Whatever you call it, please keep telling it. Thanks!

OK, I am looking forward to readign this one!

Yes, can't wait for more!

Your kids took a year off to save for this trip? You are obviously an excellent parent! I can't wait to read more.

And welcome home!

The details - a beginning...

We chose to take a shuttle bus from Nairobi to Arusha in order to get a glimpse of Kenya. The shuttle was to pick us up at Jomo Kenyatta airport, but we ended up having to take a shuttle to catch the shuttle!

We reluctantly let the driver hoist our belongings up to the roof of his decrepit-looking, already crowded vehicle, cover it with a seedy tarp of some kind and tie it all down (and I use the phrase as loosely as the ropes were) with rope only to have him then undo the whole arrangement, throw our bags back down to us and have us squeeze into the rattle trap, bags and all. The few square feet of available space on the bus were quickly consumed by the 3 of us and our bags, but the pleasant atmosphere of the others onboard and our happy demeanour made for an okay situation as we trundled off in the direction (we hoped) of the shuttle we were meant to be on.

Our first sites of the streets of Nairobi were a little overwhelming! We could never have imagined the loitering volumes of people in various forms of dress, the roadside shacks trying to pass as little places of business, all manner of transportation including foot, bikes, carts and vehicles of all shapes and stages of disrepair. As we pulled into a seedy looking gas station, farewells were called to us from all directions as we disembarked the one shuttle and reloaded onto the shuttle waiting to take us to Arusha. Phew! The first tiny stage of our journey was under way.

Although we were tired from the long plane trip from London to Nairobi, we were alert and keen not to miss anything on the road from there to Arusha. Our travelling companions included a Kenyan born (wealthy, white) woman living in the Ngong Hills of Nairobi, a gentleman who had just moved back to his birthplace in Tanzania after living for 40 years in our native Canada, and a student from Arusha who had just spent his first year away from home attending high school. An assortment of other individuals made for a shuttle bus full of people whose histories and stories spanned lifetimes and cultures. It was all a very interesting, eye opening and pleasant experience.

The Namanga border crossing was eventful! This kind of “no mans land” where Kenya ends and Tanzania begins is a fenced area full of “officials” from both countries, travellers (both local and tourists), vehicles of all descriptions, and animals. In a veil of dust, we left the shuttle to fill out the Kenya exit papers and have them approved, were accosted by locals trying to sell us jewellery and other trinkets, got back on the shuttle only to drive a minute or two to the Tanzanian side of the border crossing, and then “gave up” our passports and $50 for Tanzanian Visas to our driver who disappeared with them (much to my horror) to have them approved ... a dubious procedure that still leaves me feeling a bit sick. Others on the bus reassured me that this was the best and fastest way to have our paperwork processed. Whatever happened in the absence of our driver, passports and money, 15 minutes later we were exiting the Namanga border crossing and entering Tanzania. One and a half hours later we arrived at the Impala Hotel in Arusha – a welcome sight given the bumpy, rattle-ridden 5 hours we’d spent in the shuttle.

I feel like I'm taking that shuttle all over again. This is wonderfully written, Calo. Can't wait to read your next installment.

The Impala Hotel has had mixed ratings on the forum. We found it to be adequate for one night but would not likely stay there again given the other options in and around Arusha. The dinner we had was exceptionally good, very reasonably priced, and served to us on a lovely terrace (which we had to ourselves) surrounded by beautiful gardens. We took advantage of the Internet café, which turned out to be the least expensive access to the Internet during our trip.

Our room was large and clean and looked out onto the nice pool area. I spent a restless night trying not to focus on the strange sounds of the street a few stories below our open window. It was a relief to get up the following morning and get the day started! The buffet breakfast was not particularly appealing. There seemed to be lots of variety, but nothing any of us really wanted or felt brave enough to try. Cereal seemed a safe bet, but the milk tasted very funky, so we downed our juice and went off to pack in time to meet our Roy Safaris guide.

At exactly the appointed time, our guide met us in the hotel lobby. All of us liked him immediately and it soon became apparent that his skills as a superlative driver and guide, extraordinary storyteller and teacher would elevate our fabulously memorable trip to absolutely remarkable. He selflessly shared his passion for, and knowledge of Tanzania and soon became our friend. We couldn’t have asked for any better!!

After a very short briefing at the Roy Safaris office, we were off in our very spacious, comfortable, new Toyota Land Cruiser which would be our workhorse for the next 12 days…

First stop: Ngiresi Village
About 7km out of Arusha, on the slopes of Mt Meru lives a community of Maasai known as the WaArusha tribe. These people have shifted from a life of pastoralism to agriculture. We spent a couple of hours walking around the sprawling Ngiresi settlement with a guide, learning about the culture and lives of its people. What an eye opener, especially for the kids! Highlights included being sung to by a schoolroom of primary school children, and invited into the tiny stick and mud home of a widow (who benefits financially from this cultural program) where she lives with her 6 children and 4 cows! Part of the fee we paid for this visit was being used to build a secondary school for the village. We watched the foundation for the school being dug by hand – it was smaller than my office at work!

And then it was on to Tarangire National Park – a lovely introduction to the African wildlife experience we had planned for. The park was abundant with every species of creature we were hoping to see, and lots that we had no idea even existed. It was in Tarangire that we had our first introduction to tse tse flies. Of course our guide (who knew every inch of the park) was instrumental in our learning about all of the wildlife including the amazing birds that were everywhere. We soaked it all in, absorbed in wonder and inspiration at our surroundings.

Tarangire River Camp was our first tented camp experience and it did not disappoint! It was charming – indigenous baobab trees were cleverly included in the design and placement of the lounge, dining room and tents. The staff was amazing, the food excellent, and the views from our tent’s huge veranda were breathtaking. There was a campfire each night where we could visit with other travellers from all over the world. We were thrilled to have our guide join us for our meals, and we took great pleasure during these times of having him teach us some Swahili and share amazing stories of growing up as a Maasai in the wilds of northern Tanzania. We spent 2 very comfortable nights at the River Camp waking occasionally to the sounds of lions and hyenas, and would go back in an instant.

Next up: Karatu and Ngorongoro ...

Over the border and into Tanzania! I remember the same feeling having my belongings strapped to the roof of the vehicle.

Looking forward to the rest of the dream!

Hi Mom *smiles*,

Yes, indeed, my heart is still in AhFreeKha.

<3

Hi Dreezy! So, you're reading this too, eh? Feel free to jump in with your comments about the trip too.

For those of you who aren't getting it -the previous post is from my daughter who was on this trip with me.

My next post is coming soon I hope - I find writing the trip report oddly therapeutic & stressful at the same time.

excellent. Yes, dreezy, do jump in.

It would be great to have a mom and daughter report!

Karatu to Ngorongoro
We had a lot to accomplish the day we left Tarangire, so we headed out right after breakfast in order to be on time for a prearranged visit to the Rift Valley Children’s Village (RVCV) outside the town of Karatu just south of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The drive to Karatu was impressive. We drove up the Manyara escarpment with beautiful views of Lake Manyara on our left. The area is lush and green, with remarkable red soil that provides a dusty backdrop for this bustling place. Extensive, productive fields cover the hills and valleys surrounding the town making for a very pretty landscape, all of which is unfenced … no need for fences when there is always someone attending the flocks of animals. It was astonishing to watch the locals making their way up and down these same hills and valleys with great loads of wood, maize, and vegetables loaded onto their backs, bikes and carts of all description.

Somewhere, somehow our guide managed to find the correct turnoff to the RVCV just past the town of Karatu, and for the next 30 minutes we wound, bounced and slid our way along a red dirt wagon rut to the orphanage. How we ever managed to find this place I’ll never know – it seemed to be in the middle of the most obscure, isolated little patch of humanity we have ever encountered. Yet, here were locals scratching out a living from the land, likely not much different from the way they had been doing for generations and generations. The moment we alighted the chariot at the orphanage we were swarmed by the happy little children who call the RVCV home. Immediately, despite language and cultural barriers which suddenly became insignificant, they wanted us to play, carry and chase them around in the style typical of children everywhere .

Donations delivered, and visiting accomplished, we jostled our way back to the main road and on to the Ngorongoro highlands.

The very nice hardtop we’d been traveling on ended at the Ngorongoro Park gate beyond which there is only dirt/gravel road, and finally we were exiting the vehicle at the Lookout for our first glimpse of the Crater. This was a defining moment in the trip for each of us as we all gasped in unison at the sight before us. No words I can compose will ever be able to describe how I felt at that moment – to see THE site I’d waited a lifetime for was almost too much. I was in heaven and could hardly contain my excitement at the thought of getting down into the Crater for a game drive.

The descent road into the Crater is steep and rutted, but our guide skillfully zigzagged us down to the Crater floor where we spent hours exploring the grassland, swamp and forest habitats. The game viewing was phenomenal!

Ascending the Crater rim at the end of the day was exciting as we anticipated our lodge accommodation for the next 2 nights. The Ngorongoro Serena was fabulous in every regard. The staff was exceptional, our room was charming with a little verandah overlooking the Crater, the food was marvelous and the evening entertainment was fun. A tip here to others considering a stay at the Serena ... ask for an upper floor room. We did hear a minor complaint from someone with a first floor room that the vegetation was so lush that she didn’t have a Crater view.

Our second trip into the Crater the following morning was just as exciting and inspiring as the previous day’s visit and we took every opportunity to capture the beautiful Crater environments and inhabitants on film.

That afternoon, the kids went on a Crater rim hike which they both reported enjoying. They got some neat pictures of the lodge from up above, and also of the Serengeti plains off in the distance. I took the less strenuous local nature walk which was very informative. I was glad to have learned “Hapana asante” previously as I had the opportunity to use it with a little Maasai boy who wanted me to pay to take his picture. The combination of the Crater experience and the Serena Lodge made this part of our entire safari a favourite for all 3 of us. Such memories!

Next up: Kirawira and the Western Serengeti

Great trip report Calo, keep the words flowing! Tell me, who was your guide from Roy Safaris/ When my wife and I travelled there in October 2004 we were fortunate to have the services of Clamian, a Masai who added so much to the enjoyment of our trip by describing how he grew up, telling us tales of his family and his children. Plus he was an excellent animal spotter!

Hi GovernorPhil!

This is CalO's daughter (whom accompanied Mom on her trip).

We, too, were fortunate enough to have Clamian as our guide. He definately was a majour highlight in our trip, and his stories will forever be in my memory. I can still hear his tone of voice and jovial laugh when I recall the stories he told us of his childhood, and it whisks me right back to Africa (where I long to be).

I am really enjoying your report. Will there be pictures?

Good tip on the Serena in Ngorongoro--1st story may not have a view due to high vegetation.

What species did you see in the crater?

It’s a funny thing coming up with a trip report. As I write it, the memories keep it from being the simple, short summary I was aiming for….thanks for bearing with me and for your nice comments.

Atravelynn - There are an estimated 25,000 animals in the crater and we saw lots of them including wildebeest, zebra, Thompson's and Grant's Gazelles, hartebeest, lion (and lion killing a wildebeest), cheetah, hyena, elephant, rhino, warthog, hippo, buffalo, vervets and black-backed jackals. I think that about covers it - we didn't see giraffe or Impala (I understand there aren't any in the Crater) or leopard.

Some of the birdlife we saw: Kori bustard, Secretary bird, Crested crane, Maribou stock, Goliath Heron, Hamerkop, Francolin, Guinea Fowl, Oxpeckers, Fish Eagles, Ostrich, Egret, a variety of vultures, and flamingoes, plus the smaller species such as weavers and starlings.

It was all a fabulous introduction to the wildlife of Tanzania, all in a unique collection of little ecosystems - truly remarkable!

Great trip report Cathy! Keep it coming.

No words I can compose will ever be able to describe how I felt at that moment – to see THE site I’d waited a lifetime for was almost too much. I was in heaven and could hardly contain my excitement ...

I know the feeling. Felt that way standing before the Serengeti. But my first Crater view was amazing also.

continuing to enjoy your report.

A nice percentage of the 25,000.

Kirawira and Serengeti

It was with some sadness that we left the Ngorongoro Crater, but at the same time we anticipated the experiences awaiting us in the Serengeti with excitement.

Oldupai Gorge – about ½ hour drive from the Crater is the Oldupai museum where we learned of the Leakey’s famous excavations. Imprints of hominid footprints from 3.6 million years ago are among the fascinating exhibits in the museum. On a completely different tangent, Oldupai was where we first experienced “squat” toilets … something we’d become quite adept at (if not enamoured with) using.

Shifting Sands – Just a short drive beyond Oldupai is the beautifully symmetrical crescent of sand appropriately named Shifting Sands, with its two slender “arms” pointing in the direction of our travels. These sands have religious importance for the local Maasai people, and it is fascinating to see how far the sand has moved since it was first marked in 1969. We walked up the warm, dark sands in our bare feet and relished the views of the Serengeti plains beyond.

At the juncture between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park is a rather insignificant looking little “gate” with a couple of trees on either side of it. The largest of these trees was planted in 1979 by our guide’s uncle who was the head ranger in the Serengeti at the time, so of course we had to stop for a picture – yet another interesting story from Clamian about his ties to his beloved country.

Naabi Hill Gate – After the requisite paperwork had been processed and after the quick hike up to the Lookout, we passed into the vast grassy Serengeti plains by way of the most popular entrance through Naabi Hill. Here was the Serengeti I’d come to know through films, books, magazines and travel brochures and it was stunning! It was a vast sea of golden grasses stretching to every horizon, but with unexpected discoveries everywhere … kopjes, rivers and of course ... wildlife!

Simba Kopjes – we had our Ngorongoro Serena boxed lunches at these beautiful, ancient rock outcrops that are a trademark of the Serengeti. Our guide scrutinized the rocks very carefully before suggesting to us that we disembark from the chariot to have our lunch. We didn’t venture further than an arms length from the vehicle. Of all the kopjes we saw in the Serengeti, not once did we find lions at them!

That afternoon we spent several happy hours game driving our way to the western corridor. Kirawira camp was a welcome site as we’d come a long way since leaving the Crater that morning.

Kirawira was our most extravagant accommodation during the trip, but we could never have anticipated the level of luxury at this lovely place! Dreezy commented during one of our fabulous meals (served by the most attentive staff imaginable) that she felt a little out of her element. Well we were … but we sure lapped it up. Our tents (we had 2) were gorgeous and huge. Talk about opulence! The views from our tents were extraordinary and we fell asleep that night to the sounds of wildebeest snorting and grunting all around the camp.

We spent the following day exploring the woodland and grassland savannahs from the western corridor to as far east as the Retima hippo pool. Thankfully, our plan of capturing some of the wildebeest migration paid off. We saw thousands and thousands of them! The noise was amazing – it was as endless as the nose-to-tail lines of creatures making their way north. What a spectacular wildlife event. We got to experience the 360-degree “picture”, along with the noise and the smells that just cannot be captured by the best film makers. What a day!

Next up: the Northern Serengeti (and the one disappointment of the trip)

Oh dear Carlo I hope the Northern Serengeti wasn't all bad as I am heading there myself in a coule of weeks

Mmmmm Lobo...

Please don't leave us in suspense about the Northern Serengeti. We've booked 4 nights in tents there at the end of September.

The Northern Serengeti

For us, the Lobo area of the northern Serengeti was not to be missed. By including it with our visits to the western and central Serengeti we would increase our chances of seeing the migration. This part of the Serengeti looked and felt quite different to us than the west and south, and we thought it was a fascinating area to explore and were constantly surprised by what was around the next corner. There were always little vignettes including the Grumeti River and wading animals, rock outcrops with klipspringers (which we hadn’t seen elsewhere), flat-topped hills studded with elephants, and grasslands loaded with flowering hibiscus. Bonus: we drove up as far as the Bologonja Park Gate and saw virtually nobody else the whole day! All in all, I’d say the Lobo area was very beautiful, with plentiful wildlife, and absolutely worthwhile seeing. BUT…

Our choice of accommodation – different yet again from anywhere else we’d stayed - was a big disappointment. Let me be more accurate … our actual room at Lobo Wildlife Lodge was pretty dismal, but the lodge in general was okay, with the potential to be great given its location and views which are spellbinding. The pool area was very nice and the bar and dining rooms were acceptable. The food was excellent.

More on our room – there were 3 beds with thin, soiled bedspreads, 2 of the 3 lamps in the room were broken, the window wasn’t operable, there was an odd wall hanging with a peacock(!) on it, and the bathroom was mouldy and had no water pressure. I was angry to learn that our beloved guide didn’t have water AT ALL his first night at the lodge. We were NOT impressed. Perhaps it was due to our feeling grumpy about the state of our room, or perhaps because we had been treated so exceptionally well at all of the other camps and lodges, but the staff didn’t seem particularly friendly or helpful either. So if anyone is thinking of staying in the northern Serengeti (and you should!), I’d suggest you consider accommodation options to Lobo Lodge. In reality, although we were disappointed in our room at Lobo, it absolutely did not put a damper on our fabulous time in this part of the park.

Up next: our last night and day in the Serengeti

YvonneM and Marija,
Where are you staying in Lobo?

We're staying at CC Africa Tanzania Under Canvas north of Klein's airstrip. Sorry you didn't like your lodge but I'm relieved to read the problem isn't the Serengeti itself! Thanks.

I will be at Nomad's mobile northern serengeti camp. I too am relieved. Does anyone know where the Nomad camp will be exactly? Just wondering

Our last days in Tanzania

We left Lobo Lodge and did a slow game drive en route to the Central Serengeti, stopping at the Serengeti Visitor’s Centre which is very nicely designed, with interesting history and wildlife displays. The centre is punctuated with whimsical metal sculptures of animals. Rock and tree hyraxes were everywhere. It is well worth a stop, and is a welcome opportunity to stretch the legs after a morning game drive.

We made our way to the Serengeti Serena Lodge by way of the Seronera valley where we had our first leopard sighting. Clamian has an amazing gift for finding game. He could detect the flick of a tail or movement in the grass at unbelievable distances that even we (with binoculars) had trouble honing in on! Our game driving experiences were very rewarding.

The Serengeti Serena is set on a ridge with panoramic views of the golden plains below. We had asked for an upper floor room which we were fortunate enough to get, and the view from our balcony was lovely. The circular rondavel accommodations draw their inspiration from the dwellings of a traditional Maasai village, and provided yet another type of accommodation different from the other tented camps and lodges we’d experienced in the previous days. We called it an early night and felt rested and refreshed for the long drive to Kirawira the following day.

Our last day in the Serengeti we saw 21 lions! What a way to exit this breathtaking park. And then we were back on the main road heading toward Naabi Hill, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Karatu and the Lake Manyara where we were booked to stay at Kirurumu Camp.

Kirurumu Camp
Before arriving at Kirurumu, Clamian took us to a couple of shops where we bartered our way to ownership of a few items. Although the kids weren’t particularly comfortable with the whole process of bartering, it IS expected and well worth it not have to pay full asking price for anything. I bought a little Maasai carved wooden stool, a shuka and a couple of elelphant hair bracelets. We didn’t go nuts with the buying and now we all wish we had brought more things home. Oh well…next time

Kirurumu camp is a very nice tented camp, a little older than the others we’d stayed at, so perhaps a bit tired looking, but very adequate. The staff were excellent and the food very good. At dinner that night Clamian was offered 200 cows for my daughter!! The offer came from our delightful waiter who followed protocol in speaking to Clamian who was a “second” in the absence of my husband. We were blissfully unaware that this was happening at the time (which was probably a good thing) as it went on in Swahili. I can't say I've come across a trip report that included such a story!

The following morning we were back in Arusha where we had the opportunity for a little more shopping before we were driven back to Roy Safaris where we said our goodbyes to Clamian. We had been so very fortunate to have had him as our guide and friend for our time in Tanzania, and he was such a large part of why our safari was so enjoyable. Shortly we were driven to the Kia Lodge for day use of one of their lovely rooms. Our flight to Nairobi left later that evening.

Up next: Nairobi City Tour

Nairobi City Tour and Home

Our early evening flight from Arusha to Nairobi was met by our WildTrek guide who we’d hired for our time in Nairobi. He drove us to our Fairview Hotel accommodation which was very nice. I wish I had known to ask for an inside room facing the gorgeous gardens, but the outside rooms were huge and comfortable. We ordered room service for a late supper and both that and breakfast the following morning were excellent.

Our guide picked us up the next morning to shuffle us around to the Giraffe Centre, Sheldrick Orphanage, Kazuri Beads, Utamaduni, Blixen Museum, Collectors Den, Banana Box and the Carnivore. It was a busy day but a good variety of places to visit so the time went quickly. Of all of these, I was least impressed with the elephant orphanage which was likely the place I was most excited to visit. There were 2 announcers speaking to the crowds at the same time. I think they were supposed to be connecting with either end of the extensive crowd, but ultimately it was confusing and we couldn’t hear anyone which was unfortunate. I can’t help but think that installing a few tiered benches would benefit everyone see what was going on. The crowds were such that we had trouble seeing anything, and in the end it was kind of a frustrating experience and I wouldn’t bother with it again, although I still support what they are doing at the orphanage.

Kazuri Beads was interesting and it was great to be able to speak to some of the workers there. The prices in the store are very reasonable so we did quite a bit of shopping.

The Giraffe Centre was lots of fun and it was quite an experience being able to interact with these huge creatures.

It was interesting to visit the Blixen Museum and actually be in the exact spot where Karen Blixen played out a large part of her life. It’s a lovely homestead.

We enjoyed an excellent (albeit slow) lunch at Utamaduni and then wandered the interesting little shops in the house. We really liked this place.

We had read quite a bit about the Collector’s Den here on the Forum and it was okay, but not fantastic. I preferred Utamaduni. My son bought himself a Maasai spear at the Collector’s Den and they carefully wrapped it for him in a tube that could be checked with the rest of our luggage. Unfortunately, it was stolen from either Kenya Airways or Air Canada somewhere between Nairobi and home which is a great sadness because it was the ONE thing he bought himself. According to Collector’s Den there is a store in Vancouver (BC) that sells them!, so we’re going to take the ferry across (from Victoria) to see if we can find a similar one. Unfortunately we’ll have to pay through the nose for it!! This place also sells Kazuri beads for about 5 times what we paid in Nairobi.

Banana Box was no big deal after having been to the other places to shop.

The Carnivore was really fun, even though I’m not much of a meat eater. We had a really good time with the staff, the atmosphere is neat, and I had a great meal from the vegetarian menu. I was skeptical about arranging to have dinner at the Carnivore but I’m sure glad we did. The exotic meats we tried included ostrich, camel and crocodile.

From the Carnivore we were taken to Jomo Kenyatta where we flew on to London, Vancouver, and home. Next time I would break the flights up and stay overnight in London. It was a miserably long trip home and we took days to recover.

So, there it is in a rather large nutshell…our fantastic trip to Tanzania. Please feel free to ask for clarification or more detail if you think there’s anything I can be of help with. Thanks to all of you for helping us to plan for such a wonderful safari. We are already planning to go again in 2008. Now it’s just a matter of deciding whether to go to East Africa again or try Southern Africa. I’d like to try Tanzania in Feb, but Bots & Zambia are looking pretty good to me too.

Very nice report Calo, I've enjoyed reading it. Thanks, Dennis

Thank you very much for your report, calo. Glad to hear your satisfaction with Fairview, I'll be spending 4 nights there next year.

Siro

Thanks for the report Calo.

Good reading

Really enjoyed your report, thanks. Sorry to hear your son's spear was stolen. Was the bag locked? Was that the only item taken?

Patty,
The spear was the only item stolen. It was wrapped by Collector's Den in a large tube that they said could be checked as luggage, and which Kenya Airways did happily check as luggage. We'll just have to go back for another one and take a piece of luggage large enough to accommodate it. We're planning our next trip for 2008 - Woo Hoo!

Calo,
Thanks for your report. It does sound like a glorious trip. I’m sorry about your son’s spear.

Sorry, I misread your earlier post and didn't realize the spear was checked separately. Thanks for the clarification.

Calo, Just enjoyed your report about the day in the Crater - how lovely to stay right on the rim. What a lovely style you have. I had just finished posting my Crater report - we must have been a few days behind you. Can't wait to read the rest, but must take a break from the Fodor's site and get back to the real world. Was the orphanage stop part of your itinerary?

calo:
I enjoyed your report. I believe you are correct--the 200 cow offer is a first!

Great report, Calo. I really enjoyed this.

Cathy-
I was just posting your trip report in the index, adn noticed that I had printed it out before the last little bit at the end - I just read about the spear being lost. You mentioned a place here in Vancouver - is there a store that I can check for you here, or have you already found one?
I'll be only too happy to go browsing in an African store here for you!

Hi Lynda,
What a very thoughtful offer!

My son and I did take a day to go to Vancouver to search out the store suggested by Collectors Den and he was able to replace his spear with something similar. It's a very nice little store on West Marine Drive called Simply Safari if you're interested in seeing it sometime. Of course it's just not the same as shopping in East Africa!!

Thank you again for the very nice offer to sleuth out the store for us, and thank you too for the wonderful job you're doing with the East Africa Trip Report Index!

Glad this was brought to the top again. I missed the last parts. Interesting and helpful comments on Lobo.

Glad you had a lion-packed end to the Serengeti.

Cathy-
Glad you got the spear replaced! Next time you come over I'd love to have coffee with you - I live in Richmond which is fairly close to the ferry terminal (Tsawassen), we could meet somewhere for coffee!

Is that Marine drive in Vancouver itself or on the north shore in North Vancouver? I'll have to check this store out!

Lynda, I would love to get together for coffee! There's actually another Fodorite in Surrey we could connect with too. Look for Raelond's posts on the forum. She and I have been emailing ever since we met here earlier this year. We're both in the throws of planning (separate) trips to Tanzania in 2008. Maybe we'd better start Planning our own West Coast GTG!!

Simply Safari is 1550 Marine Drive on the north shore. Their website is simplysafaristore dot com, but the store is better than the website.

Now there is a cool idea! I would love to meet up with Raelond as well - yes, I think we should plan a west coast GTG - anytime, let me know! I would even volunteer my house for the event as it is 1/2 way in between the ferries and Surrey.
I think Breezydreezy should come too though - she sounds like fun! Safarimama is in Seattle, I'm sure when she is not traveling, she would love to attend. I am sure there are others too on the forum who could come!

I'm off to help Jim sort thru Day 7 of our our photos....

Cathy and Lynda,
I just ran across your recent posts here and I think a West Coast GTG is a great idea. We could also have it at my house if it didn't work for you Lynda.
The three of us should at least get together sometime. Cathy let me know if you can make it over here for a day I can pick you up at the ferry).