Destination Tanzania, part one

It all started with a request from Connie and Carl after their return from an African adventure, that they would like to see the plains of Africa. The North Millers wondered if we would be interested in traveling to Africa with them. That question was like waving a piece of cheese in front of a hungry mouse! We were more than willing to visit the African continent with good friends, (no relation despite the same last name).

Paul grabbed the reins and volunteered to do the research and lay out a plan for an adventure in Tanzania. Paul spent hours researching companies, guides, what parks to visit and came up with a safari that would retrace a lot of the places that we had been on our first safari to Tanzania nearly 14 years ago. During the initial planning we added two more friends to the group, Jennifer and Jesse Gehrt, mother and son.

A year later on August 17th the four Millers and Jesse are on the way to the Kansas City airport. We are leaving behind one of the worst droughts in Wabaunsee county since the early 80’s, (but that is another story). One of the last things I said to our partner Randall is that I hoped he would have to put water gaps in while we were gone. Yes, only five of us are leaving this morning for the airport. Jennifer had meetings in Omaha this week and will be arriving in Washington D.C. on a later flight.

Our flight out of KC was uneventful except the precheck ticket we were so delighted with getting turned out to be useless for Paul and Carl. Paul’s artificial knee made the metal detector buzz and he got to enjoy a close encounter with a TSA agent.  Carl also tripped the alarm and underwent the same scrutiny by a TSA worker as Paul did.

We spent the night in D.C. and were up early to eat breakfast and then we were delivered to the airport four hours before our flight. Jennifer arrived in D.C. late last night so we didn’t see her until this morning.  We are flying Ethiopian Airlines to Africa due to the fact that it was 900 dollars cheaper than the flight that went to Amsterdam on KLM. Also, because the Ethiopian flight arrives in Tanzania by early afternoon while the KLM flight arrived at ten p.m.

On the Ethiopian website it cautioned passengers flying out of Dulles to arrive four hours before departure. It doesn’t take us long to figure out why this was requested of passengers. We get in line behind people who have huge piles of large suitcases stacked haphazardly on carts to be checked through. We watch two men who have their bulky suitcases numbered, one through ten. In addition, they have two big screen TVs, 65-inch screens, that is part of the loot they are taking back to Ethiopia. Yow, I wonder what that cost them as you are allowed two check through bags that can’t weigh over fifty pounds. It takes forever for those two men to get all their luggage checked in and there are many more Ethiopians behind us that have a similar amount of baggage. I wonder if the airline ever has to turn people’s luggage away due to excess weight for the plane. (Later when we board Paul happens to hear the captain say they will have to use a longer runway to take off due to the weight of the plane. Jeez.)

We reach the check-in counter where we check one duffel bag. Normally, we don’t check a bag but we wanted our walking sticks and they can’t be carried on. The North Millers have no check through luggage but the Gehrts check one bag each. We look behind us and realize that coming as early as we did was very wise because the line has lengthened considerably. It takes so long for the people who have the mountains of luggage to check, that even though we were not that far back in line, it took close to an hour to get through. Once we are in our assigned seats it becomes quite entertaining to watch people trying to fit bags in the overhead that are in no way going to fit!

Thirteen hours later with little sleep we land in Addis Ababa where we have to change planes for our final leg of the journey. We walk into the dreariest terminal I have ever been in. We have a three-hour layover and there are no kiosks here to buy any water or snacks. There is a dirty looking water dispenser where the water is supposedly filtered but I and nobody else in our group are going to take the chance of drinking it.  Our plane arrives 15 minutes before takeoff but they load the jet quickly and we arrive in Kilimanjaro early. We did see the snow-capped top of Kilimanjaro as we winged our way to the airport which was pretty cool.

There was a woman near us on the plane which implored us to get to the declaration desk, fill out our forms quickly and try to be some of the first in line for a visa. She warned us that if we didn’t do this we could easily stand in line for our visa over two hours. I am proud to say our group managed to do exactly as she suggested and we were within the first twenty or so to get our visas. Looking back at the throng of people in the queue for entry visas it was obvious these weary travelers’ were in for a long wait.

We found our checked through luggage waiting for us and after sending it through an x-ray machine on the way out(why?), we walked through the door to find our Wild Source driver, Marium, waiting for us. We loaded our luggage and ourselves in the vehicle and sat back to enjoy the sights on our hour drive to the Rivertrees Country Inn. We had many questions for Marium on the way about the various things we were seeing. Jesses’ camera, and he has a really nice camera, was clicking steadily as we drove the African roads documenting the culture of Tanzania along the way. My camera is packed away in luggage or I would have joined Jesse in snapping away with my camera. Ah it is good to be back in Tanzania.

The Rivertrees Country Inn grounds are gorgeous and the rooms are very nice. There is a small river behind our room whose gurgling water adds to the soothing atmosphere of this lodge. After we showered, it’s been a long time since our last shower, we meet our travel mates to explore the grounds and get some much-needed exercise. Oh yes, Paul and I took cold showers since no one showed us where to turn the water heater on Oh well, it still felt good to have a shower. Connie and Carl also showered with cold water but the lucky Gehrts water heater was on.

We walk the paths of Rivertrees enjoying the various trees and flowers that grow profusely on the grounds. Some of us enjoy a beer and Jesse skypes with his family in Kansas. Isn’t that just amazing? Later we meet for supper where Paul and I enjoy a bowl of leek soup plus French fries, an odd combination but it hit the spot. Paul and I sleep well except the soup lives up to its name so to speak 🙂 and we have to visit the restroom two or three times during the night. We recall that this soup had the same effect on us one other time while we visited Africa, so no more leek soup for us.

We all meet for breakfast and then Paul and I stroll around the grounds a bit. A worker sees our binoculars and flaps his arms and uses his hands to show the size of the bird. He motions for us to follow him and leads us to a small tree behind the restaurant where an immature African wood owl, (I think), is perched behind some branches. We thank the mute worker for taking time to show us the owl. He nods his head in acknowledgment and then goes back to work.

Our guide, George Mbwambo, arrives by nine and we introduce ourselves. Paul requested George as our driver/guide after seeing that so many people on safari talk had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. After paying for our drinks and checking out, we load up in the 7 passenger seat Toyota truck and are ready to begin our Tanzanian adventure with George.

When we reach Arusha, George takes us to a supermarket so we can buy beer. Paul and Jesse peruse the beer offerings while we three women walk around this impressive modern store. We are in awe of how neat everything is and the variety of offerings, including lots of American brand items. There are women with brooms and dustpans that are ready to sweep up any bit of dirt they see. When we wander back to the cashier area we see that the guys had to pay for the beer with a credit card as they won’t take American dollars. This is very unusual as we were told most everyone in Tanzania will gladly take U.S. money. George was very surprised at this news. Oh yes, the beer cost just a bit more than a dollar per bottle!

Onward through the chaotic traffic of Arusha and then we break free of the city into the country. There are Masai seemingly everywhere with cattle, goats and sheep. We have no idea how the animals are surviving in this dry, dusty landscape because the grass is nonexistent for the most part, literally grazed down to the dirt. There are young men dressed all in black with bright white designs painted on their faces. George tells us that this is the year for the circumcision ritual called emorata that happens every seven years.

Paul requested that we attend a cattle market and luckily for us there is one taking place today even though it is Sunday. The main market is right by the road where Masai are selling produce, grain, jewelry, shoes and about any other thing you can think of. We walk through the market taking in the color and atmosphere of the gathering. Unfortunately, George tells us to only sneak photos with a phone as the people don’t like to be photographed. Jesse manages to be very discreet and snaps photos as we move through the open-air market. It is very hard to leave my camera in the bag as we walk through this colorful gathering.

Leaving the main area behind we walk a quarter of a mile to where the livestock is being sold. Unlike livestock markets in the U.S. where we have an auction, the Masai bargain privately with potential buyers. George approaches one young cattle owner who seems receptive to visitors and asks the Masai questions for us. George tells us that the best cattle will bring 250 dollars. Paul has brought a few of our cattle photos along and he shows them to the friendly Masai. Pretty soon a few more Masai are gathered around looking at our cattle. Paul tells George to ask them if they think our cattle are too fat and we find out the Masai do think our black cows are overweight! They are mesmerized by the photos we have of our cattle in snow. I’m not sure some of them ever figured what the heck that white stuff was. The cattlemen drift away, going back to the business at hand which is trying to find buyers for their cattle.

We walk back to the Toyota, making our way through several people trying to sell us souvenirs, and continue towards Tarangire National Park. Once inside the gates of the park, George hands out our lunch boxes that Rivertrees staff made for us and we eat at a small picnic ground near the park entrance. There is a White crowned shrike, a Von der Decken’s Hornbill, and many superb starlings, (boy are they aptly named), hanging around hoping for a dropped crumb of food. After we have finished eating we are ready to enter the park and officially start our safari. Later, Nancy