Since our blog entries have been sporadic because of difficulties with internet here in Africa, we have a solution so that you will know when we have posted a new blog. If you would like to be notified when we post a new entry, LOOK RIGHT, and down a little bit.... you can now subscribe to receive an email notification of our new blog posting. Give it a whirl!! M+M
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Pole-Pole (Pronounced Pole-Eh Pole-Eh), Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
To See Our Tanzanian Photos, Click Here
Climbing Kilimanjaro was our original motivation for coming to Africa. Some of you may recall our engagement at Mt Everest in Tibet (Everest Engagement or click archive 2006 on the right hand side of our blog page). Well, to 'top' our engagement so to speak, we decided we would climb Kilimanjaro and get married on the top. Of course, Martin and I couldn't just go on holiday to get married…no. If we were going all the way to Africa, then we should at least see Africa. Well, I think I can safely say that we have done just that!
Knowing our friend Bernie Sauter was coming from BC, we had done our research a few weeks before and found a small but established tour company for the trek paying a reasonable amount for the trip, not too cheap, not too over the top. Our 'training' last week in the Usambara mountains made us feel more confident about the climb. Of course being away for a year, we wouldn't have our usual hiking and winter gear with us, so we rented it from a local man (a friend of James and Katherine who had given us a ride to Moshi last week). Good-luck (yes, that's his name) helps Kilimanjaro porters who get paid meagre wages and are ill-equipped to go up the mountain. We have heard many stories of how poorly porters are treated doing such a tough job, and we were happy to support this good cause. His goal is to lend out warm hiking gear and proper footwear (rather than flip-flops) to porters for their work on the mountain.
After the amazing National Geographic stuff of the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, we gave ourselves a rest day in Moshi before starting our Kilimanjaro climb. It turned out Bernie was extremely ill with food poisoning and since he had time, it turned into two days of rest after which he felt good to go. So, bang on 9am on the 21st Feb we were ready and waiting, if somewhat nervously, for our tour operator and guide with porters to collect us from Moshi Backpackers. A minivan (what else!) full of them arrived - about 11 in total. It wouldn't be until we reached the gate that our gear would be weighed and we would work out how many porters we would actually need. We squeezed in to the van with our stuff for the three hour drive to the National Park gate which gave us time to 'talk' to a few of the crew and start to learn their names - after all, if they're going to bust a gut getting us to the top of the tallest mountain in Africa, we should really get to know them!
At the Londorossi gate we tumbled out of the minivan, gear and man power. The porters formed a queue at the weighing station. Each porter is not allowed to carry more than 20kg. It seemed that the park rangers were pretty strict about it which is good as it would be unfair to carry too much more. In spite of this the bundles our porters later carried looked awkward and bulky and seemed more then 20kg! Hmmm! The loads seemed to change slightly as the trek progressed, but more noticeable with other groups porters.
Our chosen route was an approach from the west called Lemosho - a longer 7 day climb that allowed for gradual acclimatisation which would also be more interesting passing through the natural rain forest of the lower slopes of Kili, and then onto high moorland before entering the alpine elevations.
Heading back out the gate our start point was still a 1 hour drive up a mud road…and as it had been raining since the day before, we then discovered it was virtually impassable without a 4x4. On a couple of occasions the porters had to get out and manoeuvre the van through the mud. About 30 minutes in, a truck was strewn across the road. Seeing that it was going to be an arduous task, our guides proposed an alternative: to turn back through the gate and trek up another western route - the Shira route - via a more drivable, gravel road.
Disappointed that we weren't going to do our chosen route, we were secretly pleasantly surprised that we had skipped to a starting altitude of 3100m (10,200ft) instead of 2100m (6,900ft) . Although it wasn't natural forest that we were walking through we enjoyed the low heather zone ambling through gentle terrain and occasional gorges. A short couple of hours and we had reached camp for the night - Shira One. By the end of Day 1, I had the names of our 7
porters, 1 cook and 2 guides nailed. Shani, and Duncan-Mack (Ma Picha) were our main guides. The additional summit guide would be Okwele, the cook, Ali, and the 6 other porters were Uncle, Peter, Captain, Laurent, Cedik, and Idi. We were happy to find the tents all set up, and the boys all getting the food ready for dinner. I must say that the food was pretty tasty and very plentiful during our days on Kili, although sometimes tough for our stomachs to handle and sometimes we just don't feel that hungry. Martin had a little bit of a stomach bug from the safari, so the food didn't always sit well with him. Fortunately, the change in the route meant it was a fairly short and easy first day, and made for a less strenuous acclimatisation day right at the start.
We were happy with camping, and having spent so many nights in the tent we'd bought in Jo'burg over the past year, were used to it, apart from maybe it being a little cooler than what we were accustomed to. Waking up to clear skies was a typical morning. The mountain was stunningly clear up until about 10AM daily, when at that time the clouds seem to roll in and obscure it from view for most of the day. So, crystal clear blue skies, with a sunrise over Kilimanjaro was a daily sight that we did not take for granted.
Although the Shira route is one of the quieter routes on Kili, camp seemed to be busy, but we knew more crowds were set to come, as we would meet up with the Machame route on Day 3. We crossed the large (approx 62 sq km), wild and picturesque Shira Plateau. This is the original volcano of Kili and we saw lots of evidence of ancient volcanic activity: light, porous rock underfoot and the towering lava structure of Shira Cathedral which we climbed for acclimatization. Our progress was, as they say here, 'pole pole'. Slowly-slowly for acclimatising purposes. We knew why and we didn't mind and we enjoyed the landscape which was wild and barren in places, and then suddenly we were in the giant-heather zone with lots of old-man's-beard moss straggling down from tall heather trees. Unfortunately, the cloud came in and we didn't have much of a view from the top of the Cathedral. Day 2 was an acclimatization day where we hiked up above the 4000m (13,100 ft) level, but slept at about 3900m (12, 800 ft) at Shira Camp 2. Arriving at Camp 2 we rested and killed time.
Leaving the Shira Plateau on Day 3 the path east took us through barren moorland to the Lava Tower (4600m, or 15,100 ft) - a merging point with the Machame route. Here we stopped for lunch and were disgusted at all the litter that has been left by other climbers. It doesn't seem like people/porters stick to the 'pack-it-in pack-it-out' policy. We then descended through thickish fog to our next camp Barranco campsite at 3950m (12,950 ft). This day was longer and we hiked for about 6 hours or more. We were definitely tired when we got to camp and we tried to relax and rest at our new altitude.
At this point at the end of day 3 we were all feeling strong, no headache or symptoms of altitude, and enjoying the hiking. The look of the Barranco Wall which was to be our hike for the next day seemed a little intimidating though, with its steep and long path visible from our tent.
Leaving camp at 8am on Day 4 the following morning we discovered that it wasn't as steep as it looked, although there was some scrambling (the use of hands to ascend the rock) involved. Unfortunately, we were followed and felt rushed on by porters at one steep scramble section and Martin felt like he over-did it. We stopped to recover and the view from the top of the Great Barranco was cool looking towards Mt Meru, Kili's neighbour, in the west. Next, a traverse over screes and ridges to Karangu Valley campsite for lunch at 4000m (13,100 ft). Still feeling good, we continued on. It was along this trail
across ridges and steeper scree to Barafu Hut campsite at 4600m (15,100 ft) that Martin started to feel tired and as he approached the tents, exhausted.
We had already decided to have a rest day the next day, but once Martin settled down in the tent to rest, it became clear that his breathing was becoming worse. When he breathed in and out you could hear crackling sounds from his lungs like someone crinkling a crisp packet. He had High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO or HAPE depending on how you spell oedema) - fluid in the lungs.
From a biological perspective the human body is pretty fascinating - how it handles high altitude and lack of oxygen. The increased acidity of the blood triggering the brain to increase breathing rate etc, etc. If your body does not adapt quickly enough to the altitude, the lack of oxygen results in leakage
of fluid from the blood into the lungs (like Martin) and brain (called Cerebral Oedema which he didn't have, thankfully). I say fascinating because getting high altitude sickness doesn't appear to be scientific. More, random. It seems to be nothing to do with fitness or gender or age. It's even random within the same person, meaning sometimes you can get it and sometimes you don't: in fact, it was me who had trouble at Mt Everest at base camp in Tibet in 2005 at 5200m (17,050 ft) when Martin had no problem at all.
Things happened pretty quickly after our head guide, Shani, checked Martin. Only one thing for it: to go down down down. Everyone rallied. Within half an hour I had packed, dressed Martin in winter gear, and the porters packed up tents and headed down. Two porters and Duncan Mack, the assistant guide, would remain behind with Bernie to do a midnight bid for the summit which is standard. In the meantime, as Martin had enough coordination (he had not progressed to cerebral symptoms), we walked slowly-slowly 'pole-pole' in the dark with Shani supporting Martin on one side, and porter Peter on the other at the ready should Martin need support. It was not an easy path, more scree and stones. Quite remarkably, I don't know how Martin managed to walk three hours (arriving at midnight) when he was absolutely exhausted. Survival. He even threw up on the way down, showing the evidence of the stomach bug he was complaining about. He knew that going down to lower elevation was the only way. Just as we arrived at Millennium camp at 3900m (12,800 ft), we thought of Bernie just starting his ascent.
The rest of the night was not a fun one as now that Martin's body had stopped being distracted by the walking, it could go back to adjusting to the altitude. He slept a little, but his breathing remained 'crinkley'. After that he coughed non-stop and was now spitting up clear yellow fluid. Even trying different sleep positions for comfort didn't help. At 3.30am I called Shani and we decided that we would continue lower in the morning at first light on the stretcher, if necessary, that was available at Millenium's ranger hut. At about 5am Martin fell asleep and then so did I.
Thankfully, Martin seemed better in the 'morning' of Day 5 and we held off on going lower. We rested, ate a little, thought about Bernie and awaited his return. He made it to the top! Got to camp at about midday after ascending 1250m (4,100 ft) to Uhuru peak (summit at 5895m or 19,341 ft) and then coming down 2000m (6, 550 ft) to us. Of course he would get to the top! In our minds there was no doubt that he would, but he said there were a couple of times when he thought he wouldn't. It was THAT difficult. He had passed many people either throwing up, fainting, or just plain in a bad way on the summit bid. By this time Martin had deteriorated a little; 3900m (12, 800ft) was still too high. So, poor Bernie, after he'd had a sleep an hour and ate some soup we headed down to Mweka Hut at 3100m (10,200 ft). Summiting from Barafu Hut and descending all the way to Mweka Hut is standard for the Lemosho/Shira route that we had chosen, but we still felt bad for Bernie as it was a long way down and super-tiring day. Having said that, Martin's energy and spirits were coming back and we
got down relatively quickly. Even though he still didn't sleep much that night, we felt happier about being lower.
At camp the next morning we celebrated surviving the challenges of the mountain and as is customary the porters and guides sang and danced. This was also the time that we handed out the tips to each of them (not a choice unfortunately, but an expectation). A tricky thing really as to know what to give. Not too much, not too little. We really liked all our porters, always ready to do anything for you and always in good spirits in spite of their jarred conditions: some didn't have good gear or even sleeping mats for the high elevation camps! We all had a good dance and sing along to the catchy 'Sawa Sawa Le' song that Duncan Mack liked.
The walk down to the gate was beautiful through the natural heather forest and then through tall
jungley rain forest. We were a day early off the mountain but a minivan was there to collect us and get us back to Moshi town where we said fond goodbyes to our crew. We were alive and that was all that mattered.
From a bucket list perspective we were both gutted not to have conquered this great mountain, but it is just a mountain. From an emotional perspective I was very happy to have a healthy and alive Martin! As for getting married at the top, it was very disappointing, but there are plenty of other exciting and amazing places on the planet to choose from, many of which are at the safe altitude of sea level! I will keep my mosquito netting veil and Masai head dress for the next place. So watch this space…but don't hold your breath! *Mush
Things Michelle will remember:
1) Nko Chesi Nkomo Ndizi - Cool as a Crazy Banana (In the Freezer) - a random saying that they say on the mountain
2) The amazing crystal clear morning views of Kili peak.
3) The cool giant lobelia plants that reminded us of saguaro cacti in Arizona. Every arm indicates 15 years of growth.
4) that we had Bernie singing Sawa Sawa Sawa Ley by the end of the trip!
Climbing Kilimanjaro was our original motivation for coming to Africa. Some of you may recall our engagement at Mt Everest in Tibet (Everest Engagement or click archive 2006 on the right hand side of our blog page). Well, to 'top' our engagement so to speak, we decided we would climb Kilimanjaro and get married on the top. Of course, Martin and I couldn't just go on holiday to get married…no. If we were going all the way to Africa, then we should at least see Africa. Well, I think I can safely say that we have done just that!
 |
| Our Crew - 3 guides, 1 cook and 6 porters (plus climb organizer) |
 |
| Kilimanjaro Routes |
 |
| Shira Route Altitude Profile |
Our chosen route was an approach from the west called Lemosho - a longer 7 day climb that allowed for gradual acclimatisation which would also be more interesting passing through the natural rain forest of the lower slopes of Kili, and then onto high moorland before entering the alpine elevations.
 |
| Our accomodation at Shira Camp 1 |
Disappointed that we weren't going to do our chosen route, we were secretly pleasantly surprised that we had skipped to a starting altitude of 3100m (10,200ft) instead of 2100m (6,900ft) . Although it wasn't natural forest that we were walking through we enjoyed the low heather zone ambling through gentle terrain and occasional gorges. A short couple of hours and we had reached camp for the night - Shira One. By the end of Day 1, I had the names of our 7
 |
| Bernie and Michelle eat breakfast at Shira Camp 1 |
We were happy with camping, and having spent so many nights in the tent we'd bought in Jo'burg over the past year, were used to it, apart from maybe it being a little cooler than what we were accustomed to. Waking up to clear skies was a typical morning. The mountain was stunningly clear up until about 10AM daily, when at that time the clouds seem to roll in and obscure it from view for most of the day. So, crystal clear blue skies, with a sunrise over Kilimanjaro was a daily sight that we did not take for granted.
 |
| Shira Camp 2 |
 |
| Barranco Camp with Kili looming above |
At this point at the end of day 3 we were all feeling strong, no headache or symptoms of altitude, and enjoying the hiking. The look of the Barranco Wall which was to be our hike for the next day seemed a little intimidating though, with its steep and long path visible from our tent.
Leaving camp at 8am on Day 4 the following morning we discovered that it wasn't as steep as it looked, although there was some scrambling (the use of hands to ascend the rock) involved. Unfortunately, we were followed and felt rushed on by porters at one steep scramble section and Martin felt like he over-did it. We stopped to recover and the view from the top of the Great Barranco was cool looking towards Mt Meru, Kili's neighbour, in the west. Next, a traverse over screes and ridges to Karangu Valley campsite for lunch at 4000m (13,100 ft). Still feeling good, we continued on. It was along this trail
 |
| Bernie and Martin amidst
the interesting trees |
We had already decided to have a rest day the next day, but once Martin settled down in the tent to rest, it became clear that his breathing was becoming worse. When he breathed in and out you could hear crackling sounds from his lungs like someone crinkling a crisp packet. He had High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPO or HAPE depending on how you spell oedema) - fluid in the lungs.
From a biological perspective the human body is pretty fascinating - how it handles high altitude and lack of oxygen. The increased acidity of the blood triggering the brain to increase breathing rate etc, etc. If your body does not adapt quickly enough to the altitude, the lack of oxygen results in leakage
 |
| Bernie, Shani and
Michelle climbing the Barranco Wall |
Things happened pretty quickly after our head guide, Shani, checked Martin. Only one thing for it: to go down down down. Everyone rallied. Within half an hour I had packed, dressed Martin in winter gear, and the porters packed up tents and headed down. Two porters and Duncan Mack, the assistant guide, would remain behind with Bernie to do a midnight bid for the summit which is standard. In the meantime, as Martin had enough coordination (he had not progressed to cerebral symptoms), we walked slowly-slowly 'pole-pole' in the dark with Shani supporting Martin on one side, and porter Peter on the other at the ready should Martin need support. It was not an easy path, more scree and stones. Quite remarkably, I don't know how Martin managed to walk three hours (arriving at midnight) when he was absolutely exhausted. Survival. He even threw up on the way down, showing the evidence of the stomach bug he was complaining about. He knew that going down to lower elevation was the only way. Just as we arrived at Millennium camp at 3900m (12,800 ft), we thought of Bernie just starting his ascent.
The rest of the night was not a fun one as now that Martin's body had stopped being distracted by the walking, it could go back to adjusting to the altitude. He slept a little, but his breathing remained 'crinkley'. After that he coughed non-stop and was now spitting up clear yellow fluid. Even trying different sleep positions for comfort didn't help. At 3.30am I called Shani and we decided that we would continue lower in the morning at first light on the stretcher, if necessary, that was available at Millenium's ranger hut. At about 5am Martin fell asleep and then so did I.
 |
| In front of Mt. Meru after climbing the Barranco Wall |
 |
| Martin on way up to Barafu Camp |
At camp the next morning we celebrated surviving the challenges of the mountain and as is customary the porters and guides sang and danced. This was also the time that we handed out the tips to each of them (not a choice unfortunately, but an expectation). A tricky thing really as to know what to give. Not too much, not too little. We really liked all our porters, always ready to do anything for you and always in good spirits in spite of their jarred conditions: some didn't have good gear or even sleeping mats for the high elevation camps! We all had a good dance and sing along to the catchy 'Sawa Sawa Le' song that Duncan Mack liked.
The walk down to the gate was beautiful through the natural heather forest and then through tall
 |
| Mosquito Net Veil
and Maasai Tribe Beaded 'Tiara' |
From a bucket list perspective we were both gutted not to have conquered this great mountain, but it is just a mountain. From an emotional perspective I was very happy to have a healthy and alive Martin! As for getting married at the top, it was very disappointing, but there are plenty of other exciting and amazing places on the planet to choose from, many of which are at the safe altitude of sea level! I will keep my mosquito netting veil and Masai head dress for the next place. So watch this space…but don't hold your breath! *Mush
Things Michelle will remember:
1) Nko Chesi Nkomo Ndizi - Cool as a Crazy Banana (In the Freezer) - a random saying that they say on the mountain
2) The amazing crystal clear morning views of Kili peak.
3) The cool giant lobelia plants that reminded us of saguaro cacti in Arizona. Every arm indicates 15 years of growth.
4) that we had Bernie singing Sawa Sawa Sawa Ley by the end of the trip!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Earliest Man, and Nature's Best in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania
To see our Tanzanian Photos, Click Here
Right in the centre of the Ngorongoro Conservation area (which is about 8300 sq km) in the Great Rift Valley, 2 million-year-old volcanic layers lie relatively 'exposed' by a 50km long ravine that is
100m deep in places - Oldupai Gorge. Oldupai or Olduvai (as it was once misspelled and stuck) was a place I had wanted to visit for a long time. What is so special about it, is that it is one of Africa's most important archeological sites relating to the evolution of the human race: it's not only the source of some of the oldest fossils of our oldest possible 'ancestors', it has some of the oldest fossils of pre-modern man - Homo Erectus - our most recent ancestor.
British archaeologists / paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, explored and excavated this area back in the 40's and 50's and found a number of important human-like (technically called 'hominid') fossils. The most important, in 1959, was a skull dating back 1.8 million years nicknamed Nutcracker Man because of his large ….molars.
They also found bipedal, hominid footprints fossilized in volcanic lava dating to 3.6 million years ago! Crazy! (These are known as the Laeotoli footprints 25km south of Olduvai).
The importance of all this stuff along with excavations in Kenya and Ethiopia just north of Ngorongoro, is that it is evidence that 2 million years ago there were at least three human-like species living in this area: 1) our Nutcracker man (latin name Australopethicus boisei), which appears to have died out; 2) Homo Habilis (another upright hominid) famous for using tools, and which seems to be have been either absorbed by or evolved into species number 3) Homo Erectus - possibly the most recent ancestor to us Homo Sapiens.
So, all this evolutionary evidence is still subjective with many speculations and gaps, and who knows when there'll be a complete picture, if at all. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed down into the gorge to see the 'Cradle of Mankind' but enjoyed the small interesting museum and quick lecture from the museum guide. But what fascinating stuff! And I was glad to finally be here at this important part of human history. *Mush
We visited Oldupai Gorge on our transit through Ngorongoro Conservation Area, on our way to the Serengeti. After a day in the Serengeti, we arrived back in the NCA and we spent another crowded night in a campground overlooking Ngorongoro Crater/Calderra. We convinced our guide to get up a little early and try to avoid the crowd and queue's at the gate. We were one of the early entries, and it paid off dividends. We enjoyed some stunning views of sunrise over the crater in relative silence, and on our way into the crater, we found our first big ticket animal - a cheetah out for a morning stroll, or hopefully, hunt! We watched intently, as more and more vehicles gathered. It seemed like the cheetah was laying in wait for the Thomson's gazelles to move closer, but when it seemed like they were real close, there was no action from the cheetah. I guess it wasn't hungry or something, and we didn't get to see the world's fastest animal in action.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is another of Tanzania's Unesco World Heritage sites. The crater is 20km in diameter, and holds an immense array of wildlife below the caldera walls. The animals are free to roam in and out of the crater, but it seems like the abundance of grazing area and water within the crater, creates a fantastic habitat for most. The area itself was very volcanic, and there are many peaks, craters and alkali lakes within the area boundaries. Some amazing scenery, and throw in all the wildlife and you've got yourself a real gem. Too bad everyone knows about it!!
The costs in itself may deter people from going there. Not only do you pay $50 each to enter the NCA for a 24 hour period, it also costs $30 per person to camp above the rim. Then the big one…. each vehicle that descends down into the crater has to pay a $200 fee as well. I don't have a problem
with trying to restrict the vehicles in this way, but at least show that there is something being done with all this money. As is typical in Africa, it seems to me that this just goes into politicians pockets once again. Very frustrating!!
The Ngorongoro Crater is in Maasai tribe lands, and they still bring their cattle down into the crater to graze. Surprising to me, since there are plenty of predators down in the crater, and it seems like a cow or goat would be an easy snack. But, I guess they've been doing this for centuries, and who am I to speak on their traditions and lifestyle. It seems to work for them, so they know much better than I.
Driving through the middle of the crater, you see the crater walls looming all around, the salty Lake Magadi in the middle with it flamingoes walking elegantly along whilst looking for food, herds of wildebeest interspersed with zebra scattered throughout, and every now and then, a hyena, golden jackal or serval cat slinking along looking for a meal.
It was calving time for the wildebeest, and we saw many a wildebeest that looked like it was on wobbly legs, and less than a week old. Tiny little creatures, always protected by mother, just learning how life works for them. A large waterhole in the centre created a nice home for a pod of hippos. These ones were quite active, showing their jams often and doing a strange thing by rolling upside down to cool off. It was strange to see their short legs and toes wiggling above the water.
There were large herds of buffalo, elephants that were so curious they would come nose to nose with some of the safari trucks, and plenty of lions either lazing in the grasslands or resting on the branches of trees. We managed to watch one pride for a while, and there were two tiny little cubs out playing. Our first real chance to watch lion cubs, and it was hard to move on.
To top off Bernie's Big '5', we did finally see a couple of rhino, but they were so far in the distance it was very difficult to see. You could tell by the shape of the body, but could not see any details.
Early on, we came across an interesting sight, maybe not so interesting for what it was, but how the animals reacted. There was a dead zebra very close to the road, and it had obviously died quite
recently of natural causes. There were a few hyena stalking around it, but for some reason, they did not move in for a meal. There were no other predators around, but we finally got tired of waiting and moved on. A few hours later, we came back to see what was happening, and as we approached we saw a large male lion sitting contentedly with a bloody beard, obvious that he had just had his fill. The lioness was now having her chance on the half dismembered zebra carcass, with the entrails all hanging out the back. Just beyond the female, the hyenas were running about anxiously, whining, howling, laughing noisily in communication waiting their turn. In the distance sat two vultures, knowing they would be last to feed.
As soon as the lioness moved away, having satisfied her hunger, the 30 hyenas moved in quickly. They ravaged this carcass in about 10 minutes, leaving no trace that the zebra existed. Bones cracked, entrails exploded in their jaws, and some ran away with a leg or other zebra part in their
mouth with a few others chasing closely behind. One managed to run off with the whole zebra head, and had two other hyenas in tow. There was also something that looked like a scene from a Christmas turkey dinner - two hyenas pulling at a leg each in what appeared to be pulling of the wishbone!! I guess their wish was just having a meal. It was unbelievable to watch them dismantle this animal in this way. The bizarre thing to me was still why they didn't move in for a feed hours earlier. I guess there is some kind of animal hierarchy that made them wait for the lions to feed, even though there was none around, and the hyenas could lose out on a tasty meal. Very interesting, and our first REAL viewing of a feed. National Geographic alright!!
We finished our Ngorongoro experience by driving through the surprising forest in the bottom. Quite a different vegetation than we expected, and baboons climbing among the trees. We exited on a very steep, windy road out of the crater, with final views over this amazing landscape. What a fantastic day, but our 24 hour period was up and we had to head for the gates and home to Moshi. *Stub
Right in the centre of the Ngorongoro Conservation area (which is about 8300 sq km) in the Great Rift Valley, 2 million-year-old volcanic layers lie relatively 'exposed' by a 50km long ravine that is
 |
| Michelle above Oldupai
Gorge |
British archaeologists / paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, explored and excavated this area back in the 40's and 50's and found a number of important human-like (technically called 'hominid') fossils. The most important, in 1959, was a skull dating back 1.8 million years nicknamed Nutcracker Man because of his large ….molars.
They also found bipedal, hominid footprints fossilized in volcanic lava dating to 3.6 million years ago! Crazy! (These are known as the Laeotoli footprints 25km south of Olduvai).
The importance of all this stuff along with excavations in Kenya and Ethiopia just north of Ngorongoro, is that it is evidence that 2 million years ago there were at least three human-like species living in this area: 1) our Nutcracker man (latin name Australopethicus boisei), which appears to have died out; 2) Homo Habilis (another upright hominid) famous for using tools, and which seems to be have been either absorbed by or evolved into species number 3) Homo Erectus - possibly the most recent ancestor to us Homo Sapiens.
So, all this evolutionary evidence is still subjective with many speculations and gaps, and who knows when there'll be a complete picture, if at all. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed down into the gorge to see the 'Cradle of Mankind' but enjoyed the small interesting museum and quick lecture from the museum guide. But what fascinating stuff! And I was glad to finally be here at this important part of human history. *Mush
 |
| Driving into Ngorongoro
Crater - we spot a cheetah |
 |
| Baby Wildebeest protected
by their mothers |
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is another of Tanzania's Unesco World Heritage sites. The crater is 20km in diameter, and holds an immense array of wildlife below the caldera walls. The animals are free to roam in and out of the crater, but it seems like the abundance of grazing area and water within the crater, creates a fantastic habitat for most. The area itself was very volcanic, and there are many peaks, craters and alkali lakes within the area boundaries. Some amazing scenery, and throw in all the wildlife and you've got yourself a real gem. Too bad everyone knows about it!!
The costs in itself may deter people from going there. Not only do you pay $50 each to enter the NCA for a 24 hour period, it also costs $30 per person to camp above the rim. Then the big one…. each vehicle that descends down into the crater has to pay a $200 fee as well. I don't have a problem
 |
| Yawning Hippo in
Ngorongoro Crater |
The Ngorongoro Crater is in Maasai tribe lands, and they still bring their cattle down into the crater to graze. Surprising to me, since there are plenty of predators down in the crater, and it seems like a cow or goat would be an easy snack. But, I guess they've been doing this for centuries, and who am I to speak on their traditions and lifestyle. It seems to work for them, so they know much better than I.
 |
| Eye to Eye with and
Elephant |
It was calving time for the wildebeest, and we saw many a wildebeest that looked like it was on wobbly legs, and less than a week old. Tiny little creatures, always protected by mother, just learning how life works for them. A large waterhole in the centre created a nice home for a pod of hippos. These ones were quite active, showing their jams often and doing a strange thing by rolling upside down to cool off. It was strange to see their short legs and toes wiggling above the water.
 |
| Lioness and cubs in the
Ngorongoro Crater |
To top off Bernie's Big '5', we did finally see a couple of rhino, but they were so far in the distance it was very difficult to see. You could tell by the shape of the body, but could not see any details.
Early on, we came across an interesting sight, maybe not so interesting for what it was, but how the animals reacted. There was a dead zebra very close to the road, and it had obviously died quite
 |
| Lioness having her 'fill'
of a zebra |
As soon as the lioness moved away, having satisfied her hunger, the 30 hyenas moved in quickly. They ravaged this carcass in about 10 minutes, leaving no trace that the zebra existed. Bones cracked, entrails exploded in their jaws, and some ran away with a leg or other zebra part in their
 |
| The hyenas move in the
scavenge and tear it apart |
We finished our Ngorongoro experience by driving through the surprising forest in the bottom. Quite a different vegetation than we expected, and baboons climbing among the trees. We exited on a very steep, windy road out of the crater, with final views over this amazing landscape. What a fantastic day, but our 24 hour period was up and we had to head for the gates and home to Moshi. *Stub
Friday, February 17, 2012
Traffic Jams and Crowds in the Mighty Serengeti, Tanzania
To See Our Tanzanian Photos, Click Here
When you are on the road for such a long time, it is great to see a familiar face from home. When our friend Bernie Sauter (from way back in my Western Star Trucks days), contacted us wanting to join us for Kilimanjaro - we jumped at it. Bernie arrived in Moshi on time, and it was great to see him.
No rest for Bernie though, as we had booked a trip starting the day after he arrived. Safari is a Swahili word, meaning journey, so we set off on a safari into one of the world's most renowned wildlife parks, and also a World Heritage Site….. The Serengeti. With our Driver/Guide David and Cook Isaak, we piled into a old safari Land Rover Defender, complete with raisable roof for wildlife viewing in the shade!!
They seem to put together a route that first starts with Tarangire National Park, which is somewhat on the way. Even along this main road, the scenery was dusty and barren. But the Maasai people still live here in their villages, herding loads of cows and goats. It is interesting to see the shepherds out in the scrub lands dressed in their traditional shawls, and carrying a stick/spear. The Maasai are nomads, and have resisted change from the outside world, choosing to keep their culture and
lifestyle. This culture is centred on their cattle which provides many of their needs. Skins and hides, meat and milk. We noticed different stages of dress, and facial painting. Some of the younger boys/teens had white dots and facial paint apparently signifying a recent circumcision ceremony.
We managed to get our first flat tire on the tar road, and I helped David change it as I was eager to get on safari. I thought at this rate, we won't have enough spares - but David smartly got the tire repaired before heading in to the park, so we sat with a bunch of locals eating our pack lunch next to a scrubby tire repair shop - probably not the normal tourist lunch location, but fine for us.
Tarangire is famous for it's elephants, and there were plenty of them around. Within seconds of entering the gates, Bernie caught his first views of wild elephants, and there were plenty more to come. The highlight being probably the youngest elephant we have seen to date. It was so small that it could easily walk underneath the mother, and had this skinny, tiny little trunk. Exceptionally cute.
The other highlight for me was the large population of baobab trees in the park. I serious love seeing these giants, and this was no exception. The elephants were clustered under some the large canopies, trying to stay in the shade.
After many zebras, antelopes and interesting birds, our afternoon safari drive was done, and we moved on to Lake Manyara area to stay the night. Tomorrow would be a big day - heading first through the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, and then into the Serengeti.
If you travel through this area, you have to come to terms with the excessive park fees. Just for us to drive through the Ngorongoro on to the Serengeti, we each had to pay a $50 entry fee. Included in out trip costs, but it still hurts. We arrived at the gates with the HORDES of other safari vehicles. I can't believe how many Land Rovers and Land Cruisers were parked at the gate. There must be thousands of people traveling through here.
They could have put some of the exorbitant park fees to use by possibly repairing or grading the horrible road, but I'm sure most of that money goes into some officials pocket. The road was atrocious, and along the 5 hour drive, we saw one man with one grader on the road…..that's it. I'm not asking for a highway up here by any means, but with the excessive safari traffic, the road is dangerous especially since the guides drive so fast with such a long distance to cover. There was such a crest in the centre of the road that I thought we were going to tip over sideways half the time. But I digress……
However, along this road we had our first viewpoint over the Crater - all I will say for now is WOW!! Through the hills, we passed many more Maasai people and villages going about their ancient traditions, but also with visits from plenty-a-tourist to support them. Luckily we avoided this kind of human zoo.
After the bone rattling experience we finally arrived at the 'not so extravagant' entrance gate. It was kind of anti-climatic, but at least the road got marginally better. There were no fences or anything, but it seemed like the animals knew the imaginary boundary, and we started seeing loads of antelopes in the plains and grasslands. New sightings for us including Grant's Gazelles, Thomson's Gazelles, Hartebeest, and Topi. It seems like any safari we go on brings something new.
As it tends to be, we came across a cluster of vehicles which is a sure sign of something bigger. Sure enough, we saw a leopard chilling out in the 'V' of a large tree. Only our third leopard of an entire year in Africa, so we stuck around to hope it got a little more active. No such luck, but still interesting to watch, and also to see all the safari vehicles jockeying for position!!
Camp that night was just in the middle of the Serengeti.....no fences that we could see. Of course, there were about 50-100 other tents around, and tons of tourists with their guides and cooks. The food was good, but we just wanted to get to bed in preparation of an early start the next morning.
The early start paid off, as we got what I would have imagined a Serengeti scene to be. We approached a waterhole, seeing a cluster of large storks scattered throughout an Acacia tree. In the
waterhole were some hippos, just chilling. But on the other side of the waterhole, there was a very large herd of wildebeest and zebra coming in for a morning drink. It was beautiful light, watching all of the animals line up to inhale some water, and then every now and then, they would all get skiddish, and suddenly charge off, splashing out of the water, then creating a huge dust storm. Sometimes, the little baby wildebeest and zebras were left behind a little bewildered with the whole goings-on. We watched this scene for quite some time - this is the National Geographic stuff we wanted to see!!
Tearing ourselves away from this, we wanted to see something BIG. And we were in luck, as our patience paid off in one spot when a pride of lions appeared out of the grasses. We actually watched them pass us, then realized that they were heading towards another pride.
Well, as you can imagine, a territorial battle ensued, with one pride chasing of another, with some challenges along the way. They didn't seem bothered with the growing amount of safari vehicles jockeying for position again. The lions even chased each other through the trucks at times. Eventually, the intruding pride backed off, and they all sat in the grasses possibly collecting their thoughts?? We must have seen about 30 lions in this encounter - more National Geographic stuff!!
Not far from the lions, we caught up with the masses of wildebeest and zebra again. I guess they didn't know there were so many lions around!! Close to the road, there seemed to be a zebra in distress. She was laying on the ground, occasionally trying to get up, but from what we could deduce, she was trying to give birth, but having
all kinds of trouble. We were all cheering for her, along with her zebra friends who all stopped to watch over her (then move on), and were hoping we could see a little baby zebra enter the world. But, unfortunately, we didn't see this happen, and left her struggling. I can only assume that she and the baby did not make it. Very sad, but such is life in the Serengeti! The circle of life happens everyday here.
By now, it was time for us to head back to camp, have lunch, and head out on the road to the gate. With our $50 entry fee, we had 24 hours exactly to stay in the park, so had to be out by 3PM that day. We left the acacia tree scenery, and into the grasslands we went. One highlight on the way out was a lion with two very small cubs. First time for Michelle and I seeing lion cubs. But 3PM was fast approaching, so along the rough road we bounced to head out of the park.
If I was to go back again, I would spend the money to do at least a couple of days in the Serengeti. On the map, it doesn't seem too far to drive, but in reality, it takes ages to drive there. This was too much driving for only one day here, so would have been good to spend another night (and I guess with that another $80, $50 park entry and $30 each to camp!!!!). Pricey, but you do see some amazing wildlife. *Stub
 |
| Big and Small in Tarangire National Park |
No rest for Bernie though, as we had booked a trip starting the day after he arrived. Safari is a Swahili word, meaning journey, so we set off on a safari into one of the world's most renowned wildlife parks, and also a World Heritage Site….. The Serengeti. With our Driver/Guide David and Cook Isaak, we piled into a old safari Land Rover Defender, complete with raisable roof for wildlife viewing in the shade!!
They seem to put together a route that first starts with Tarangire National Park, which is somewhat on the way. Even along this main road, the scenery was dusty and barren. But the Maasai people still live here in their villages, herding loads of cows and goats. It is interesting to see the shepherds out in the scrub lands dressed in their traditional shawls, and carrying a stick/spear. The Maasai are nomads, and have resisted change from the outside world, choosing to keep their culture and
 |
| Flat Tire on the way to Tarangire National Park |
We managed to get our first flat tire on the tar road, and I helped David change it as I was eager to get on safari. I thought at this rate, we won't have enough spares - but David smartly got the tire repaired before heading in to the park, so we sat with a bunch of locals eating our pack lunch next to a scrubby tire repair shop - probably not the normal tourist lunch location, but fine for us.
Tarangire is famous for it's elephants, and there were plenty of them around. Within seconds of entering the gates, Bernie caught his first views of wild elephants, and there were plenty more to come. The highlight being probably the youngest elephant we have seen to date. It was so small that it could easily walk underneath the mother, and had this skinny, tiny little trunk. Exceptionally cute.
The other highlight for me was the large population of baobab trees in the park. I serious love seeing these giants, and this was no exception. The elephants were clustered under some the large canopies, trying to stay in the shade.
 |
| Driving the Ngorongoro disaster of a road |
If you travel through this area, you have to come to terms with the excessive park fees. Just for us to drive through the Ngorongoro on to the Serengeti, we each had to pay a $50 entry fee. Included in out trip costs, but it still hurts. We arrived at the gates with the HORDES of other safari vehicles. I can't believe how many Land Rovers and Land Cruisers were parked at the gate. There must be thousands of people traveling through here.
They could have put some of the exorbitant park fees to use by possibly repairing or grading the horrible road, but I'm sure most of that money goes into some officials pocket. The road was atrocious, and along the 5 hour drive, we saw one man with one grader on the road…..that's it. I'm not asking for a highway up here by any means, but with the excessive safari traffic, the road is dangerous especially since the guides drive so fast with such a long distance to cover. There was such a crest in the centre of the road that I thought we were going to tip over sideways half the time. But I digress……
 |
| The 'Elaborate' Gate to the Serengeti |
After the bone rattling experience we finally arrived at the 'not so extravagant' entrance gate. It was kind of anti-climatic, but at least the road got marginally better. There were no fences or anything, but it seemed like the animals knew the imaginary boundary, and we started seeing loads of antelopes in the plains and grasslands. New sightings for us including Grant's Gazelles, Thomson's Gazelles, Hartebeest, and Topi. It seems like any safari we go on brings something new.
 |
| Sunrise, Serengeti Style |
Camp that night was just in the middle of the Serengeti.....no fences that we could see. Of course, there were about 50-100 other tents around, and tons of tourists with their guides and cooks. The food was good, but we just wanted to get to bed in preparation of an early start the next morning.
The early start paid off, as we got what I would have imagined a Serengeti scene to be. We approached a waterhole, seeing a cluster of large storks scattered throughout an Acacia tree. In the
 |
| Serengeti Scene - Storks in tree, hippos in pond, wildebeests drinking |
Tearing ourselves away from this, we wanted to see something BIG. And we were in luck, as our patience paid off in one spot when a pride of lions appeared out of the grasses. We actually watched them pass us, then realized that they were heading towards another pride.
 |
| Two Prides of Lions having a small disagreement |
Not far from the lions, we caught up with the masses of wildebeest and zebra again. I guess they didn't know there were so many lions around!! Close to the road, there seemed to be a zebra in distress. She was laying on the ground, occasionally trying to get up, but from what we could deduce, she was trying to give birth, but having
 |
| Struggling zebra - possibly trying to give birth |
By now, it was time for us to head back to camp, have lunch, and head out on the road to the gate. With our $50 entry fee, we had 24 hours exactly to stay in the park, so had to be out by 3PM that day. We left the acacia tree scenery, and into the grasslands we went. One highlight on the way out was a lion with two very small cubs. First time for Michelle and I seeing lion cubs. But 3PM was fast approaching, so along the rough road we bounced to head out of the park.
 |
| Morning drink for hundreds of wildebeest |
 |
| Thirsty Zebras |
 |
| Mother and Cubs in the Serengeti |
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Training in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania
To See Our Tanzanian Photos, Click Here
The Usambara Mountains are relatively close to Moshi and our traveler friend, Charlie, had told us they were beautiful. We had multiple reasons for heading there. Firstly, we needed to get some hiking training in for our upcoming climb of Kilimanjaro. Secondly, the mountains are around 1800m altitude, so we could get some acclimatization in as well. Thirdly, it seemed like the only place near Moshi that we could actually go to and NOT break the bank while we fill in some time waiting for our friend Bernie to arrive.
We had seen the mountains on our ride up from Dar es Salaam, but until you drive up into the hills, you have no idea how beautiful they actually are. A plateau of rolling hills, high above the plains below, covered with lush vegetation, natural forests, terraced fields of crops, and picturesque villages with some very friendly locals!!
The colourfully painted "VIP" bus went direct to Lushoto town - the main town of the Usambaras. We felt very grateful for the surprisingly uneventful journey - considering the nature of the winding road with steep drop-offs! Lushoto was a busy little place with lots of colourfully clad locals. Like every other place, when we arrived in town, there were lots of touts and hustlers itching to get something out of us, mostly for guided walks in the area. We were horrified, though, when we saw the prices - about 45,000 shillings (about $30)....each person to go walking!! We did actually meet a large group of 8 who paid the guide this.... each - it must have been his lucky day.
We pitched tent at a nice lodge with a somewhat grumpy owner, but it did have a great view and five very social guard dogs that just wanted to hang out close to us and our tent (it was pretty cute). One drawback was the lack of decent local food in town. We like to eat locally for the experience, but also the price. In Lushoto, it was tough to find anything other than chips mayai (chips/french fries in egg like an omelet). Good, but not every meal!!
Charrie had recommended we just go out walking ourselves. Heck, we've got ourselves around the world, we should be able to figure out how to get around from village to village. And if we have trouble, just ask one of the very friendly and helpful locals. The first walk we decided to do was to a waterfall. We would have to take the local dalla dalla to Magambo and walk from there. Only problem was, the dalla dalla didn't drop us off in Magambo, but in some tiny village about 5 kms past it. We walked a more direct route back to Magambo through fields and bush, and when we were there, thought it best we head back to Lushoto based on the time. It didn't really matter where we walked, we just needed to get out walking.
Avoiding the main roads, we found ourselves in a little town called Kwembago, in the hills above Lushoto. This place had great views a lot of character, and a lot of characters! Watching a game of football/soccer with boys vs. girls was interesting. The boys had the skills, but the girls played with some fun aggression.
There was apparently a religious meeting or festival happening in town, and we arrived just as it ended. There were tons of people out on the main track in town, all dressed in their finest - and mostly muslim - clothes. Shimmering green tunics seemed to be the colour of choice for many. One lady, walking towards us, was listening and dancing to some arabic music on her phone. We both joined in with a few moves, and before we knew it, we had a small group of the ladies all dancing with us. They even called over this older lady, who joined in with some interesting stepping motions and a bit of a butt wiggle. What fun we had with the ladies, and they even allowed us to take some photos, which most of the ladies reject. All with only a few words of Swahili under our belts! We finally made it back to town, cherishing our memories of our day of walking aimlessly.
That night, there was a small group of American Peace Corps workers, who congregated at the hotel. I soon found out that this hotel had the best TV around, and that night was the Superbowl. For me, that was good luck, and after a few hours nap, I woke up around 2AM to watch the only American football game I had seen in more than a year. I even enjoyed the half-time show. The American's were so disappointed that they didn't get the Superbowl commercials.... welcome to the Canadian experience of missing out.
To continue the hiking, we packed a small bag, left our main packs at the hotel and headed out towards Irente Viewpoint. We planned to camp a night at Irente Biodiversity Reserve, then head up to Mambo. Another pleasant walk to Irente and we were pleased to find what the owners of the reserve were accomplishing. They were trying to restore the indigenous plant species to the area and attract back the original wildlife. Some decent success, as many birds have started to return. We enjoyed the walk around the area, including the view from the edge, looking down hundreds of metres to the plains below. Also, some delicious food, that we ate at a nice table beside our tent with a view over the lush, green hills.
We did the walk in reverse, back to Lushoto, and found ourselves a little bus to Mambo. It looked close on the map (turned out to be only 58 km), and we thought we would head to Mambo for a night or two.
Well, it appears we didn't get the DIRECT bus, and it took us 5 hours to drive to Mambo. Things seemed to be going well, and then all of a sudden we turned down a very small dirt track and started heading downhill. I think we went about halfway down the mountain on, at times, a very thin and scary track, picking and dropping off locals at some of the small villages. Don't get me wrong, the drive was actually very spectacular, but just not what we had pictured ourselves in that day. The villages and hills were amazing, and we really hit some villages that hadn't seen 'mzungus' (white man) in quite some time, and maybe never. Always fun, but when I brought out the camera, it sent many of the kids running. The guy beside us in the bus said that they may think it is some kind of 'gun'. Who knows???
We finally reached the Mambo junction, and were dropped off at the side of the road. The owner of MamboViewPoint Ecolodge (Herman) had said to call for a ride, but we thought we needed to do more walking, so started hiking the 5 km to the lodge. Lots of fun with the kids, and plenty of shouts of 'mzungu' from all. When we probably 3/4 of the way there, we were surprised to see Herman pull up to give us a ride. Apparently, someone from the village had called him to say there were two strange mzungus walking up his way. It is interesting how information gets passed around in Africa, and assumptions are made.
We drove up the final stretch to MamboViewPoint and were stunned with what we saw. In only 3 short years, Herman and Marion had built quite the lodge on top of the peak, with a sharp drop of about 1000m to the valley below. We had only heard of the place because we saw a small brochure in the guiding shop in Lushoto, and felt so lucky that we had. I can't think of anywhere else I have been that has had such a dramatic location on a cliff. It was at this point that Michelle and I wondered why we had left the bags behind, because it was obvious to both of us that we would spend more than 1 or 2 nights here. Oooops!
Herman and Marion had so many volunteer projects running within the local community. Check out their website and other volunteer projects at http://www.mamboviewpoint.blogspot.com/ Their hearts were really in their work, and the locals really welcomed their help and adopted them into the community. We got along really well with one of the volunteers, an English lady who was helping teach at the school for 2 months. She was affectionately known as Mama Sally to all the kids, and we visited her in class one day. The kids in this school were very well behaved and we weren't the huge disruption we usually are when visiting schools!! We also helped out Mama Sally at a sports day with the kids down at their local football pitch. I played dodgeball, run around the ring races, and they did some other silly activities and group races, and all had fun. (Read about Mama Sally's work on the MamboView website above).
We continued our training walks all around the community, and to other local villages. We managed to get to the colourful Mambo market held once a week in the little village.
The ladies clothing was a rainbow of colour, and we were stared at constantly by all the curious locals. We stocked up on supplies for our self catering, and also made a trip up to the local pottery area, where we were given an impressive demonstration for making a bowl. It was interesting because the woman did not use a wheel, rather it was HER who went round and round in a circle! Still, it was quite a good circular creation!
Along with Mama Sally and a guide, we did do a walk to the local protected forest and waterfall area. It was nice to be in the jungle, but we were disappointed when we saw and heard the locals cutting down the trees. This area of indigenous trees was protected for a reason, because there wasn't many left. There were other planted trees for firewood, but I guess it was too expensive for some. Our guide had harsh words for them, but as they scampered away with a head full of sticks, he heard them utter that they would be back tomorrow for more. Very disheartening.
We ended up spending 5 nights up at the MVP lodge, and actually left a day earlier than expected because we were able to find a ride back to Lushoto….. and then further. We were sad to leave our stunning sunset views from the little benches perched around the cliffs. Sad to leave the cool climate and pleasant camping spot with a hell of a view. But happy to meet up with James and Katherine, an English/Australian couple who were gracious enough to not only take us to Lushoto, but also took us another 5 hours to Moshi. For us it was great company, but also a safe ride - way safer than the minibus. The only tough part was we had to figure out the way, and even with much doubt, we pulled into Lushoto just fine, and then we were home free to Moshi on main roads. *Stub
The Usambara Mountains are relatively close to Moshi and our traveler friend, Charlie, had told us they were beautiful. We had multiple reasons for heading there. Firstly, we needed to get some hiking training in for our upcoming climb of Kilimanjaro. Secondly, the mountains are around 1800m altitude, so we could get some acclimatization in as well. Thirdly, it seemed like the only place near Moshi that we could actually go to and NOT break the bank while we fill in some time waiting for our friend Bernie to arrive.
 |
| Our "VIP" bus to Lushoto - Kilimanjaro in background |
The colourfully painted "VIP" bus went direct to Lushoto town - the main town of the Usambaras. We felt very grateful for the surprisingly uneventful journey - considering the nature of the winding road with steep drop-offs! Lushoto was a busy little place with lots of colourfully clad locals. Like every other place, when we arrived in town, there were lots of touts and hustlers itching to get something out of us, mostly for guided walks in the area. We were horrified, though, when we saw the prices - about 45,000 shillings (about $30)....each person to go walking!! We did actually meet a large group of 8 who paid the guide this.... each - it must have been his lucky day.
 |
| Local Ladies Walking to Magambo |
Charrie had recommended we just go out walking ourselves. Heck, we've got ourselves around the world, we should be able to figure out how to get around from village to village. And if we have trouble, just ask one of the very friendly and helpful locals. The first walk we decided to do was to a waterfall. We would have to take the local dalla dalla to Magambo and walk from there. Only problem was, the dalla dalla didn't drop us off in Magambo, but in some tiny village about 5 kms past it. We walked a more direct route back to Magambo through fields and bush, and when we were there, thought it best we head back to Lushoto based on the time. It didn't really matter where we walked, we just needed to get out walking.
 |
| Dancing with Locals of Kwembago |
There was apparently a religious meeting or festival happening in town, and we arrived just as it ended. There were tons of people out on the main track in town, all dressed in their finest - and mostly muslim - clothes. Shimmering green tunics seemed to be the colour of choice for many. One lady, walking towards us, was listening and dancing to some arabic music on her phone. We both joined in with a few moves, and before we knew it, we had a small group of the ladies all dancing with us. They even called over this older lady, who joined in with some interesting stepping motions and a bit of a butt wiggle. What fun we had with the ladies, and they even allowed us to take some photos, which most of the ladies reject. All with only a few words of Swahili under our belts! We finally made it back to town, cherishing our memories of our day of walking aimlessly.
That night, there was a small group of American Peace Corps workers, who congregated at the hotel. I soon found out that this hotel had the best TV around, and that night was the Superbowl. For me, that was good luck, and after a few hours nap, I woke up around 2AM to watch the only American football game I had seen in more than a year. I even enjoyed the half-time show. The American's were so disappointed that they didn't get the Superbowl commercials.... welcome to the Canadian experience of missing out.
 |
| At Irente Viewpoint |
We did the walk in reverse, back to Lushoto, and found ourselves a little bus to Mambo. It looked close on the map (turned out to be only 58 km), and we thought we would head to Mambo for a night or two.
 |
| Stunning Perch of MamboViewPoint - 1000m above valley |
 |
| Colourful Mambo Market |
We drove up the final stretch to MamboViewPoint and were stunned with what we saw. In only 3 short years, Herman and Marion had built quite the lodge on top of the peak, with a sharp drop of about 1000m to the valley below. We had only heard of the place because we saw a small brochure in the guiding shop in Lushoto, and felt so lucky that we had. I can't think of anywhere else I have been that has had such a dramatic location on a cliff. It was at this point that Michelle and I wondered why we had left the bags behind, because it was obvious to both of us that we would spend more than 1 or 2 nights here. Oooops!
 |
| Eating Chips Mayai with Mama Sally in Mambo |
We continued our training walks all around the community, and to other local villages. We managed to get to the colourful Mambo market held once a week in the little village.
 |
| Mambo Market |
Along with Mama Sally and a guide, we did do a walk to the local protected forest and waterfall area. It was nice to be in the jungle, but we were disappointed when we saw and heard the locals cutting down the trees. This area of indigenous trees was protected for a reason, because there wasn't many left. There were other planted trees for firewood, but I guess it was too expensive for some. Our guide had harsh words for them, but as they scampered away with a head full of sticks, he heard them utter that they would be back tomorrow for more. Very disheartening.
 |
| WIth Herman, staff and James and Katherine at MVP |
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Making Plans in Moshi, Tanzania
To See Our Tanzanian Photos, Click Here
Taking the cheapest methods to get to the bus station, in an expensive city like Dar, took time. We arrived just as a bus was leaving for Moshi, and were ushered aboard and paid our money to whom we thought was the bus-boy. We need to come out of our chilled out zone, and have our guard up again, as it could have been anyone we gave our money to. Luckily, it all worked out but we learned to be more aware once again.
It was a hair-raising 8 hour ride to Moshi in the big bus. Seems like the newer and nicer the bus, the faster the driver can go. As we approached Moshi, we knew we were at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, but couldn't see it. It was a ghost looming overhead!!
Moshi isn't that great of a town, but what it has around it is world class. Within an easy drive from here, there is of course Mt Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater, Mt. Meru, and a handful of other parks thrown in. There is lots to do here...... but it comes with a price. A big price!!! Being on our budget, it is hard to fathom doing too much in the area, but how can we come to this part of Africa, and NOT do something like the Serengeti or the Crater. We will HAVE to splurge a little here within reason.
And, as some of you may know, we definitely want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for a special reason (more later). In fact, Kilimanjaro is the reason we are touring around Africa in the first place.
So, we were here to make some plans for activities here, and thought that we would have a better chance of a reputable company by actually meeting them, and finding out the details and pricing in person, rather than on the internet. And making plans for the future because we actually have a friend coming to join us for a couple of weeks in mid-Feb. Bernie Sauter, from my Western Star days, then Freightliner is coming out from Vancouver!! It will be so great to see a face from home!! We are thoroughly looking forward to his visit!
So, Moshi was just that - research and planning, with a few street food meals thrown in between. We will return on Feb 13th, but on the morning we left, we finally got our first glimpse of the summit of Kilimanjaro - I'm getting nervous now!!! *Stub
Taking the cheapest methods to get to the bus station, in an expensive city like Dar, took time. We arrived just as a bus was leaving for Moshi, and were ushered aboard and paid our money to whom we thought was the bus-boy. We need to come out of our chilled out zone, and have our guard up again, as it could have been anyone we gave our money to. Luckily, it all worked out but we learned to be more aware once again.
It was a hair-raising 8 hour ride to Moshi in the big bus. Seems like the newer and nicer the bus, the faster the driver can go. As we approached Moshi, we knew we were at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, but couldn't see it. It was a ghost looming overhead!!
Moshi isn't that great of a town, but what it has around it is world class. Within an easy drive from here, there is of course Mt Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, World Heritage Site Ngorongoro Crater, Mt. Meru, and a handful of other parks thrown in. There is lots to do here...... but it comes with a price. A big price!!! Being on our budget, it is hard to fathom doing too much in the area, but how can we come to this part of Africa, and NOT do something like the Serengeti or the Crater. We will HAVE to splurge a little here within reason.
 |
| Finally, A View of Mt Kilimanjaro from Moshi |
So, we were here to make some plans for activities here, and thought that we would have a better chance of a reputable company by actually meeting them, and finding out the details and pricing in person, rather than on the internet. And making plans for the future because we actually have a friend coming to join us for a couple of weeks in mid-Feb. Bernie Sauter, from my Western Star days, then Freightliner is coming out from Vancouver!! It will be so great to see a face from home!! We are thoroughly looking forward to his visit!
So, Moshi was just that - research and planning, with a few street food meals thrown in between. We will return on Feb 13th, but on the morning we left, we finally got our first glimpse of the summit of Kilimanjaro - I'm getting nervous now!!! *Stub
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)