Safari to Tanzania

Old Nov 4th, 2004, 12:19 PM
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Safari to Tanzania

I said I was through. Goodbye East Africa. Now---here I am begging forgiveness. I am weak. Ruthie went. She told me of all sorts of wonderful things she saw and I ached to see them too.
Then BuffyP told us all about this agent who could get cheaper tickets and just out of curiosity I inquired. Then I contacted Roy Safaris and they said--so sorry, everythings booked up for this season. There are just no more rooms.
Well, first Greg got us tickets and then my favorite travel company said--Why yes, Liz, we'll get you something. So come January, Max and I take off, duffels in hand for Tanzania. Business Class (flat seats), at least from LHR to NBO.
We have 6 days on the Serengeti, southern area. I am so thrilled. I've decided that I will probably go until it kills me. Max just shrugs and tags along.
So Ruthie, thanks. I won't even post my pictures this time. I'll just put another link to yours. ;-) We enjoy our pictures but we are not even in the ballpark of Phil's expertise. (or Kavey's.) Liz
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Old Nov 4th, 2004, 12:45 PM
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Liz, I'm so pleased for you that you have another trip to Africa coming up soon. And I love looking at everyone's albums - I'm not expecting fancy-schmancy pictures from everyone - I just enjoy being able to share your experience through your pictures!
Anyway, will be thinking of you and looking forward to hearing about the trip when you get home.
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Old Nov 4th, 2004, 01:04 PM
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Thank you Kavey. You are a PEACH!!!!Liz
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 12:39 AM
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Liz,

I don't feel one bit guilty - I'm delighted that between us all we've tempted you back to East Africa.

Do let us know details as you firm up arrangements - that way we can all look forward to it with you.

That's a feeble excuse on photos - and you don't get out of it that easily. We all expect to see some on your return

By the way, Phil is so taken with this forum that he now has his own log-on, so watch out for "GovernorPhil".
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 03:27 AM
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Ruthie-
I think its about time that we got to know the elusive Phil. We can just call him "The Governor", I like that. Please give my regards to The Governor.

So----actually the plans are all firmed up. It was just so shaky between the airlines and the lodges that we never knew from day to day if it would work. Everything was booked for December and it was just luck that K&D was holding space at Kusini Camp for someone else who just decided Monday not to go. They actually turned the space back in and then I gave them the go-ahead about the airlines.(We used BuffyP's consolidator.) We lost one day at Kusini, it would have been 4 nights there, but made it up on a little known place, The Farmhouse at Ngorongoro. So we just slipped in under the wire and we are very pleased with the arrangements. If you would like to see the farm house, the website is www.africawilderness.com. That is the only place to really see the property. It is midway between Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara, so you can easily visit each place, plus it is on the border of the NCA, so we can also go to Olduvai or just spend the day among my friends the Wildies. Kusini is tucked away in a kopje near the central Serengeti. So its just three nights at each place. We got our own vehicle since Kusini is booked full and we didn't want to share a full vehicle. K&D arranged our car and driver through Kibo Safaris. He will meet us when we fly to Seronera from Nairobi and drive us back to Arusha from Ngorongoro to leave at the end. Its about a three hour drive. So thats it. You can easily see Kusini Camp by googling it. It was a A&K property along with Swala that was sold. So we won't be able to hot air balloon due to where we are staying, but I wasn't sure I should because of my back anyway.
For Jan- I am arranging for us to eat at the Tamarind this time on our way out. I've checked their menu and it sounds wonderful. I think we did the Carnivore enough.
But Ruthie, I cannot deny for a minute that you were my influence on this trip. You just did it so slick. It just made sense! Of course, why can't we? Yada, yada, yada. You know how it goes.
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 03:44 AM
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Message: Liz

Please heed the nice words from Kavey and Ruthie as to posting (both report and pictures). I like many others, I am sure, relish logging on and see a new report or set of photos. Or, at the evening meal when our daughter mentions reading a report during free time at high school. School policy prohibits access to photo sites such as ofoto so she has to wait until evening. Have a great trip!
Dick
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 03:51 AM
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Thank you Dick, you are very kind. Okay, full report and a link to some wonderful Tanzania photos . Liz
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 04:02 AM
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Liz - This is such wonderful news and glad to hear that RuthieC's plans encouraged you to give East Africa another chance. Lucky you to be able to get space on such short notice; and do tell us all about The Farmhouse. As to the photos - we will want to see them; there is no competition here, just being able to share all our experiences. I'm so happy that you're up for this trip - you'll have a grand time. Happy travels again.
 
Old Nov 5th, 2004, 05:10 AM
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Liz,
Just to prove that I do exist, I thought I should also write a few lines. If you think that Ruth has been instrumental in persuading you to book for Africa again, imagine how I can withstand her enthusiasm!
To be honest,our first safari (Kenya in Sept 2002) was entirely her idea. I was fairly disinterested, but like most husbands, decided to go for the easy life and simply give in. It took me all of one day to become hooked on Africa. No matter how often we watch documentaries on TV (all the time),it just cannot match being there.

We will shortly be having serious discussions about our next holiday. Western USA? Canada? South America? India(again)?. Too many places to see, but I suspect Zambia may well creep into the reckoning (trust me, I'm clairvoyant).
By the way, you don't get to see the many photos that I take which are out of focus, poorly composed etc etc. I read once that the world's top photographers only achieve about 5% in terms of classy pictures of all those they take. There's hope for all of us, provided we snap enough!
Phil
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 07:27 AM
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Phil, my husband was exactly the same. Not againat it but certainly not enthusiastic but willing to go because I so wanted to. He was hooked really quickly too!
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Old Nov 5th, 2004, 07:39 AM
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Thank you Sandi- I am anxious to see the Farm House. Since its a working farm (organic) and coffee, I am really curious. I'll let you all know. Sounds like a good find since everything else is booked for the season. Roy Safaris told me Americans are visiting in record numbers like before 9/11. The airlines agreed when we tried to get award tickets. No, sorry. So we were thrilled to find this Greg and then to be able to get such nice properties on short notice, everything just kind of clicked for us. I really cannot plan a year ahead anymore. I can never be sure about my back and the stroke in my eye when we went to Kenya, makes non-refundable deposits a thing of the past. Just can't do it.

GovernorPhil- I am so honored. Was I your first post? Yay! Glad we got you out of the house and on the board. I'm sorry to tell you that the pictures I post ARE the best. We got this small Olympus digital 10X Ultra Zoom for its ease and can't see buying the real expensive things since we only take pictures when we go to Africa. I so love your albums whenever you and Ruthie go. I wanted to see the Southern Circuit but the ruggedness would just not allow our trying it I'm afraid. I think we'll have smoother roads in the Northern Circuit. So welcome to you and lets hear from you some. Liz
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Old Nov 8th, 2004, 05:20 PM
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I am soooo sorry to report---The airline tickets didn't pan out. We didn't get them. We chose to forego the trip rather than let the agent make a profit on lying to us (if there ever were tickets). I wish now that I would have waited to post about the trip, but I just got so excited.
One day hopefully we will go. I just can't see when right now. Many times when something doesn't work out there are other reasons ahead that we cannot see at the time.....
I really wish I didn't have to say all this. I wish I hadn't involved K&D who have helped us in the past.
One day (I hope) you will open this thread and a trip report will be there and we'll have had our rendevous with our friends, the Wildies. Liz
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Old Nov 8th, 2004, 05:23 PM
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I knew it!!! I just knew it!!! Liz, as soon as I saw you return to the Africa post, I knew you would go back!!! Yahoo!! Yippee!!! We just got back Saturday the 6th from two glorious weeks in Tanzania and a week in Kenya. A bit of a bittersweet trip as I brought my Mother's ashes with me, but I am happy knowing she is amidst the wildebeest, lions, elephants, etc. now. Yeah, Liz!!! I am psyched for you!!!!
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 01:51 AM
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Liz, so sorry to hear the news... what happened - did the agent assure you that there were tickets available at a certain price and then come back and say there were none of those but offer a more expensive ticket instead?
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 02:55 AM
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Uh-oh! Oh, Liz ... I am so sorry. I got all excited when I read the first couple of postings that I just jumped in right away. You will get back to Africa, I know you will. It is in your blood.
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 03:08 AM
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Kavey- I'm not sure what all was or was not involved. I saw the potential for what could be disasterous and immediately stopped the process. We had put a condition of buying the tickets on using a credit card. We didn't know the individual or the agency. It was on the internet, although I am sure it is a reputable company in its own town. When it came time to pay for the tickets, the agent was unavailable and couldn't be reached and we were asked to put our banking info in the record. They wouldn't take the credit card without 'verifying' our banking facilities. Max keeps a lot of money in his checking account and I refused. I thought of a few changes I asked for in the flights and they were made immediately. I wondered how the agent could have gotten to the consolidator that quickly and what if the tickets were for economy class, or to whereever? We would have had no recourse. Too many things raised a red flag to me. The agent said that no one ever let that bother them before although he did admit he wouldn't put his banking information out there for anyone to get either. I've escaped a lot of close calls in the past by being cautious and of course I hated like crazy to let this go, I also remembered when Rocco was in South Africa and all of his funds disappeared from his checking account. We just couldn't chance it. I'm sure most people wouldn't have either. It was a bad weekend, but I think last night I finally realized that it was over. I'm okay now I think.
I don't like to say things like this and that is why I was sorry I had jumped the gun and posted it before it was a done deed. I just got carried away.......... So thats it. Liz
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 03:14 AM
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Susan Lynne-
I have been waiting for two weeks, watching for that first post, wondering just where you were and what sounds you were hearing. I thought about your mom and your mission. I wanted to be there with you.
When I posted last night I took a long time to compose the post and apparently you were also in the process. I clicked the send button and closed the thread.
Then WHAMMO!!!!! She's baaaaaaack. Oh Wow! Double WOW! I want to hear all about it. I want to see pictures. I want to hear about the tenting and the driving and the roads and the animals. I just bet you saw and did it all. Leave out no details. The whole story is wanted by this reader. Please. Welcome back my friend. You have been missed. Of course Kavey is soon off and galavanting around the South Pole while the rest of us can only dream of such a life, but we shall wait patiently for her to return, just hoping she may really get to the part of her trip report about Botswana and Namibia before we forget that she actually went there. (hint, hint)
So get your fingers limbered up Susan, and lets hear it. Liz
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 04:19 AM
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Liz - Sorry to hear that the air tickets didn't come thru. I'm sure something else will come your way down the road that will work and you & Max will be heading off to East Africa again.

...you know, "as one door closes, another opens." So you had better be listening for that doorbell.
 
Old Nov 9th, 2004, 04:53 AM
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Liz, I totally agree with your decision to exercise caution. I have never had to provide additional banking details when paying by credit card - the most that might be required is for the vendor to contact the credit card company and ensure that the account and card are legitimate. But to ask for details of a checking account? No way, Jose!

Things are hectic at the moment but will try and write more of that trip report up for you before I go!

Susan, welcome home!
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Old Nov 9th, 2004, 05:25 AM
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Will be writing a report as soon as I can!! Need to get it done before Kavey leaves us!
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