On a Midnight Train...

Much to our dismay we left Zanzibar on Monday evening to return to the mainland. It wasn’t midnight, and it wasn’t a train, but the overnight ferry to Dar Es Salaam was definitely something Gladys could have put to music.

We opted for the cheap seats on the ferry, paying 20 dollars to have only a seat...no mattress or air conditioning. We purchased these tickets back in Stonetown and then wondered to the gardens near the harbour for some cheap dinner, as we had a couple hours to kill before the 9:30 departure. Earlier in the week we had dinner at the same spot, and for about 3 USD, one can be made into a stuffed turkey. It is all street food, and when we were finished, the general consensus was that on average we each consumed between 4 and 5 bugs, but what can you do...

After we ate, we moseyed back to the ticket office to collect our backpacks for boarding time. The guard at immigration was having the time of his life stamping our visas and passports and any other form of paper with us...and was loving every minute of it!

Finally we made it to the ship, and when we climbed up to the main deck, we started to look for our seats in the cheap section. For whatever reason, a worker came to us and quickly ushered us in a different direction, up some stairs, to an air-conditioned room with chairs and tables. Look out. We still are not sure how it happened, but we were not about to question it.

Keeping a short story short for once, we basically found ourselves asleep on the dirty floor until at about 3 am someone offered us a sleeping twin mat onto which Sara and I squeezed ourselves for the remainder of the trip. Dawn brought the harbour of Dar Es Salaam, and that was that.

We tried to look miserable in the photo, but I think some other look was achieved instead...you decide. See below for Zanzibar.

No Shoes, Just Snorkels

Forgive the lack of blogging. The good news is that for the next few days I should have a considerable amount of down time, and you, good people, are looking at a possibility of 3 or four different entries. I can explain why in a few entries down the road. For the moment, I will tell you of Zanzibar Island so that you can read this and then make your arrangements.

My kids at both schools in Moshi had exams the last week of March, meaning that there was essentially nothing for me to do, so I and three other friends from the hostel decided that Zanzibar was calling. Maura and Amanda, (Kili climbers), and Sara, a girl from Sweden, and I planned to bus to Dar Es Salaam on Monday the 22nd. When the Dar Express office was closed for several days, we decided that flying one way was not a bad idea. Great news: Maura and I are quite consistent in our airport misfortunes, as once again we somehow managed to almost miss our flight. To update the screen of flight happenings would be ludicrous, but this time it wasn’t as dramatic, as there are no loud speakers at Kilimanjaro airport for Dutch women to call and mispronounce names, so notification of our plane preparing for take-off came in the form of a woman wondering up to us to ask if we were possibly supposed to be on this particular flight. We made it and enjoyed air conditioning for the first time in 6 weeks. 1 hour of heaven...complete with locally grown cashew nuts.
Our plane landed in Stonetown, a city on the west coast of the island, where we planned to stay for 2 nights at the Flamingo Hostel; $10 a night, and they throw in a breakfast of fresh fruit, coffee, bread, and an omelette.

Stonetown is an immediate different feel from Moshi, as it is a predominately Muslim community, with architecture that creates a much more European-Indian-tropical feel. Other than shopping, there is not a ton to do in Stonetown, and the only thing we wanted to accomplish there was a spice tour. The island grows an abundance of different spices, and for $20 we were taken through a spice farm, sampling all the different spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, lemon grass, vanilla, and 20 others. After this we visited the baths of a former Zanzibar royalty, took a trip to India as we ate our lunch barefoot on the floor of some random shack/shelter, eating only locally grown rice, vegetables and spices, and then visited a slave cave. The cave connects to the sea, and hundreds of people were hidden in the natural cave before being forced into ships waiting at the end of a tunnel. It was a sombre experience, but our guide who kept singing a song he made up about Barack Obama—complete with a dance—kept the mood somewhat light...and odd. After this we had an hour to spend at a beach...which we were told was the least impressive of the Zanzibar beaches. It was hard to believe at the time, but we headed up north the next day to spend the next 5 days on the proper Zanzibar beaches, and upon arrival, the myth quickly became fact.

Nights 1 and 2 were spent at Kendwa Rocks, in two rooms with a tiny ceiling fan, two twin beds, and community bathrooms. Cheap was the name of the game...business as usual. When our friend Amanda had to head back to Moshi for a presentation, we checked pricing down the beach and found a beach hut for three people, complete with a private bathroom, and for just 5 extra dollars a night...prepare yourself...air conditioning. Jump. Up. And. Down. We took it and never looked back.

Maura took a open water diving certification course that lasted for four days, and Sara and I spent the days on the beach watching the locals in their small wooden fishing boats among many other things. Quite a variety to see there was, what with the frequent traditionally dressed Maasai, the men with the monkeys, and the other mzungus (white folks) passing; perhaps the biggest novelty of all... The sun was the hottest I have ever felt it...no comparison even to Mexico...and in one week I used an entire bottle of sunscreen. 12 hours a day on the beach left me under the thatched awning for most of the day, unless in the water. Is my body still moulting like a snake? Ndiyo (yes).

Anyhow, Sara and I took a break from our strenuous beach life for a day trip of snorkelling at Mnemba Island. About a two hour boat ride away on the eastern side, we reached the protected island which is breeding ground for sea turtles and coral, and more fish than I have ever seen. Because it was a two hour boat ride, and I was quite conscious of the heat, my efforts to stay hydrated left me jumping over board to, in the words of the instructor, “make high tide,” before we actually reached the reef. As I jumped overboard in the middle of the Indian Ocean I realized that it seemed a bit odd to not have been asked my swimming capabilities, and though lifejackets were apparently on board, no hard proof had been offered. Anyhow, we all had a good laugh at my situation and soon we were in the water over the reef with masks and snorkels. I just cannot stress enough how blue the water was, and visibility lasted for at least 12 meters below the surface. Needless to say, it was a pretty okay day.

That night I put on shoes to go to a shop just down the street for more bottled water, and when something didn’t feel right, I realized that it was the shoes. Let this be a fair warning to you future Zanzibar goers: There is no real anything off of the beaches in northern Zanzibar, and before you know it you haven’t left the beach in days. Supermarkets with anything more than some biscuits and beverages...forget it. If you think there are ATM’s up north, or anywhere other than in Stonetown...think again. Oh and if you assume this means your beach accommodation will take any form of plastic...you are sadly mistaken. They instead will drive you to Stonetown when your stay is finished, you will take out cash, hand it over to the driver, and that will be that. Trusting people these islanders...

Geeze Louise, two nearly two pages...when it rains it pours, eh? I’ll leave you with a few photos of the island and a promise of several more entries to follow.

Clarification for Ol Bets

Jambo jambo lovely people. Am just off a night ferry from Zanzibar Island to Dar Es Salaam. I have no photos of the island ready to post, and am too tired to write anything...so consider this a check in. All is well.

My mom says I need to clarify a few things.
"Pole Pole" = slowly, slowly
"Pole sana" = sorry

And to the Bethune...hows this for a blog update? 6 liner.

Pole Pole Up Kilimanjaro

It is Friday now, and arriving home Tuesday from the 6 day climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro has left myself and my two other climbing companions in bits. That being said, it was one of the best things I have ever done...

Last Thursday morning, Kessy Brothers Company came to the hostel and collected Maura, Amanda, and me, our rucksacks filled with the closest things we had to mountain gear, and our un-aching bodies. After a brief stop at the office to pick up our guides, Joseph, Paul, and Mathias, and a surprise 4th companion, whom we’ll call Hector, we headed towards Kili.

Arriving at the gate of the Machame route, we picked up 12 porters, signed our names and passport numbers, and started the ascent. Day one was much like a hike at Bennet Springs State Park; the whole way a somewhat clear path. 6 hours of a fairly steady incline later, we arrived at our first campsite drenched first in sweat followed by an hour of hard rain. I ate my first Kili-cooked dinner, not realizing that my appetite would only be decreasing onward from that point.

And so the next day we continued our climb through the seven layers of the candy cane forest...actually it was a climb through 4 or 5 quite visibly different micro-climates, but the words of Elf would not leave my head. Day two was 4 hours of proper rock climbing, putting us at our next campsite in time for a hot lunch and then a short acclimatization walk that afternoon.

Day three was the real acclimatization day, as we hiked up to approximately 13,000 feet, then back down to 12 something thousand feet to camp. Our guide, Joseph, whom we quickly deemed big Joe, had to have been in his late forties and part mountain goat. It actually was ridiculous how fast he could bound from rock to rock all over the mountain.

Day four: The Breakfast Wall: Dun Dun Dunnnn...

It is called the breakfast wall because the breakfasts of many climbers revisit either during or shortly after the wall has been conquered. Because my guide had properly petrified me, I was expecting the worst and actually ended up enjoying it...minus the whole drop-off of X amount of feet below me. At the top of the breakfast wall was a perfect view of the summit, then came another 2 hour hike down into a gorge and back out again to the top for hot lunch. It was at this site that we said goodbye to our Hector. He had been relatively sick the last several days, but hypothermia and fluid in the lungs finally sent him down the mountain in a stretcher bag carried by 5 of our porters.

And then there were three...for one more three hour hike up to the camp where we would have one more rest before the final summit climb of almost 4,000 feet.

5:00 pm: Arrived at campsite after 8 hour day
6:30 pm: Forced myself to eat plain pasta despite altitude nausea setting in
7:30 pm: Went to bed with 5 layers of pants and 7 layers of tops
11:00 pm: “Woke up” with approximately 50 minutes of sleep in my system to begin the 8 hour hike of steady incline, in the dark, over large rocks and loose gravel, to the summit
3:00 am: Start to feel sick
6:00 am: Mathias, my guide, starts asking if I want to go back down.
7:00 am: Found myself and the sun above the clouds
7:01 am: Was too sick to care
7:30 am: Another guide from another company was pouring some powder down my throat.
8:00 am: Arrive at summit. Totally worth it...alll 20,000 feet of it

8 hours up, and two hours back down to the campsite. How so fast you may ask? We skied. On snow you may ask? Oh no. On gravel. Had I not felt more sick than I have ever felt before, I would have enjoyed big Joe taking me by the arm to do a cross between monkey walking, and skiing down the mountain on loose gravel... but if there EVER was a time for “POLE POLE JOE!!” that was it...

We had a quick nap at the campsite, and down we walked. 4 hours later and on basically no sleep for almost 2 days, we arrived at the final campsite. Dinner was quick and quiet, and bedtime shortly followed. I. Slept. Like. A. Baby.
3 hours down on Tuesday, and just like that I had finished my Kilimanjaro experience. As the bottom of the mountain came closer, none of us were ready to leave it...quite a different song and dance from two nights before...

Once again, I have failed miserably to condense any amount of my writing, but will go ahead and leave you with a few things that the mountain has taught me.

Mountains are big, particularly Kilimanjaro. 6 days of no running water gives you a whole new appreciation for nature’s abundance of lavatories. If you are to fall down, pretend you need a second to recover, and consider it a bonus rest. It is okay to drink mountain stream water, if your purification tablets make it taste like a swimming pool. When hiking to a summit, the only thing you can think of is the 23 Psalm...which is odd because it is certainly not a valley... If and when your guide says “Twende!” (Lets go!), and you say “hapana!” (No), he will look shocked after 4 prior days of hearing you say, “sawa!” (Okay!). If and when your guide also says it is important to shower upon arrival into Moshi because there is dirt on your face...he is probably right. Oh, and after climbing a mountain, locals in town can spot you from a mile away. They will stop you on the street and say “mountain, or safari?” This will happen up to 3 days post your climb. Finally, when you run into your guide the next day in town and say “Pole pole Joe!” for old times’ sake, he will grin from ear to ear, ask how sore your legs are, and then laugh and say “pole sana!”

Immediately Stop What You Are Doing.

1. www.youtube.com
2. Type in "Beyonce Clown"
3. Laugh your head off
4. Pass it on
5. Thank me later

Oh yeah...made it up and down Kilimanjaro...will write more later...am exhausted today. PS: Hey Al...loca loli? And thank you for bringing many youtube wonders to me and the Wahl household

ALERT, ALERT.

No one panic; I just noticed that my pictures of wildebeests did not show up. Make no mistake...migration was a real life sensation, and hands down my favorite part of safari.

Alert, alert again; I leave for a 6 day climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro tomorrow morning. If anyone is in good with the mountain gods...do your thing. Weather gods should be kept happy as well...as March is actually one of 3 months in which it is NOT ideal to climb. Perfect.

Hope all is well...will post pictures of Serengeti soon, but in the meantime, love the wildebeests.

Julie Barry and the Migration Sensation

At school today, my kids asked me what my father’s name was, and the rest is history. I am no longer Julie Wahl, but am Julie Barry, as it is the custom to essentially take on your father’s name in place of a surname…

Day 6 back in Moshi post safari, and I am now appreciating the cold temperatures of the Ngorongoro Crater at nighttime.

Saturday morning, I set out on a four day safari with my friend Maura, three Canadians, our cook, Omari, and our driver/guide, Simbo. We drove about 3 hours to Lake Manyara where we set up tents, ate lunch, and then headed to the lake for our first game drive. At the time, it seemed like there was no way it could be the least impressive of the three locations, what with the elephants, giraffes, flamingos, baboons, antelope, hippos and monkeys almost all within arms reach, but I later learned that no comparison can be made between Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.

One gamedrive down and after a three course dinner, we hit the hay to get some sleep for our next stop: The Serengeti. 24 hours in the Serengeti made for a gorgeous time, and then we headed to the crater for our final night. Even when driving was not technically a “game drive,” it was in fact, a game drive. The Serengeti and crater seem to run together with wildlife and truly the best scenery I have ever experienced.

It is late at night in Moshi, and the only thing I can do to eliminate 47 years of writing is to compile a list of facts for you.

Fact: When going on Safari with 3 Canadians during a Vancouver Olympics, expect much talk of rivalry and championship hockey.
Fact: Also expect them spend the night in the Serengeti getting text messages of score updates every 10 minutes.
Fact: You will find yourself rooting for their team instead of yours, to ensure an enjoyable time for all post hockey game.
Fact: Baboons are much like squirrels. . . a novelty at first, then you realize they are actually everywhere.
Fact: Lions can be heard in your campsite while sleeping in the Serengeti.
Fact: So can hyenas.
Suggestion: Visit the hole in the ground prior to bedtime to avoid meetings with such animals.
Fact: When traveling with African Scenic Safaris Company, expect a three course meal three times a day.
Fact: This is done sans electricity.
Fact: There really is a Pride Rock in the Serengeti.
Fact: Your guide actually will play the Circle of Life upon arrival.
Fact: It is amazing: even for grown men.
Fact: About 30 leopards can be found in the Serengeti.
Fact: When you hear your guide say “Oh my gosssshhh….” You know it has to be a leopard.
Fact: Hippos are living the life.
Fact: The beginning of the Serengeti has a lookout point, and on this point you can see a million wildebeests in the distance.
Fact: Literally, at least a million.
Fact: Drive thirty minutes and thousands of them will stampede by your car.
Fact: This makes for proper migration sensation.
Fact: There is actually nothing better.
Fact: When camping on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, place all edible items inside your safari jeep…including toothpaste.
Fact: This will not keep the wild boars from sniffing your tent all night, but it will keep them from coming inside.
Fact: Even when you get used to the sound of the boars and feel comfortable opening your tent for a peek at the Pumbas…beware.
Fact: You will come face to face with an enormous buffalo 7 feet away.
Fact: You will dive back into your tent, laugh hysterically, kind of want your mom, then hear it come and breathe fire onto your tent.
Fact: Never in your life will you want sunrise breakfast to arrive so quickly.
Fact: The Ngorongoro Crater is unfathomable.
Fact: Everything can be seen when at the bottom..elephants, lions, cheetahs, hippos, flamingos, antelope, crocs, rhinos, you name it.
Fact: When tracking a lion in the crater it is easy for your guide to overlook the rhino straight ahead.
Fact: When you slap him on the head with excitement he will indeed notice the rhino.
Fact: Safari is definitely all it is cracked up to be.

Kwaheri!