Blogs from Tanzania, Africa - page 362

I decided to go for a walk outside the hotel. The sun was pounding down, and the air hot and sticky. The streets were crowded with people buying and selling a variety of things from fresh fruit to strappy sandals. I saw a small stall selling sugar cane - yes please, I will take two. I put on in my pocked and ate the other. The one in my pocket was a bit too long and protruded by about half its length. My phone, normally clipped to my belt at the back, was not attached at the front as a basic security measure since I was walking through heavy crowds. I was in a thick crowd of people, walking through the market. And then it happened. It was slightly confusing at first, as a man ... read more

What a long day. It started in Bangkok yesterday when I boarded my flight to Singapore. A four hour wait, and some excellent electronics shopping (including an underwater case for my IPOD Nano!) and I boarded the long flight to Joburg. It was a treat though with lie-flat beds and in-seat power for my laptop so I could get in a few episodes of ALIAS before I fell asleep for the rest of he flight. Arriving in Joburg was strange because I had not been to SA in such a long time (normally I am there every few months). But more strange than that was going back through passport control to catch a flight out of Joburg to somewhere other than London! The flight do Dar Es Salam was smooth and they served smoked Marlin as ... read more

In addition to all of the other amazing things I've had the chance to do on this trip, yesterday I was lucky enough to go on Safari!!! We went to the Ngorongoro Crater, which is right next to the Serenghetti and about a 5 hour drive from where we're staying in Moshi. 9 people from our group went, and we woke up at 5 to get on the road early. Once in the park, we were struck by the diversity of the land - sometimes seeming like a rainforest, and other times a grassland. The crater itself is the caldera of an old volcano and is about 20 km across. The sides of the crater are incredibly steep, and our 4-wheel drive van bounced around like crazy while we went through the switchbacks. Inside the giant ... read more

This will be short since this computer's moving slowly and I've got to get out of the internet cafe soon! First, thanks to everyone for the messages. It's been good to hear from you all! I just returned from two days in the Marangu region of Tanzania, on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our group stayed in a swank resort thing (which was a bit awkward: pedicured lawns, hot showers, tv, etc.) where we each had small huts to share with another person. There are more banana trees than I know what to do with in the area! And also, lots of cool birds - we've seen lots of Hornbills, and other things we can't identify. We spent our days visiting small coffee farmers who grow coffee for KNCU. They each sell their coffee through a ... read more

How do you pack for 10 years? Anyone? The container carrying everything we own except for what is in 4 suitcases, leaves port here in the US and heads across the ocean to somewhere near lower Europe, then docks; either unloads and reloads to another ship, or the boat just refuels to continue the jouney to Africa. It will take approximately 6 weeks to physically get there. Then it must go through the customs and clearing agents hands before it can leave the docks and head to our new home. This could take weeks. The most recent container left America in the middle of Jan and did not arrive to it’s final destination until the END OF MAY!!!!! 4 and 1/2 months!!!!!! So - having said that, I must pack my 4, 50 pound suitcases wisely, ... read more