Homeward bound

Our first flight was 6.5 hours and I slept most of the time on the plane.  When we got to Istanbul, Turkey, Shannon bought me a happy meal.  I was so happy to have a hamburger and fries.  What a real treat…thanks Shannon.

Our next flight was 10.5 hours and I could not sleep, so I enjoyed watching movies the whole flight.

We went through immigration and customs with no problems.  Now just to go the last few hours to Forest and to see my dad! I am so tired!

What an amazing trip…can’t wait to share my tales with all my friends.

Seeing the Children and leaving Africa

Our day began at sunrise and it such a great treat to end our time in Africa.  Mom and I climbed to the top of hut and watched the sun rise…so pretty! 

It was about a 4 hour drive to Nairobi.  I can hardly wait to see the children.  As we entered Mathare Valley, one of the oldest and biggest slums in Kenya, I was amazed at what I was seeing.

No words can explain what I saw. Some of the poorest people live in Mathare Valley.  We drove for several minutes and made a turn down this side road, and the most wonderful site and sound was there.  The children of the New Mercy care Academy were lining the streets and signing to welcome us.  All I could do was smile…mom and gram got teary eyed and where overcome with joy!

We went into the school and were shown around to the classrooms. The classrooms were so small, broken down and dirty.  I am not sure how they are able to learn in such classrooms.  Despite the appearance of the classrooms the children were happy and felt loved.  We visited each classroom. When we entered their classroom, they asked if they could sing us a song.  They were so proud of their class and having us visit them.  Each class performed a song for us and the older students did a play.  It was very impressive and I enjoyed it so much.  They served lunch to all of us. Mom had gone to take pictures and shortly after she called me into a classroom.  It was a classroom of 9 & 10 year old boys and girls.  They were so interested in talking with me. I spent the next hour or so in this room with these children.  I taught them to dance and we talked about all the things we do in the USA. 

We ended our time at the school with them giving us Gifts and us saying good-bye.  Our time was short at the school but I so loved the children. It was sad to see the conditions they live in, but the children were so happy!

We went to the guesthouse and rested until we go to the airport later tonight.  Our flight leaves at 3:30am.  It is going to be a long trip home, but we are heading home!

On the Plains of Amboseli

Our day began with an overcast somewhat chilly day.  We were headed out on a Safari drive.  I hope we see lions and maybe Cheetah. 

It was pretty cold but it was such pretty landscape.  We got lucky and saw a bunch of lions and plenty of other animals. We also got to climb up to an observation Hill. It was so pretty to see out across the landscape. So beautiful and different from the other landscapes we have seen so far. I was so proud of Gram as well. She climbed all the way to the top with us. 

We came back to the camp for Lunch and a short rest.  On our way back into the game park, there were some Massai ladies selling items . We had run out of money, so I decided to trade some bandanas for some tings I was interested in.  It was fun and we got so much in the trading.   

Our afternoon Safari drive was awesome. I really did not want to go, but mom made me and I am glad she did.  We saw two male lions up close and some other lions as we headed back to camp. 

Mom stood the whole way back to camp.  She loves being on safari and looking out across the plains. 

Shannon had brought a bunch of soccer balls and gave a few to the Massai who were working at the Tent camp.  They were so excited to get this precious gift.

Tomorrow is our last day in Africa and we will get to go see the children.  I am so excited for that and to be heading home to see dad.

Heading to Kenya

Today we got up early and packed the bus to head to Kenya.  I am excited to see a new country and also to see the school my mom keeps talking about in Nairobi.

We had many bags of stuff for the school, so as the bags were being loaded onto the bus, it kept getting more packed.  Then once we all got on the bus, it was quite a sight.  Everything and everyone fit which surprised me.  

At the boarder we had to get a Visa to enter Kenya.  I was sad to leave Tanzania and so was my mom and gram. 

At the boarder we changed cars and spilt into two vans.  Moving all this luggage around is really hard work.  When we had everything packed in the vans we headed out.  The road was bumpy and rough in many parts.  I felt like I was being shaken to pieces.   

After several hours, we arrived at Kilima Safari Camp.  It is a Tent camp that is managed by my gram’s friend Betty.  I was tired from the ride, so I decided to go for a swim and relax before dinner.  Pops went swimming with me and mom got in up to her legs.  The water was cold, but it did feel so great.

Drew and I watched as two families of monkeys battled for turf in the trees.  The noises they made were really interesting. 

In the afternoon, Mt. Kilimanjaro showed herself and how massive she really is.  I am so proud of my mom for climbing to the top.  It is pretty massive.

Dinner was served by the pool and I had lots to eat.  Chicken and pasta…best food I have had so far! We also got really lucky to have a full moon.  It was so pretty and made the sky so bright.

We went back to our tent and headed to bed. 

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

 

Check out the place we stayed:

http://www.madahotels.com/index.php/amboseli/kilima-safari-camp

Gram is on a Mission

Today we got to sleep in and enjoy the beauty of Gibb’s farm. Mom enjoyed coffee and helped me to update the blog.  I slept in and enjoyed a good breakfast before we headed on the road back to Moshi.  

 It was going to be a bit of a long trip, but on a pretty good road.  Gram had mentioned that she wanted to buy me a Massai Shield.  We had seen a few small ones as we drove, but none the size that would fit me.  But Gram was on a mission and after some major bargaining on my Pops part I bought my Massai shield.  Who knew you could get some one to reduce the price of something from $180 to $25! It was pretty crazy and fancy talking by Pops. 

We stopped in Arushi at Freddie’s shop for some last minute shopping.  I gave Freddie’s children a few of my soccer jerseys.  He was very excited. 

We said good bye to our Drivers, Muddie and John. They were so fun to be with and taught me lots about the animals of Africa.

 

Back in Moshi we did a final pack up and had dinner with Boniface and his family one last time before we head to Kenya tomorrow.  Little Carroll and I got along great. We played on the playground and enjoyed dinner with our families.

Tanzania has been such a special place.  I know why my mom wanted to share it with me and why she loved growing up here as a child.  Can’t wait until I return with Megan and my dad and mom in a few years.

A Day in Ngorongoro Crater

We got up early to head for a day in Ngorongoro Crater.  Mom and dad have both talked about how this Park has the most diversity of animals.  I am hoping to see Rhino, but I know that this is a rare thing to see.  I stayed in bed until the last minute, and then jumped in the car. Boy was it cold up here in the mountains. It took about an hour to get to the main gate of the crater.  Once we were checked in and entered, we drove along the rim of the crater until we reached a small road down into the crater. The road to the crater floor was dirt, bumpy and very steep.  It was a bit scary!  As we reached the crater floor, we saw zebras, wildebeests, and a cerval cat. This was so massive of a crater and so beautiful. 

Our day was filled with seeing lots of animals…hyena, Thompson’s Gazelle, zebra, elephants, lions, etc.

We came across a group of lions laying in the grass resting.  There were about 9 female lions resting. Then our driver Mudy Mudy got a call over the radio that there was a rhino sighting.  Off we took very fast to see the Rhino.  Bumpy roads and lots of dust but there it was…a RHINO! It was a bit of a distance from the raod, but it was a Rhino! Kyle was so excited, that is his favorite animal. Now he has seen the Big 5 of Africa!

Before lunch we decided to go back to see the group of 9 lions.  What a treat we got.  The sun was high and it was getting hot.  The lions were searching for shade and they found it in the shadow of the Land Rovers.  They moved one by one and sat near the wheels of the land rovers in the shade.  They were just a few feet away. One lion seemed to be looking at herself in the rear view mirror.  It was awesome to be so close and watch these lions. 

We headed to a water area for lunch.  The water had lots of Hippo and it was fun to watch them surface for air and then disappear.  We had to eat inside the car, because the birds would swoop down and eat your food.  

As we were heading out of the park, we saw more lion and elephants.  Then it was another steep road to the rim of the crater to head back to Gibbs Farm.

We relaxed at Gibb’s Farm and took an outside shower and bath.

Yesterday we saw some children playing soccer.  I wanted to go see them. Pops and mom walked me to the field.  When we stepped out onto the field, the children started yelling, ‘Wazungu…Wazungu…(White man…white man)”. Kyle jumped right in and started playing.  He even scored a goal.  The cheering section for the game was in the middle of the field with several small children cheering.  There were goats all over the field and even ladies carrying water on their heads.  So glad I jumped in to play.

Dinner and bedtime came early as I was beat.  I love falling asleep with a fire burning and keeping us warm.

Tomorrow we head back to Moshi.

Good Bye Tarangire…Hello Paradise!

We packed up and headed out not too early. We had an amazing stay and Safari.  

 On the way out, we did a short Game ride.  Down by the river we came across several lions hanging out on the river bed.  Oh my how cool was that.   

What a great way to end the time in this National Park.  We were headed about 100 Km west to a place called Gibb’s Farm.  I was getting excited, because mom had talked about how beautiful it was and how it was on a coffee plantation.

The road was good until we were about 7 KM away.  Then it was bumpy and rough, but so much to see and watch as we drove. 

We began to see coffee and everything was so green and fertile. Finally we pulled into the gates and wow…it was paradise.  We were greeted with washcloths and a courteous staff who showed each group to their cottage.  The grounds were amazing, so many different flowers and plants.  It did feel a bit like paradise.  Our cottage was awesome! It had a sitting area, two beds, and fireplace, porch over looking a pond, bathroom, shower (both inside and outside) and a tub.  This was beautiful!

 

After we unpacked and had lunch, a small group walked to the nearby Elephant Caves and Waterfall.  It was about a 2 hour roundtrip walk.  As we were walking you could where the elephants and buffalo had been earlier.  There were monkeys and baboons all around.  The Elephant caves were created when the elephants use their tucks to dig in the side of the mountains to get minerals.  It was really cool to see.  The waterfall was really high and we were at the top.  I looked over…mom passed!

After returning, we went to a campfire talk.  They light a fire each night in the organic gardens at Gibbs Farm and some sits watch to keep the animals out of the garden.  We learned about the history of the farm and enjoyed a great story.

Dinner was very gourmet and I was not crazy about it, but all the adults I am with raved about how delicious it was to eat.

When we returned to our room, the beds were turned down and there was a fire roaring.  Because we are so high in the mountains, it had gotten pretty cold.  The fire will keep us warm through the night.

Attack of the Monkeys!

Well we thought we were going to have a relaxing afternoon…but the Monkey’s had another ideas.  Shannon happened to get up and look towards our tents, there were monkey’s everywhere.  They had broken into our tents and gotten my gum and candy bars.  We took off to chase then away.  One of the monkeys had the whole bag of gum.  Chewing it though the wrapper.  Once we got everything cleaned up and straightened back, we went back to the lodge to watch the elephants.  We had to go back a few times to chase the monkeys away, but there was nothing left in the tents for them to eat. After dinner, my mom asked the guard who walked us t our tent if the monkeys would eb asleep now.  He said yes. Then turned his flashlight up the tree above our tent and they were all sleeping in the tree.   It was funny and creepy all at the same time.

 

An Awesome Game Ride

Mom was awoken to my pops being yelled at by the guard to return to his tent. There must have been an elephant or other animal near by. We were all getting up early to go out for a long game ride.  It was almost 6 am, and the sun was not up.  They turn the lights on here at the lodge at 5:45. The lodge runs on solar power and you only have access to electricity a few hours a day.

We headed out, my gram was in search of Lions.  We were in luck we saw two Leopards and lots of other animals.  On our way to have our breakfast in the bush, we came across 4 lions hunting near the swampland.  We watched them track a buffalo and even attach, but they did not kill.  They soon disappeared into the tall grass.  We had our breakfast at a near by picnic area. 

What an amazing experience to see all these animals and watch them in their own environment.  I so love this so far.

We headed back to lodge and will enjoy the afternoon relaxing.

Amazing Day on Safari

Our morning began early.  Some of the group had gone for a Balloon ride over the Game Park.  The rest of us ate breakfast and headed out in one car for a game drive.

We were very lucky today and saw zebras, impala, elephants (at one point we were surrounded by at least 50 of them), ostrich ( a group of about 32 women…Ostrich Women’s Convention), many birds, and 2 cheetah sitting on a hill, and a leopard hanging out in a tree.  Mom said this was very special as not many people see Leopard.  We also were able to see the balloon land and that was awesome.  I took pictures as we went along of the animals we saw. 

We headed back for lunch and then my pops and I went for a swim.  We splashed and had a great time.

After we rested, we headed back out for another ride.  We did not see many animals, but the countryside was pretty. We went to a Baobab Tree that was used by poachers at one time.  I climbed inside to see what was in there.  It was huge and cool to go inside.

We returned to the lodge, had dinner, and headed to bed.  

We’re Going on Safari

Up early and ready to go on Safari.  Today we head to Tarangire National Park for Safari.  It would take us several hours to get there.  On the way, we stopped in Arushi at shop to buy some gemstones.  They were so pretty.  I saw two that I really loved, so mom let me buy them. They are so pretty!

We headed out and made it to the Lodge for lunch.  We are staying in the most beautiful place.  The view is very cool and there is a lot  to see.  Mom and I are sharing tent and it is pretty cool. We have our own porch and need to be escorted there at night by the guard.  The animals roam freely and it is for our own safety.

They have a swimming pool as well, so I had to take a dip.  It was cold but fun to take a dip. 

After we got settled, we headed out on our first game ride in the park. Driving around with the top of our Land Rover popped up was awesome.  We saw lots of animals.  We would stop often to take pictures of animals. This is very cool!

After getting back it was dinner. At dinner, I ordered a Miranda (Black Current Fanta). To my surprise, when I went top rake a sip there was a tiny lizard in my glass.  It was too funny. Bedtime came early, as it gets dark here quickly and almost right at 7. We used solar lights to read and see in the tents.  Tomorrow we will go out looking for more animals.

Hospital and Mom comes home

We went to the KCMC hospital in Moshi.  We toured around.  I went with Gram to the PT school (she started it many years ago).  I was able to meet some of her students and it was a different experience to see the hospital.  I can’t wait for my mom to get home.

Finally about 4, mom got home.  I was so excited to see her.  I ran to here.  She had made it to the top…spent the night in the crater, saw the ash pits and made it back safely.  I was so proud of her.

That evening, we went out for a celebration dinner and then we packed up to head out on Safari tomorrow. 

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

Masai Village

We met the chief near the airport and we went on a rough, bumpy road to his village.  We saw a plant that could get rid of my sores and scares.  It was funny to see all the children wearing baby hats because my gram had brought them to give out. I was able to pet a goat. 

We went to Kikaletwa Springs.  It was a place my mom went as a child.  It is a spring that is in the middle of nowhere, but is a fresh water spring.  We were able to swing in the cool water.  They had a rope swing that I enjoyed swinging on.  I almost hit my pops, I swang out so far.

The Masai children loved my hair.  They all wanted to touch it.  We spent the night at the village.  The chief’s helpers dressed us all up in authentic attire.  The elders had council meeting where my Gram and Pops were guests of honor.  They had a cake that had half the American flag and half the Tanzania.  It was cool to see them.