trip report: Tanzania & Zanzibar (28/6 to 14/7)
Jul 18th, 2006, 05:30 AM
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trip report: Tanzania & Zanzibar (28/6 to 14/7)
Hi all! I'm back! Back where I don't belong. (read; I wish I could have stayed over there)
Had a great trip. 10 day safari (Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Empakai, Serengeti) and 5 days on Zanzibar.
Many thanks to Bwana Mitch, Andy Biggs, Johan_Belgium and others for the great tips!
And a special thanks to the person (forgot the name) who told me to look for an authentic boma instead of one of those tourist traps! (you'll read all about it later on)
I cannot believe all that happened to us. Not only the boma visit. We had a jackall scratching at the side of our tent, and a hyena 50 meters from that same tent. We saw (at least part of) the migration at night. And we saw a leopard 20 meters from where people were standing outside their vehicles (no, I will not say where that was just yet, it's a suprise). And our photo group is now the proud owner of a lenscap with teethmarks of a lionesse in Ngorongoro!
I started a trip report on Aardvark (well, after all I am a mod on the Africa forum there so I hope the crew here don't mind putting it there). So come on over if you'd like to read:
http://www.aardvarktravel.net/chat/v...ic.php?t=21459
I only wrote about day 1 so far, as I still need to process all of my pics (7500 in total). So stay tuned for more.
Ciao!
J.
Had a great trip. 10 day safari (Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Empakai, Serengeti) and 5 days on Zanzibar.
Many thanks to Bwana Mitch, Andy Biggs, Johan_Belgium and others for the great tips!
And a special thanks to the person (forgot the name) who told me to look for an authentic boma instead of one of those tourist traps! (you'll read all about it later on)
I cannot believe all that happened to us. Not only the boma visit. We had a jackall scratching at the side of our tent, and a hyena 50 meters from that same tent. We saw (at least part of) the migration at night. And we saw a leopard 20 meters from where people were standing outside their vehicles (no, I will not say where that was just yet, it's a suprise). And our photo group is now the proud owner of a lenscap with teethmarks of a lionesse in Ngorongoro!
I started a trip report on Aardvark (well, after all I am a mod on the Africa forum there so I hope the crew here don't mind putting it there). So come on over if you'd like to read:
http://www.aardvarktravel.net/chat/v...ic.php?t=21459
I only wrote about day 1 so far, as I still need to process all of my pics (7500 in total). So stay tuned for more.
Ciao!
J.
Jul 18th, 2006, 07:58 AM
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Indeed; seems his website has some issues. Strange. You may want to try again later.
About KLM; you can ask here as well, I'll try to answer.
Note (to everyone else as well); of course I'll be answering questions here too. No need to register @ Aardvark if you don't want to.
About KLM; you can ask here as well, I'll try to answer.
Note (to everyone else as well); of course I'll be answering questions here too. No need to register @ Aardvark if you don't want to.
Jul 18th, 2006, 09:32 AM
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Pixelpower,
Thanks for the very informative and entertaining start of your report, and the lovely pictures. Is the gecko going to attack the stick insect? The missed luggage is one of my worst nightmares. I’m looking forward to reading about Ikoma.
Thanks for the very informative and entertaining start of your report, and the lovely pictures. Is the gecko going to attack the stick insect? The missed luggage is one of my worst nightmares. I’m looking forward to reading about Ikoma.
Jul 18th, 2006, 10:22 AM
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A great start, pixelpower. I enjoyed all of the background info too. Loved the champagne in the shoebox to start the trip. Looking forward to the next installment and wondering when you'll get your luggage 
Jul 18th, 2006, 10:46 AM
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Thanks for the offer. Here goes.
I am leaving in just 3 weeks on a camping safari. Have only 50 minutes to change planes in AMS. I *know* that they will not manage it, so I want to take only one carry-on backpack and wear the rest in pockets of my safari (camera-type) vest, or slung around my neck.
~ Will they get upset if there is a bottle of disinfectent sticking out of my pocket? It weighs 1/2 kilo and I don't want to pack it.
~ I know that I am allowed up to 8 kilo. Is KLM 'fussy' or might I get away with 9 or 10 kilo?
~ Is there also a 'dimensions' parameter for carry-on luggage, or just weight?
- If I am carrying a sleep sack seperately too is that considered 2 carry-on items? Are two permitted?
- What about if I am wearing a day-pack (small) seperately? Would that be considered to much for carry-on together with the 45 liter back pack and sleep sack?
TIA!!
I am leaving in just 3 weeks on a camping safari. Have only 50 minutes to change planes in AMS. I *know* that they will not manage it, so I want to take only one carry-on backpack and wear the rest in pockets of my safari (camera-type) vest, or slung around my neck.
~ Will they get upset if there is a bottle of disinfectent sticking out of my pocket? It weighs 1/2 kilo and I don't want to pack it.
~ I know that I am allowed up to 8 kilo. Is KLM 'fussy' or might I get away with 9 or 10 kilo?
~ Is there also a 'dimensions' parameter for carry-on luggage, or just weight?
- If I am carrying a sleep sack seperately too is that considered 2 carry-on items? Are two permitted?
- What about if I am wearing a day-pack (small) seperately? Would that be considered to much for carry-on together with the 45 liter back pack and sleep sack?
TIA!!
Jul 18th, 2006, 11:02 AM
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According to the KLM website, you're allowed 10 kg with max dimensions of 55 x 35 x 25 cm. In addition, you're allowed some personal items and a camera bag but I don't know if a sleep sack would qualify.
http://www.klm.com/travel/nl_en/trav...ance/index.htm
http://www.klm.com/travel/nl_en/trav...ance/index.htm
Jul 18th, 2006, 11:05 PM
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@Nyamera: I don't think it was going to attack. They were both just sitting there, under a lamp outside a bungalow. I guess they were just "keeping warm".
It was the only bungalow with electricity. Apparently a very obese American woman stayed there, and she needed electricity all night for some sort of oxygen mask. At the time we took the shots, she had already drained the batteries of her bungalow, so she was waiting while staff installed a generator. IMHO people like that shouldn't go to Africa. But that's another discussion.
@Leely; thanks.
@Patty: IF we get the luggage at all!
@Africnow: Patty already summarized the official rules, but in reality: they hardly check at all. At least it was like that in our case.
Weight; some of our photo bags weighed 15kg. But luckily, all of them ar rather compact, so it doesn't show from the outside. I guess it helps if you walk around with your bag pretending it's as light as a feather. ;-)
Something sticking out of your pocket; no KLM won't mind I think. We all wore photo vests, some with filled pockets; some empty. The only thing that is annoying with filled pockets in your vest is the inbetween airport checks (non-KLM, but security crew). Here they scan everything, so it's better to take out the vest completely at such a checkpoint, and not to start emptying your pockets.
Carrying two items; normally you are allowed to bring hand-luggage and a small purse. In reality I saw a lot of people combining two bags. But they were always small, not big (like a laptop and a backpack). My wife carried a backpack and her purse too. No questions were asked. The most extreme example; one of us (Willy) had a photo bag, but sinced that bag had a lot of pockets on the outside, he put another, normal sportsbag (leather) over it. His reason for doing so; he didn't want anything stolen out of those outside pockets. This made the whole thing seem fairly big. But on top of that, he took a 2nd bag. A smaller camera bag for body+wide lens. Looked kinda like a small backpack, the type kids often wear to school. Well; he passed fine when boarding the KLM flight in Belgium. In AMS, one guy DID make a remark, but Willy answered that he had already passed the checkpoint in Brussels and that 2 itmers were allowed after all ...and he could proceed. Nobody asked us any questions after that, not on the way back, not on the local flights either.
About local flights; on our Air Excel tickets (Seronera airstrip -> Arusha -> Zanzibar) was written; "luggage weight (including hand luggage): max 15kg". Woops. Well... The let us stow away our bags ourselves, and no questions were asked or remarks were made. Not that I could spot any balance @ Seronera airstrip. ;-)
It was the only bungalow with electricity. Apparently a very obese American woman stayed there, and she needed electricity all night for some sort of oxygen mask. At the time we took the shots, she had already drained the batteries of her bungalow, so she was waiting while staff installed a generator. IMHO people like that shouldn't go to Africa. But that's another discussion.
@Leely; thanks.
@Patty: IF we get the luggage at all!
@Africnow: Patty already summarized the official rules, but in reality: they hardly check at all. At least it was like that in our case.
Weight; some of our photo bags weighed 15kg. But luckily, all of them ar rather compact, so it doesn't show from the outside. I guess it helps if you walk around with your bag pretending it's as light as a feather. ;-)
Something sticking out of your pocket; no KLM won't mind I think. We all wore photo vests, some with filled pockets; some empty. The only thing that is annoying with filled pockets in your vest is the inbetween airport checks (non-KLM, but security crew). Here they scan everything, so it's better to take out the vest completely at such a checkpoint, and not to start emptying your pockets.
Carrying two items; normally you are allowed to bring hand-luggage and a small purse. In reality I saw a lot of people combining two bags. But they were always small, not big (like a laptop and a backpack). My wife carried a backpack and her purse too. No questions were asked. The most extreme example; one of us (Willy) had a photo bag, but sinced that bag had a lot of pockets on the outside, he put another, normal sportsbag (leather) over it. His reason for doing so; he didn't want anything stolen out of those outside pockets. This made the whole thing seem fairly big. But on top of that, he took a 2nd bag. A smaller camera bag for body+wide lens. Looked kinda like a small backpack, the type kids often wear to school. Well; he passed fine when boarding the KLM flight in Belgium. In AMS, one guy DID make a remark, but Willy answered that he had already passed the checkpoint in Brussels and that 2 itmers were allowed after all ...and he could proceed. Nobody asked us any questions after that, not on the way back, not on the local flights either.
About local flights; on our Air Excel tickets (Seronera airstrip -> Arusha -> Zanzibar) was written; "luggage weight (including hand luggage): max 15kg". Woops. Well... The let us stow away our bags ourselves, and no questions were asked or remarks were made. Not that I could spot any balance @ Seronera airstrip. ;-)
Jul 19th, 2006, 08:08 PM
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Welcome back, Jochen! I trust that you had a wonderful time. I will head over and read your report from your adventure.
By the way, my link doesn't work because there is a period (.) in the wrong place in the link. Just an FYI.
As a side note, reading all of these Africa posts today really makes me homesick for Tanzania right now. I have only been back home for about 1 month, and cannot wait to get back in early September.
By the way, my link doesn't work because there is a period (.) in the wrong place in the link. Just an FYI.
As a side note, reading all of these Africa posts today really makes me homesick for Tanzania right now. I have only been back home for about 1 month, and cannot wait to get back in early September.
Jul 21st, 2006, 01:31 AM
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OK, the day with the lenscap-story is on. I will continue wriing after the WE.
Have fun reading, but please be patient for the rest. It may be monday or tuesday before I can continue.
Have fun reading, but please be patient for the rest. It may be monday or tuesday before I can continue.
Jul 22nd, 2006, 11:02 AM
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Hi bat,
You'll have to wait until mid next week for that.
Today, I just finished processing all my RAW's. Up next; putting them into chronological order and making the pano's. After that, one last Photoshop-treatment (crops, removing dust in skies, ...).
A lot of work, but I like doing it!
You'll have to wait until mid next week for that.
Today, I just finished processing all my RAW's. Up next; putting them into chronological order and making the pano's. After that, one last Photoshop-treatment (crops, removing dust in skies, ...).
A lot of work, but I like doing it!
