FRIDAY, Aug 2 – Arusha
On this, our final full day in Tanzania, Rashid took a handful of us back to Lake Duluti for one last foray into nature. We arrived earlier than the last time we were here, and since it was overcast there were a lot fewer small birds. But because it was a weekday, there were fewer people as well - which made for a really nice and peaceful walk around the entire lake.
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| Did you know? Nile monitor lizards can grow up to 7 ft. long! |
We finally saw a Nile monitor lizard who (by the time I got to him) had slid from the banks into the lake so that only his head was peeking up out of the water. We'd been hoping to see one since they were common in the area, but it may have been a bit too overcast for them to bask in the sun. These large lizards eat fish, birds, eggs, and small mammals, and spend a lot of their time swimming or lounging in the water.
Allie, Rashid, and I had lunch overlooking the lake, which was nice and relaxing. Our final reflection session was scheduled for that afternoon, so we weren't able to linger as long as we would have liked, but it was still a wonderful last hurrah.
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| Look, ma! Clean clothes! |
That night, we had a lovely final dinner in Arusha - several of us wore our finest outfits (which meant clean clothes that we hadn't yet worn - quite a luxury!) It was also fun having a photo shoot and seeing how awful the end results could be...
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| Ummm, T'Shango... what are you taking a photo of? |
SATURDAY, Aug 3 – Arusha
Half our group left early this morning, but I was lucky enough to be on the last flight out that evening, which meant a free day in Arusha. We went to the Maasai market to shop for final souvenirs - I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but it was fun to poke around. There are many handicrafts that the Maasai are known for, particularly beading and woodcarvings, so I picked up some fun pieces just to spend the last of my Tanzanian shillings. It was nerve-wracking trying to figure out how much I could stuff into my already-heavy bag, but I got it all to fit!
As I was packing, a knock came at my door - Rashid had finally found a chameleon! This had been on my "I reaally reeeally realllllly want to see" wish list, and Allie and I had been searching the hotel gardens (and any greenery on the side of the road) for many, many days looking for one, to no avail. I was resigned to the fact that because of my poor, untrained eyes, I wasn't going to see one. Needless to say, there
maaaaay have been some squealing when I opened the door...
He was the most adorable Kilimanjaro Two-horned Chameleon - a species native to the montane forests around southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. While chameleons normally move slowly and deliberately as they try to blend into their surroundings, this guy was quite a jumper as he valiantly tried to escape our (admittedly smothering) love. Luckily, he was so light that jumping and falling onto the ground didn't hurt him. Getting to see and photograph him was the absolute best sendoff from an amazing summer in Tanzania!
Things I will never forget:
- Squat toilets in the middle of the bathroom floor are a fun little obstacle, especially when they are between the shower and the bathroom door... and particularly when the tile is slick with water at night during a power outage.
- That time we all needed a lesson on How to Use the Toilet Sprayer: hold the sprayer with your right hand, aim carefully (!), and wash yourself clean with your left hand. Drip dry. Pray you haven't made a mess.
part b - Don't touch food with your left hand!
- In Swahili culture, you always say that everything is always
nzuri - fine and dandy, even when it isn't.
How's your food? Good! But, too salty...
How's the bed? Wonderful! But, rock hard.- The 11 wonderful educators that traveled together for five weeks - not an easy task when there are differeing expectations, tolerances, desires, and needs. I'm so thankful for our fearless leaders Rashid and Said, who did everything they could including sacrificing themselves for the sake of our comfort.
Bye, Tanzania! I will be back!
