Pictures!

So the first pictures have been uploaded. I apologize for the delay. Unfortunately with Flickr I can only upload so many photos for the entire month. So next month I will be able to upload more. For the meantime, these photos are from the Masaai Mara reserve and my first couple days in Kenya.

Sorry!

I must apologize for my extended absence from this blog. I have literally had no internet access while on the tour and this is the first time I am able to get to a computer that uploads a page in less than 5 minutes. The internet access here is impossibly slow. I have to apologize also for the lack of pictures. I tried to upload them when I last wrote but was usuccessful because uploading even 1 picture takes 10 minutes!! I will have to wait until I get to a place with faser internet connection. Not long now though. I'll give a quick update. Today is July 19th and its 10:55 am at the moment. I am sitting in an internet cafe in Dar es Salaam with 6 hours to go until my flight to Innsbruck. I've just come from Zanzibar (or as I like to call it, Paradise) on the rockiest ferry ride I've yet experienced. The crewmen were handing out sick bags and about 2 or 3 people in every row took full advantage. I am one of those lucky people who doesnt get plagued by sea sickness. Since I last wrote, we have passed through into Tanzania and seen Arusha, the Serengheti, Ngorongoro Crater, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar (and every where in between). Tanzania is the most beautiful country I've ever seen. It has everything, mountains, desert, rainforest, cities, and an island paradise. I think I will come and live in Zanzibar and sell coconut chapati and fried plantains. I can't imagine a better way to end my trip around east africa. On the way to the Serengheti we drove for ages through desert and dust. We had a great game drive on the way there viewing elephants, giraffe, lion cubs until we finally arrived at the camp site. Our first night of bush camping with no proper facilities...eek! It wasnt so bad, we had squat toilets (a hole in the ground) and good meals made for us so I was happy. It was rough sleeping in a tent, there is no doubt about that. The rocky ground of the Serengheti is not forgiving on the back I can tell you that much. The next day we awoke at 5:30 am for an early game drive (there have been plenty og early mornings on this tour, I have not once had a lie in). We saw cheetah mother and cubs, a leopard and the usual zebras, water buffalo, elephants, giraffe and a lion pride. After returning to camp for lunch and to pack up the tents, we left for the Ngorongoro Crater Reserve. From the dry, hot, dusty climate of the Serengheti to the cold, moist, and windy climate of the Crater. We set up camp and had dinner, then watched an elephant walk into our campsite and rummage through our trash. A bit later a hyena followed suit and came in looking for some leftovers. That night I awoke to the sound of zebras (or maybe waterbufallo) grazing next to the tent. I distinctly remember feeling a snout rubbing through the canvas fabric and snorting while a tail swished up against the other side. I was a bit frightened but better inside than out, although had a lion come through I'm not sure if the zebras would have trampled right over us or not. In any case I managed to get a decent sleep. Better than the tent next to us who had a hyena scratching away at their tent all night. The next morning was another early game drive looking for rhino, which are on the endangered species list so very difficult to find...and as expected we didnt find any. Instead we found plenty of lions. There are 72 lions in the crater which is 20km wide and 600m down from the edge. 2 adults and 2 cubs came wandering up to our jeep and sniffed the tires right outside my window. I considered opening the window at first but decided it would be best to just gaze from safety rather than try and have the "close up" shots. As one looked right up at me we made eye contact, it was a thrilling 5 seconds. I couldnt take my eyes off them. They are such powerful animals. We later saw 2 grown males napping just by the road, completely unfazed by the line of jeeps right next to them snapping and clicking pictures. The days to follow were not too eventful. We traveled back to the Snake Park near Arusha to spend another night. This is where they have a display of several crocodiles and deadly snakes including an anaconda found in Sudan after having devoured a security gaurd at the UN headquarters. We traveled further south around Mt. Kili which is enourmous and awe inspiring, through Moshi and down to Dar. We had a night on the beach near Dar and we were all so excited to be out of the vast rural areas and smelly suburbs to find a beautiful white sandy beach with aqua blue water. We all ran for the beach and jumped in the water. The next day we headed for Zanzibar (finally!). After fighting through crowds of people with loads of luggage and backpacks (Dar is far overpopulated with 15 million people), we made it onto a ferry for the 2 hour ride over to Zanzibar. I took in the fresh sea air as soon as we hit the ground in Zanzibar. It is a magnificent place. There are still shanty towns and extreme poverty like any other place i Tanzania or East Africa, which is to be expected. The beach boys as they call them are young men who dip into several drugs and tend to pickpocket and steal from tourists to maintain their lifestyle. The cultural presence on Zanzibar is apparent from the moment you arrive, even on the ferry. The women in buibuis (Zanzibari word for burkah) the men in brightly embroidered caps displays a strong muslim presence. 95% of the island is muslim so it is expected (even as a tourist) that women will cover their knees and shoulders at all times unless on the beach. The architecture is antique and mysterious. the doors all have spikes on them which was originally to protect against elephants knocking down the doors (but is just for decoration as there are no elephants on Zanzibar). The beaches are as supreme as the postcards, the views are absolutely a sight for sore eyes and I could go on forever about the miles of coral reef for snorkeling and scuba diving in the crystal clear teal waters. But I will save it for the photos to tell (as soon as I can upload them that is). Until faster internet, Laura

Masaai Mara

Welcome to the Masaai Mara National Reserve. Definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Just think Lion King and all the images will come to mind. Just quickly a couple points and then I will upload some pics and maybe video for you to see for yourself. The Masaai Mara are a tribe that live in Kenya and they have sustained their original culture and and way of life. They live in the Great Rift Valley right next to the national park. The park is famous for the big 5 (which i think consists of elephant, lion, water buffalo, rhino, leopard) plus many many more. A little bit about East Africa: its not that stinky, only in animal areas because of the dung. The earth is in fact red like bricks. The people are very friendly and most speak english even in the rural areas. They LOVE Barack Obama! They ask me about him every chance they get. They're ketchup tastes nothing like ketchup. It gets really really cold!! The tempurature largely depends on the sun so during the day its very hot and at night its almost freezing. ALso a very dry climate. Finally, there is vast expanses of land that just goes on farther than the eye can see. It's a beautiful place as I hope you will see in my pics. I've only been through Kenya (which is a bit expensive in terms of souvenirs and other things) but I have still 10 days or so in Tanzania. I can't wait to see more! One thing you will see by my pics is that a lot of the rural towns have nothing. The shanty towns are extremely poor and it shows. This has already been an eye opening experience. Just look at the pics...

I've arrived!

Hi everyone, So after 2 long flights and a layover in Paris, I am finally here. In bustling Nairobi. It's a cool city, a bit dirty and smelly but that just adds character. I've been sleeping a lot so I haven't had much time to explore and we leave tomorrow on our tour heading to the Massai Mara first. I have met several people in my tour group. I am the only American but you wouldnt know it. Everyone is very nice and we all seem to get along. My phone doesnt work...:( so I will have to buy a new sim card. ALthough still very jetlagged and with not much appetite (for fear of getting travelers sickness) I am excited and cant wait to get things going. PS. for all of those who said I would be burning here in East Africa due to the hot weather, you were very wrong...it's about 55 degrees!! so cold! Hopefully it will warm up a bit tomorrow. Best wishes, Laura

Prep time.

I leave DC July 3rd at 10pm, fly into Paris for the day of July 4th (ironic, i know), land in Nairobi early on the morning of the 5th and begin my tour through Kenya and Tanzania on the 6th. Excited? Yes. Scared? A little. Prepared.... Let's see... Flights. check. Hotels. check. Tour. check. Passport. check. Visas. check. Shots. check. Malarial pills. check. Luxury trekking pack with all the bells and whistles. check. Camera. check. Head lamp. check. Swahili phrase book. ndiyo. My right mind. ... I think I might be missing one thing. I think I'll find it if I keep repeating what I've been trying to convince myself of for the past 6 months...I'm going to Africa. I'm going to Africa. I'm going to Africa.