Roccco

(Olivers Camp only has 5 rooms, as opposed to 20 rooms at Treetops)

bat

Rocco:
You have a fabulous itinerary.
Way to go. Your prior itinerary did not upset me too much in terms of what I was missing [i.e. started to lust after Lake Manyara Tree Lodge but got over it]--now, however, with the Tarangire addition. and the lovely, romantic Treetops, you have done it--rocco envy has set in. That is a VERY, VERY , scary thought.

bat

BTW leely--that's right. Look forward to MY report--is Rocco going to be able to tell you about ronjo? I don't think so. Who loves ya, baby.

Leely

bat,
Oh, I am most definitely looking forward to your report.

In some ways I almost dread the reports if I think they'll contain observations that will somehow disappoint me. Then I remember that I'm very easygoing! Hakuna matata, right?

But I am wondering--after reading all of Rocco's changes--if I should cut a night at Moivaro and add a night at Manyara. Wondering how much that w

Leely

Ooops, itchy fingers.

Anyway, my point was that reading Rocco's adventures gives me...bad ideas. ;(

bat

I would not cut the night at Moivaro because---what if The Mom is tired, what if the planes don't make it that day, what if your luggage does not make it, what if . . .
I think that a cultural visit, or a day trip to Arusha NP is a fine way to spend a transitional day before full safari mode--just my opinion.

sandi

The tree rooms are at different levels. Those higher, even have hoists to bring up your luggage.

See how a little persistence can pay off? Maybe Treetops is a bit larger than you're used to, but it is a "gem." You did good, my friend.

Leely

bat, you're right of course. All those "what ifs" are why I built in the extra night to begin with.

But reading Fodor's itineraries always gives me bad (read: more complicated, more expensive) ideas.

Patty

Congrats, Rocco!

bat,
My shih tzu is capable of holding a grudge for days after we return

Roccco

Leely,

Ah, come on, live a little...take a risk and add that extra night at Lake Manyara!


Bat,

I cannot compete...Ronjo, or the lack of it, will be the one blemish on my Tanzanian safari.


Patty,

My dogs are also capable of carrying a grudge for a few days! The biggest grudgeholder is my Corgi, probably because as the most spoiled one, he really has a hard life as just one of the pack while we are away.


Sandi,

Thanks for the vote of confidence in my choice of Tarangire Treetops. I do hope for a very highly situated room, although I hope I do not develop a sleepwalking problem while I am up there! Look out below!


Oh, this was so much fun adding Tarangire to my itinerary...but what do I do now???

Looks like I will have to start really concentrating on my September or October Botswana & Zimbabwe visit. I am really struggling with this one. Here is one possibility that seems like it would be great:

Fly LAX - Sydney - Joburg...this is only about four hours longer than flying through Europe and would allow me to, at a minimum, check off my 6th continent, and at a maximum, would allow me to run the Sydney Marathon on September 10th. This is perfect timing and will allow me to avoid a full moon on safari while enjoying a full moon over the Sydney Harbor. Full moon is Sept 08th, I believe, which would be my first night in Sydney.

Sydney, Australia (3)
Joburg (1) (noon arrival)
Vundu Camp, Mana Pools (2)
Chikwenya, Mana Pools (2)
Somalisa, Hwange (2)
Makalolo Plains, Hwange (2)
Kwando Lebala (2) I will likely have to fly back to Victoria Falls, but Hwange is so close that I should be able to then get a light air transfer to Kwando and arrive by 3PM at the latest, well in time for my evening game activity.
Kwando Lagoon (2)
Kwando Kwara (3)
Joburg, if necessary, otherwise continue straight back to Sydney. (1)
Sydney, Australia (2)

Now I must resist the urge to splurge on any new camera equipment so that I can reserve the above with a deposit!

sonali74

Patty & Bat & rocco, I have a germanshepherd who is so adorable but can be a real meanie when I leave him a couple of days.
leely, what time are u arriving in arusha as the distance between manyara and arusha is not much... I know it is very tempting. What is your itiernary like and where are u arriving from. I think u should give manyara a second thought.
rocco, I have become addicted to botswana, found a new place to explore. I am definately coming in sept/oct to botswana, trying to make it in march to serengeti, but looking at all the botswana sites,want to go as quickly as possible to botswana

Roccco

Sonali,

Did you get my e-mail with the information you asked for about Botswana lodges?

Roccco

Not to be outdone (by myself!), I have upped the ante a bit. Upon reviewing the entire itinerary, detail by detail, with Alexsandra last night, upon hearing that we were spending two nights in Amsterdam and then would be flying Amsterdam - Paris - LAX, I hinted regret that we would not be visiting Paris.

I asked Alexsandra that since we would be returning home on a Friday if she did not want to just extend it a couple nights to stay in Paris Friday and Saturday night, this after our two nights in Amsterdam.

Just for a little background, one of her friends just visited Paris a couple months ago, and hasn't shut up about it since, acting as if she is Ferdinand Magellan since she has been to Paris. Well, the only thing that her friend didn't like about Paris was her room at whatever budget hotel she stayed at. I don't think Alexsandra will have the same complaint about the King George V Four Seasons! Hehehe.

I did not have to ask twice and was told without a moment's hesitation, that, yes, two nights in Paris would be a good idea. Hehehe.

As dear Saddam Hussein would say, this trip has transformed itself into the mother of all holidays. With this, I am done...I have no more time to add or anywhere else to possibly visit, as it is unlikely that I am going to get the urge to leave a couple days early to spend some time in Atlanta...for some reason, Atlanta just doesn't have the same charm for me as Amsterdam and Paris!

Okay, please allow me to endulge another time by putting this all down in writing...it is almost too good to be true:

Moivaro Coffee Lodge, Arusha (1)
Tarangire Treetops (2)
Lake Manyara Tree Lodge (2)
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (2)
Olduvai Camp (1)
Nomad Masek (2)
Nomad Piaya (2)
Mbuzi Mawe (2)
Palms Zanzibar (3)
Serena Inn Zanzibar (2)
Canal House, Amsterdam (2)
King George V Four Seasons, Paris (2)

Thankfully, Alexsandra has no interest in hot air ballooning over the Serengeti, and the savings on this, alone, will pay for one of those nights in Paris.

Unfortunately, I will miss a highly anticipated heavyweight championship fight that will take place the night before I return, but I am sure I can watch the replay the following weekend on HBO or Showtime. I did return a day early one time from Chile in a similar situation in order to catch the fight (an Evander Holyfield fight), so this is a big sacrifice on my part. Boohoo.

However, I did get quite a bit of satisfaction after reviewing the itinerary with Alexsandra and she recognized what a great trip we have coming up. Usually that is not the case, but perhaps Africa is growing on her, although the private vehicle & guide throughout and the Zanzibar selections did not hurt either.

I don't know how I got myself into all this, but I am glad I did. Probably just had too much time on my hands last July while I was getting very anxious about what was then an upcoming Zambia and South Africa safari. Thanks again to all of you who have guided me. I promise a trip report and photo album that will knock your socks off!

Roccco

I forgot to mention...I called Delta Airlines this morning and for a $50 per person ticketing change fee, I rebooked the return flight so that I have those two nights in Paris...I get into Paris at about 10:45AM on Friday morning, which is perfect and should have me to the hotel just after Noon...I then fly out of Paris at about 10AM on Sunday, business class direct flight, and arrive in Los Angeles at about 1:45PM, no weekday afternoon traffic to worry about!

mv

Rocco

your transfer from Hwange to Kwando may not be as quick as you anticipate.
You will probably have to stop in Vic Falls to "check out" of Zim and then a stop in Kasane for imigration into Botswana. Alternatively you may be able to fly Vic Falls to Kwando Lagoon and then drive up to the border crossing station north of the Lagoon Airstrip and then south to Lagoon or Lebala camp. This could end up being time consuming.

Michael
PS even if this is a familiarisation trip you probably need to book very soon!!

Roccco

Michael,

Thanks for the tip.

Yes, you are correct, I will need to take care of this soon if I hope to travel in September. The priority will be the safari...if I have to move around the dates in Sydney, or now, my wife is saying that she would much rather fly through Milan in order to spend a few days in Italy, then I will move the dates around.

Also, from the information you have shared, I may be best off spending one night in Victoria Falls. I hate to lose a night in Victoria Falls...a must see for first time visitors or for those who have not seen it at the proper time of year, but I don't think I could top my March 2002 visit when the falls were truly the smoke that thunders. I believe by September they will not be quite as spectacular. If I spend one night at Victoria Falls, by then I may as well spend two nights at Matetsi Water Lodge. Even if the overall gameviewing is not so great, wild dogs seem to have made themselves a fixture there recently. From my March 2002 visit, I tend to remember plenty of elephants and giraffes, as well as huge baboon troops...those are the biggest baboons that I have ever seen.

sonali74

Hi roccco, Lucky you keep adding to your itiernary. Paris is great. It is one of my favourite cities, Enjoy, Sonali.

Roccco

Sonali,

My wife is not as much of an Africa diehard that I am, but by adding pre-Africa or post-Africa visits that interest her, it works out well for both of us. Also, it gives me an excuse to justify splurging on places like Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, although I would not want to personally stay anywhere else!

cybor

Hi Rocco,
It looks like you've already made flight changes so I won't suggest making any more changes but .... It's very cold/windy in Paris in Feb. - will you be there in late March as it should be getting better by then - April/May or Sept./Oct. is the best in my op.

Those wide blvds./canals create nice wind tunnels. Also, my recollection is that it's always overcast during winter months.

I imagine that a removed Ca. person coming from sultry Zanzibar will need many layers to enjoy.

I'm sure, being the extensive and detailed planner you are, that you that you've got it under control but even I from NE would hesitate to sit in an outdoor cafe or take a boat ride down the cannels in cold weather.

Just my 2 cents;
Sherry
p.s. your trip sounds wonderful

thit_cho

Rocco, you can actually purchase stuffed animals, and by that I mean taxidermied lions, antelope, etc. at Deyrolle, which is on Rue du Bac. The upstairs has the most incredible display of taxidermy, so if you find yourself wandering the Left Bank, its worth a quick visit (its a few minutes from the Orsay Museum). Its the oddest store I have ever been in, and a bit disconcerting, but very memorable.