Brad Furman Photography: Tanzania

Tanzania

BEASTS

Giraffe, Arusha National Park

Giraffes, Ngorongoro

Giraffe, Ngorongoro

Giraffe, Arusha National Park

Olive Baboon, Arusha National Park

Olive Baboon Baby, Arusha National Park

Olive Baboon, Serengeti

Sykes Monkeys, Serengeti

Blue Balled Monkey, Lake Manyara

Cape Buffalo, Ngorongoro

Thomson Gazelle, Ngorongoro

Warthog, Ngorongoro

Zebra Detail, Ngorongoro

Zebra, Ngorongoro

Zebra, Arusha National Park

Zebras, Serengeti

Zebras

Young Zebra, Ngorongoro

Lion Cub in Tree, Lake Manyara

Lioness, Ngorongoro

Lioness, Serengeti

Cheetah, Ngorongoro

Hyena, Ngorongoro

Hyenas, Ngorongoro

Wildebeest, Ngorongoro

Hippos, Serengeti

Sparring Impalas, Serengeti

Rock Hyrax, Serengeti

Elephant, Ngorongoro

Elephant, Ngorongoro Crater

BIRDS

Pink Flamingo, Ngorongoro

Yellow Billed Kite, Ngorongoro

Cormorant, Ngorongoro

Ostrich, Ngorongoro

White Stork in Flight, Ngorongoro

White Stork, Ngorongoro

Egyptian Goose, Ngorongoro

Marabou Stork, Ngorongoro

Vulture, Ngorongoro

Lapwing?, Ngorongoro

Blacksmith Lapwing, Ngorongoro

Weaver Bird?, Ngorongoro

Superb Starling, Serengeti

Hoopoe, Serengeti

Lilac Breasted Roller, Serengeti

Usambiro Barbet, Serengeti

Grey Capped Weaver, Serengeti

Spurfowl, Serengeti

Longclaw, Serengeti

Pipit, Serengeti

Spurfowl, Serengeti

Grey Crowned Crane, Serengeti

Birds of Tanzania

LANDSCAPES AND DETAILS

Campsite, Ngorongoro

Vista, Ngorongoro Crater

Serengeti Plain

Ngorongro Crater, Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro Crater

Queen Anne's Lace, Arusha

Pink Hibiscus, Arusha

Bananna Bloom, Arusha

Heliconia, Arusha

Elephant Leaf, Arusha

Grasshopper, Arusha

White Bloom, Arusha

Baobab Tree, Ngorongoro

Spider Web, Ngorongoro

Kopje Rock Detail, Serengeti

Kopje Rock Outcropping, Serengeti

Yellow Hibiscus, Serengeti

Trumpet Bloom, Ngorongoro

Poker Plant, Ngorongoro

Coral Plant, Ngorongoro

Butterfly, Ngorongoro

Yellow Bloom, Ngorongoro

Bougainvillea, Ngorongoro

Air View, Ngorongoro/Arusha Plain

Coastal Waters, Zanzibar

Bazaar Fabrics, Stone Town, Zanzibar

Roadside, Ngorongoro

Stone Town Alleyway, Zanzibar

Sunset, Zanzibar

Sunrise, Zanzibar

Traffic Jam, Ngorongoro

MAP OF TANZANIA

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Excerpts of TRAVEL JOURNAL of SAFARI to TANZANIA
by Willo Pequeqnat

February 15 to March 3, 2010

February 16 (Day 1) - Ngare Sero Lodge

Willo, Maija, Jan and Brad met at the airport in Addis Ababa and we all flew on Ethiopian Airlines to Mt. Kilimanjaro airport. Our Tour Driver Guide (Melkiori M. Lyimo, P.O. Box 16584, 0784-656-225, lyimomomawazo@yahoo.com) met us and drove us to the Ngare Sero Lodge. Patrick Dempsey in guest relations met us. We were able to see Mt. Kilimanjaro for a few minutes when the clouds lifted. The most exciting spectacle was the Colobus monkeys who were jumping from tree to tree like trapeze artists. We marveled every time we saw them jump and just barely make it to the next branch. They are black and white (like a skunk), have a large bushy white tail, and are larger and more muscular than most monkeys.

Ngare Sero Lodge

The Lodge has been converted from an early colonial farmhouse built at the turn of the century. It only has twelve rooms and two suites with thick walls, heavy timber beams and period decor which provides both comfort and charm. The garden has over two hundred species of birds. There are also troupes of Sykes and Colobus moneys in the trees. There is a library of plants and trees because it is set in the forest near Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. There are three periods of development of this property. The first was a German (August Leue) who has served in the military in this area and returned in 1905 after raising money in Berlin for a settlement on Mount Meru which became known as Leuedorf. Some two hundred Volga-Deutsch families were settled between Ngongare and Makumira. During the Great War, Leuedorf was occupied by British troops but Leue continued to administer the area. In 1920, under the League of Nations Mandate, Leuedorf passed to Captain Rydon RN who farmed the estate until 1954. The third period began in 1973 when Michael and Gisela Leach restored the farmhouse and converted it into a tourist lodge.

February 17 (Day 2) - Ngare Sero Lodge
Tour: Arusha National Park

We wound our way down a stone stair path and over a small pond past beautiful flowers, lush green plants and chirping birds to meet Lyimo. There was a punt with a square bow on the pond similar to the ones on rivers in England. Today we went to Arusha National Park. As soon as we entered, we saw a dozen or more giraffes that were very close. We sat transfixed watching them eat the Acacia tree leaves which they are uniquely suited to eat because of their height and long tongues. Then, we watched several different pairs of giraffes who were engaged in ritualized fighting. They would put their heads down and then swing their necks like a bat striking their opponent in the haunches with their horns with a resounding thud. We saw an array of animals: zebra, water buffalo, Colobus monkeys, baboons, waterbuck, wart hogs, and a variety of magnificent birds.

At one point we got out of the Land Cruiser--when Lyimo indicated that it was safe–to admire the view of Mt. Meru. It was an excellent day and we even learned a few Swahili words (asante sana; karibu, hakuna matata, jambo). While walking back to our room, a “sausage” from the Sausage Tree fell to the ground with a loud thud. We had a pleasant dinner in lovely surroundings and after dinner we retired to a cozy sitting room with an oriental rug and leather cushions. There was a blazing fire and so we ordered cognacs to complete the picture. The owner–Michael Leach– joined us and explained many of the eco-changes that he has made in the last 25 years: strive to be carbon neutral by planting indigenous trees to absorb what carbon is produced; generate own 220 Volt clean hydro-electrical power from spring fed dam, hot water is heated in boilers using carbon-neutral firewood harvested on the ground; drain water is soaked back into the local ground water. We also discussed the history of the farm and the first night that Michael spent on the farm with snakes and mice!

Arusha National Park

The entrance gate leads into a forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colorful turacos and trogons. This is the only northern safari circuit where the black-and-white colobus monkey is easily seen. In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide marshy floor with herds of buffalo and warthog. There is also rolling grassy hills and the Momela Lakes which are often colored by the pink of thousands of flamingos. While the elephant is uncommon and lions absent altogether, leopards, hyenas, zebras, and dik dik are plentiful. It is also possible to see Mount Kilimanjaro, which is only 30 miles away. Mount Meru- -the fifth highest in Africa at 14,990 feet high also dominates the park’s horizon.

February 18 (Day 3) - Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Tour: Arusha National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area

We had a lovely breakfast in the dining room and after packing up and checking out, we headed to Arusha Town. In the afternoon we headed for Ngorongoro Carter. We did not reach there until late in the afternoon after it had begun to rain. We were concerned that the park might be closed because it would be too difficult to negotiate the dirt road down into the Crater. We were fortunate that it was still open and we had an easy trip down the road with our expert driver, Lyimo. While we saw many animals, the most spectacular was five elephants–some of whom had tusks that were so long that they almost dragged in the grass as the large animals walked. We checked into Serena, an elegant hotel and received a warm welcome. We were rewarded by a lovely room with cave-like drawings of animals on the wall.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Perched on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, this lodge combines good ecological principles with architectural ingenuity. It is constructed so that it blends into its environment using local building materials and provides open views from porches on the building and patios outside the sleeping room so that you can enjoy the view while dining or walking. The spacious interior is built around a large log fire and has dramatic ceilings. This is a very sophisticated, elegant Lodge that capitalizes on its superior setting. The rooms have tile floors and there were paintings of animals on the walls that looked like reproductions of cave drawings.

February 19 (Day 4) - Ngorongoro Wilderness Camp
Tour: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

We checked out of the Lodge and headed for Ngorongoro Crater at 6:30 am. Lyimo had planned ahead and bought our entrance tickets the night before ($40 per person). We were able to see animals in every direction and take pictures fairly close. The first spectacular view was yards of spider webs with dew on them along the road. The highlight of the day was two cheetahs. However, for color nothing was more iridescent than the lilac breasted rollers. We saw many wildebeests but the zebras were equally engaging to watch and we were lucky to see a lot of young ones who stayed close to their mothers. Lyimo explained that they had a symbiotic relationship: the zebras had good eyesight but a poor sense of smell while the wildebeests had opposite abilities. Toward the end of the day we saw many storks who were returning to the lake.

Our new camp is an itinerant camp (it is assigned a site for three months and then moves to another site) and we had great difficulty finding it. Our hosts were very glad to see us but we were a little skeptical about the accommodations. We each had a tent, two beds, two shelves, a pump toilet, and a makeshift shower. The scene was reminiscent of “Out of Africa” without the portable phonograph. We went to our candle light dinner in the large tent dining room and were served a several course dinner. We had some brief exchanges with the other guests: Heidi, Kim and Elizabeth who were friends from college traveling together. Sandy was traveling alone photographing the wildebeests calving.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is a conservation area which is 112 miles west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the Great Rift Valley wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions. The conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority under the Tanzanian government. The Ngorongoro Crater is within a large volcanic caldera. Based on fossil evidence found at the Olduvai Gorge, it is known that various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years. Hunter gatherers were replaced by pastorialists a few thousand years ago.

The Mbulu came to the area about 2,000 years ago, and were joined by the Datooga around the year 1700. Both groups were driven from the area by the Maasai in the 1800s. There are massive fig trees in the northwest of the Lerai Forest that are sacred to the Maasai and Datooga people. No Europeans are known to have set foot in the Crater until 1892, when it was visited by Dr. Oscar Baumann. Two German brothers farmed in the Crater until the outbreak of World War I, after leasing the land from the German colonial administration then in control of East Africa. The German brothers regularly organized shooting parties to entertain their German friends. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater.The Ngorongoro area originally was part of the Serengeti National Park when it was created by the British in 1951. Maasai continued to live in the newly created park until 1959, when repeated conflicts with park authorities over land use, led the British to evict them to the newly declared Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

February 20 (Day 5) - Ngorongoro Wilderness Camp
Tour: Serengeti National Park

We had animals running across our tent during the night. We had a leisurely breakfast and spent a full day in Serengeti park. On the way to Serengeti, we drove past the storks in the lakes who had not yet flown away. We came across a carcass from a wildebeest that had apparently been killed by lions the night before. The next predators to attack this carcass were the hyenas and later when we doubled back the vultures and marabou storks were devouring what meat they could still find on the bones. We found two lions who were resting on some wet dirt taking a nap and enjoying their full stomachs. They would occasionally look up but were generally not interested in the many Land Rovers circling them and the people with binoculars gawking at them. Noblesse oblige!! The highlight of the day was when we found three cheetahs. We forded a stream en route to our new tented camp.

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region located in north-western Tanzania and extends to south-western Kenya and it spans approximately 5, 700 miles. Over 3 million animals coexist in the park, making it famous for its variety of wildlife: wildebeest, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, giraffe, hyena, wild dog, hippopotamus, ratel, buffalo, waterbuck, wart hog, hyrax, rhino, baboon, dik-dik, antelope, gazelle, topi, kongoni, bat eared fox and over 200 species of birds. Approximately 70 larger mammals and some 500 avifauna species are found there. This high diversity in terms of species is a function of diverse habitats ranging from forests, swamps, grasslands and woodlands. Blue Wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and buffalos are some of the commonly found large mammals in the region. With more than two million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelle, and a quarter of a million zebra, it has the greatest concentration of game in Africa.

The Serengeti hosts the largest and longest overland migration in the world, which is a semi-annual occurrence, and considered one of the “ten natural travel wonders of the world.” Over 250,000 wildebeest alone will die along the journey from Tanzania to Masai Mara Reserve in upper Kenya, a total of 500 miles. Death is often caused by injury, exhaustion, or predators that follow them. The migration is chronicled in the 1994 documentary film, Africa: The Serengeti. Serengeti is derived from the Maasai language and means "Endless Plains."

February 21 (Day 6) - Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp
Tour: Serengeti National Park

It had rained all night and part of our tents were flooded. We managed to get a hot shower after staff put hot water in the pouch that was outside the tent. We packed up for a new day of adventure and headed back to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Although it was very muddy, our expert driver navigated it with no difficulty. We saw two Land Rovers stuck in the mud. We saw many wildebeests, zebras, and giraffes. We headed out for Serengeti and while driving in the short grass, we saw about a 300,000 wildebeests migrating across the plains. You could see them across the horizon for 180 degrees. There were wildebeests migrating in large queues and as they neared the road, they would begin to run as a group. The young wildebeest babies were amazing because they were able to run side-by-side with their mothers when the herd began to run.

We went through the Serengeti Gate to pay our fees and we stopped for lunch once inside the gate at a picnic area. We proceeded across the area with slightly higher grass and there were virtually no wildebeests. We encountered some hippos and a pair of grey crowned cranes. We saw two lionesses and three cubs feeding on a wildebeest. They crunched the bones and ripped at the meat. When the cubs jumped in the middle of it, the lionesses disciplined them. Another lioness stalked up but did not join the feast. Later during a heavy rain on a muddy road, we had our first flat tire which Lyimo adroitly changed himself eschewing any assistance.

We reached our tented camp about 5:00 pm and were relieved to find that the only thing that made it a tent was a canvas roof and front covering. No worries–it is part of the Serena chain--and it was tastefully comfortable but still evoked being out of doors. We had two lovely queen size canopy bed. The hot shower was terrific! We went up to the entertainment which turned out to be quite spirited and sensual. There were two female dancers (with flexible hips) and two male dancers and several excellent drummers.

February 22 (Day 7) - Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp
Tour: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast and dropping the laundry with reception, we set out in search of leopards. We saw several different hippopotamus ponds and watched them snort, fart loudly and cavort like over charged adolescents. In the second pond there were at least 40 hippos. We saw a hammerkop bird which had captured a large frog and was trying to swallow him whole but the frog’s two feet still dangled out. He finally regurgitated the frog and kept dipping him in a puddle of water to lubricate him. After several failed attempts, he tried again and we saw the bird’s neck expand and he made some strong swallowing movements and finally the frog completely disappeared. Limo assured us that it was more than a two day feast for the bird.

We drove around and spotted several Land Rovers together which is always a sign of a significant sighting. Indeed it was a leopard in a tree. He looked so relaxed slung over the branch. We found several birds–especially the castor, a small hawk, which can hover in one place looking for prey. Then, it can take off like a dart to make the hit. We saw rock hyrax on the stone formations and dic-dic, a small antelope, nearby. Seeing another congregation of Land Rovers we headed over. This time we were rewarded with a sighting of four adult lions and three cubs in a tree. Ten or more baboons were trapped at the top of the tree until the lions chose to move on.

We returned to the pond where we found a mound of hippos but still no crocs surfaced. We saw several lilac breasted rollers fly into a tree. We stopped for lunch at a tourist center where I fed some grey weavers and kangaroo rats. We put our leftovers together in one box and later Lyimo was able to give it to three Masai youth walking by the road.

We saw a film entitled “Lionesses: Queen of the Bush“ probably made by the Frankfurt Geographical Society. They tested three hypotheses: (1) female lions will accept infanticide with the expectation of new cubs with the new lions; however, they will not mate for three months until they are sure the new male can protect their territory. (2) lionesses group together to protect the cubs, when the investigators played a tape of a strange male lion and the lionesses formed a defensive line with the cubs behind him; (3) bachelor lions can work together to defend against another male lion rather than fighting each other. We saw many weaver bird nests hanging from the trees looking like Calder mobiles. We saw a group of olive baboons and one particularly cute baby on its mothers back. We forded the stream which had picked up force from the rains during the day and headed back to camp.

We had a couple of comic moments during cocktail hour. Willo’s laundry had been delivered in a basket with a red covering carefully folded but Jan had not received hers. Willo stealthily went into Cabin 4 (where Jan was supposed to be) and retrieved two baskets of laundry. Unfortunately, only one basket belonged to them and Jan had to return the other one that rightfully belonged to the residents of Cabin 4. The next was when the stand for the lantern fell over and Brad propped it up using nearby rocks. Dinner was another wonderful experience and we packed up to be ready for our early departure the next day.

Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp

This is a new acquisition for the Serena Hotels group. This Camp lies at the center of the Serengeti within easy reach of the different wildlife areas of Lobo, the Western Corridor of the Grumeti River, the southern grass plains, the Seronera Valley and the kopjes, or inselbergs, Gol, Barafu, Maasai, Loliondo, Simba and Moru. This camp is strategically located on one of the main annual migration routes for millions of zebras and gazelles, and their predators.

February 23 (Day 8) - Ngorongoro Farmhouse
Tour: Lake Manyara

We checked out of Mbuzi and left our $10,000 shilling tip for the maids and $5,000 shilling for porters. It rained all night so we were concerned whether we would be able to ford the stream on the only road out of Serengeti. There was no problem and we sped along the road retracing our steps to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater headed for Lake Manyara. We stopped at the Serengeti gate to pay transfer fees and use the washroom. They had locked most of the women’s stalls and the one open one was disgusting!! We commandeered the men’s room with the help of a bemused Indian man. While it was only holes in the floor, it was clean and did not smell. We traveled quickly and reversed what we had seen going from high grass to short grass and finally red earth and dense green vegetation as we climbed the mountain out of Serengeti.

The only interruption was a stop so that Lyimo could help a fellow driver with car problems–honoring the rule of the bush. It turned out to be a leak in the hose going into the radiator which Lyimo repaired and left the grateful drivers with a case of our water to fill up the empty radiator. We picked up the pace until we encountered thick fog that cut visibility to less than five feet. We stopped for lunch in Karatu, a charming inside spot and had Kilimanjaro beer with lunch. We have now tried Tusker, Castle, and Kilimanjaro beers.

We reached Lake Manyara at 2:30 pm. The first part of the forest was sausage, mahogany, and magnolia trees. We saw a monitor lizard which was about four feet from head to end of his tail. We saw baboons picking insects out of each other (grooming), blue monkeys, yellow billed storks, hippos (kiboks), saw young lions (5 months old), a monkey with blue balls, and at least 33 elephants (tembo Ndora).

We spent the night in guest houses on a working farm. Walking to our individual cabins, we walked by both flowers and vegetables. Maija and I stayed in Kobe (baby beasts), Jan and was in Kombu, and Brad was in Nyani (baboon). Each room had two double poster beds with mosquito nets. We met on Jan’s veranda and had drinks and cashews nuts while enjoying looking on the crops raised at this farm.

Lyimo joined us for dinner. Limo shared with us that his brother had died 10 years before of AIDS given to him by his wife who was not faithful. Lyimo and his sister have raised his brother’s two children. The dinner was a buffet served on different round tables and there were wonderful choices–many of which were vegetables raised on the farm.

Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is a shallow freshwater lake in Tanzania which Ernest Hemingway said was the "loveliest [lake] ... in Africa." The name "Manyara" comes from the Maasai word emanyara, which is a species of plant that is grown into a hedge around a family homestead (Euphorbia tirucalli). Lake Manyara National Park is 127 square miles, of which 89 square miles is the lake. The Rift Valley escarpment provides a spectacular backdrop to Lake Manyara. While mostly known for baboons, the lake and its surroundings are also home to hippos, impalas, elephants, wildebeests, buffalos, warthogs, and giraffes. There are over 300 migratory birds, including flamingos, Long-crested Eagles, and Grey-headed Kingfishers.Giant fig trees and mahogany are seen in the forest around the park gates.

February 24 (Day 9) - Swahili House, Zanzibar
Tour: Stone Town

We were greeted at the restaurant by a Marabou stork which was looking for handouts. We had a leisurely breakfast of omelets and eggs cooked to order. This was the first good cup of coffee that we had.. This was a sad day because we had to say good bye to Limo with whom we had traveled 1,628 kilometers through some fantastic countryside. Because of his extensive knowledge, he had made this a very special trip because he would not let us miss any animal or interesting geological formation. We arrived at Lake Manyara airport early and waited for the plane. We were not really checked in and our baggage was not weighed. Our pilot was a competent Canadian with a sense of humor. We took off and at the end of the run way there is a rather dramatic drop-off of more than a 2,000 feet off the ground over the Rift Valley.

We landed in Arusha for refueling and were off for the 1 ½ hour flight to Zanzibar with the same pilot. We were met at the airport by a taxi driver and were off to our hotel. Because of the narrow streets in Stone Town we were dropped off 200 meters from our hotel. We had to engage a man with a wooden wheelbarrow to take our luggage to the hotel. The bad news was that in all of Zanzibar there has been no electricity since December 10. We had to walk up six flights of stairs to reach our room and another flight to reach the rooftop restaurant. We were offered a welcoming Watermelon drink by the Dutch manager who has only been on the job for a month.

We headed out with Said (our guide) for a walking tour of Stone Town. He shared some interesting facts with us about the town and buildings that we passed. We ended up at the Serena Hotel on the patio for cocktail hour where we watched the Dhows (looks like a felucca) passing by. We enjoyed it so much we decided to stay for dinner. We were lucky to find sailfish on the menu as an appetizer and grilled kingfish as the main course. There was a trio that played old American favorites–including one by Satchmo. The whole dinner plus happy house drinks and the tip added up to $215.00.

Our return trip in the tuk-tuk was $10,000 shillings (our driver overcharged us by $4,000 shillings). This vehicle easily navigated the very narrow streets. It is interesting that the government only permits people with disabilities (primarily from poliomyelitis) to drive them. We were not competent enough the get the air conditioning working in number 20 (numbers 10 and 16 faired better).

Swahili House

This hotel is located in the middle of Stone Town. The building was originally an Indian merchant’s house in the 19th century. Then, the building was home to one of the many Sultan families and only recently opened as a hotel in 2008 after renovations. Most of the hotel has been restored to its original state. The Swahili House is surrounded by busy markets, shops, restaurants and other points of interest. The House of Wonders, first mosque, the slave market, and other points of interest within walking distance from the hotel down the hundreds of little streets that are not wide enough for a car. There is a lovely open air restaurant and bar on the roof of the hotel with a welcome Jacuzzi that people paradoxically use to cool off.

February 25 (Day 10) - Swahili House
Tour: Stone Town and Spice Farm

We congregated for breakfast about 8:00 am and learned the tragic news that Brad’s camera had fallen from a chair to the cement floor and was not working. He was bereft and when Said arrived for our morning tour at 9:00 am, the first stop was a camera store but, of course, they did not have the Nikon that he wanted. (He thought he had lost his best friend but was able to find a camera store that restored it to life for $300.)

We walked through the market and briefly observed a fish auction. Some of us bought a medley of spices which seemed like good gifts. We went through the slave market and saw their quarters which had low ceilings and no amenities. In an area about 12 by 16 feet on a cement slab, there would sometimes be as many as 20, 30 or 40 slaves housed prior to the auction. They were beaten during this experience and the ones that resisted by crying out brought the highest prices. There was also a monument that depicted the different tribes who were victims of the slave trade. Slavery was banned in 1863 but was allowed to continue for 10 more years until the slaves were actually freed. The owners cleverly encouraged the slaves to marry and have children which tied them to this spot. While no longer slaves, they were employed at very low wages because they were not free to seek better employment.

We continued our walk by a mosque and an early castle. We discovered the “Rodeo Drive” of Zanzibar and we went into a couple of shops (Zanzibar Princess and a tourist trap). The men were restless so we noted Zanzibar Secrets and vowed to return the following day. Next we went to the House of Wonders where Said told us a little of its history. There was a large Dhow on the first floor that had been built for the museum. There was a stand with different panels which decried the negative impact of tourism on the economy and environment of Zanzibar. In the second floor there were curios from the different occupations of outside groups (Arabs, Germans, and British). I took a picture of the Sultan Hageeb who looked like our guide. Said showed us how the trade routes in the western part of the Indian Ocean all connected with Zanzibar.

We walked by a Ming tree and Said explained that the one with green leaves was used to produce quinine and other medical treatments while the ones with yellow leaves are poisonous. He said that his family are herbalists.

We went to lunch at Fat Harry’s Beach Bar at the Zanzibar Hotel with a lovely view of the ocean. Willo bought a wrap skirt made out of Swahili Kanga fabric which is worn by the women on the island. We returned to Swahili House and then met the man we thought would be our guide to the spice farm. After further negotiation, we were assured that there would be a guide at the spice farm and this man is a good driver.

We were met by our guide who turned out to be an excellent natural teacher. He would pull leaves off plants, crush them, and after giving us a part of the plant, challenge us to identify what it was. The first was turmeric that he showed us was a root that is ground up. We ended up with yellow fingers and yellow smudges on our face along with an amazed expression. The second was some ordinary grass-like stuff which one might have mistaken for a weed. It turned out to be lemon grass. (The following is not the exact order in which we were introduced to other mysteries of the spice farm.) The amazing one was cloves which were little red buds that he broke off from the stem; the buds are dried and turn into the spikes that we put into hams, oranges, and grind up for pumpkin pie.

He showed us how the ginger that we buy in stores is really a root. He then shaved off the bark of a tree which curls up when it dries and becomes cinnamon sticks. The bark of the tree regenerates. A beautiful yellow fruit accounts for the nutmeg which is really its pit; it is covered by a red sticky husk/shell that is removed to reveal the nut with which we are familiar. We saw a clump of things that looked like green string beans hanging down. When they are mature and dried for several days, they become what we know as vanilla beans.

The final revelation was a pepper tree which produces black, white, green, and red pepper depending on how it is dried. At the end we were treated to three types of tea: (1) lemon grass, (2) chai, and (3) ginger. We were then served tropical fruit: (1) mango, (2) papaya; (3) lychee nuts, (4) pineapple, and (5) passion fruit. Finally, the men were presented with ties and hats and the women received necklaces with a frog on it and crowns–all made from palm leaves. We, then, we purchased some spices and headed back to Swahili House.

We went to dinner at the Livingstone Beach Restaurant; we had a table in the sand on the beach. As we entered the restaurant with a central bar, there were hippie-type people sitting on pillows on the floor texting. The restaurant was overwhelmed with customers and our waitress was not up to the demand of taking orders, opening and pouring wine, and delivering an accurate check. The meal was promising but not memorable. We able to get a cab and ended our active day with a nightcap at the rooftop bar.

Zanzibar

People have lived in Zanzibar for 20,000 years. Because of its strategic location between Asia and East Africa, it became a base for traders traveling among Arabia, India, and Africa. Arabs settled in what became Zanzibar City (Stone Town) which was named for the coral rocks that were used in building houses. They established garrisons on the island and built the first mosque in the Southern hemisphere. During the Age of Exploration, the Portuguese Empire was the first European power to gain control of Zanzibar and they kept it for 200 years. In 1698, Zanzibar fell under the control of the Sultanate of Oman, which developed an economy of trade and cash crops.

Plantations were developed to grow spices. Ivory from the tusks of elephants killed on mainland Africa was another major trading commodity. The third pillar of the economy was slaves. The Sultan of Zanzibar controlled a substantial portion of the East African Coast and extensive inland trading routes. The British gradually took over control and in 1890 Zanzibar became a British protectorate. The political impetus for this was the movement for the abolition of the slave trade.

The death of one sultan and the succession of another of whom the British did not approve led to the Anglo-Zanzibar War which is known as “The Shortest War in History” because it only lasted 45 minutes! The islands finally gained independence from Britain in December 1963 and became a constitutional monarchy. A month later, the bloody Zanzibar Revolution, in which several thousand Arabs and Indians were killed, led to the establishment of the Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. That April the republic merged with the mainland Tanganyika (later known as Tanzania).

February 26 (Day 11) - Kinasi Lodge

We had a lovely leisurely breakfast on the roof and packed up as the vagabonds that we were. We spread our tips around rewarding good service. Then, the three women headed for “Rodeo Drive” following the directions: left, left, right, straight which worked. We went in all the stores that we had missed. We bought presents for grandchildren (cute shirts) and T-shirts and Masai bead bracelets for gifts for others. Willo bought a Kilimanjaro beer T-shirt for Brad as appreciation for helping with several technical problems. We had walked there easily and were retracing our steps when we met Brad sitting on the stoop of one of the stalls along the street. He had managed to find the salt-and-pepper containers that we had used in the restaurant. It is a box and the top slides back to reveal two cutouts in which you put sea salt and pepper.

Willo bought a painting which warned about “Malaria and HIV/AIDS which kill.” We then raced back to keep to the departure schedule. After the luggage was accounted for, it was loaded on a wooden wheelbarrow and transported to the car that would take us to the airport. We checked in and had our luggage weighed. We were relieved that we did not have to pay an extra luggage charge by passing off a twenty dollar bill to the right person. The African saying, “What is in the right pocket can go in the left pocket.” came in handy.

We had hoped for a direct flight on Coastal Air but we stopped in Dar es Salaam where we were required to change planes. The flight from Dar es Salaam to Mafia Island took slightly more than half an hour. We were all disheartened when we saw a small blue beat up Land Rover because this did not auger well for our hotel. The men handily threw the luggage on top and we bounced along toward our hotel. As we entered the Marine Park, we learned that we each need to pay $20 a day to stay in order to support the conservation activities. When we arrived at Kinasi Lodge, we were met by a phalanx of eager employees-Mohammed (Moody), the manager; Tom, the masseuse, and others. Moody explained the opportunities at Kinasi Lodge. He told us to check with Audie for any water sports.

Our cottages were charming and had wonderful thatched roofs with a hammock on the porch which is picture perfect for the tropics. A lovely combination bath/shower with hot water promised pleasant times. The two beds had a golden brocade coverlet and round bolsters whose elegance was in contrast to the otherwise tropical atmosphere. The two double sized beds shared a huge canopy frame and navy blue mosquito netting. Willo took a quick trip to the wine cellar and was rewarded by finding a bottle of Libertas Chardonnay which she requested be delivered to the cottage with three glasses. It was delivered by O’Malley. Jan joined us and we sipped the wine on our porch, while we were serenaded with the wind gently blowing through the palm trees accented by the screeches of the tuxedo crows. We had a drink in the lounge where we arranged for water sports the next day; Brad, Jan, and Maija for a fishing expedition and Willo for snorkeling.

Kinasi Lodge

This is a small hotel (with twelve bungalows and one family unit with two bedrooms) located in a coconut and cashew plantation facing Chobe Bay on Mafia Island. The bungalows have been constructed in concrete block, with palm-leaf (makuti) roofs, and concrete foundations and floors. The windows all fully open and there are no screens. There is a relaxing hammock on each of the porches. There is all-day reliable electricity and hot water supply from three permanent wells on the property that are heated by solar panels. There is a wonderful swimming pool whose temperature is consistently about 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Isis Spa is wonderful and the Thai masseuses give wonderful massages. The lounge is very relaxing and stylish and a great place to read during the day or have a glass of wine before dinner. The lodge is furnished with antiques and hand-crafted furniture, made to their own designs and there are very interesting iron works. The dining room is appointed with crockery and hand-blown glassware made for the Lodge and there are original works of art by East African artists. The menu is based on local seafood: fresh fish, prawns, crab, lobster, octopus and calamari, with fresh vegetables and fruit flown from the mainland. Breads, rolls, pizzas and variety of yoghurt, preserves and sauces are all home made, from traditional recipes. customs.

February 27 (Day 12) - Kinasi Lodge
Tour: Fishing Expedition and Snorkeling

I went to the diver’s shop where Audie outfitted me with flippers and a face mask and snorkel in a carrying bag. After a short ride, we ended up at the beach where we walked to a waiting dhow. I went with two German couples who have been working for a year and a half in Dar Es Salaam. One man is a solar expert and the other is in the German diplomatic service. Between them, they have five charming and competent children who had learned to speak English while in Dar. I tried to use the face mask with the snorkel but it was too uncomfortable. I went in with only my goggles and was able to float on the top and enjoy the wonderful sites. There were many rock formations, coral reefs, and kelp beds. I swam with a school of fish and navigated the rock formations. It was very beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jan, Brad, and Maija headed out for the much anticipated fishing trip. They were disheartened when they found out that they would be fishing from a Dhow which is not a real fishing vessel. This is critical because the dhow only has a seven horsepower engine and the fish that he was aiming for required faster moving bait. While the boat was old, it was a sturdy wooden boat that had a sail which had not been used for a long, long time. There was a captain and a first mate and four fishing rods for trawling. There was no fly casting equipment. They were disappointed to say the least, but he handled it well and was optimistic about a good catch. The weather was beautiful and it was lovely to be out on the sea. Jan and Maija cold have cared less if they caught any fish and they just enjoyed the sea. We did wish for some catch for Brad’s sake. No luck. Apparently we could not achieve enough speed to attract any fish. Big fish were much deeper than we were able to dangle the “teases” and “lures.” The coral reefs were magnificent: the turquoise, light blue color was magical but no fish. For one brief, split second we saw a flying fish (its actual name) fly over the water. That is the closest that we ever came to a real fish.

We got back to the lodge about 4:00 pm in time for our scheduled massage–and all was well in the world.

Mafia Island

The Mafia archipelago consists of one large island and numerous smaller ones in the Indian Ocean. There are coral reefs, bays, sand bars, lagoons, and beaches. The main town is Kilindoni. Mafia Island’s history goes back to the first millennium A.D. The island once played a major role in ancient trade between the people of the Far East and East Africa. It was a regular stop for Arab boats and the name “Mafia” derives from the Arabic morfiyeh, meaning “group” or “archipelago.”

On the tiny island of Chobe Mjini, just offshore in Chobe Bay, once stood a settlement that constituted one of the most important towns controlling trade from the silver mines of Eastern Zimbabwe. Under a treaty of 1890, Germany took control of Mafia and constructed the buildings still evident on Chobe. Germany paid Sultan Sayyid Ali bin Said al-Said of Oman 4 million for both the island and part of the mainland coast. In 1915, Mafia was taken by British troops as a base for the air/sea assault. Mafia subsequently became part of the League of Nations Trusteeship Territory of Tanganyika, which became independent in 1961 and in 1964 joined with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania. In 1995 Mafia Island had financial help from World Wildlife Foundation to make a natural marine wildlife center instead of making the island solely a tourist resort (only a thousand tourists visit each year).

February 28 (Day 13) - Kinasi Lodge

Unfortunately, this is our last full day here We had a leisurely breakfast which is the ultimate luxury. Willo asked for and received a lesson in how to cut the mango in a grid and pop it out for an elegant presentation. (You first cut it horizontally along one side of the seed; then, carefully, cut across the mango one way and then the other creating little squares; finally, you pop the meat up and the squares separate.) We sat in the lounge and talked about our experiences fishing and diving and enjoying the rain. Using the unisex bathroom off the lounge, we discovered an amazing clock with 12 Roman numerals and 31 numbers around the circumference. Brad pegged that the 31 was for the days of the month. We arranged for another massage at 4:00 and 5:00 pm. With our encouragement, Brad scheduled one for noon.

March 1 (Day 14) - Courtyard Hotel, Dar Es Salaam

Brad swam in Chobe Bay and I swam in the pool before breakfast. It was invigorating. We had another leisurely breakfast which I will miss. Brad set off for snorkeling. I sat in the lounge again to journal. We convened for a last lunch and bid everyone goodbye after a late check out. We started for the airport with a British couple. The road was very rough and bumpy.

We had a brief skirmish with the rangers at the gate of the Marine Park who wanted to see our passes which confirmed that we had paid for entrance. However, we did not recollect receiving passes–only a receipt. They intimated that we would have to pay again. However, Brad demanded that we review the sign in book. He found our names and then the couple was able to confirm by the phone with the Kinasi Hotel that they had paid for them. The hotel alerted them that I had left earrings. We returned briefly to pick them up. I took a picture of the airport. We waited briefly in the waiting room. Brad met a couple from Virginia who live within two miles of him. They shared some tales about their travel to the Coral reef on the other side of the island. We had a quick (30 minutes) flight to Dar es Salaam.

We were caught in traffic and spent time getting to the hotel. This also fouled up dinner plans because we could not make reservations at the Indian restaurant that had been selected. We opted to have dinner at the hotel with less than optimal results. We first ordered samosas but were told that they did not have the “bread” to make them. We ordered a hodge-podge of appetizers which never seemed to come. Willo went to the kitchen and had a stand off at the door but all of a sudden trays of things were arriving (shrimp, mushrooms, etc.). While we had intended to order a main course, we all agreed that we were full. The chef came out at the end to receive our commendations. We had our pictures taken with him. Willo went swimming but the water tasted like iodine.

March 2 (Day 15) - Ethiopian Airlines
Tour: Dar Es Salaam

We heard the call for prayers at 5:00 am. We arose early and despite the iodine taste Willo went swimming in order to have exercise to condition her for the long flight. We packed up and went for breakfast. We headed out with Mala for a tour of Dar es Salaam. We passed by the Presidential Palace and Oyster Bay on our way to our first stop at the fish market. Mala explained that the fishermen went out early in the morning in their dhows to fish. With their catch they come in near the wharf and the women come at 5:00 am with their buckets and they fill them up with fish. Then, the women take them to the tables in the market where they clean and scale them. When the fish were prepared, the women took them out into markets in the surrounding areas and sold them. We all remarked that it was better organized than the one in Stone Town where many of the fish were being cut up on the road because the fish market. We then drove by many government offices and Non Governmental Organizations.

By a high school there was an excellent bill board that said, “Graduate with A’s, not AIDS.” I took many pictures of it and intend to make a power point slide out of it for slides. This bill board was put up by the Tanzanian Associated Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS). This group was interviewing for jobs in our hotel; I am sorry that I did not follow my instinct and go up and talk to them. We next went to the Tanzanian Museum which provided interesting historical information about the German occupation, the time as a British protectorate, and ultimately as an independent country under Julius Kambarage Nyerere who served as the first president of Tanzania from 1964 to 1985. Upstairs there were fossils discovered by Mary Leakey in the Oduival Gorge. We did some shopping at Makonde Village which had many different stalls with essentially the same artifacts. Jan and Maija bought some gifts.

While we were there, a major rain storm rattled the corrugated metal roofs. We also went to a craft store where more souvenirs of our visit were purchased. Alas, the gem store in the Movenpick Hotel as closed. We headed back to the hotel for a light lunch and late check out. The trip to the airport was interesting because we passed by many industrial sites and interesting little stores. Brad had remarked that he had discovered block upon block of small stores that were selling different things.

On the trip to Addis we were rerouted around some storm clouds. We were put in a holding pattern for about 10 minutes above the airport because of the heavy traffic and the poor weather. We landed in heavy rain and winds and it was a very hard landing. We had dinner on the plane but there was only red wine so we immediately headed for the bar either to recover from the landing or to brace ourselves for the next leg of our trip from Addis to Rome. Once on the plane Maija and I watched the movie entitled “Amelia” with Hillary Swank and Richard Gere which was an okay movie for a plane but it would have been a disappointment in a theater. We watched several other movies to make the trip more tolerable.

Our landing in Rome was very gentle so it was very surprising to learn that we had blown out two tires. We waited on the plane receiving only intermittent, incomplete message about what was happening. First, they indicated that they were searching for a jack that would work with this 737-800. Then, they indicated that they were only carrying one tire abroad so they had to buy one in Rome and negotiate customs. Some of the Americans aboard began to get restless and then agitated and they kept going to the front to negotiate our release. Finally, after nearly six hours, we were permitted to disembark and given a certificate for a cup of coffee and a croissant.

There was one overbearing passenger who was trying to bully the Ethiopian Airlines representative to reschedule him on a United Airlines plane leaving in an hour. When he did not think that she was taking his demand seriously, he left and returned with two airport policemen who were clueless about what he wanted. This was real kabuki theater as this man pushed his demand for a rerouting to which he felt he was entitled. He was claiming that Ethiopian Airlines had just had a crash and was not a safe airline to be traveling on.

We were there in duty free heaven but no one had great motivation to shop. We wanted to get back on the plane and proceed home as rapidly as possible. Our call finally came and the loading of the plane was more efficient than we expected. The overbearing man sheepishly rejoined us on our Ethiopian Airline flight to Dulles. Our take off was uneventful and we were served dinner.

March 3 (Day 16) - Home

We gratefully arrived home at approximately 3:30 pm (which is 8 hours later than we were scheduled) and easily passed through immigration. Getting our luggage was a little chaotic because it was coming in on several carousels and some of it was being off loaded onto the floor. Because we arrived at rush hour, the trip home took a long time and even though we took a short cut up Wilson Lane, the trip cost $70.00.

I was very glad to be home after a fantastic trip which I hope has been captured in this journal.