Best Kenya & Tanzania Day 8

Day 08 - Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - Amboseli/Overland to Tarangire National Park

Our wake-up voice was outside of our door at 5:45 this morning. We began with breakfast and Barikiel and Leonard had the trucks packed so we could leave at 7:30.

It was going to be a hot today. The temperature was 60º before the sun was up and it was 85% humidity.

Today was a travel day so we had to trace our path out of Amboseli National Park. We had another game drive only there were no stops. We were able to see all of the animals we have seen in the past two days.

This morning there were several hyenas looking for breakfast, they are the only animal in the park that is well nourished! They feed on the dead and drought stricken animals like zebra, wildebeests, and Cape buffalo.

We reached the Kenya-Tanzania border at Namanga at 9:15. There were exit papers to fill out on the Kenya side and then we drove a few blocks to enter Tanzania.

In our car of 8 people Gennie was the only one who was asked to show her Yellow Fever immunization verification. There is a spot check as the immunization is a must for Tanzania.

We got back on the East Africa Highway which is far from being finished. Our detour took us and more dusty and upgraded roads.

The heat and dust are really horrendous – we can’t have the windows open because of the dust and we can’t close them because of the heat in these trucks.

Sections of one lane of the road are paved in a “chip and seal” fashion. Passing is dangerous at best as the rode is only 1½ car width wide.

At 11:45 we arrived in Arusha, a city of 1.5 million people. Our Learning and Discovery for the morning was a visit to a tanzanite center to learn about new blue/violet gem stone that was discovered in 1967's and is only found in Tanzania.

We had a very elegant lunch at the Shanga River House and then enjoyed the lush green vegetation by the river. We finished our lunch at 3:00 and then went into town where we met Leonard’s beautiful wife, Jackie.

Our next stop was at the Africa Gallery, a store with so many carvings and artifacts, it was truly sensory overload. While Gennie looked and bargained, I loaded my new Vodafone card so we can hopefully access internet while we are in range of the cell phone towers.

From Arusha, we drove on the dirt roads again toward Tarangire National Park, Tanzania's third-largest national park. We did not arrive at the tented camp until after 6:30.

Willie, the director of the camp met us and gave us a brief orientation tour before we received our keys and then went to our tent overlooking Lake Burunge.

Every time we walk in the camp after sunset, we are to be accompanied by a porter who carries a lantern and a big stick! There are many animals in the surrounding bush and they take no chances losing a tourist to a hungry lion.

It was so warm and our tent was hot so we put up the flaps and hoped for a breeze. We have limited electricity so we have to plan ahead for showers and charging batteries.

Our lunch was late and we were not hungry so we passed on dinner tonight. After our shower and looking at the few photos of our travels today, we typed the journal and went to bed.

Accommodations: Lake Burunge Tented Camp - - - Meal: B, L, D

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hi, please send my pic to priscilla@safarilegacy.com The one u took at shanga restaurant

Really enjoy reading your journals. Have gone on several other OAT trips, but they make it very difficult for Canadians so have to take our business elsewhere. Keep on truckin'.

Wow... What a trip! You guys stay safe with your guide with the pole and lantern!!

Interesting, but I am glad it is you and not me in the heat.

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