Tanzania Tales #2 - Jambo Tanzania

Jambo Tanzania - Day 2

Location: Kilimanjaro International Airport

Time: 13:10 hrs

Just out of tenth A350 aircraft of Ethiopian Airlines! 

Unique fresh experience kick-started right the moment we landed.. yess.. we had a breath of fresh air when we exited the aircraft as the large flight landed on grounds.. we were not led to the usual aerobridges that lead to the airport offices. The very moment, we stepped down- felt the spirit of freedom from bustling stuff in open air and waited in the multiple queues for immigration! 

Mr. Joe from our service provider lifetime safaris picked us on time in the very simple airport.. 

No view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the beauty! She was shy as they Africans always say ..She never revealed her face till we hit the crossroad to Arusha from Airport road. Though we tried hard to locate on our right side of the road(as informed by Joe). My bad.. it was cloudy and that magnificent beauty got shy and slipped out of our eyes… hope to say hi to her when we return to the airport on the last day!

Enroute to Arusha, few villages, bumpy roads and the faces felt very familiar to us - thanks to the documentaries appa sees, almost every week! 

On our way to Masailand Safari Lodge in Arusha, couple of things were new and caught my attention.. 

the first attraction was Karanda, the beautiful tree loaded with tiny lavender flowers .. pretty ones that reminded pink cherry blossoms in Japan and white blossoms in Baku😍

Second thing might sound insignificant, but I came across first time- Name boards! 

Name boards when entering the village had just the name and when you exit the village/ town, it was indicated with same size form name board with a slash( a diagonal strike   out) .. even for ending of speed limits it’s there similarly..Nice Notion I felt 😄

Got a glimpse of fueling petrol to the vehicle by Joe.. Unleaded petrol was 5.94 liters - 20000 shillings - 1.5 usd per litre (which is almost same as in UAE)!

Finally we exited main road and got into the uphill roads to step into room  after 17 hours  .. we reached Masailand Safari Lodge - which looked very similar to our Amboseli Sopa Lodge & Hwange Safari lodge in Zimbabwe - except that animals were not around like in Hwange, Zimbabwe 😍

Had a simple veg buffet in the lovely restaurant and went to early bed with hopes for an exciting tomorrow! 

Waiting to hear, see, experience and get amazed by enthralling moments with mother nature tomorrow!!

Usiku Mwema!

(Good night - credits to the translation board of important Swahili words in the reception). Check out more key words yourself in the above picture!

- Amma