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A safari.
Traveling all the way to Tanzania was not for museums, markets or the beautiful Arusha hotel, however much we enjoyed them. Though we appreciated our short stay in Arusha and many things that it had to offer, it was time to go. Time for the real deal.
Since I was a child, watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, I had been fascinated by the places and animals that its host, Marlon Perkins encountered each week. I was particularly enthralled by Africa, a land so colorful and filled with people and creatures that were such a contrast to what my young eyes beheld every day. Though I was from a small town, and travel was not part of our every day lives, I knew that one day, I would manage to make the long journey and set my feet upon this vast continent’s ground.
Life as a flight attendant offers many opportunities to see the world. Any occasion that I was able to secure, to see every city that my airline offered, I took. I particularly enjoyed my travels to Africa. Ghana was my first foray and I loved the people, the culture, the food and the landscape. It was succeeded by trips to Senegal, Liberia, Nigeria and South Africa. Though I was able to go to the famed Lion Park in Johannesburg, play with the baby cubs and drive through their sanctuary and even do a game drive in Senegal at the private Bandia reserve, eastern Africa eluded me. A safari where I stayed in the parks, able to watch the wildlife from the lodges was what I wanted to do.
For my landmark 50th birthday, I promised myself that a safari trip was what I wanted most. Booking the adventure took place seven months ahead and the wait was almost unbearable, but eventually I found myself in Kenya and then Tanzania.
Leaving early from our hotel, we made our way to the Arusha Airport. An extremely small airport with mostly small aircraft, it was surprising to hear that a couple of our travel companions had arrived here from Amsterdam on a Boeing 777. Wow!
After our arrival and making our way through security, we stood alongside the runway awaiting our aircraft assignments.
Soon, we were boarding one of Shine Aviation’s Cessnas and rocketing down the runway. Arusha’s dense landscape spread out before us giving way to mountains and gorges. Although we were told that on some days, Kilimanjaro is visible, unfortunately, we did not have the pleasure. We settled in for the hour flight and before long, the landscape became more barren. I was mesmerized by the Maasai villages that were discernible here and there along our flight path.
As we descended, small animals dotted the landscape and the landing field appeared before us. Lower and lower, our aircraft dropped until we were bumping along the Seronera airstrip. Finally, I had made it.
The Seregeti!
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Arusha Regional Airport
Shine Aviation
Seronera Airstrip
One of the largest art galleries on the continent and a modern, architectural marvel, the gallery has many levels that will amaze you with it’s beautiful pieces available to both ponder and help you part with your shillings. Masks, furniture, artwork and artifacts from all parts of Africa decorate each level and are guaranteed to amaze! Be sure to give yourself ample time to explore it in its entirety.
Beginning with a brief introduction on where Tanzanite is found in one small area in the Mererani Hills in Northern Tanzania, at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, Akiyo then went on to explain how Tanzanite could once be collected on the surface. Eventually, this scavenger mining gave way to pits and tunnels extending far beneath the earth’s surface.
Our flight from New York to Istanbul was uneventful, if not a long one. Movies and a nap helped pass the time and I was quite comfortable in economy class with the help of my new neck pillow and foot sling. Before long, we were landing in Turkey, gazing longingly at the skyline, wishing I had time to visit the Bazaar (how I miss Istanbul’s shopping!) After a three hour sit, we boarded our plane and were landing in Kenya six hours later, making our way through customs and immigration quickly.
Making our way out of Terminal 1D, we began looking for a cafe that we could have a bite to eat and hang out. Paul Caffe was near the main part of the airport, and after entering, we discovered that many other people were spending time and even taking naps (which the workers did not seem to mind). Ordering a couple of sodas, we found a table with outlets nearby to charge our devices. After having breakfast a little later, we found very clean bathrooms just around the corner and were able spread out our things, change clothes and take a quick sponge bath.
There are a few companies that offer shuttle transportation between Nairobi and Arusha. We chose Riverside from a recommendation from a friend and because the price was higher than two of the others that I had investigated. Believing the higher price made the product more desirable, we were a little disappointed to find the bus’ interior to be only adequate. A few seats were available near the back of the bus and we found the ride to be a bit uncomfortable due to the lumpy seats and the many speed bumps along the highway. Despite the cramped quarters, however, we were able to take a quick nap before arriving at a rest stop about three hours later. Given ten minutes to use the facilities and get a drink, we even had time to peruse the many crafts available at the site.
Departing the rest stop, we soon found ourselves at the Namanga border crossing, about 120km from Arusha. Ushered into the building and lined up against a wall, the process was a bit confusing. A uniformed officer checked to ensure that each person had a yellow fever immunization card before allowing us to proceed to the window. Since we had arrived into Kenya, the night before, we were quickly re-fingerprinted and stamped out. Heading to the exit, we found our bus waiting for us and hastily dodged the numerous Masai women selling bracelets, necklaces and other items. Driving around to the Tanzanian side of the border, we were required to claim our baggage from the bus and proceed into the building to clear immigration and customs. Once again, our yellow fever immunizations cards were checked and we were ushered into one of the lines snaking through the new building. At the window, our immigration forms (given to us by our driver) were handed to the agent and $100 (per person) was paid while our visa was pasted into our passports. Though we were required to bring our baggage into the building, we were not required to pass it through the x-ray machines nor was it inspected.
One of the oldest hotels in East Africa, the Arusha Hotel was established in 1894 in the then new and undeveloped town. Over the years, the hotel was a haven for those traveling from Cairo to the Cape and beyond. Enduring many changes and improvements over the years, the hotel has retained its status as one of Arusha’s grandest hotels, offering its foremost hospitality to many guests over the years, including the Prince of Wales, Baron Von Blixen and John Wayne, while filming Hatari.
An Airtel office, a block away, was also a convenient find. Knowing that we would be restricted to WiFi in the lobbies of our lodges during our safari, adding a local sim card to my extra phone ensured that I could be reached in the event of an emergency. It also allowed me to have access to the internet while we were out and about or in our room.
