Homeward Bound pt. 2

Dear Reader,

I survived the wait in Dar without having to go back outside for a drink.  I was disappointed when I realised the price of Tanzanite in the duty free shops was almost double the cost in Moshi. Good thing I'm  going  back to Moshi (smile).  I saw a cute Tanzania tank top, typical tourist wear, which I figured would be a nice article of clothing to remind me of my time here.  It was $30... as in US dollars.  I probably wouldn't have paid Tsh 30,000  for it on the street so I had to walk away from that.  I have many memories that I'm positive will last a lifetime so ridiculously overpriced tourist trap, you may keep your shirt!
The flight to Dubai went faster than expected. After some rest and a refreshing shower I'm ready for my day of wandering around the Dubai International Airport. Maybe I'll find a camel for Baby Oz... it is Hump Day after all!

Homeward Bound pt. 1

This morning we left the resort at 8:30am for the first leg of our journey home.  After a quick 20 minute flight to Dar es Salaam we were not thrilled to find out that check in for our Dubai flight wouldn't begin until 1pm... that left us with about an hour an a half to sit in limbo. We're currently in a seating area between security and the check in desks.  There are no shops (tragic) or anything. Having ditched all liquids back in Zanzibar I'm feeling a little parched and now debating if I feel like going out and looking around (which may lead to hassle from local merchants) and then coming back through security... we'll see what happens

Hakuna Matata -15/08

Today was a lazy day.  I pigged out on breakfast, went for a swim on the beach, enjoyed a late lunch, took a swim in the pool, got a henna tattoo in a thatched hut on the beach, had dinner on our patio and watched some of the Olympics before packing and getting ready for bed.
Nzuri sana! (Very good).

Prison Island - 14/08

Word of the day: recalcitrant.
Prison Island was originally used to detain recalcitrant slaves before being a quarantine station.
I took a guess using context clues and then looked it up... my first thought was I'm pretty good, second was wondering if I could use that word in either parent communication or report card writing hehe. I doubt either one would be given the okay.

The main attraction on the island these days are the giant tortoises which we were able to feed.  Aren't they cute in their own special way?  {{Photos to follow}}

Next up: Next Paradise - 13/08

Yesterday we checked in to Next Paradise Beach Resort... it's a big change from our time in the bush!  Things like air conditioning and continuous power supply were amenities I'd forgotten all about over the past month.
The resort is beautiful, our bungalow looks out to the pool and just over the hedge- the white sand beach.  I've already dipped my feet into the Indian Ocean! 
Rest and relaxation will be the name of the game for this leg of the trip. I'm looking forward to it.

The Nature Walk - 12/08

At 6:30am this morning Neka and I went for a nature walk/walking safari with Eric and an armed guide.  I have forgotten how to pronounce his name so we'll call him Mr. M. We were given clear instructions to stay behind Mr. M. at all times and to let Eric know if we wanted to stop to take photos- basically for safety reasons we needed to stay as a group. 
We learned a lot about trees, animal habits, dung, insects and birds. My nerd side was in its glory. We were able to get a lot closer to the giraffes and impala than we were in the jeeps.
There's a reconstructed hippo skeleton set up which was interesting to see. I picked up one of his thigh bones and a tooth for closer inspection. You can tell it is the skeleton of a male by the narrow pelvis.
{photo will go here}
Still no leopard, but I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with a leopard without the safety of the jeep. Eric says if I saw all of the Big 5 I wouldn't need to come back, so this means I'll definitely want to come back to Africa.  He's so right.

Fine Bush Dining pt. 2 - 11/08

This morning we headed out for an early morning game drive.  We shared the drive with a French couple and it was our first shared drive of the trip - we've been pretty blessed to have private drives.  That Maasai bracelet must work for some things 😉.
We drove through an area that the leopards apparently like with no luck and then Eric got notice of a lion with a young buffalo kill.  We we heading to see that when instead we got the treat of finding two lionesses and two lion cubs!!!! Who was excited - me, of course!  Neka was too. The lions were literally walking on the road and we followed them.  The road was my least favourite type in the Park- black cotton soil that is sticky mud during the rainy season.  Thanks to the countless hippos and elephants that trudge through the mud, it dries as a ridiculously bumpy and hard surface.  There's no rushing on these roads.  Eric always jokes that we are getting a free massage...I guess that's one way of looking at it.
Back to the matter at hand we followed the lions until they stopped for a rest in the grass.  I can't wait to share the photos with you! Thanks again to my Auntie and Uncle for my amazing camera!  I can't imagine my trip without it.
Once it was clear that the lions were settled in we continued on our way... the only thing growling now was my stomach!  Eric took us to a picnic area near a giant baobab tree and set up our Fine Bush Dining breakfast. I was happy to see that pancakes were on the menu.  They were a hit with everyone - between the five of us we devoured all of them.
We checked in on the lion and his buffalo before driving back to camp for our siesta  and lunch. 
In the afternoon Neka and I had another drive, this time around two of the lakes.  We got up close and personal with some hippos, saw plenty of crocodiles, a wide variety of birds, vervet monkeys and the usual giraffes and impalas. This will be our last safari drive. 
Tomorrow morning we're heading out on a nature walk before breakfast and we leave camp after lunch to continue our journey to Zanzibar.