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Published: September 29th 2007
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Mama Ostrich
Underneath her are 8 eggs. We were wondering for a good long time why she was so far away from all of the other birds and animals... then she stood up to stretch her legs and we saw the answer! First of all, my sincere apologies for the delinquency of my posts. I have been settling into my life and daily routines here, and just have been either "too tired" or "too busy" to sit down to my computer and put up a proper post. I do hope to figure out how to add it into a weekly routine soon, so that I won't have to do 3 posts in one sitting anymore!
So, back to the business at hand. On the weekend of September 14-16, we had a 3 day weekend. I decided to go up to Arusha, and see another part of Tanzania, reputedly very different from Dar. So, I took a flight up with Emma, another teacher from the Elementary School, and when we got to Arusha we split up to stay with different friends on opposite sides of the city. I stayed on Thurs and Fri. night with Belinda Hurt, the wife of Derek Hurt, who is the son of Robin Hurt, of Robin Hurt Safaris, whom Dad had known in his Holland and Holland days. If you're still with me after that, don't worry, it gets easier! So Derek was out in the bush on
Birds, birds everywhere!
Look at them all relaxing in harmony. safari, and Belinda kindly offered to take me in and host me for the weekend. Thursday night consisted of a cozy dinner and drinks in her home, playing with her adorable Jack Russel puppies and just getting to know one another. Friday morning we went into town to run some errands and so that I could get a lay of the land. Arusha is very different from Dar in that it really has more of a small town feeling. It
seemed easier to get around up there! It is also markedly different in temperature! I was wearing long pants and a fleece jacket almost the entire time that I was up north!
Anyways, after running some errands in town and continually having plans fall through with Emma and Francois, Belinda and I spent the day touring the Masaai Markets and the Snake Park (eek!). Don't worry, I was a total girl and even shrieked a few times at the park, especially when the guide thrust a baby crocodile and a little snake at me on two separate occasions. That evening, we went across the dirt path in the compound, for a birthday drinks and nibbles party. I met a
More Animals Wander In
Look in the background! I was constantly just looking around and noticing more and more animals popping up! bunch of Belinda's friends and neighbors, and had a fun time exchanging ex-pat tales with them!
After the party, Belinda and I debated whether or not we should go to the local bar and watch some of the Rugby World Cup. It was about 9pm and we were pretty tired, so we ended up saying no and going home to bed. The following morning we found out that near the end of the rugby game, that very bar was robbed. A group of guys came in from both sides of the bar, shot the bartender (local, 2 weeks married) dead and then took all of the money, jewelry and cellphones off of the patrons. Narrowly missed my first tough experience in Tanzania. It served as a reminder that the crime here is real, and you can't start being lackadaisical about showing your money.
On Saturday, we drove down to the Usa River (ooosah, not U.S.A.) and looked at the plot that Belinda and Derrick have bought for a future house. It was very interesting to see all of the weeds, plants, AND trees being cleared by hand on acres and acres of land. So much manual labor required!
Do Not Feed the Monkeys!
Like that stopped them. Sneaky devils. After that, we drove back up a little and had lunch at a game sanctuary. We watched an ostrich nesting on 8 eggs, watched all sorts of peacocks showing off their feathers to one another, and the naughty naughty monkeys waiting for the perfect chance to hop off the roofs or trees and steal food off of guests' plates. I enjoyed myself immensely just sitting there and watching the animals.
After lunch, Nick came and picked me up. Nick also works at Robin Hurt Safaris, but is a friend of Piers', one of Dad's old work colleagues. Nick took me to his friends' house to watch some rugby and hang out with a new set of people. Then we went back up a hill to his amazing homestead. It is a set of several buildings, all very "African." Each guest house is its' own little wooden hut, the bathroom as well, and the living room and dining room hut is entirely open, with just a roof overhead! I regret that I didn't take any photos of this.
So Nick had a big dinner party that evening and I met even more people! It was lovely food and company,
Going for a Walk
They were almost as close as they look. Just a little ledge between us and them. though I was still in a fleece and scarf at this point! I didn't get to bed until nearly 3am! The following morning, I met Nick's horses, imported from Zimbabwe, and then was driven down the road to meet up with Emma for a day in Arusha National Park.
We went to the Park with Emma, Francois- the guy Emma was staying with, and Fanie- a South African who just moved to Dar and was up in Arusha for work that weekend! It was a really different park, in that it was more a forest, and you go to see the vegetation moreso than the animals. We did manage to see several giraffes, baby warthogs (SO little!), and baboons. We even had a giraffe pair on the side of the road, so close you could touch them if you had nerves of steel! They calmly walked out into the road, came in front of the car, and meandered along in the center of the road so that we could no longer pass them! Eventually they turned off down a path and we continued on our way.
After a late lunch and drive back to the airport, we said
Here Comes Daddy!
One of 2 males ostriches at the preserve... they both totally ignored the nesting mama ostrich, so I'm not certain what was going on there. goodbye to Francois and Fanie, and flew back to Dar to be home in time to prepare for work the next day. Another successful weekend in Africa!
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Tom
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So much to see and do in just one weekend
Wow, that's an amazing three day weekend. So glad fate intervened and kept you from going to see the rugby match at the local bar. I just returned from three days in Hangzhou. Very different from the African safari.