August 2013 was a great month. I travelled back to Tanzania with my husband. This time it was exclusively for a holiday - the one we never got when his company cancelled his leave last year.
Chaos at Dar Es Salaam airport. For some inexplicable reason the porters unload the carousel and stack the suitcases in the most inaccessible corner of the waiting area. Perhaps it's a clever ruse to ensure they get to carry the travellers luggage! We had stuck bright green smiley faces on our cases and were able to spot ours in the pile without too much bother. Then it was through passport control - I wondered why they required finger prints from both hands from me and only the right hand from everyone else? Considered asking but passport control officials are universally grumpy people and I didn't want to start the holiday off on a bad note. Had time to buy a local Sim card and airtime for the exorbitant price of US$2, before the driver was ready to take us to the hotel.
As we had a day and a half in Dar es Salaam we were able to visit the staff at the GHAWA house in Msasani Village and spend some time at Slipway markets and shops at the Waterfront before the real adventure began.
A 5:15am call saw 2 rather sleepy travellers catching a taxi to the domestic airport where a Cesna 208B and a very fidgety young South African pilot awaited us. After 40 minutes flying we dropped a couple off at Selous then it was another hour and a half to Jongomero Camp in Ruaha National Park. Warning to anyone considering this trip - make sure you visit the loo before boarding. I was really grateful to find very clean ladies amenities at the airstrip albeit starting block style!
Bryan the camp manager and Modest our allocated guide were at the airstrip to meet us. All the askaris and waiters were at the camp to greet us with a welcome song, an ice cold flannel and glass of cold mango juice before settling in to listen to Gerald give us the low down on the camp. While he was talking we were treated to a show. A herd of elephants were crossing thewere crossing the dry river bed. One decided to attempt to climb the embankment right next to us.
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