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Published: April 5th 2019
The KLM Airbus landed like a huge nightjar in the semi darkness of the Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania. I checked my watch. It was 9:30 pm. I looked out the window; the distant hills in the moonlit night were a mystique sketch in the horizon. Lovely! Instantly I fell in love with Tanzania. Love at first sight. Little did I know that I will be wheel chaired to a flight halfway around the world from the same airport in the next few days. No, I am not going to talk about it in this video blog. I want to share the stories of beautiful Tanzania that I have loved and been loved by the people; Tanzania that has emptied its love and wilderness to me from the day one. And no regrets!
The immigration formality took a while and we headed out to our base in Arusha, about 45 minutes ride from the airport. Bushes and trees on both sides were shadowy in the dim light from the occasional street lamps and I have no idea what lies beyond those bush, but appeared to be an unknown world that can pounce on me any time. In day light none of
my imagination was found to be true, but nonetheless, those visions at night created my first bond with Tanzania that became stronger as the days went by.
Our first trip was a day safari in Tarangire National Park, a few hours’ drive from Arusha. It was a sunny morning when Eddie picked up the steering of our land cruiser and we headed out with full spirit. When we entered the park, the scorching sun was showering the heat merciless from the sky and not a soul was around. “No one gets out of the vehicle”,- Eddie warned us. He already knew my risky habits and heard the story of Rock Hyrax taking out a bit of my skin in Kenya. I laughed! “You can’t stop me when I decide to jump out the vehicle Eddie,” I replied. Mohan from my side replied “I can.” I sighed. Not my style of safari where I would like to have my freedom. I felt so good when our cruiser broke down in Kenya and I had the freedom to roam around, no matter that a lion was roaring nearby. It was the mating season and I knew the lion was roaring to
attract the bunch of lioness in a nearby harem…he didn’t have the slightest interest in me. But I forgot all of the sadness I was feeling a moment ago; I looked around from my cruiser…the rugged dry beauties of Tarangire absorbed me all. Eddie was saying something, but I was not listening. We drove for about ten minutes. I was transfixed with the wilderness. As the cruiser was passing over the unpaved roads, I could see the elephant herd taking shelter under the Acacia trees in the afternoon sun, the thorny bushes were touching our cruiser, an impala gave us a shy look from her hiding behind a baobab tree, baboons were eating flowers on top of a tree, an ostrich turned its neck to give us a curious look, giraffe crossed the road leisurely with its eternal right-of-way in this wilderness. I loved them all! They are the owners of this place, we were just the visitors! I have tried to capture the sights and sounds of my journey in this slideshow! Hope you would enjoy it!
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Tanzania
We have not been to Tanzania yet and will add it to our list. Continue to enjoy your diary. Thanks for taking us along.