birder57

Patty: Thank you so much for your "journal" re your Kenya trip. I was in Kenya in '01 andthere are no words to describe that experience. I will read your links tomorrow, but I wanted to thank you for taking the time to share your trip with us. I will be travelling to southern Africa in June: Cape Town, Kruger/Balule, Chobe, and Victoria Falls. Have you been to any of these places? Best wishes, Susan

Patty

Hi Susan,
After all of the advice and assistance I received from this board, that was the least I could do. I haven't been to Southern Africa yet. This Kenya trip was our first to Africa. I would love to go some day but right now we're just longing to return to East Africa. Hope you have a wonderful trip in June. Patty

Liz_Frazier

Patty- You'll find many here who travel first to East Africa and never go to southern Africa. Vice versa too. I think you are better off starting here and you could well return many times. Lots and lots more to see. You didn't visit Tanzania yet. Whole other place. Serengeti will leave you breathless. I'm going back after 15 years just to see the migration there. Others albums who recently went made me so homesick to see the plains there again. I'm going to drive all over to see it one last time. (I always say that, one last time.) I think I swore after our 2003 trip there that I wouldn't return. You never know. Africa has a way with your heart and when its time, you just feel a tug. Its time. Liz

Patty

Liz,
When are you leaving? I don't quite understand your comment about not returning again. Is it because you have been to East Africa so many times? Just curious.

rsnyder

Message: Yes, thanks Patty for sharing the report and photos. When I saw the first one re: Amboseli and the "dust devils" I got goosebumps asI recall seeing several of those when we first arrived there on our June trip. I particularly enjoyed the one of the lioness appearing to be studying the tiretrack. And the one of the top of Mt Kilamanjaro was especially nostalgic. Thanks for making my weekend!
Dick

Liz_Frazier

We leave on March 8th, for Tanzania. We fell in love with Botswana in 1999. I thought after 4 or 5 trips to East Africa I had seen enough, but we went back one last time in 2003, to see a Wildebeest crossing the Mara River. I just felt that East Africa had agreed to release me from the pull. That is an emotional thing some people feel and I was ready to go on to Namibia and other SA countries. I had always had special things happen on my trips to Kenya and had tried to move there in l981, but couldn't get a permit to stay. So I bid farewell, rather dramatic I guess. We are older now and travel is a lot more tiring than when I first went. Good Lord, this has been going on for so many years now. So then I got the bug after Ruthie and SusanLynne went last year to Tanzania. I just wanted to see the migration on the Southern Serengeti after having their babies. In 1990 we tried this and the migration passed up Ndutu and had their season in the Central Serengeti. So there we sat in a tented camp at Ndutu with nothing but some stupid birds. So this is one last attempt. The wildies are in Ndutu this time and we are going. I don't think I can take another long trip from LA to NBO after this. We saved our airline miles and will go first class for the first time since they got the beds in the aircraft, and this will surely be our farewell, one way or another.
The last trip to Botswana, I fell in a muddy patch and came home to back surgery, etc. Fingers are crossed for this trip and if I can make it through without incident, I don't think we'll attempt another. Liz

Liz_Frazier

Please excuse that long post. The right answer would have been, yes, we've been too many times.
I was preparing dinner and Max was doing his taxes and I just kept on and on. The last trip to TZ was 1993 not 1990 but who cares, too much detail. Liz

Patty

Hope your March trip to Tanzania is a success. I'll be waiting to hear all about it. Have a great time!

Patty

Dick,
I believe you're headed back to East Africa soon as well, right? Or am I getting everyone's trips mixed up?

rsnyder

Message: Yes Patty, your recall is right on. We have booked with Jane of Foxes of Africa for a June visit to Mikumi, Ruaha and Selous! Much of that had to do with assorted feedback on this forum. So, when I saw your photos they seemed to yell "come"! I sensed from your comments elsewhere that "Africa is in your blood as well". Again, thanks for sharing.
Dick

Patty

Dick,
Would you mind sharing your itinerary and costs? Southern Tanzania is an area that we're very interested in as well. Thanks.

rsnyder

Patty,
Our original plan was for an overnight at Dar es Salaam, the Safari Express train to Mikumi National Park (2 nites at Foxes Safari Camp, flight to Ruaha National Park for 3 nites at Ruaha River Lodge, flight then to Selous Game Reserve for 3 nites at Rufiji river Camp and then flight back to Dar for KLM flight to Amsterdam and then onto central Pennsylvania. The price was slightly under $2,700 with a single occupancy at $2,985. I understood the three of us could have a room together at the first two places but not at the Rufiji River Lodge. We got competitive prices from other companies but opted for Foxes based on commentary on this board and the mode of transportation, if all goes well. We since modified the plan to include two additional nites at Ruaha National Park based on feedback from fellow Fodorites and as a special "retirement gift" to myself, a neat extra for our high school graduating daughter and a treat for my wife of 32-plus years who had to endure numerous times when I was off at meetings regarding fisheries management for the Commonwealth of Pa. At the three parks/reserves we intend to take in considerable wildlife viewing to include at least one half day walk at Ruaha. TuskerDave spoke highly of the all-day walk but we will see. Hope this helps. Mid-June seems a long ways off.
Dick

Patty

Thanks for the info. The safari train that you're taking to Mikumi, is that the TAZARA passenger train or the private train service? We're thinking of combining Selous and Saadani on the coast, also taking the train down and then flying between the 2 parks and back to Dar. I will eagerly await your trip report!

Liz_Frazier

Dick- That itinerary sounds wonderful!! Are you retiring too? How absolutely wonderful. So many things to celebrate and you have picked the ideal trip to do so. I want to hear all about the details and especially the train trip. Want to know about those dreadful tsetse flies (hope not). I agree the trip reports coming back from there have been really neat. RuthieC., TuskerDave and others. Everything about it seems like it is the real "Old Africa" and very isolated. Just perfect. Lots of pictures, too. Liz

rsnyder

Patty, yes, the express is a private train. From what I understand the trip takes some 7 hours as the train has to yield to others on the line. Still, should be a great way to see the countryside. And, Liz, yes, I retired late in Jan after some 32-plus years as a fisheries biologist for the Pa Fish Commission, Commonwealth of Pa. By all means, we will post a trip report and certainly photos. For now, we thrive on those provided by persons such as Liz, Sandi, Jules, the Ohio boys, and a host of others. Dick

Patty

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