| My two week holiday, to East Africa, began as our empty British
Airways plane touched down into Dar e Salaam international airport.
Myself and Karen had a rough plan of our trip but were open to suggestions.
We wanted to do a safari in the Serengeti National Park and Nogorogoro
crater and we wanted to visit Zanzibar. |
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Our journey commenced the following day when we boarded the first
class African bus bound for Arusha. I was pleasantly shocked to
find a bus with padded seats and a t.v. We chose to seat ourselves
next to the open door which allowed for a constant flow of fresh
air. Although we had padded seats, we didn't have air conditioning!
(But who were we to complain?) After only one hour I was reminded
once again what I loved so much about Africa. As we drove along
at break neck speed, I gazed out of the window and watched the
tiny straw huts disappear before me. I marvelled at the African
ladies as they balanced huge branches on their heads and I waved
to the small children alongside the road.
It amazes me that the people with the least in this world seem
to be the happiest.
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The first day of our safari began in the usual African style.
We were left waiting for almost an hour and then told that the
two people joining us had chosen to go ahead alone - typical!
This meant that if we wanted to stick to our original plan and
leave that day then we would have to pay more money, also typical!
We decided to pay, I couldn't bare the excitement of waiting
another night. So after even more waiting around, a thing we now
recognized as 'Africa time', we finally started our safari.
Our driver was a middle aged African named Jedi, and he was accompanied
by his girlfriend, who's name I never did remember. Our cook was
a handsome young guy called George. Altogether they made a brilliant
team.
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Our first day turned out to be quite different from the rest
of our safari, in terms of scenery. Lake Manyara is very green
and covered with trees and bushes. We spotted giraffe, zebra,
elephants and baboons. The view over the lake at sunset could
easily have been a scene you would find in a fairy tale - already
I didn't want to leave. The place we camped the first night was
conveniently named mosquito valley, I managed to get bitten alive
through my cotton trousers!!
After our superb breakfast the following day, of eggs, toast,
jam and fresh fruit, we set off for the Serengeti. The drive was
long and tiring but along the way we spotted two cheetahs eating
a wilder beast. They seemed totally unfazed by us, so we sat right
next to them for almost forty minutes. They are the most beautiful
creatures and so elegant. This alone made up for any amount of
hours driven.
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| Driving into the Serengeti has to be one of the most breathtaking
sights I have experienced. You suddenly realize how vast Africa
is. It gives you the same feeling as lying under the African sky
at night, you feel so tiny. The planes went on as far as the eye
could see. They were covered with wilder beast and zebra migrating
to the Masia Mara. It was just a sea of black bodies. Driving along
a little further we spotted a lioness casually strolling towards
us. The wilder beast scattered at the sight of her but she wasn't
hunting, in fact she seemed like she didn't have a care in the world.
I think she was just out for an afternoon stroll. |
| The next couple of days were spent driving around soaking up the
scenery, the beautiful birds and the sun. We drove to a hippo pool
and spotted two crocodiles basking in the sun. We also watched a
lion eating a zebra. He was just beside the road and had obviously
killed it himself but he wanted to share it with his friends. He
kept roaring for them but no one came. In the end he attempted to
drag the zebra across the road to them. Although after a few minutes
he decided this was to much work and resigned himself to the fact
that he would have to finish the zebra himself - and he did! |
| After the 'Serengeti' we headed for the Nogorogoro crater which
as the name implies is a huge volcanic crater which is filled with
thousands of animals. The Nogorogoro conservation area is the land
surrounding the crater. It is the one place where the Masia tribe
of Kenya and Tanzania are allowed to farm and live ( They are not
allowed to live in the game parks) During our drive we watched the
tribesman, in their typical red gowns, herding cattle and walking
miles for water. They live happily with just their straw huts and
small herds of cows and goats. The men of this tribe are allowed
as many wives as they can afford. I think they are one of the only
tribes left in Africa which still circumcise their women!!! |
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The crater is another incredible sight. The animals live inside
the crater walls peacefully amongst the abundance of pink flamingo's.
It is truly beautiful. We were lucky to watch two lions mating.
They spend seven days having sex, around every 15 minutes, and
have no water or food for those seven days!!
Back in Arusha we had tears in our eyes as we said goodbye to
our safari team. After so much driving during our safari we didn't
think we could face another 8 hour bus journey back to Dar e Salaam,
so we caught an Air Tanzania flight back. This left us with a
day in Arusha to relax and buy souvenirs.
The next leg of our journey was Zanzibar, a tropical island of
the coast of Tanzania. Zanzibar used to be the slave trading island
for the Arabs and Europeans. Amongst the crumbling buildings and
narrow streets a mixture of cultures and races now happily mingle.
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| Myself and Karen decided to hit the beaches on the north of the
island first. We went to a place called. The beaches here seemed
to go on forever. The water was so clear you could see straight
to the bottom. After only five minutes on the beach we were offered
a fresh coconut which we saved and split open as we watched the
sun go down. |
| During the two evenings we were there we went skinny dipping.
The water was full of tiny sea algae which glow like a thousand
stars when you move them. We splashed around for ages making the
water sparkle. Everything seemed to come alive. Then when we got
bored of that, we would gaze up at the stars and wish we could be
here forever. |
| Unfortunatley though all good things have to come to an end. We
had to catch a mini bus back to Stone Town for some exploring. We
spent the next days wandering through the tiny streets, chatting
to locals and visiting the main tourist spots. One being the terrible
slave quarters hidden beneath. |
| My favourite part about being in Stone Town had to be the delicious
local fish/food market. Around seven o'clock at night the locals
set up their stalls along the waterfront and sell the most wonderful
fresh seafood and local Zanzibar cuisine. Every night I would eat
a plate full of lobster, calamari, crab and tiger prawns for the
equivalent of £2. |
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I left Zanzibar on the 27th May and caught a (not so empty) British
Airways flight to Gatwick. I couldn't believe the morning I woke
up to leave, how many things I had seen and done in just two weeks.
I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness as I landed in London.
I knew I would miss the generosity and friendliness of the Africans,
I would miss the feeling of being at one with nature but most
of all I would miss the freedom of travel
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