SAFARI IN AFRICA

I am a novice world traveler and every day I learn more and more on how to manage traveling comfortably. The first thing I have learned is do not worry and stress over things. What every you are worrying about won’t happen instead something else you hadn’t even considered will happen. You can’t control the unexpected so just roll with it and cope the best you can.

My one and only bag went MIA on my trip to Africa. All I had with me was my medicine, makeup, purse cell phone,iPad and my kindle. My bag didn’t arrive until 4 days later. But a gentleman from the tour company volunteered to take me shopping for some essentials until my bag showed up, assuming it would show up.

I asked him to take me to a mall where I was sure I would be able to find all I need. After all Nairobi is a city of 5 million people. But since he was dropping folks off at a museum he decided that a down town shopping area would be just fine. It wasn’t to my way of thinking, but none the less after dozens of small shops and tiny stalls I managed to get a track suit , a pair of sweats, 2 T-shirts ,under pants and 2 sports bras which ended up being way to large for me to the point I was falling out of them. Any way that was my wardrobe for the next 4 days. At firsts it upset me as I don’t like dressing sloppy. But met the tour group and off on the safari we went and none of the animals seem to care how many days I wore the same T-shirt so all was good.

We travel in 8 passenger Land cruisers that have a pop top so you can stand up and take pictures with in the safety of the vehicle. They are four wheel drive vehicles as the trails and roads are really rough. My first time to go off roading! We had a driver and a Masai guide and both knew the landscape like the back of their hand made sure we saw all the animals that call the Masai Mara home with the exception of the leopard and the rhinoceros. They are both quite shy and elusive.”’

Our first 4 days in Kenya there were just 5 of us, now that we are in Tanzania we number 12. The weather has been cooler than I expected but this afternoon turned sunny and warmer. Today was a day learning more about the people and their culture, their problems and solutions. Clean water is a major issue throughout Tanzania and we visited a ceramic filter factory that has created a very unique water filtering jug that will service a family of up to 8 people. It actually remove mud and all other impurities from the water by filtering it through what looks like a clay pot. By mixing the clay with pine sawdust and then fireing at a very high temperature you end up with a layer of charcoal sandwiched between 2 layers of clay. We then visited a workshop that helps albino people. I never knew how ostracized and totally rejected albino people in Africa were and what is being done to re-educate people to not be afraid of them or harm them.

Next we visited a cultural museum and huge gift shop to. Pick up some souvenirs and learn about tanzanite, the rarest gem stone on earth and only found in Tanzania. It’s been a busy day and a busy super fun week.

A quick mention about our accommodations, the first 4 days we were at a lovely rustic lodge. My cabin was a stone platform with a a roof and canvas side walls that could be zipped off in hot weather with lots of mesh windows. Very comfortable in a wooded setting. Here in Tanzania it is a beautiful garden setting with cabins nestled privately off little paths complete with a fire place that the staff lit for me last night to warm up the room. I’m really getting spoiled on this trip and enjoying every minute of it.

Remember to tap the little pictures to make them big. Signing off KO