"Days 13 and 14: We will drive to Arusha for lunch, stopping for interesting shopping along the way, then fly to the island of Zanzibar, arriving in mid-afternoon. We will stay at the beautiful Serena Lodge, situated on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Zanzibar, also known as the Spice Island, was for centuries a cultural crossroads, where Arabia and Asia met Africa and Europe. It is dotted with Arabic architecture, narrow streets, and beautiful carved doors as well as sandy white beaches and untouched coral reefs. A tour of the island will be a step back in time. . ."
What a wonderful start to our departure day: we were awakened by elephants browsing on the grasses & shrubs outside our tent-cabins. Jim and I had heard them in the night, but couldn’t see them and weren’t sure what we were hearing. It was a family group of 10 or so, with one tiny baby who couldn’t have been very old. As long as we sat quietly, they seemed comfortable in our presence. Reluctantly, we left them and went to breakfast, then to the trucks for the drive to Arusha.
We stopped briefly at the Impala Hotel, then were driven to the Arusha Hotel to shop in their nice gift shop. From there we were able to
walk to a few other stores for carvings, gemstones, Maasai beadwork (in case anyone needed more!) and other mementos. The street vendors were very aggressive and quite annoying. They were determined to sell me a tin truck toy that I made the mistake of admiring, but I finally got them to give up.Our wonderful driver guides joined us for lunch at the Impala Hotel, and we gave them a "roast" in poetry, prose and song before presenting them with their gratuities. They have constantly educated, entertained and protected us, and we have grown to like them immensely. We are all sad to be parting from them now.
The flight from Arusha was cancelled, so we were shuttled to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the flight to Zanzibar. The plane was 30 or 45 minutes late, but the flight was smooth and uneventful. We were met by Mr. Moray, the Zanzibar ground tour operator and taken by air-conditioned bus to the Serena Hotel. It’s very hot and humid here--kind of like Miami Beach!
) |
We milled around the lobby like a herd of tired wildebeests until we got our room assignments, then it was off to the showers. Our dinner was great, then we were off to bed in lovely air-conditioned rooms. What a life and what a trip! |
| Home away from home at the Zanzibar Serena, Lloryn Swan |
Lloryn Swan
A long restful night’s sleep after a filling dinner and abundant good wine, a late wakeup call, the crashing surf outside our window--these are the ingredients for relaxation and contentment.
The last days of our safari are bittersweet. We want to relax a little. I am running out of steam with videotaping and photography. We are tempted to sit out some of the trips. Yet we are afraid of missing something. We want desperately for one more chance to see wildlife, although some of us complain good naturedly about the trip’s pace and lack of down time. Inwardly we wish for that reason to get up and get going.
Zanzibar sounds so exotic, and on that score it did not disappoint. It has quite a different flavor than the mainland. It has that
Caribbean feel, and the sound of calypso music reverberates in my mind as we hurl ourselves through narrow streets, past markets with tropical fruits and scores of bicycles, past pickup-truck-busses with people and produce hanging from every nook and cranny. The people, too, are different and exotic. Arab and Islamic influence permeates the atmosphere and you think you might be in Casablanca or Baghdad.Our trip to the Jozani Forest Reserve was most interesting. The monkeys were cute and their preservation seems important, yet the ease with which we found them didn’t present the challenge we have come to expect. But that wilderness challenge came instead in negotiating the trail through the rain forest--an appropriate term on this day. Our guide was very entertaining with his animated tales of herbal medicine and "witch doctoring".
) |
) |
| Above left: A red colobus monkey on Zanzibar, Lloryn Swan | Above right: Our forest guide animatedly describes the traditional medicinal uses for some of the native plants. We think he's waiting to be discovered by a Hollywood mogul. (Jim Swan) |
| Below left: Do you think they put this sign here just for us 'Nort Americanos'. | Below right: Zanzibar is the ultimate in kanga shopping. Ed Shelley |
) |
) |
Shopping intensity has reached a fever pitch. With only a day remaining before heading home, buying souvenirs and gifts has taken center stage. Some of us elected to stay around the hotel rather than take a spice tour, so as not to miss a go at the nearby shops.
As we meet for some last day instructions it is with sadness at breaking up this group we have spent the last two weeks with. In many ways it seems we have known each other much longer. Yet we also will be glad to return to our own homes, and beds, and pets, and routines.
Jim Swan
[Ed. Note: Did anyone's group photo come out?]
"Day 15: In the morning you can enjoy the beach and hotel grounds. . . In the afternoon, we will return from Zanzibar to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania’s main city. . . After a farewell dinner in the city, we will transfer to the airport for the return flight to Europe and the journey back to the United States."
This day started slowly with no planned activity until 10:00 AM (check-out time). Without the three day rooms things would have been very hectic. Betty immediately started worrying about sharing a bathroom with three couples. The tour of
stone town began at the market, which, to say the least, was exotic for us Westerners. Beautiful produce of all kinds, but after visiting the meat market and fish market I think a few of us were having some concerns about eating either one. I don’t think they would pass an FDA inspection. Perhaps we were all surprised at the extensiveness of the market--essentially a supermarket with virtually everything available.Once the shoppers found the kanga shopping section everything came to a halt as usual. However, that came to a conclusion and we moved on to the old slave market. The presentation inside the dark, low ceilinged old slave holding chamber was very effective and quite moving. I, for one, had to fight back a claustrophobic reaction. One can only imagine the fright of the slaves who were captured from the open country. The related story about Livingstone and the wooden cross made from the tree under which his heart had first been buried was also of great interest. (Betty says the wood for the cross did not come from that specific tree; maybe someone else can remember.)
The tour concluded with visits to three museums, including the historical museum and the museum of natural history. (I did not go to the third museum, so can’t comment on that. My impression of the former two was that they conveyed some valuable information, especially the history museum, but I also thought that their condition was quite sad. But perhaps a poor country should not spend too much of their limited resources on such institutions.We concluded our visit to Zanzibar with lunch and sharing of the common rooms. It all worked out very well with Betty having her fair share of the bathroom. Even she didn’t complain.
Exiting Zanzibar was another experience. For a while it looked like we might all expire in the hot sun before baggage was checked and tickets were issued. After going through security we all felt very safe.
An easy flight to Dar es Salaam and a very efficient process in receiving baggage and getting on the bus (a very crowded bus with all our baggage and support staff). A long drive to the hotel for dinner, but several highlights. One wedding procession led by a band in the back of a truck, then uncounted wedding parties on the beach. We also saw the bombed-out U.S. embassy.
Pat will cover the farewell dinner (I hope).
Ed Shelley
6-24-00 Saturday, Dar es Salaam, 7:30 p.m.
We talked about the beginning of the end some days ago. Now we are at the end of the end (almost). We are all here for dinner at the hotel (Sea Cliff), seated on a veranda--cool sea breeze--we can hear the surf. This hotel is spread out--open-air corridor, thatched roof. We had "day rooms" for use to freshen up.
Ruth has just announced "ten minutes to 9," time to head for the airport, so this is where we will say "goodbye" to Ruth and Lynn. We will feel the loss
, as she had been our comfort and security. She has done well, as we all feel "comfortable & secure." So we will say--Goodbye & Good Luck.Actually, this is a play-by-play--Skip is now saying nice things to Ruth, about Ruth, and presenting her with a gift from all of us--a neat elephant outfit. Now she will have to be elegant, which she is already. So we will miss the bumpy road, bouncing around, hanging on, seeing Africa in bare beautiful reality--cruel sometimes, other times
exhilarating, feelings all mixed up together. So all of this has bound us together in a way we will never forget although we may never see each other again.Hey, someone just said (I think it was Ruth)--"Wake up call at 6:00 a.m., breakfast at 6:45, drive at 7:00--I’ll be there. . .
Pat
The End
 |