Preface - Wildebeests, also called gnus, are antelopes. They are not as agile as their cousins the impalas who, according to nationalgeorgraphic.com, can “leap distances of up to 33 feet,” often “soaring some 10 feet in the air.” Nor are they as sleek as their cousins the gazelles. They both run 50 miles per hour, but wildebeests lack the grace of their slimmer relatives. They are not very attractive. Their coloring is drab, they have eyes on the side of their head, and the only thing “cute” about them is their white beard. Why then, the [View Full Entry]

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Sunday, March 29, 2009 - After traveling almost 24 hours from Houston via Amsterdam, Lennard, Dan and I arrived in Dar es Salaam the night of March 28th. Each of us had a good night's sleep and awoke ready for the adventure that lay before us. The Southern Sun Hotel was our home base. It proved to be ideal—comfortable rooms, savory meals and a wonderful staff eager to help us. As we ate breakfast selected from a wide variety of food including fresh fruits like mangos and pineapples, plus eggs made to order and assorted pastries, Bill came in from his [View Full Entry]

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Monday, March 30, 2009 - Two vehicles picked us up for our day's activities. Sheiba Bulu, the Ministry's Communications Officer, joined us for the duration of the fact-finding mission. She was a very valuable member of the team, at least in my eyes. Besides her other duties, she was the person who found the Ladies' Room for me in each of the places we visited. At my age, that was essential. We bonded immediately. The first meeting of the day was with Dr. Ladislaus C. Komba (Chairman) Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism. Others who were there include [View Full Entry]

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - I had a slight problem with my stomach, so thought I'd be conservative about what I ate at breakfast. My mouth watered for the fresh fruit, but I was content with “over easy” eggs. No sense in tempting fate. Our first appointment the next morning was with ITV—Independent Television Limited, a station that began in 1994. The majority of its programming is locally produced, and the gentlemen with whom we met were very knowledgeable about the equipment needed for our project. We felt comfortable that between the three media companies w [View Full Entry]

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Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - Our group was smaller—only Lennard, Dan, Bill, Hudson, Sheiba, Martin and I would do the day's activities. We were late for our appointment with Professor Rwekasa S. Mukandala, Vice Chancellor, University of Dar Es Salaam (USDM), but he was kind enough to rearrange his schedule and meet with us. The history of USDM is quite interesting. Begun in 1961 as an affiliate college of the University of London, the Tanzanian Parliament established the institution as a full-fledged University nine years later. The sprawling campus is spread over more t [View Full Entry]

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Thursday, April 2, 2009 - I met Dan and Bill downstairs. Both fellows asked if they could put items in the suitcase I was leaving behind. Although it had been expanded several inches by unzipping the zipper, we stuffed it to the gills and almost had to sit on top to get it closed. Before we left, Lennard gave us the shocking news that he wouldn't be going with us. He had severe back problems and would stay in Dar to seek medical attention. What a disappointment! We knew how much he had looked forward to this part of our journey. [View Full Entry]

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Friday, April 3, 2009 - Our two vehicles traveled caravan-style on the way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA; Tanzanians love acronyms, and there are many). We passed people who were walking or biking to work, students who were going home for the semester break—some waiting for buses and others on foot—, Maasai women and children congregating under the trees, and other picturesque slices of life. We stopped at the Mto Wa Mbu “Masai Central Market” to look for souvenirs. Martin helped me negotiate prices. I saw several items I wanted [View Full Entry]

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Friday, April 3, 2009 - James had approached me the night before about transportation. I was given the choice of driving in the Land Rover or flying with the others, though there might not be enough seats for all of us. Someone would have to forfeit his place. I said, “I'll see more if I go by car, won't I?” And so it was decided. After our lunch at the Serena, the others departed for the small airport, and Mark, Sheiba, Martin and I started off by road. We drove for a while and saw a semi-trailer truck on its side. [View Full Entry]

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Saturday, April 4, 2009 - When it was light outside I dressed and went to the front desk, asking how contact the physician. Dr. Edmund Nzella was there in a flash. After hearing my symptoms, he determined it was bacterial. He said to do go to the dining area, where I had been heading. He would find me and bring what I needed. I saw my colleagues and told them my predicament. They were very concerned. Although we were to meet with people from SANAPA (Serengeti National Parks) and had a full day planned, including an opportunity to see the animals, [View Full Entry]

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Sunday, April 5, 2009 - I felt so good after getting a full night's sleep that I opened the sliding doors and walked onto the balcony. I watched two small dik-diks (midget antelope with large eyes) eating the grass below and searched for animals on the plains in the distance. I showered, dressed and looked forward to having a light breakfast. As I stood in the buffet line, a hornbill swooped down and snatched a piece of bread. One of the waiters was able to grab the bird and carefully tossed it towards the tree. It sat on a branch, waiting [View Full Entry]

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