Mamajojo's Muse

July 12

No internet here, but I am sitting in our tent, well zipped up and secure, hearing all the morning birds and listening to our noisy neighbors. Sound carries, and we spent the night with two hacking, snoring, loudly conversing Frenchmen! But Amy and I still got a good night's sleep in our tent. The two beds were very comfortable, and the blankets just right to be cozy against the cool night. there is a zipped section for a flush toilet, hot tiled shower, and a sink and mirror, with guest soaps wrapped in banana leaf covers. The electricity was turned off at some time in the night, but I didn't know it. We had a good dinner, candles and crystal, in the dining room. Spinach stuffed ravioli, fresh veggies, a salad I didn't let them eat, and a dessert buffet and tea/coffee. And leek/potato soup as an appetizer, with fresh rolls. Roughing it! There is a sign we all obeyed, NOT to go out of our tents after the lights are out. We are blessed with elephant poop in front of our little porch, and I heard an animal sound last night that I never heard, by the side of my bed, but we had an armed guard all night, so felt secure.

Amy skipped dinner. Her stomach is still not right. But as soon as she feels pretty much better, she will try something interesting, like the deep fried fish tail that came with Jubilant's Chinese food at the Arusha restaurant! She doesn't have a fever or headache or any signs of a real disease, and I think she is just reacting to all the different food and water. We have bottled water everywhere, but who knows... Maybe the goat legs she ordered last week?!! She was the best linguist last week in Rwanda, and still remembers her greetings, but is now working on Swahili. I managed to keep her off a motorcycle so far! But she is enjoying standing up in the safari cars, wind in her hair, snapping pictures of all the game we see.

I was so happy to get Diane, Ally, and Lauren back yesterday. They stayed with Diane's friend Grace, and his family, in Kampala, Uganda, and attended a wedding. What a fun experience! I was jealous that they drove to the lake and saw the absolute source of the Nile River. There are springs that bubble up and join lake water to start a river, and that is the actual source that all those explorers were searching for. I have to get to Uganda some day!

The Tumaini Guest house is a fantastic place to stay in Arusha. To drive there, go to the very end of the new road to Nairobi, still under construction, and turn left at the barriers and rocks. Go down unmarked, narrow dirt "streets", left, right, swing to the right, left, swing to the right, and look for the sign at the locked gate. It is a poor area, with little shops and goars running in the street, but behind the gate is a manicured lawn, lovely flowering trees and shrubs, and a perfect little guest house that has 8 rooms bed and breakfast, and a well appointed conference room that seats 40. Andy, the owner and designer of the place, is a cousin of Jubilant's, and a gracious host. I hope we can stay there any time we are in Arusha.

So, today we eat at 7:30, do a morning game drive here in Tarangire, and then, after a box lunch at the gate of the park, we drive to Lake Manyara and tour there all afternoon. I have been letting the girls take most of the pictures, but today I will see what I can catch!