raelond

Rocco, I also want to thank you for posting such a comprehensive report. I enjoyed reading all of it. Off topic, we will be staying at the Inter-Continental in Lusaka in July and I have a few questions about the jeweler there. Would you mind if I e-mailed you?

Roccco

raelond,

By all means, please feel free to e-mail me and I would be happy to assist.

Roccco

Matt,

It would be my pleasure to meet one day whether it is in Portugal, Los Angeles or Tanzania.

Cheers.

matnikstym

Great report Rocco! Finally got to read it all, though it didn't convince me to travel to East Africa...YET! Maybe in 2008. Do you still owe Alexsandra a weekend in Paris? How'd you make out on the travel insurance, having to cancel some parts of your trip? And how's the toe? Can't wait to see all your pics, you posting soon?
Thanks for the great read!
Dennis

Roccco

janet,

Your perceptions are absolutely correct.

Thanks for the kind words and I will do my best to provide my clients an incredible safari no matter what part of Africa is visited. I do think that spending the last five years on Fodors with my fellow travelers will always keep me somewhat grounded and never allow me to be out of touch with clients expectations.

I agree with much of what you said regarding an experienced traveler setting up their own safari. However, even an experienced traveler will often have a hard time getting more than a token discount at the best lodges/camps. Often times there are long stay discounts, special promotions, special relationships between a tour operator and a certain lodge/camp, that may allow for better pricing than even the most savvy traveler may put together for themselves.

Although this was my first time to Tanzania, there were many important lessons learned that will definitely be applied in the future.

Thanks for your interest in my trip report.

Roccco

Dennis,

Thanks for your comments.

My photos may be seen at www.kodakgallery.com/rocco/tanzania

I will be posting more in a few days as I still have the last three days of my safari that have not been included (one day at Ndutu and two days at Mbuzi Mawe).

Trust me...while I was rotting away at my very expensive room in Zanzibar, I was wishing that I was in South Luangwa! I probably could have gotten there just in time to be in the vehicle with you for your own lion kill that you witnessed! Greedy, I know, but even three nights at Luangwa River Lodge and three nights at Puku Ridge would have been worth a short flight from Nairobi to Lusaka.

Hopefully I will have a chance to get back to Zambia next year, including a first time visit to North Luangwa and Kafue. I really did miss Zambia and it does remain my favorite destination.

LyndaS

Well done report report, Rocco! Thanks, I really enjoyed reading it.

matnikstym

Most excellent pictures! You've come a long way with that big camera of yours! Let us know when you post more.
Thanks,
Dennis

atravelynn

So the vest photo preceded you. Where can the rest of us admire this vest and model?
Thanks for the report.

Roccco

Atravelynn,

Here is a link:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/saphve.html

I also bought it from the same company and it shipped immediately.

stamiya

Rocco - I think you've set the standard for trip reports! Made for an excellent read. Your highs were very high and your lows weren't godawful, so all in all I'd call that a very successful trip!

Leely

stamiya,
Actually I think Rocco indicated his highs were only about 50 ft. max.

Rocco, let us all know when you've put more pictures up. And thanks again for this hilarious report. Sorry about the toe.

thit_cho

Rocco, great report, and I'm glad I waited to read it all. You seem very fair in both your compliments and your criticisms, and you are in a very good place to judge having been on several safaris. It sounds like a great trip, with lots of ups and a few downs. And, as you wrote, you saw a lot that you wouldn't have seen on a return trip to southern Africa. Thanks for sharing.

I have less than three months until my next safari -- I just need to survive this weekend's trip to Wyoming to climb Devils Tower. I have never climbed, but it looks like fun.

Michael

atravelynn

Thank you for the link. I've actually visited the site and chatted with them over the phone. I just ordered a vest myself. Somehow I thought YOU would be modeling the vest on the webpage. I must be terribly confused but look forward to my new vest anyway.

sandi

Rocco -

Goodness, I was expecting something special. That's the original safari vest which I've had for too too many years. Have to admit that the price shown is excellent; I believe I paid about $80 when these first became available.

Strange, though, that I haven't taken this with me in years. It's just too heavy, certainly to pack; too heavy on my body for more than an hour or so. But, I'm sure your broad shoulders did justice to this fashion item!

Patty

Great report, Rocco! Looking forward to the additional photos.

Roccco

atravelynn,

Here is the link where I am modeling the vest:

http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/video-t...ials-rocco.htm

I never found it too heavy but I didn't wear it very often, either. I completely forgot to take it to Tanzania, but I didn't really need it. It was great, however, to help me meet the strict weight limits of Virgin Atlantic last September.

sueblue

That was an amazing report! I am about to finalize my own itinerary as you may recall. Do you have the website for Nomad? Is it www.nomadtours.co? Are Nomad and CC Africa very high end operators? Can you use one of them all the way through Kenya and Tanzania? I like my itinerary but perhaps these operators will have access to higher end accomodations at this late date?

Roccco

Here is the website for Nomad:

www.nomad-tanzania.com

bat

Rocco:
Yeah, an overdose of raspberry filled donuts is often mistaken for drunkeness
Thanks for the report.

A couple of questions: did you have an ocean view from your room at the Palms?

Would you recommend Canal House for a multi night stay in Amsterdam?