Hakuna Matata - No worries (we all know that from the Lion King)
After the orphanage we went on a safari to Maasi Mara. Our experience here was an interesting one. We had to quickly learn to adjust to different standards of punctuality, which proved challenging for two type A personalities. A late pick up meant that we had to drive pretty (/very) fast to get to the reserve to see the animals for day one before dusk (which is about 7:30pm this season). Without being a negative Nelly, I must admit that 6 hours in a full 9 seater van on dirt, potholey, bumpy roads was not only unpleasant but unsafe. We made it in one piece and saw some lions, cheetah, giraffes, and buffaloes and then settled into our camp. There are two ways to stay on a safari- camps or lodges. Lodges can be about $500/night ... So as you can imagine we did the former. We would say our camp was okay. Beds, toilet (no seat or flusher), shower (no water) lol. But we weren't there to sleep in or relax, so it was fine. The following day we enjoyed seeing more lions, elephants crossing and drinking water from a stream, wildebeests crossing the river (it's migration time this month when the animals migrate to eat fresh vegetation), vultures, zebras, and ostrich. After two days, however, we felt as though we'd seen what we came for and we both felt a little sad that this reserve had a 'zoo-like' vibe where vans sat and watched animals be 'in the wild'. We returned to our camp and all of our stuff had been packed up (despite the lock) as they had overbooked. We drove around (for a while) on bumpy, cow filled roads during dusk to find something else. A happy ending to a mini 4 hour escapade...a place to lay our head. We decided to forgo our final day and night on the safari and changed plans to arrive to Zanzibar island a day earlier. Yesterday we spent the whole day in Stonetown (the capital city) and began our day on a spice farm tour. Not so much a farm as we know it, but a tropical forest full of cocoa, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger, coconut, cinnamon, lychee and wax apples. We got samples of all the fruit, roots and/or bark to smell or taste and learned a lot about how these fruits can be used as medicines or cooking spices. We met two American girls who we've been chummy with since and finished th tour with lunch (rice, curry and japati - like naan bread). In the afternoon we explored Stonetown on foot weaving in and out of curvy streets with no signs, passing building with huge, beautiful wooden doors, street vendors, mosques, gardens, and the coast. We were craving some home food and got pizza at Mercury's. A cute restaurant on the beach that is named after native, Freddy Mercury. We stayed at Waere Townhouse-a shout out to any of those who are visiting Stonetown! Affordable and clean!
Farewell to the countryside, safaris, and cities and we headed to Jambiani beach on the southeast coast for some R n R.
No comments:
Post a Comment