Final payment for Tanzania trip sent to ATR
 

YIKES!!!

I can't believe we are less than two months away from the trip I've been dreaming about for 20yrs!

Visas - check
Final pmts - check
Vaccinations - appt made
Excitement building - YES!!!

I normally plan all our trips, so this is very new to me, having someone else take care of all the details.

Even still, I feel I have so much to do - shopping for clothes/equipment, arrangements for while we're gone, etc..

Thanks for listening to me babble, I just got an extra boost of excitement this morning!

That IS exciting--and the excitement softens the blow of making that last big payment. We are 2 weeks away from our last payment to ATR--so we are tracking you just a little. Remind me when you return.

I will be back Feb 7.

we will be arriving at Olduvai camp on the 7th--so I will have to read your trip report when I return. I remember that you are climbing Kili first--are you returning after the safari are do you have beach time as well?

Ugh...don't remind me...I have about 60 days remaining before a very big payment is due to ATR. Chances are that I will make a payment now, make a payment in 30 days and then not be in such a bad position in 60 days.

It is fun to book places like Manyara Tree Lodge, Crater Lodge and Nomad Tanzania...that is until the invoice is due and payable! Oh well...you only live once, right? :)

Rocco:
Sorry but I have a rude awakening for you--payment is due 60 days prior so you'll be making that payment in a little over a month I believe.
BTW, have you calendared making your KLM seat assignment request?

Rocco - Are you still planning to run the marathon? (Sorry to OP for digression!)

((@))

bat,

Make that a double-ugh...you are right. I just revisited my e-mails from ATR and my payment will be due at this time next month. Anybody know which is the best day of the week to rob a bank?


Cooncat,

I have resigned myself to doing the half-marathon. Unfortunately, I am having a very hard time motivating myself to start training. I will need about six weeks of moderate training to get up to half marathon distance. This will be nice and allow me to take along my little Sony W-5 digital camera to take photos along the way. With a little luck, I will be able to motivate my wife to start training with me and if she does the race with me, I will be doing it at a snail's pace and be able to truly enjoy the scenery. If, however, I am doing it alone, then I am sure I will overexert myself and be hurting for the next few days while at Manyara Tree Lodge and Crater Lodge! :(

bat,

Thanks for the reminder on KLM. I believe you previously stated that on the 90th day out that I could pick my seat assignment, correct?

I am about 94 days out so I will look into this early next week and start doing my research on www.seatguru.com

Thanks again.

Rocco:
No advice as to what day is the best to rob a bank--and if I did, and I shared it with you --wouldn't I wind up on one of those "stupidest criminals" TV shows for posting it on fodors! B-) [went for the "shadiest" smiley]

Re seat assignment, yes, 90 days--BTW I only know this because of Patty-but trust me it works. Neurotic me--I called at 12:01 am on my 90th day to assure that I had my pick--and it worked.

rocco:
Keep in mind that there are other things to do in Arusha if the half-marathon does not work out. Canoeing in Arusha NP--not possible any where else. Shopping for tanzanite. And the UN tribunal for Rwanda crimes gainst humanity--perhaps boring but good karma to bear witness.

BostonGal:
If you are back on the 7th--by any chance are you at Crater Lodge on the 6th?

Hi BostonGal
Exciting!!!
We're all paid up also. The days are slipping away very quickly.

Well, I am now 50% paid off to ATR.

I am sure that I will do the half marathon. When else will I have the opportunity to do a half marathon in the foothills of Kiliminjaro?

Given that I have three nights in Arusha, I will likely still have an opportunity to go canoeing the day before the half marathon. I arrive late on Friday night, have all day Saturday and then the half marathon is on Sunday.

Now, here is a question. With Zambia I have come to love water. The country, after all, is named after the Zambezi River. Besides my two nights in Lake Manyara, will there be much, if any, water around while I am in Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti? I am expecting a lot of plains but not so much in the way of water, but there must be, right?, to support all the wildlife.

Rocco -

There is a lake in the Ngorongoro Crater where you should find flamingos and other water fowl; a pool at the far end from where you enter the crater... the hippos "hang" here.

In the Serengeti there is the Grumeti River, so depending on where you go on game drives are likely to come across - here you should find the vultures in the trees and Nile Crocs in the water or lazing on the banks. Various animals to come here to drink. There are also a number of streams, dependent on the rains these will be dry or flowing.

So you won't be in a completely dry country.

What's this about seat assignments 90days in advance?
I am flying NW from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro. I'll have to check into that soon I guess!

bat - We are doing Kili climb, then safari, and then Zanzibar, so our Crate Lodge will be smack in the middle of our trip, not near the end.

I just read over all the confirmation materials that ATR sent me last night, and I can't even tell you how anxious I am! This is going to be one fantastic trip =)

BostonGal:
Re seat assignments, I learned this from Patty. Check and see if you have them. The Amsterdam flight is a KLM flight. My understanding is that even as a NW codeshare, KLM does not open up their flights to seat assignments until 90 days prior. I am flying through Delta, but my friend is flying through NW and neither of us could get seat assignments on the KLM segments prior to 90 days.

But maybe you have been given them by now. Did you buy the plane ticket through a travel agnet? Maybe they took care of it.

In any event I called 3 weeks ago on the 90th day before my Amsterdam flight and I just called this morning for my Dar return flight to Amsterdam. Since you are within 90 days for your return you should be able to do both flights.

Here is what I did. First I went to www.seatguru.com and looked at the plane (KLM MD-11) I decided what I wanted to request. Then I called NWA US office -1-800-447-4747 and then pushed whatever number it told me for international flights. The first time they had to pull up my locator number, this last time I had it. I then made my request. If you can, I would have your screen open to seatguru so that you can see what they are telling you is available. BTW, confirm with them that it is the MD-11 so that you are talking about the correct plane.

Can't wait to get my confirmation material too--your excitement is infectious!

I am flying with my family (2 adults 2 children) on NW/KLM from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro during Christmas vacation 2005. I did exactly what bat did--used seatguru, called NW on the 90th day out and was allocated seats that I wanted.

Unfortunately, I just found out last week that KLM moved my family to other less desirable seats on both my inbound and outbound flights. They would not give me a reason why, just told me that no seat was guaranteed. I am quite disappointed that I had done everything in my power to try to get seats that would make the trip a little more comfortable. Neither NW nor KLM were interested in helping me in any way. This seems like an arbitrary system.

Since we are talking about NW and KLM, I hope no one minds if I ask a question about carry on luggage. Northwest allows up to 40 pounds for carry on. Does anyone know if this same amount is acceptable for KLM? If so, is there any reason why we should check our baggage instead of just carrying everything with us?

CarrieS:
Where is Patty when you need her? Oh yea, enjoying herself in Kenya!
I found this on the KLM website--looks like 22 lbs for carry-on (44 lbs total)

http://www.klm.com/nl_en/index.jsp

Africabound:
How did you find out that they switched you? At least I am now prepared for that possibility. I guess you can't count on anything. And I hate being flexible, darn it--primarily because I am so bad at it. Thanks for the heads up.