Finally feeling somewhat normal - I am SO happy I took 6 days before Kilimanjaro (Kili) to acclimatize as 10 hours is a lot to get over quickly - probably 5 days is more like it. Today we head to Arusha National Park, home of Mount Meru and a walking Safari. It's an hour drive and some of the way, the roads are pretty rough. Pretty much dirt and so many bumps and ruts - the locals call drving them an "African massage'. On the roads, pretty much anyth...

I had to get up early - 9am for my first adventure - Coffee farm and Materuni Waterfall. Preferred to hike most of the way to practice for Kili and get some exercise! Had some wine (go figure!) and dancing at little bar across the street the night before cause that's when I'm awake so it was extremely hard to get up, never mind the effects of the wine - oh well! My guide and I started the walk along a dirt road and the hills did not stop. Went through several...

Still rather jet lagged so barely hanging on - slept like a log til after 12 noon - feel like a hammer hit me. In evening, invited for dinner at Alfreds house which is very close to the Inn. I'll have to take a picture of the roads - dirt and bumby! Alfred and his guide friends cooked for us, a traditional Tanzanian meal with rice, potatoes, chicken and vegetables....very good! Not too late cause guess what - I'm tired again!

Moshi Town has a coffee bar with Coke Lite - in fact Coke is everywhere! Met Sylwia - Polish girl from Ottawa who is staying at same place as me - Rafiki Backpackers Inn. Met her and owner Alfred and their friends that made me feel totally welcome. Walked to Moshi town on first day with Sylwia to markets. They are very homey with so much local produce and goats and other stuff. People are fairly relaxed and happy. They stare a lot at foreigners but always h...

Spent better part of the day in airport - managed a couple of hours sleep on couch, then finally boarded for Nairobi. One families teenage daughter travelling at same time as me did not have passport expiry greater than 6 months - they wouldn't let her on the plane to Nairobi. You have to go through customs before entry to each different country. Note to self - NEVER travel internationally without an up to date passport! Plane ride was long and long and l...