BGGS - Marafiki

We're back in Moshi after spending three days on Safari at various national parks.

We have seen all of the big five ( the five animals that are supposedly the hardest to hunt) - Water buffalo, Cheeta/Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, Lion; as well as hippos, flamingos, warthogs and wilderbeast just to name a few. We are headed off early tomorrow morning on a bus to Dar es Salem from which we will catch the ferry that will take us to Zanzibar. We have three full days in Zanzibar before heading back to Dar to start the long plane journey home.

We also had the opportunity to visit a Masai village which had more impact on us than I think an of us expected. We were shown inside a traditional hut and were alo allowed to witness some traditonal dancing and singing - Mr Seaha (Baboo as he has become known) joined in but I hink he was a little intimidated by how high they could jump.

Everyone is well and we are all having a great time - there is something quite intoxicating about the African way of life, and I'm sure it we leave an impression on us all. I can tell we are all looking forward to seeing our family and friends again but we will always remember the Marafiki trip to Tanzania.

Hello everyone. That was Bec, it's Jim here now. We are all well but the heat has set in as we have been on the plains for the past 3 days...saw some wonderful sights, the crater is amazing in itself, the animals make it a true paradise in my eyes. The evening safari in Lake Manyara National Park was equaly amazing....at one point, the landcruiser was surrounded by baboons, at another, a family of elephants crossed so close in front of us that you could almost reach out and touch them....Today, in Tarangeri, we witnessed a herd of 50 or so elephants feeding very closeby.....jaw dropping really!

Everyone is wonderfully well...very little illness apart from some altitude related which is now behind us....been in touch with the other 5 groups and they are equally well....such a relief tothis old man! Off to Zanzibar on the Dar express at 7 in the mornng....links with the ferry across so expecting to be sleeping on Zanzibar tomorrow night (a change that we have made to the itin). Talk of late has been much about Christamas food...everyone bragging about their mother's cooking...if only you could here how wonderfully they speak of their mums!

Will email once more from Zanaibar just before we leave.

Jim