Today we travel further inland and up to Iringa in the highland tea growing area. This evening our dinner is in a local Masai restaurant where we enjoy a traditional Tanzanian evening. We left Mikumi after lunch to drive to Iringa where we stayed on a delightful farm. In late again however, the huts were cute, the showers clean and water warm, heated by a wood burning stove. The food in the restaurant was from the farm and amazing. Had a couple of glasses o...

Today we leave the humid Indian Ocean coastline and our journey leads us to Mikumi National Park. We left late and thus arrived kind of late. It seemed like it was going to rain so I asked for a room. Which I will do as I do not want anymore 'camping' after Kilimanjaro and hopefully there will be rooms available wherever we camp. Good call as it poured during the night. The tents are OK but heavy and hard to assemble. There was an optional game drive in the...

Off from Kipipeo Beach outside of Dar es Saalam January 13 - I arrived at the Dar airport early because my flight had been altered - I was late to the Kigali airport and even my luggage arrived - yeah! The only unpleasant experience was my trip from the airport to the Kipipeo Beach Hotel far outside of Dar. The driver agreed on a price of $50 US then changed it once on our way because he took the 'long way around' to avoid the ferry. He kept saying 'you booti...

Just came back from 4 Day Safari with Viva Africa Tours, Jan 4-7, 2014. We visited Tarangire Park, a Masaii Village, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Reserve. One sees these things on television or movies, but until you expereince it yourself, it's hard to explain. The numbers of animals, the wildness of it all and the way the Masaii people live. The village experience was outstanding. The roads and the dust were brutal but to see lions sitting in a tree ...

Had New Year's Eve dinner with Alfred's friends Chris and Susie and other guides and people in the industry who brought clients or friends. Before they came, we played a rousing game of 'slingshot'! This women with me in the picture is Mikala. She is coming on Safari with me this Saturday - yeah! After dinner, we went to C Africa across from Rafiki for a New Year's celebration and dancing. Very fun however I missed my "traditions" with my family and friends....