Jambo! Welcome to the land of the Lion King, where we see
Simba, Mufasa, Rafiki, Nala, Puma and people really say Asante Sana (thank you
very much), Hakuna Mata (no problems), and rafiki actually means friend. Few
things have a set price and bargaining is the norm, you drive on the left side
of the road with little care or restraint, and you frequently get called out
for being white skinned (interesting to also be a definitive minority).
It’s barely been three weeks but feels like so much more. We
have been to and seen quite a lot. The trip was almost too good to believe at
first.
I arrived a true fresh-off-the boat mzungu (white person),
jet lagged and far from fully functional but very happy to see the one and only
Chloe Ross. I can’t say that my first hours experiencing Africa was exactly
overwhelming, but it was certainly a lot to be taking in all at once. Some
quick decisions had Chloe, her good friend and fellow Peace Corp volunteer,
Kara and I on the ferry to the striking island of Zanzibar.
We spent time in Stone Town, Zanzibar exploring its old
streets, markets and House of Wonders Museum. We spent nights on beachside
restaurants watching the sunset, traditional dhow boats in motion.
We went on a very cool spice tour to learn all about how different
spices and fruits are gown and cultivated, complete with delicious tastings.
However it was our trip to the east coast of Zanzibar that
was truly a dream-like experience. The town of Peja provided the idyllic beach
experience that only seems to exist in a post card.
Huge shallow tides provided kilometers of walking through
waist deep waters dispersed with reef life.
We ate, we drank, we were most merry. We danced late into
the night at both a beach disco just a stone’s throw from the water, and at a
local hang out. It was very cool to visit a village house to learn to cook a
traditionally Swahili meal, complete with breaking coconuts to mix into the
rice and curry. The experience was so good it never quite seemed real. Our
first afternoon I held the biggest shit-eating grin on my face…”This doesn’t
suck.”
It did eventually come to an end, as we returned to my arrival
point of Dar Es Salaam, bidding goodbye to our travel group. Kara to return to
her Peace Corp post in northern Malawi, and the other Peace Corp friends of
Allegra, Ben, Matt and Allison to Kenya. The allure of Zanzibar life was
missed, but awesomely transistioned into a visit to Mr. Shea Patrick in Dar.
Chloe and I crashed at Shea’s JVI (Jesuit Volunteers International) community
house, and it was so great to see and spend time with Shea! The Seattle
community is eager for his return!
Chloe and I moved on to the northeast of Tanzania and spent
days in the Usambara mountains. We went trekking through mountain villages,
jungles and landscapes. Camping on the cliffs overlooking north central
Tanzania’s Maisai Steppes was certainly a highlight. Chloe harnesses the
sunset:
Adventuring on, Clo and I made it to the town of Moshi and
the slopes of the roof of Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s pretty much always in
the clouds so you almost don’t know it is there. Unfortunately the only hour
the mountain came into view I did not have my camera, but I can confirm that it
is indeed a very large mountain. Visiting the mountain village of Marangu had
us exploring villages, markets, caves, tribal museums, and waterfalls.
Leaving promptly at 5am the journey was on, safari to the
parks of Tarangire, Ngorongoro Carter, and the legendary Serengeti. It was a
once in a lifetime experience, and certainly provided everything you would
expect it to: animals galore in variety and abundance, never ending landscapes,
and a sense of wild. Although truth be told, the budget safari experience got
the job done but didn’t leave me crying for more. Our Spanish friends and
safari partners, Jose and Lucia, and our guide Osman (with our muffler…)
But I am most thankful to have seen some amazing sights.
In the Masai language, Siringet means the land that doesn’t
end, and you can see why. It goes on forever, but still manages to hold some
amazing wildlife even now in the dry season.
After these wonderful Tanzanian adventures we are off to an
even more mystical land, the giant island of Madagascar. We hope all are well
back home and know that you are in our thoughts.
Wishing you Safari Njema, good journey,
Matt
