Safari Day

Sunday, June 25

Safari Day! We left at 3:15 am for our journey to Dar Es Salaam airport with Ashley, Laura, Tuma, Emma their little son Derrick and Rahema who is their 16 year old housemaid/nanny. Didase drove and the car was packed. Luckily our flight on a small propeller plane was uneventful since it was Rahema's first flight and she was a little nervous. The escalator had been scary enough. Laura distracted her with taking selfies during take off.

Seeing the tallest free standing mountain in the world, Mt Kilimanjaro, was a thrill as we watched out the plane window.

When we landed at tiny Kilimanjaro Airport we jumped in the jeep with our safari guide, Abbas, who drove us to Moshi where Tuma and Emma's families live. We started at Tuma's family compound and met his 112 year old grandmother who was curled up in a bed, trying to be warm.

The climate and environment is completely different than in Bagamoyo. It's jungle like, very lush, wet and cool with tropical plants. There were 5 or 6 different kinds of bananas, avocados and trees with bright red flowers that like giant poinsettias. It was beautiful with fields of sunflowers. Tuma's family served us banana stew from banana that tasted starchy like potatoes. My stomach was not settled today but I had to try it. We also got to try banana beer which was really different and not anything I want to hurry to have again. We didn't stay long before packing up and driving a short way to Emma's parent's home. She also had food for us and I ate the best banana I ever had- tasted just like candy! No wonder our Kenyan student Zura always complained about our tasteless American bananas!

Emma's father spoke beautiful English as he is a retired safari driver. I was grateful to Tuma and Emma for sharing their families and their homes with us.