Tanzania - Last Entry

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I have started uploading photos to www.alanottini.smugmug.com
There will be six days when all completed. Not sure about the videos yet.

The trip back went okay. The doctor in Arusha gave me good stuff. Don’t know what it was but felt no pain all the way back. Got to Seattle about 11:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Starting feeling pain about 1 p.m. but was already on way to walk-in clinic. The nurse took one look and sent me to hospital. Has not been enjoyable dealing with kidney stone. Doc has me on Oxycodone plus 600mg of Ibuprofen every six hours. Have been twice to ER to get IV painkiller because pain so bad. Little energy to do anything.

I enjoyed the time spent on the Serengeti and in the parks and crater. Not so much in Arusha and other towns traveled through. I started and ended the trip in a hotel in Arusha. It is different being in a country where many do not have electricity. Those that do many only have for part of the day. Even at the hotel the power went out seven times during my 36 hours there.

Wildlife viewing was great. However, like all wildlife viewing there are times when you see no animals. Because of the vastness, I would guess it was about 50%/50% seeing/not seeing animals while in the vehicle. However, when you do the quantity and variety is impressive. The level of accommodation I selected was nice and the food was great. I’m not sure if I would tent lodge again. I saw enough wildlife during the day. I did not need them next to the tent at night having only a whistle for protection.

I should not have taken the video camera. There are some photos I did not get because I only have one chance and was shooting video. Longer stay would require rest day because of the pounding/jarring to the body from the lack of good roads. Time to go take more meds and deal with pain.

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