The Maasai

You can't help but be fascinated by what you see out the window of your vehicle as you make your way through safari country. And, if you are like me, you might feel a little worried that the real Tanzania is flashing by you at 80 kilometres per hour. It's a montage of an everyday life that's very different from home; so colourful; so honest. I treasure the moments where we stopped and interacted with locals - pulling over to pass out pencils or candy to children, buying fruits and vegetables from local women, sharing what was left of our lunches with hungry strangers passing by. And while I do know that the authenticity of these interactions is indeed tainted by the fact that we are a bunch of tourists in a safari vehicle, I still feel blessed to have had those experiences.

One of the most fascinating things to see were the Maasai tribesmen - regal, tall and easily spotted with their spears and tribal cloth. Though it wasn't on our itinerary, I asked if we could stop at a Maasai village and our tour guide, Issa, happily obliged. Again - I fully realize that this might not be the most authentic of encounters - but it was a welcome break from the air conditioned safety of our vehicle and a chance to learn about a way of life so different than our own.

We were warmly greeted by Paolo - one of the Chief's sons. Paolo - who was extremely well spoken and funny - let us know it would be $40 (for both of us) to visit, and that this money would be used to purchase water in the dry season and that the money is shared across multiple tribal villages, not just their own.  As we approached the village we were greeted by the entire tribe with singing and dancing - an unbelievable sight! We were even pulled in to dance with the women and adorned with beaded necklaces.

We were then escorted into the village, protected by a wall of acacia branches. Paolo introduced us to many of the tribes people and was sure to point out the single males who were trying to impress us with their jumping. Paolo also brought us into a home. Built from grass and cow dung the homes are small and contain two sleeping areas and a fire for cooking. (And no, the house surprisingly did not smell like cow dung). Paolo happily answered all of our stupid questions and told us much about the very traditional life he leads here. We gladly purchased some beautiful beaded jewelry made by the women in the tribe and then visited the nursery school, where only the youngest children are allowed to attend. The children were timid, polite, sweet...and seemed very excited to learn.

I know a lot of guidebooks might suggest skipping this in favour of a "real'" experience - but I am very glad I had the chance to do this and would recommend it to others. The money your pay (which, frankly, isn't much) goes to provide support for the most important of necessities in life, clean water. Just do keep in mind that you are not on safari - these are people who have welcomed you into their home. Show your respect with humility and an open mind. I carefully took photos - engaging with my subject and receiving their permission before shooting. Enjoy!

The Serengeti

You cannot escape the circle of life in the Serengeti. Not only will Elton John play uncontrollably on repeat in your brain...but you quickly see, very vividly, the harsh reality of life and death on the beautiful savanna. Within five minutes of entering the Serengeti National Park we witnessed our first wildlife sighting - blood-soaked hyenas finishing off a kill along with hungry vultures patiently lined up to swoop in and steal whatever is left. This is not a zoo.

Over the course of our three days within the park, the same scenario played out in front of us over and over again - predators and prey looking to survive amidst a harsh but absolutely stunning landscape. But before I get too deep into the numerous animal sightings we experienced, I should really reiterate just how incredibly beautiful the landscape is here. Everything is tinged with gold and set against an impossibly blue sky. The savanna is grassy and flat with a sprinkling of acacia trees and oasis-like "kopjes" (unusual, tall rock formations). Creeks weave through the park providing watering holes (and lunch spots) for the animals who call the park home and also those who are passing through. It's almost as if the landscape is in some way another animal we are tracking - a true predator who gives with water and fresh grass but can take away just as fast, a beauty we hope to capture on film but somehow fails to resonate in the same way it does in real life.

We were extremely blessed to be traveling during the start of The Great Migration - one of the most amazing wonders of the natural world. Annually, over 2.5 million wildebeast travel 800 km's across East Africa to reach their final destination in Kenya's Maasai Mara. We witnessed thousands of wildebeast marching in herds across the Serengeti in long, organized lines just like soldiers going to war. Traveling in large packs, occasionally with zebra friends, keeps predators at bay and helps to protect their newborns (of which only a third survive the journey).

We were also enchanted by zebras who stand in the most amazing and romantic formation in order to protect each other from approaching predators. Resting their heads on each others shoulders, they "have each others backs". It is a very moving sight to see and I think we all could learn a little something from these zebras. 

The giraffe are plentiful and never fail to amaze with their elegance.

Lions are incredible beasts. Confident, powerful and beautiful. We had many sightings of males, females, baby cubs and even the extremely rare, tree-climbing lions. This included an amazing chase down of a zebra pack. Unfortunately the lion was not able to catch even a single zebra, as the zebra's stripes cause confusion for lions. But what a thrill to see the lion attack and the zebras scream and scatter.

We were lucky enough to see lots of incredible animals and birds including - gazelles, impala, dikdik, a leopard, hippos, an eagle, vultures and elephants while travelling on the dusty, bumpy roads in the park. We even got a flat tire at one point and left the car to change it, though we fortunately didn't encounter any animals while we did so. 

Our 2 night stay was just on the outskirts of the Ikoma entrance to the park at the Ikoma Wildcamp - an incredible Hemingway-esque experience as part of our safari package with Zara Tours. Our small tented room featured mosquito-netted twin beds, a full tented bathroom and (much welcomed) hot shower. We zipped down our tent panels at night to let the cool night breeze blow through. Hyenas could be heard just outside the tent in the early mornings and we were advised to stay close to the hotel paths as there were many predators - including lions - living in close proximity. After our evening dinners in the open air lodge perched up on a kopje, we were escorted back to our tent by a local tribesman who carried a spear to protect us from the unseen danger. Dinners were wonderful...but only almost as good as the stunning sunset view from the lodge. I was able to chill some white wine in the hotel fridge that we drank with our dinners while our cameras and phones charged at a make-shift charging station.

Our experience was truly amazing and I would highly recommend that a Serengeti component be included with any safari itinerary in Tanzania. It is truly like no other place I have visited.  It is a privilege to see such a wild and pure place still on this earth - a privilege that those in the future may not even have. Hopefully I can visit it again some day soon.

Lake Manyara

Though I travel often, I still enjoy that moment when you realize how very far away from home you are. Not far away in a physical sense, but a place that feels far from everything you think you know. A place where people walk for miles just to collect a bucket of water from a murky pond and carry it back home to drink. A place where no one checks their phones during a meal. A place where you realize that no one gives a damn about whether Lindsay Lohan will go to jail or what that Kardashian woman named her baby, nor even has a clue who those people are. A place where, when asked about his family, a grown man will speak not only of his wife and children but of his brothers, sisters and parents too.

Africa is far away. And though I have already been on this continent four times in the last few years, I still felt that harsh, yet healthy, moment when I realize just how different my life at home is. Traveling with my cousin Tricia, a first-time visitor to Africa, also helped to illuminate the little things that make this continent so special. The minute we left our hotel on day one, we were thrust head first into the spectacle of colour, smell and sound that is Tanzania. The route, lined with the reddest earth, road-side vegetable stands and surrounded by endless crops of bright sunflowers was beautiful in a way that couldn't ever be captured in a photo, or even with these words for that matter. Swahili women in colourful prints and head wraps carry bunches of bananas or buckets of water on their heads and small children wave and smile as you pass. Motorcycles and bicycles pass carrying firewood, crates of eggs, or anything else they can fit on it. Oh, and the occasional giraffe is spotted chewing on trees off in the distance.

From our hotel in Moshi, the drive to our first destination at Lake Manyara took about three hours. We stopped en route to pick up some snacks and beer in Arusha and had a nice picnic lunch under a shady tree. In addition to purchasing some good and affordable South African wines, our stop for snacks yielded one of our favourite finds in all of Tanzania - home made potato chips! Not the greasy kind of chips you find back home - but home-fried yams. Hand packaged in a simple clear bag and completely grease-free, we looked for them in every store we came across.

Lake Manyara National Park in Northern Tanzania is set against the backdrop of The Great Rift Valley - an enormous fault line that runs all the way from Lebanon to Mozambique; a distance of 6600 km. The lake itself is large but shallow with a spectacular landscape featuring lush forests, waterfalls, grassy plains and swamp lands. Our first game viewing experience was good - with lots of animal sightings including elephants, zebra, dik diks, impala and a rhino. We also encountered many baboons who, fortunately, turned out to be a lot less friendly than the South African baboon I met here. We enjoyed our visit to this park. It is a true paradise, with the cleanest and freshest-smelling air. No chemically enhanced, air-freshening candle on the shelf of some North American grocery store could ever capture this kind of fragrance. And this where I had my first "far away" moment. Clean air. How lucky they are here.

After our long day, we made our way to the Highview Hotel for our first night's stay. We were happy to discover that the hotel was really lovely and had the most stunning views of the setting sun over the rolling hills below. Our included three-course dinner was also a pleasant surprise - avocado bruschetta, chicken stir-fry and an orange flavoured cake for dessert. But all that fresh air took it's toll (as did the 7 hour time difference) so we called it an early night and readied ourselves for tomorrow's journey to the Serengeti.

Out of Africa

I knew I couldn't make the trek all the way to Tanzania and not go on safari. I already had an amazing safari experience in South Africa (which you can read about here) which I absolutely loved, so I couldn't possibly miss out on another chance to see such incredible (and, in some cases, endangered) animals in the wild. Plus, as someone who loves nothing more than capturing a beautiful photo - a safari is a dream with beautiful, unpredictable animals in the backdrop of the most stunning landscapes you will ever see.

I did a lot of research before booking my trip - wanting to ensure I found the best value for my money. My list of must-haves included a good schedule that covered enough ground, decent meals included in the price and clean, comfortable mid-range hotels. No camping, but also no luxury hotels. With such a tight schedule there is little to no reason to spend time in your hotel room beyond sleeping, so mid-range hotels are an ideal solution. We were lucky to find the perfect tour company - Zara Tours - to satisfy our needs and surprisingly, exceed our expectations.

Zara Tours is a well-reviewed, successful Tanzanian tour company run by a woman. You can check out their web-site here. I booked both the safari and Kilimanjaro climb with Zara and saved thousands of dollars by doing so in lieu of using a local Canadian competitor. Not only was the savings great, but there was greater flexibility in choosing our dates, climb routes and safari inclusions. I highly recommend them. Please feel free to contact me via this blog with any questions you might have.

My cousin, Tricia - who I convinced to join me on this journey - and I booked a 5 night safari package and a 6 day Marangu Route Kilimanjaro climb. I'll talk to the climb portion in detail in my next post but both parts of the package certainly delivered in terms of Zara's team, service, the food (which was all included) as well as accommodations.

So how was it? It was absolutely "bobkubwa" - which means something along the lines of "awesome" in Swahili.

We arrived around 8 pm via KLM with a flight to Amsterdam and another directly to Kilimanjaro airport which is just outside Tanzania's second largest city, Arusha. We chose to get the necessary Visa upon arrival and am glad we did. It cost $50 US and took about 5 minutes to in line to get (versus sending our passports by courier to Ottawa and spending $65). We also were not required to show our proof of Yellow Fever vaccination. This is apparently a very gray area. Even though Canadians are not required to be vaccinated for this, should we have passed through another country (say, Kenya by a re-routed flight) we *might require an inoculation. Our travel doctor (Dr. Wise) advised us of our options before we left and we chose to get the vaccination to avoid any potential issues on arrival. (Note that I'll talk more about vaccinations etc. later in a later post covering off practical information about traveling to Tanzania). It was $140 for the vaccine and outside of hurting your wallet, it does give you a bit of a sore arm for a few days.

We were transported by bus to our hotel - the Springlands - which was about an hour away in the town of Moshi, where we celebrated the start of a great trip with a cold beer under the full moon before getting a good night's sleep. In the morning, we enjoyed our included buffet breakfast (fresh mango, omelettes, fresh hibiscus juice etc.) before meeting with our safari guide to get on the road.

It turns out our safari would be private - just me, Tricia and our guide, Issa. While there were other groups doing similar safaris, they weren't traveling on our exact itinerary, so we traveled alone. This turned out to be a fantastic treat as we would not have to share space in our Toyota Land Cruiser with anyone else - which means we had plenty of room and the ultimate in visibility of the animals within each park.

Issa was an unbelievable host - kind, funny and very knowledgeable about the wildlife and culture of the areas we were visiting. It was more like a road trip with a friend rather than a formal safari. He even taught us quite a bit of Swahili that came in handy over the two weeks that followed.

Our 5 days included trips to Lake Manyara National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a traditional Maasai village and Tarangire National Park. You can read about my experience at each location in the posts that follow. 

Tanzania

As some of you may know, my travel schedule in the last year or so has been scaled back compared to previous years. And while I managed to pack in a lot of travel when I first lost my job in late 2011, it drastically diminished in the eight months that followed when I went without any work (or a paycheck). I then started a fairly intense employment contract that didn't really afford me the same kind vacation opportunities I was so used to – resulting in a couple of brief (but still wonderful) trips. But that just wasn’t enough.

My passion for travel has become a big part of my life…when I am traveling and even when I am not. It has taught me the value of setting (and achieving) goals, both big and small, and forced me to face some of my fears (like my fear of heights!) head on. It has satisfied my curious nature with endless research and keeps me feeling young by teaching me the basics all over again (like learning to count to ten in Swahili). The traveling “me” and the “me” at home in her regular life aren’t really all that different anymore. I try to look at everything, at home or away, through the same lens – with curiosity, humility and appreciation.

The older we get, our time and our youth become increasingly precious. And while the bills obviously have to get paid, it is important to be vigilant about what is precious to you. Whether it is seeing the world or spending time with your family or doing whatever it is that you love. It’s not just a stupid cliché - life IS short. Really short.

That contract job was just never going to work for me. So I gave my notice and, on a whim, started my own consulting business. And now my schedule is my own and I have no idea why I didn't do it sooner.

At the same time I started the business, I also had the brilliant idea of planning an extensive trip to Tanzania, a trip that would involve climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – something well outside of my comfort zone. In retrospect, it does seems like a lot of pressure to put on one’s self – get a new business off the ground and plan and pay for an (expensive) vacation all within six months. But, I think both goals worked together in a way that ensured that both were achieved.

The posts that follow will cover off my epic trip to Tanzania that included a safari, the Mount Kilimanjaro climb, some beach time on the island of Zanzibar as well as a night in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Stone Town.

Enjoy…

Sun & Fun 2013

It was a long, cold winter this year. So when I saw a smokin' deal to my favourite island I jumped on it. I somehow sold my cousin Tricia on the idea too; so off we went to St. Maarten for some sun and fun.

While I have been there many times, it was Tricia’s first visit to the Caribbean so it was exciting to see things through fresh eyes. Highlights of the trip include a most perfect day at Baie Rouge beach with fresh fruit cocktails and a barbecue lunch at Chez Raymond followed by ice-cream at the wharf in the pretty town of Marigot, a beautiful dinner at Bon Appetit bistro and the grand finale of lots of drinks at two different piano bars with live music. A much needed getaway filled with sun and lots of fun. For more details on St. Maarten, please see here.

Vancouver 2012

It was a bit of whirlwind but I did manage to fit in a bit of vacation into a summer that has been all about work.

When one of my very best friends - Shannon - invited me out to her intimate summer wedding to fiancé Joe, I didn't hesitate in confirming I would be there no matter what. And while I did only arrive in Vancouver early in the morning on the very day of her wedding, I still made it, and summoned the strength to fight through some exhaustion and jet-lag to enjoy a truly wonderful day with my friend. A truly wonderful,impossibly "sunny" day in Vancouver at that.

I had booked last minute and managed to secure an affordable room at the hipster-friendly hotel The Burrard. For $180 (tax-in) per night I scored a clean, stylish room on the third floor of a renovated classic 50's motel. A basic room design with modern touches and a big white duvet-covered bed. Free wireless, bottled water and an in-room espresso machine were wonderful touches. And while I didn't take advantage, the hotel also has free cruiser bikes that can be borrowed for the day to perhaps visit nearby English Bay or Stanley Park. I would highly recommend this hotel for its great location, awesome customer service and affordable prices. I'll definitely stay there again on my next visit.

So how did I spend my three day trip? Well, day one was all about the Bride and Groom starting with a most picturesque ceremony at the beautiful Hycroft Manor. This was followed by wines and nibbles in the private cellar at Salt, located on Blood Alley in Gastown.

The next day was a chill one with a ride on the Aquabus, a good hangover lunch of burgers at Cat Social House and a lazy walk around Granville Island market. All the out-of-town wedding guests met up for a delicious dinner at Central Bistro to close out the evening.

On my last day, I went for a great brunch at Acme Cafe before making my way back to the East Coast. Stay sunny Vancouver - I'll see you again soon.

Spring Break Cancun

While I was in St.Maarten, I got a text from my younger brother Matthew asking if I wanted to get away for his Spring Break from University. His vacation plans had fallen through and he needed a vacation buddy. I'm always game for a last minute adventure so two days after I returned from St.Maarten, I was back on a plane to Cancun.

Yes, Cancun. For Spring Break. At thirty eight years old.

Surprisingly I fared well for an old gal. Matt and I made friends with some fellow travelers and had some fun dinners and beach time. We also hit up some clubs, did the Senor Frogs and Coco Bongo thing and did a snorkeling excursion to nearby Isla Majeures. We stayed at the Grand Oasis Palm - which was a nice place with the exception of the rooms. No hotel room should have a bedspread. Yuck. It stayed in the closet. But the food, service and pools were really nice. The beach kinda sucked. But all-in-all. it was a lovely time and we got one hell of a deal on the trip. And...most importantly...it wasn't snowing there!

Back to the Beach

On a sunny (but cold) morning of February 6th, my gorgeous little nephew, Byron Robert, made his entrance into the world. After spending some time with him during his first week, Auntie Janine decided to make her way back to St.Maarten for more beach time. Named after a famous beach town himself (Byron Bay, Australia), I knew Byron would understand that the sun and sea were calling to me.

February is the best time of the year to travel south from Canada, with all kinds of great deals available for sunny destinations. And when you are jobless during a Canadian winter, really, is there anything else to do?

Once again I stayed in Maho Village and ventured out to a few of my favourite spots and checking out a couple of new ones including Karakter - a cool beach club outfitted with a cafe in a bus - and also Mullet Beach, a beautiful, calm beach walkable from Maho Village.

Another great relaxing trip to my favourite island!

Caribbean Christmas

After a month back in Toronto catching up with family and friends and relaxing in my home, I knew it was time to get away for some sunshine and a beach. I left for an all-inclusive in St.Maarten on Christmas morning and was happy to arrive in the warmth of the sun just 4 hours later.

As you likely know, St.Maarten is one of my favourite places to visit...a wonderful mix of Caribbean and European cultures with the most gorgeous beaches. I spent my week relaxing, gambling (winning more often than not!) and making a few new friends along the way. So when New Years day rolled in and I was supposed to get on a plane to go home - I decided to stay, and kick the new year off right. I mean, why not? I had no job to go back to. Might as well continue to ride the wave.

Some highlights of this trip - the always perfect beach at Baie Rouge topped off with the hand-made cocktails made from fresh fruit and delicious barbecue from Chez Raymond. Perfection. Also - fun trips around the island with the tunes cranked and stops in the fab little town of Grand Case for yummy food at the Lolo's. Lazy days at the pool, winning nights at the casino, some pampering at the spa...an all-round perfect get-away. So good that I went back again six weeks later. But that's another story for another day.

Last Stop: Cape Town

My last stop - South Africa. My third visit to this beautiful country in less than two years was less extensive and action-packed than the previous visits, but still special nonetheless.

My illness in Mauritius really knocked me off my feet, and was still lingering by the time I arrived in Cape Town. I was tired, but excited to see friends and just relax. It was a good way to make the transition from tourist back to regular life. Just chilling out and putting down my camera for a while.

My 4 days were spent at the fabulous Cape Royale hotel - where I had spent my first visit to Cape Town. I spent my time shopping, getting a much needed pedicure, relaxing with friends by the pool and having some great dinners and a few nights on the town. We also checked out an amazing Sunday market at the Biscuit Mill - a must see for any foodie. Despite the coughing and exhaustion, I still managed to have a blast.

I didn't take many photos on this trip, but on one very memorable dinner, I took this snap of the sunset from the beach at Camps Bay...which was followed by drinks at the famous Cape Grace hotel in the pretty harbour. A fabulous way to end the trip of a life-time.

 

Mauritius

After a short 2 night stop-over in Paris that mostly involved laundry and shopping for some warm weather clothes - I once again took off on another adventure, this time to the island of Mauritius.

Why Mauritius, you ask? Well for one, after the cold in Russia, I was craving some beach time. Secondly, there are lots of cheap charter flights to Mauritius, or Isle Maurice as the French call it, out of Paris. Lastly - I had recalled seeing on a family tree my aunt had put together, that some ancestors of mine had lived on Mauritius in the early 19th century for two generations. For this reason alone I was extremely curious to find out more about this tiny little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

The 13 hour flight was not fun. It was a jam-packed charter without any in-flight entertainment and I was stuck beside a very sick mother-daughter duo. But arriving in the warm weather made it all worthwhile.

I grabbed a taxi on arrival and made my way to my hotel - Hotel Tamarina - on the western side of the island. I had booked a last minute stay online knowing very little about what I should expect. But who could resist a hotel that offered an all inclusive package that covered off food, drinks and spa! Yep...one free treatment per day. Heaven.

The hotel itself was incredible. On a stunning, quiet stretch of beach and the sight of the most beautiful sunsets each night. The staff were so lovely to me - especially when I became incredibly ill (no doubt thanks to the mother-daughter duo on the plane). I was brought food in my room when I was too sick to get out of bed, and was made fresh ginger lemon tea at the bar to soothe my persistent cough. They also helped me get to a pharmacy to get some much needed medicine.

Despite being extremely sick for pretty much my entire visit I tried to make the best of the situation. I took a day trip out to sea to swim and snorkel with the local dolphins. Literally, we just jumped in the ocean with hundreds of dolphins. Afterwards, we had a beautiful picnic on an island where I got to practice my French skills with my fellow travelers.

I tried to spend some time at the pool in the day when I felt up to it, but I was truly too sick to enjoy the amazing cuisine and the spa treatments.

Some highlights of the trip: for starters the absolutely delicious Mauritian beer, Phoenix Fresh. Also, the very sweet Mauritian people who look Indian, speak French and are so welcoming. But my favourite part of the trip was an island tour I did on my final day. Before heading to the airport I booked a taxi driver for a 4 hour visit along the coast-line. Hearing about my family history, my driver took me to the oldest graveyard on the island where all the French settlers, who immigrated here when Mauritius was a stop on the Spice Route, were buried. While I have no idea of my family members journey and adventure in Mauritius, it was fun to wander amongst the ancient gravestones, smoothed away by years of sea salt and monsoons.

Mauritius was exotic, beautiful and friendly - but I was now headed to my last and final stop on my adventure - Cape Town, South Africa!