roads and arrived at the Tarangeti National Park.  Within an hour we had seen water buffalo, giraffes, lions, elephants, zebra, and so much more.  To see those animals in their natural habitat is mind boggling.  Our guide lifted the roof of the Jeep so we could see far in all directions.  Our guide, Martin, is treasure trove of information.  

We returned to the Sopa Tarangeti Lodge where we checked into our hotel rooms, and had a lovely outdoor buffet.  Then it was back in our jeeps for another safari drive.  Jim was happy to add many new birds to his bird list as well as a trove of other animals we saw.

We arrived back at the lodge around 7:00 PM and had a lovely dinner in a beautiful facility.  As we
 were finishing up dinner the entire wait staff came out of the kitchen in a dancing line weaving 
through the tables.  Their singing and dancing was so joyful and I grabbed my iPad to record some of it.  I soon realized however, that the candlelit lighting would not make for a good video.  Just as I set my iPad down, the dancing and singing line of waiters, chef and other staff was headed down towards us carrying a beautiful cake that said, “Happy 50th Anniversary” and they lit a sparkling torch which was on top of the cake.  We were totally surprised!  Dear Lynn and Beth arranged for this to happe.  I, of course, was crying.  It was all so joyful and so special.  What a way to celebrate the blessing our our 50 years!  I hope I can eventually collect some of the video people from our group were sharing.  

We were just ready for bed when Beth knocked on our door telling us to go out on our patio.  There, about 60 feet from our patio, stood two elephants munching on grass.  What a way to end this night!

Unfortunately I won’t be able to post these blogs until we return home.  The wifi here is weak, and slow.  But I am recording the days happenings every day because I want to remember these beautiful moments,

So as I prepare to close my eyes, I say “Lala salama”. Goodnight. 

Monday, Dec 3, 2018

I am sitting on our porch in the middle of this peaceful compound.  The weather couldn’t be more perfect.  The peace is palpable.  Even if we saw nothing else on this trip, this time and this moment would be worth it all. 

We had the funniest thing happen to start our day.  Jim and I walked up to the lodge to have our breakfast.  They serve a lovely buffet outside, but we actually eat inside.  We had just dug into our freshly made omelette when a monkey came flying into the room.  You should have seen the staff running after him as the monkey ran through tables and around the room!  I had no idea a monkey could move that fast!  I wish I had had my camera with me, because it was a hilarious sight to remember.

We spent the morning at the Shanga craft center.  This place is on the grounds of Arusha Coffee
 Plantation where we are staying.   It is run by an organization that trains people with disabilities 
or



 who are disadvantaged, and who otherwise would not be able to support themselves, to learn crafts such as weaving, beading, glass blowing, etc.  The concept is fantastic and the people who work there were so excited to show us what they have learned to accomplish. Once a person learns his art he or she moves on to start a business of their own, and others take their place here.  It allows them both dignity and a way to be in charge of their own lives.  

Later in the day, Jim brought over some of the little wood cars he makes to Shanga and distributed them to those who had children.  The ones who didn’t have children were so excited, so they ended up getting some too.  I loved seeing Jim’s joy in his realization of how much happiness those little cars can bring into someone’s life.  After this experience I see him making cars until he can no longer stand and do the job.

It has been a relaxing day and a good way to combat jet lag so we can truly enjoy our safari.  Tomorrow we will be on the road, heading to the Tarangire National Park.  I wonder what we will see?  Surely something we have never seen before!

We finished the day with briefing by our field guides, followed by a lovely dinner.  We are ready to go!