Tanzania - Part One - Tarangire

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th

 

Our flight was scheduled for 3:00 am - they do this intentionally so the incoming international flights which arrive around midnight have time to get transit passengers to their next plane, but it’s absolutely BRUTAL when you’re as old as we are.  Fortunately, we managed to score a business class upgrade at the last minute and sky priority lounge access in Tana and Kenya, which made the journey a little easier.  They weren’t lay-flat seats, unfortunately (that would have been amazing) but it was still comfortable.

 In Kenya, we met a British couple while waiting to board for Kilimanjaro - Sharon and Peter from Leeds - they were celebrating 40 years of marriage by travelling around the world and we talked about our favorite destinations for awhile to pass the time.  Their sage words of wisdom for marital success - “Always be honest.  You can’t build anything on a lie, even if it seems easier.”

 

Mount Meru from our hotel room

When we landed at Kilimanjaro airport, I withdrew some Tanzanian shillings (about $200 worth) and we waited for our driver, who was late.  Airport security used their phone to call the Lion King office, but just as he managed to get through our guide, Simon, appeared and gathered our luggage.  He was extremely personable and very proud of Tanzania.  He calls it “the birthplace of mankind - so when you come here, we say ‘welcome home’ because this is the first home for all mankind.’”

 

The drive to Arusha was extremely bumpy - Simon (a member of the Maasai tribe) calls this the “African massage” and recommended that while we had time before our safari that we try the local food and buy some Tanzanite, a precious gem only found in Tanzania. Simon was a great storyteller, but whenever he’d start telling us facts about Tanzania, he’d turn around and look at us in the back seat - which was a little nerve wracking as he wasn’t watching the road - and the roads are fairly chaotic (though not as bad as India).

 

He also taught us some Swahili:

   "Jambo! Jambo!"  Hello

   "Shee-kah-moo" - greeting of respect to a person older than you

   "Assante" - Thank you

   "Karibu" - Welcome

   "Chokula key tom sanna" - the food was very delicious

   "POH lay POH lay" - no hurry / no worry

   "Hakuna Matata" - no stress / no worry (yes, they really say this)

 

Simon dropped us at the Mount Meru hotel where we were slightly delayed as the hotel had our reservation in for yesterday.  It made me slightly panicked, because our driver had already left and we were without a backup plan.  Eventually they got it sorted and we checked into a very nice room with a beautiful view of Mount Meru.

 

After a shower, we grabbed lunch at the local coffee shop in the lobby and I had the most gorgeous avocado salad - I’ve been craving a salad for several days, but Micah warned me against eating salad in Madagascar because they wash the lettuce in non-potable water.  I thought here at a five star hotel I’d be okay - and it was a lovely treat.

 

From there, we went back to the room and found that what we thought was a blister on Damian’s foot was actually a fairly impressive shard of glass buried deeply.  We were able to dig it out and clean it up - but I was mortified since I’ve been massaging that foot for several days thinking it was a knot when the entire time it was a sharp piece of glass.

 

Damian took a nap and I sat down and applied for jobs, explored around the hotel, read a book, caught up on email and tried to stay awake long enough to get back on a regular schedule.  I shopped for Tanzanite down in the lobby - it’s an absolutely beautiful stone, far prettier than sapphires and more expensive than diamonds because they can’t be manufactured and they are only mined in one place in the world (a mine here in Tanzania).  Soooo tempted - especially the higher grade stones that are tinged purple - but no matter how gorgeous, I wasn’t about to plunk down $10k on jewelry that I’ll never wear.

 

Dinner included in our safari at the buffet so we sat on the terrace outside and enjoyed the beautiful view of the golf course as we ate.  There was some confusion about whether or not dinner was included in our room - so the waiter offered to bring the bill up for a signature after he checked.  I said, “Great!” and we went back upstairs.  A few minutes later he knocked on the door and I answered it expecting to sign - but instead, he said, “Let me help you” and he opened the door and pushed past me making a beeline straight to Damian with the bill.  I was like, “WTF?” Okay, it’s obviously a cultural thing - no need to get offended - but then when he got back downstairs he immediately called up to the room and said, “The gentleman signed his name Hess and the room is under Roberts.”  I said, “I’m Roberts.”  He said, “Is this okay?” I said, “yes, of course.”  In addition to being a very patriarchal society, they are also very curt and direct - it isn’t rude, but it could be perceived as such if you aren’t used to it.  Personally, I appreciate direct - but I admit that after flying all night, when the flight attendants were popping off, “Give me your bag.” “Go over there and wait.” I had to take a minute to remember that my being tired was unfairly affecting my perception of their attitude.

Random facts: The languages in Tanzania are Swahili and English

There are no bus stops - people just stand on the side of the road and the public transport watches for them and picks them up.

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th - TARANGERIE

 

Let the Safari begin!

Our guide was to pick us up at 8:30 but was late, so I was running from jeep to jeep asking, “Are you our driver?” until we finally found him - his name is Amani and he’s a local guide from here in Arusha with 10 years of experience as a driver/guide.  He explained that we’d have good roads today, but they’d be pretty rough in some of the parks - and that while in the national parks we weren’t allowed to drive faster than 50 kph for the safety of the animals.  There are also restrooms/washrooms located throughout the parks - but in case of emergency, one only had to request the option of “Checking the tire” - in other words, if you can’t wait he’d find a safe place for you to squat in nature.

 

Driving to our first National Park - the Tarangire (meaning “river of warthogs”) - I noticed the streets are much cleaner than in Madagascar, although they still have their fair share of rubbish.  Also - drivers are VERY strict about stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks.  Jaywalking is rampant, and they manage to weave in and out of the cars - but there was never a question about stopping for an official crosswalk. Off the main highway on the service roads in each town there were shops with houses behind them - everything from farm fresh fruits and vegetables to electricians and car repairs,  Like Madagascar, the towns are a bustling social center full of life, tuk tuks and motorcycle taxis. Between towns, we’d pass MULTIPLE packs of goats and cattle being herded by children around 7 or 8 - they’d stop and wave whenever they saw a safari jeep.  I thought that was SUPER friendly, but Amani explained they are hoping you’ll stop to take photos and give them money.

 

Amani told us there are over 3,000 tour companies that offer safari tours, although not all are officially licensed - some of them are freelance that work to manage the overflow of licensed companies - but it makes sense from what I was reading during my research.  There was a WIDE array of options and price points to choose from depending on whether you wanted a private tour, a shared tour, five star accommodations or “roughing it.”

 

We stopped for a washroom break - many places have Western style toilets, but the norm are the squatting holes in the floor - and nearly all require you to bring your own tissue.  So I purchased some - which served us well for the remainder of the trip.  I also bought a beaded Maasai bracelet for 2,000 shillings - which is about a dollar. Then I climbed back into the jeep and enjoyed by first Coke Zero in a week and a half (there is no diet soda in Madagascar - but Amani had stocked up on my request.)

Tanagerie National Park is also called “Elephant Paradise” - it consists of 2800 square kilometers and was established in 1970.  It houses the Maasai tribe, which is one of over 120 tribes that live in Tanzania.

 

On our first game drive, we saw striped mongoose (“Timon” from Lion King), Wildebeest, Water buffalo, Giraffes, Water bucks, and Impala.  The interesting thing about the Impala is that they have either a bachelor herd (completely male) or they have a harem herd (one male, many female) - we were fortunate to see both.  And of course, we saw plenty of elephants. The park wants to keep the “natural” beauty of the park so none of the roads are paved - making a VERY bumpy and slow going drive.

We stopped for lunch at the picnic grounds in the park with an absolutely beautiful view.  Amani laid out spaghetti, rice and vegetables and we stopped for a short rest and to take some photos.  Amani asked a random guy (another guide, likely) to take a photo of the three of us.  He took two....

Elephants spend 18 hours a day eating, as they need to eat about 200 kg of grass daily - then they spend the rest of their time sleeping.  The park is large, so the guides use a CB radio to communicate with each other which animals have been spotted where. They spoke in Swahili, so I didn’t understand anything they were saying except for the occasional word like “Simba” which means Lion. 

 

After an incredible day, we made our way to Kitela Lodge where we enjoyed our own private bungalow with an enormous bed covered by mosquito netting.  We arrived just as happy hour was beginning, and we were offered a glass of bao bab juice from the bao bab tree - I didn’t much care for it, but our guide absolutely loved it - I think it’s somewhat of an acquired taste (like beer).  Damian went to the room for a shower while I snacked on some amazing spring rolls and sweet potato crisps until it was time for a magnificent buffet dinner.  We were told after dinner we’d need an escort to our room (as wildlife frequently roam through the grounds), and that we’d need to call the office if we wanted to return to the main building at any time - but honestly, after a wonderful dinner and a glass of wine we were both out cold for the night.

 

Random facts of the day:

The big five of a safari are - Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, Water Buck - we saw 3 today (Lion, Elephant, Water Buck)

Tanzania is approximately 49% Christian and 49% Muslim with 2% of the population being atheist or agnostic.  However, everyone gets along. (Having said that, Muslim Amani proceeded to express some VERY misogynistic ideas about how his Christian wife is expected to not work and take care of the children even though she had a career when he met her)

The park rangers do controlled burns throughout the park to ensure no risk of wildfire - it also clears the land before the September/October rains to allow for new growth.

CB talk - “Roja! Roja!” = “Roger! Roger” = okay okay

Madagascar - Part Two - Antananarivo

 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th

 

This is public transportation in Madagascar

On Sunday the Bremners were up early and off to fast Sunday at the local Malagasy ward, which gave us a chance to sleep in.  We awoke to the AMAZING smell of homemade cinnamon rolls - which looked, smelled and tasted like Aunt Marlene used to make when I was a kid - it took me to a very happy place as I enjoyed a war
m bun. 

 

After testimony meeting, the American families in the ward met back at the Bremners for Sunday School.  Damian and I went for a walk up to the gas station about a half mile away to get some snacks and explore.  I enjoyed getting out and experiencing a feel of the lively streets, but it made Damian really uncomfortable - probably because he’s far more perceptive and vigilant than I am.  Apparently I was being followed around the store, but I was completely clueless trying to find biscuits that were suitable for stray dogs.  

When we made our way back to Villa Jonathon the families had left, so we decided to impart on an adventure with Steve and Micah.  They said they’d drive us up to the hills for a beautiful nature walk - but unfortunately they got horribly lost.  

Repeatedly.  

Damian and I couldn’t stop giggling - it was a really fun ride through the back streets of rural Madagascar and a testament to the incompetence of Google Maps.  Eventually we decided to give up and I suggested we go to Croc Farm.  Steve and Micah were amenable so off we went - getting lost yet again (twice) before Steve found the right path.  There was only an hour left before closing, but it was more than enough time to explore this surprisingly wonderful park.  Not only was there a nursery of HUNDREDS of little baby crocs, but they also had some MONSTER crocs as well as chameleons, birds, owls, tiny little frogs and so much more.  Honestly, it was beautifully arranged - but my favorite part was getting to walk right up to the fence of one of the monster croc pens - the beasts were laying in the sun right up against the fence and I put my hand through and pet them.  (Their tails, people, NOWHERE near anyone’s teeth)  I felt incredibly brave since alligators/crocodiles is one of my biggest irrational fears.  

 

When it closed, we headed back towards the Villa - Micah suggested their usual Sunday evening fare of smoothies and popcorn but Damian and I opted for something more substantial and Steve dropped us at a nearby Lebanese restaurant called O’Paillottes where we enjoyed some great food and drinks. The waitress was concerned because she couldn’t provide change for the equivalent of a $5 bill - I told her to keep the change, which made her quite happy. (Unfortunately, Damian and I weren’t thinking about the ice not being filtered water and had quite a scare when we realized our mistake) We offered to grab a taxi, but it was so close that Steve picked us up and then invited us to join the family for game night, homemade chocolate chip cookies and to view the blood moon lunar eclipse.  This time it was me who wasn’t feeling well and I kept to the room while Damian joined them for some night sky magic and we asked for a raincheck on game night and went to bed.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th

 

After Steve & Micah got to work, they sent Tian
(the driver) back to the house to pick us up.  We started a little later than expected due to traffic to/from the embassy - but we were off to Lemur Park.  Today is the first day of school for most of the kids in town, so the traffic was exceedingly bad.  People were standing in the middle of the road sel
ling school supplies - wheelchairs and elderly people were parked in the middle of the lane begging - kids were running along the side of the car yelling, “Madame! Madame!” in the hopes of a handout.  Steve warned us not to give away any money, as they’ll recognize the car moving forward and be mobbed repeatedly.  Honestly, it was all a bit overwhelming - so many people EVERYWHERE.  It took us 45 minutes just to drive through a few blocks because we were dodging people, carts, wheelchairs, scooters, etc.

 

We approached the main highway to turn towards Lemur Park but ended up at a Police Roadblock.  Tian said that the main bridge was closed to one way traffic and that we’d have to wait for them to reverse direction to cross.  Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal - we pulled aside and waited patiently.  And waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Damian and Tian were both asking, “Are you SURE you want to see the Lemurs?” and I kept thinking, “they’ve GOT to reverse direction soon, right?” but it was a full forty five minutes before we were allowed to pass.  As far as taking an alternate route, that’s not an option because there aren’t any other roads to get you where you want to go - a continuing problem throughout the country.

The delay did give us a great opportunity for people watching.  Some things we noted - littering is absolutely the norm.  The streets are filthy, and there is garbage everywhere.  Public transportation vans are literally hop on/ hop off style - you wave at the guy in the van, he pulls over, you jump in and pay the ticket taker.  If the van is full, you just hang off the back like we saw in India (but not as bad, as there aren’t people sitting on the hood or the roof or anything crazy like that).  

 

There were many folks doing their laundry in the river, which looked incredibly muddy.  We found out, it’s that color because of the iron oxide - if you were to take a glass of the river water and let it settle in a glass on the counter, it would very quickly separate and look completely clear.  Once their clothing is washed, most of them laid it out on the grass or in the bushes next to the river to dry.  It makes sense because clean water is uncertain in most of the houses - people can go days and days without any access to water unless they carry it in via pails and buckets. 

Even the water at the Bremners villa is non-potable, but they have a distiller on site and a water tank so they don’t have to worry about shortages.

 The sheer number of people out and about is astounding, but it was surprising to see how many of them are wearing American t-shirts:  Chicago Bulls, Harvard, Alabama, etc. Also, the women really do carry things on their heads - many also have babies in arms as they go.  Men can, but primarily carry things on their shoulders or backs. Also - SO MANY people in bare feet on the streets - surprised me a bit.

 There’s a language of honking - I mentioned this before - different honks for different purposes - and we stayed long enough waiting for traffic to clear to get a better understanding of it.

Finally on the road to Lemur Park, we found ourselves behind another car from the American Embassy - Tian recognized the plates.  It turned out to be Steve’s friend Gerald and his family - we all arrived at the same time so we shared a tour guide as we walked around the park.  There are several different species of lemur - some walk to two legs and some walk on four, but they can’t cross breed.  (Technically two of them can, but doing so makes their offspring infertile…)

 

The park was pretty interesting - so many different types of lemurs and a guide who explained the specifics of each, as well as introducing us to alot of the flora and fauna.  I enjoyed it - it was ALOT of walking but definitely worth it.

 

On the drive back to Tana, we were hit with the same traffic jam as before but managed to get by in less time and drove directly to the embassy to have lunch with Steve and Micah.  Steve gave us a tour and dropped us off at the little commissary to buy some souvenirs (and chocolate) to take home before bringing us back to Tian.

 

Interesting note:  Malagasy are VERY serious about following the rules of the traffic circle (heed to the car already in the circle). There’s only one traffic light in Antananarivo, and it’s never working anyway - and honestly, I haven’t seen a single stop sign either.  

 

Tian drove us back to the villa with a stop at the pharmacy - with Damian not taking the Anti-malarials, it made sense to buy some anti-biotics, which are over the counter here in Madagascar.  Then off to take a nap.

 

When Steve & Micah got home, we had a wonderful dinner that their housekeeper (Olga) made - a traditional Malagasy dish called Ravitoto - which is alot like collard greens.  It was good - not my favorite, but certainly edible - a little bitter, but much better with pineapple & pineapple juice on top of it.  It was lovely to have a taste of the local flavor - and Steve & Micah ensure me that her recipe is the best.

 

After dinner, we played a rousing game of “Loud Librarians” - which Steve & Micah easily won - and then took a nap before it was time to head to the airport for our flight to Tanzania.  Steve woke up to meet the cab at midnight and ensure we got safely on our way to the airport.

Random fact: Zebu is a type of cow - also called the "humpback ox" because it has a hump in its neck where it stores fat.

Madagascar - Part One - Nosy Be

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

 

Arrived after a 25 plus hour journey to Antananarivo, Madagascar - I’m starting to realize my old body can’t handle the red eye nearly as well as it used to - but we got such an incredible deal on the flights I won't complain.

The flights were relatively dull until we reached our final destination about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday when one of our bags failed to arrive on the conveyor belt with the others.  Fortunately, there were about thirty other people awaiting bags as well - turns out it just took an hour for them to make it inside.  This was our first taste of “Malagasy time” - nothing happens quickly - and this will be a recurring theme throughout our trip.

My friend Steve Bremner was there to pick us up and take us back to his house.  Steve and I went to BYU together and performed in “110 in the Shade” my junior year.  GREAT memories.  We met up about a year ago when he was passing through Washington DC between work assignments and he and his wife Micah invited us to visit them in Madagascar - so I kept my eyes on flights and now here we are! 

 

As we drove through the mostly quiet streets, we passed the occasional hand pulled cart with goods and hundreds of stray dogs all along the roadside.  Many of the people we passed were barefoot and those not pulling carts carried their goods balanced expertly on their heads.  Steve had returned from the U.S. only the night before, so he was as jet lagged as we were - and thoughtfully led us straight to the guest room for a glorious night of sleep. But not before sneaking the 48 bags of chocolate chips we brought for our hosts into the kitchen - apparently that’s one of the only things you can’t get via APO mail so we brought a whole suitcase full!

 Although there isn’t a huge risk of malaria in Tana, he suggested we still sleep under the mosquito netting because they tend to buzz around your ear and interrupt your sleep - which is exactly what we did.  He also told us not to drink the water and to brush our teeth with bottled water - advice we also followed.

 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

 

After MUCH NEEDED sleep we got our first taste of the city heading back to the airport for our flight to Nosy Be. The streets were absolutely OVERFLOWING with life.  People walking everywhere completely unbothered by traffic - handcarts - tuk tuk taxis - scooters and bicycles - women with enormous parcels on their head and a baby on their hip - feral chickens and dogs - little roadside stands all along the road with people selling their wares (be it food or fruit or car parts….)  Everyone seemed super laid back and unhurried - and I was struck with the fact that I didn’t see a single white face the entire drive from Steve’s villa to the airport. 

 

There is lots of honking, and though the traffic wasn’t quite as chaotic as India, it came close. There seemed to be a language to the honks - a quick honk to let someone know you were passing on their left - a little longer honk to say hello to a fellow traveler you know - a long honk to indicate irritation in someone not following the rules.

 

We passed houses that were framed with sticks rather than lumber, and tons of tin huts along the river - poverty is everywhere, and as a result they do have issues with crime and homelessness - but for the most part, the people are kind and hardworking.  All the hustle and bustle meant that the taxi barely moved and it took eons to get to the National terminal - but it made sense why Steve says nothing happens quickly in Madagascar.

 

After checking in for our flight, we sat down in the terminal to relax until boarding.  Shortly after, the airport power went out and thrust the room into partial darkness.  Nobody gasped.  Nobody even blinked.  It was so bizarre - as if this is something that happens all the time so why worry about it.  Flights continued to board without delay and the power returned about 20 minutes later.

 

When it was our time to board we exited the terminal and I swear to you, we had to walk about a half mile to get to the airplane - it was a beautiful night so it wasn’t a bother.  The flight to Nosy Be took about an hour and forty five minutes but once again my bag was the last one to appear after everyone else had collected theirs and left.  (Starting to get a complex about this…)  We were met at the airport by our pre-booked taxi who took us to our hotel on Ambrondrona Beach.  

 On the drive from the airport Damian got violently sick and we had to pull over - I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that ill, actually.  Fortunately I brought some ginger chews and some dramamine, but he was absolutely miserable.  We believe it was the anti-malarial drugs that simply messed up his stomach combined with the crazy roads and the driver weaving around tuk tuks and scooters - but whatever it was, it was NOT pretty.

 

Our hostess, Angeline, met us and walked us through the apartment and the rules.  She spoke no English - we spoke no French - but thanks to Google translate, we were able to sort it out.  Damian got straight into bed and I went out on the beach in search of some dinner and found a really lovely restaurant  just a few hundred feet from our back porch.  I grabbed a quick bite, went back to the room and fell into a deep sleep.

 

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th

Friday morning it was obvious that Damian was still far too sick to head out on a dive boat, so I cancelled the reservation with Scuba Nosy Be (conveniently located 50 feet from our back porch) and tried to change our flights back to Antananarivo to Sunday so we’d have another chance on Saturday, but ZERO luck there.  While Damian spent the day recovering in bed, I walked out along the beach, sauntered up to the main road to buy water and biscuits, and spent the day feeding the stray dogs along the beach.  There were ALOT of them and over the next two days they began to follow me around like the pied piper of Hamlin - one in particular “Stumpy” had obviously broken his back leg and it had healed badly, but he was still able to run on three legs. Then there was Mama Red - skin and bones, but with swollen teats.  “Chill” who was content to wait his turn, and “Snappy” who wasn’t.  It was a wonderful way to spend the day, but at the end of the day I was COVERED in what turned out to be sand fly bites - my legs looked like I had smallpox.

 

Sitting on the back porch watching the waves and waiting for Damian to wake up, two women with baskets on their head walked by selling fresh fruit - so I bought a mango just because they were so charming. This caused everyone else within viewing distance trying to sell something to run up to the deck - fruits, fish, trinkets, souvenirs...

 

When Damian finally arose after noon, he wasn’t in the mood to eat so I walked back down to the beach bar for a club sandwich (with seven dogs in tow) then watched Project Runway on the beach.  Knowing we weren’t able to change the flights, we booked a snorkel trip for tomorrow so we’d be able to get in the water, then grabbed an early dinner and went to sleep.

 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th

 

Damian was feeling MUCH better on Saturday when our guide Julien picked us up at the hotel.  There was nobody else on the tour, so along with our driver and Julien’s daughter Julienna we headed north about twenty minutes and caught a boat to Sakatia Island.  To say this was a snorkel CRUISE (as outlined in the flyer) is QUITE a stretch - it was a tiny little dinghy with an outbound motor that looked about as old as I am.  Nonetheless, it got us to the island and our first stop where we jumped in the crystal clear water with giant sea turtles.  Honestly, the reefs were beautiful but the turtles were just magnificent.  We spent about half an hour there then got back in the boat and tottled over to another reef where there were tons of little fish and sea life - pretty, but disappointing after the turtles.

 

From there, we took the boat to shore and visited Sakatia village - an obvious tourist trap with little booths set up along the beach selling souvenirs and trinkets.  We weren’t interested in shopping, so Julien took us on a little tour and told us a bit about the island.

 

For a start, there is no electricity on the island whatsoever - 300 people live there full time and a handful of makeshift houses have solar panels to run lights in the evening.  Julien showed us pretty much every plant we walked by and talked about it’s uses - i.e. Jackfruit cures constipation, lemongrass tea puts you to sleep, boiled guava leaves will alleviate a stomach ache, and so on.  It was quite primitive with people washing clothes in the sea and hanging them on thatched roofs - and the oddest looking chickens I’ve seen.

 Julien invited us to relax on the beach while he went out and bought fish from the local fishermen and then we headed back to the mainland and home to Nosy Be.

 

After a shower, Damian decided on a nap (still recovering) and I treated myself to a massage on the beach.  There was literally a woman with a little beach lounge - she said, “take off your pants” (which I did) then “take off your shirt” (which I did) then “take this off” (my bra) and there I am all laid out face down in my underwear on a public beach.  Anyone who knows me at all knows that I’m not shy and I don’t give a whit about nudity, but it gave me a good chuckle to think about the people at the beach bar just a few feet away getting an unexpected show.  When it was over, I paid her double her asking price which made her exceptionally happy (before you think I’m being irresponsible, the massage was 30,000 ariary or about $8 USD) and bought some packaged Madagascan vanilla from her to take home.  I wish I’d known she was there earlier cause I’d have gone yesterday for a massage as well.

 

After the massage, I walked back up to the store for more biscuits and a final round of feeding the dogs.  I begged Damian to let me take Stumpy home - even though I know it’s not possible - I just want to rescue every one of them and bring them back to live on a dog ranch for the rest of their days.

 

Out of cash, I then took my first Tuk Tuk up the road to the ATM so I’d have enough money to pay the taxi taking us back to the airport.  I paid Angeline for the room (we reserved three nights so we could stay until evening) and we headed back to the airport for our flight to Tana.

 

Steve was again kind enough to pick us up and we shared the stories of our adventures on the drive back to his villa.