TANZANIA:

• Arusha City-Tarangire National Park (Tarangire Sopa Lodge): LIONS, GIRAFFES, BIRDS, ANTELOPE, IMPALAS, ELEPHANTS, WILDEBEESTS, OSTRICH, CHAMELEONS, MONKEYS, BOARS, WATERBUCKS --savanah plains
• Lake Manyara National Park (Lake Manyara Serena Lodge): GIRAFFES, BUFFALO, ZEBRAS, BABOONS, BOARS, BLUE MONKEYS, FLAMINGOS, ANTELOPE, MONITOR LIZARD, BIRDS --jungle
• Serengeti National Park (Mbuzi Mawe Tented Camp): MARABO BIRD, ZEBRA, GISELLE, WILDEBEEST, LION, OSTRICH, BOARS, LEOPARD, STORKS, BABOONS, HYREX, TOPI, CHEETAH, JACKAL, BAT EARRED FOX, HYENA, WART HOGS
• Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area (Ngorongoro Serena Lodge) BLACK RHINO, ELEPHANT, LION, ZEBRA, WILDEBEEST, HIPPO, GISELLE
• Arusha
  • ✔ Rivertrees Hotel (cottage 1 or something by river - spend couple days here - do property trails - do local tour + arusha city tour (kilombero market)
  • ✔ Karatu Region -- farmland
  • ✔ Cultural Tour -- Arusha
  • ✔ Cultural Heritage Center
  • ✔ Maasai Market
  • Kilimanjaro in Moshi area
  • Arusha National Park ($100)
  • ✔ Masaai bomas (villages) - do one in hills of ngorogoro area with soccer field
  • ✔ Shanga Shangaa disabilities art studio in Arusha
  • Kikuletwa Hotsprings

ZANZIBAR:

• Zanzibar Learning for Life
• ✔ Stone Town
• Spice Tour
• Walking Tour ($15 -- arrange at Emerson Spice Hotel)
• ✔ Darajani Market
• Prison Island -- giant tortoises
• ✔ Forodhani Gardens (evening vendors - go at sunset to watch men jump off dock)
• ✔ Heritage Society Music Academy (next to mizingani hotel)
• ✔ Cheetah's Rock (T/TH/Sun 2pm-6:45 $140)
• Old Fort
  • Food:
    • ✔ Lukmaan Restaurant -- great fun cheap
    • Passing Show Hotel
    • ✔ Tea House Restaurant (emerson hurumzi hotel rooftop - so nice)
• ✔ Paje beach
  • ✔ Taperia
  • ✔ Stone Town Cafe
  • Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park ($10 monkeys/mangroves)

NOTES:

• magical brown bunnies everywhere at Dublin airport. was so happy.
• andrew helping me with tourist visa money at atm
• slow season so I have the driver Deo all to myself
• two young men asked me the difference between a blog and a website...after trying to use an old webster's dictionary. I also had a difficult time articulating it haha.
• massai boys dressed in black with white painted faces (recently circumcised - if they cry during procedure it brings shame to family)
• young children (4 years) herding cows, goats, and donkeys in the countryside. so beautiful.
• four lions sleeping in trees together
• seeing the coupled animals out here that mate for life
• dreaming about safari animals when taking a nap...thinking of the lions hiding everywhere and seeing all their prey on alert.
• lions mating 20 feet from me
• can't escape tourist trappings (stopping at a souvenir shop on a tour, cheesy performances at hotel) but remember you're there to put money into their economy.
• Deo and his wife taking me to jazz club
• need full day and half to adjust
• they use "you are welcome" in different way than in US - more literal
• zebras locking heads for protection - looking out for each other
• massai children sitting around teacher in beautiful countryside - and coming to wave at us
• poaching coming to an end, and female circumcision -- gives me hope
• hearing lions while sleeping in tented camp in Serengeti
• animals and birds all coming to life as the sun rises
• teetsi fly bites
• rain downpour in serengeti at night
• hiking in bush with armed ranger (buffalos can charge and be dangerous)
• lost baby wildebeest separated from herd near lion territory
• massai herders carrying cell phones and playing soccer
• 4 feet from two lions
• Deo my guide :) --easy travel "busy busy busy" Deo 255 784 319505
• listening to country music in Deo's car on way to club...his car barely making it because he replaced engine (like James - so funny)
• convincing every shop to make the holding zebras...if it happens I am responsible!
• bargain 1/2 of price they offer
• considerations: touts, making sure respecting muslims with clothing (avoid Ramadan in June - restaurants closed during day), mosquitos, humidity (go in late May), carry small change for tipping