Safari ... then Dar Es Salaam!

I have a confession to make. This trek through Ruaha national park constantly reminded me of my visit to Animal Kingdom at Disneyworld! I suppose that is just a compliment to how realistic they make that safari seem. but of course nothing beats the real thing! let the pictures tell the story...

These Baobab trees were all over the place in Ruaha National Park. very interesting trees...

This was the Land Cruiser that Br. Justin drove us in around the park.

Br. Justin and Br. Theodore looking out over the Ruaha river valley. This is all full of water in the rainy season.

A Croc in the river...

We found another safari vehicle on the roads. The guides in that car were very helpful and even told us where to find good places to see the rare animals.

Dont know where Timon was, but we found Pumba and company...

I did take all of these pictures with my small point and shoot 6 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical zoom. so...when you see a giraffe that close...it was literally that close out of our window!

Claudia leaning out.

(you are not allowed to get out of your vehicle while driving through the park)

This guy met us on the road on our way out. I guess he didn't want us to leave...

After the animal viewing in the park, it was back to Iringa for the night. As with most African towns that I have seen, there doesn't seem to be much "city planning" in the layout of the houses. It was great to eat at Neema's Cafe in Inringa. They even had ice cream! and delicious paninis. I felt good eating here and supporting the place, too, because it is a project run by the Diocese of Iringa. There is also a workshop attached to the restaurant that provides work opportunity for the handicapped. They make beautiful crafts. If trekking through the middle of Tanzania, Neema's Cafe in Iringa town is a must stop.

This is Iringa...

I mentioned meeting our friends from England in Iringa. They rode with us back to Dar Es Salaam. This is me and Leila in Morogoro.

Since arriving in Dar I have said goodbye to my Italian friends who flew back home last Monday, and the crew from England who went back home in the middle of last week. On Wednesday my friend Ariel (PC in Songea) came to town and it has been fun to hang out with him for the past week. So much to see in the big city! Dar has a population of over 3 million.

There is so much to share, but i cant write it all right now.

some highlights from the week in Dar:

-have been feeling competant getting around on the public transportation, though sometimes the Daladalas (small buses) are literally so packed that it is hard to breath. makes you appreciate traffic laws that limit the number of passengers to the number of seats!

-Saw "The Mummy 3" in a new movie theater in a big mall complex on the other side of the city. The movie was so/so but the theater felt just like back home! i might go see another one tomorrow...

- went to the market in Kariakoo by myself. a lot of activity. so much stuff. words cant describe the smells.

-Have been eating great food all around town. There are pizza places, very good Tanzanian style food, and a lot of good Indian restaurants.

-I visited the home of one of Ariel's students from Songea. Her family lives in Dar Es Salaam. This was one of those experiences that not everyone gets the chance to experience. It was an entirely different side of the big city. The neighborhoos was quiet and didn't smell. Their house was surrounded by fruit trees (oranges, mangoes, passion fruit, pinapple) and life is so simple. I mostly sat and listened as Ariel had conversation in Swahili with the father of his student, but i was able to follow most of the conversation, just not participate. And after sundown we were served a type of porridge and yam and potato stew to break the fast (it is Ramadan and the students mother is Muslim)

so, like i said, too much to say in one blog post! it has been a great week in Dar so far. I think I will be headed back to Hanga by the end of the week. class begins again on Monday!

thank you for reading. sorry for such the long delay. hope to get back on my regular schedule once back in Hanga!