late entry - pole sana!

(This post was mistakenly not posted, it was written on April 4 right before our adventures began in Tanzania with safari and Zanzibar)

Grandparents are GREAT!

Bibi and Babu are here! Diego’s abuela and abuelo (fondly known as Aba and Abo) arrived on the evening of March 30. Lauren surprised them by picking them up at the airport around 9 PM. I heard my dad say from behind the glass divider, “Ann, look, it’s Lauren!” Needless to say, they were pumped to be arriving to Africa, and it was fun to see Africa through their eyes – a new Tanzania, one that had not been worn out and frustrating, like it has become for me. In actuality, Moshi has been more fun and relaxing with their help. I have company during the day, and the responsibilities are divided between the three of us, freeing me up to relax and settle into life here. On our way back from the airport, we saw our first “game” – an adult hyena crossed the road in front of us, and it was gone before we even realized, hey that was a hyena. I told mom and dad that I paid good shillings for that to happen just as they arrived! But really, this is the first interesting animal we have seen, so it was exciting, even though it was a scavenging large cat!

Most of this week has been spent in planning for safari. We are going with Mem Tours, for five days, to Ngorongoro Crater (literally, a crater with animals roaming in plentitude down in the crater) and the famous Serengeti. We will have a 5 day safari, 4 nights – 2 on the crater rim and 2 in Serengeti. It will be wonderful to finally see these African animals that you see so many photos of – right before our eyes! Diego is amazingly excited to see monkeys (that is his answer today) – we will see elephants, rhinos, zebra, gazelle, lions, and a sundry other wild beasts!! Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate with bunnies and eggs. We’ll be hanging out with giraffe and leopards and cheetahs! No silly bunnies for us.

Next week, we leave on Friday for the spice island – Zanzibar. We’ll spend the weekend with Christian, who will return on Monday to mainland in order to climb Kilimanjaro. Mom, dad, Diego and I will stay on in paradise on the beautiful beaches drinking beer (well, that’s what I’ll be doing….) while Christian labors 19,000 feet or so into the African sky. Beer? Altitude sickness? Hello…..!!!

Mom and dad sadly depart soon after our return from Zanzibar, and then we have just 3 ½ more weeks in Moshi, 1 more week in Nairobi, Kenya, and then we are HOME! Can you believe it??? I can’t wait!!!!

House still set to close April 19, with our stuff getting packed and moved on April 16, contents to arrive in Seattle on April 27 or 28. We are still haggling about small repairs, etc. but that should wrap itself up this week, I hope. Well, we’ll be on safari, so it had better!

Love to all of my loyal amigos who continue to send emails and support. Your words are encouraging, and the strength you send me to endure here has really worked. I am in a much, much better place now, and grateful that I have such wonderful, giving and supportive parents. I couldn’t have survived this month without them. Just their presence is a blessing.