As many of you know, my family paid a visit during the recent holiday season! I asked my Dad to write a few things for my blog, and he came up with a tidbit or two: (Sorry Dad, had to edit information about my location for security's sake!)
For Carol's birthday our safari guide, Godbless Mariki, asked her
what she wanted to see. "Lions", she said, and that is what Godbless
found - it was really special to be so close to a group that was
literally paralyzed from their feasting. The droopy eyelids on the
lions brought back recollections of the same feelings we have after a
thanksgiving meal.
Dad and Michelle got to trek
to the pool and waterfall that we think of as "Carol's waterfall" - it
was in some ways going back to a familiar place, having seen it in
pictures Carol sent, or maybe it reminded me of places I've been in my
youth - streams in the Western Ghats of India (like Grandpa's coffee
estate), or streams I've drunk from in my treks Himachal Pradesh, or
maybe even Old Man's Cave in Ohio. Having learned from previous
experience we were careful not to drink while we took a dip.
For
Dad, Carol's village was a haven of peace. Yes, the physical exertion of
trudging up and down the hills, over the rough road and powdery dust
(this is dry season), sometimes under the blazing sun - all of that
gives us time to decompress and de-stress. That was the best. The
roosters crowing at any hour (day or night), whenever they felt like it -
that left some kind of ringing in my head. Days later, any time there
was background noise, I could hear rooster sounds in them - definitely
something manufactured in my brain. Fortunately the condition has
cleared, but I miss the sound that is quite pleasant (harsh and sweet at
the same time).
I was most impressed with the
peacefulness, simplicity and honesty in the people of Tanzania. The
guides and staff, taxi drivers and people selling some good or service
and so on don't hassle you as much as you might expect. Tips are
accepted gracefully (this was true in Tanzania and Turkey). People and
places (like bathrooms) were cleaner than I expected. I am so glad we
got to make this trip and that everything went smoothly with our
travels, health and well-being.
