At the end of a torturous seemingly endless road, a pretty tent in a lovely wood awaits.
What price this Lemala paradise? For this particular wimpy traveler, the price is one and a half hours of getting thrown about by merciless jungle roads. For me it’s too high. Which is a shame because the camp is really nice.
The price for the Maasai people is far greater. Ngorongoro in the Maasai language means “sound of cowbells”. It’s the soundtrack of this wooded land that the pastoral Maasai and their cattle now call home after having been driven out of their ancestral lands in the Serengeti.
Outside tent #1, flattop acacias above a scraggly herbaceous border frame a picturesque scene.
I lie in bed burrowed under layers of bedclothes, a gas heater purring by my feet. I’m struggling not to think about the unavoidable return journey.
Our tent attendant is called Major. He’s a lot older and has a more superior bearing than young Swaleh, his counterpart in the Serengeti; so I’m a little discomfited sending the man off to prepare my bucket shower. He’s probably older than me too; besides, he outranks me.
Major has now come to bring me dinner. He’s very concerned about me as I’ve decided not to join the rest of the camp at cocktails and dinner.
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In the morning, my man Major brings me coffee, a fruitplate, yogurt, and an omelette. Having recovered from the shock of yesterday’s ordeal, I’m now a bit embarrassed about my wingeing. Stuart assures me though that others in the camp feel the same way.
I’ve decided to forgo the whole-day game drive in the crater.
Yes, I realize it’s the very point of coming to Ngorongoro but I’ve had it with really bad roads for a while. Even if I have to give up saying goodbye to the beautiful beasts of Africa, this being the last leg of our safari.
Chef Kanaele comes by to discuss my lunch. I just want a vegetable soup. He’s not happy with the lack of starch in my meal. I assure him I’ll be fine with soup and salad.
I have yet to write about the earlier legs of our safari: in Arusha and in the Serengeti. Right now, I’m in a bit of a contemplative mood, sitting by the fire by myself in the main lodge. Everybody else has gone to the crater of course.
The fog has rolled in and my soup has arrived. I’ll write about the more energetic stuff later.
Labels: Africa, Lemala, safari, Tanzania
Somebody said to me recently: Zanzibar sounds so exotic and mysterious! Tell us more about it!
Zanzibar is supremely photogenic.
Her people have striking good looks. They’re friendly and hospitable; their manner soft and calm.
The ocean is majestic and serene. No noisy water sports here.
The beach is immaculate.
Sadly though, outside the opulent glamour of our hotel, the town is rundown and grimy.
However, there are signs that things are looking up.
On our way to the airport, our driver was eager to know if we enjoyed our stay. Yes, we did. He requested us to please tell our family and friends to come too. Yes, we will.
I once recommended a holiday in Cuba to a friend. I loved Cuba; I went twice. But my friend hated it: too much poverty; no good food.
As in most things in life, one finds what one is looking for.
Labels: Africa, Zanzibar
The House of Wonders
As I walk into the living room of the beautiful suite we’ve been generously given by the Park Hyatt, I’m greeted by the first of a succession of striking vistas.
In the morning, the balcony off the bedroom is awash in bright sunshine. There it is again, that intriguing structure in the distance:
I’m hopelessly infatuated. I take countless photos of it in all kinds of light.
It’s called the House of Wonders, built in 1883 by the second sultan of Zanzibar as a ceremonial palace. It later housed the sultan and his harem after two of his palaces were destroyed in the Anglo-Zanzibari war of 1896.
In 1911, it was transformed into government offices for the British governing authorities. Later, it became a school, and then a museum.
Sadly, it’s now closed and allowed to fall into disrepair.
Labels: House of Wonders, Stone Town, Tanzania, Zanzibar
1st leg, Johannesburg. We’ve taken jackets out of our suitcases for the short walk across to the airport Intercon for an overnight stay. It’s a brisk 10 degrees, the Southern Hemisphere’s Long Night Moon shines high up overhead, a brilliant Jupiter beside it.
Tomorrow we fly to Dar es Salaam for another overnighter then on to Zanzibar for a 2-day stay before flying to the Serengeti, for our fourth safari in Africa, our first in the northern migration route.
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We’re awaiting Auric flight 221 to Zanzibar.
I like this part of Africa. People here seem friendlier, quieter, more relaxed.
There’s a couple sitting a few feet across from us at the boarding gate. They’ve obviously been fighting or arguing intensely since we arrived almost an hour ago. Yet they do so very quietly, voices low.
Labels: airport hotel, Auric Air, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Zanzibar
