We woke up early this morning to pack up and load our bags on the plane. Because we were staying at the MAF Guest House and flying out on a MAF plane, they told us we could just bring our luggage over to the plane in the hanger at 7 am. As we rolled our luggage over to the hanger, we met Erasto and Nessie. They had come to help us and say goodbye. Erasto was wearing the US Soccer Team polo shirt I gave him. It was the only time all week we had seen him wear anything other than a suit and tie :-)
Since the plane we were flying out on was a little 4-seater, everything had to be weighed carefully so the pilot would know exactly how much fuel he would need for the trip. I think before I complain again about how intrusive the security measures are on commercial airlines, I will remember that at least they don't make you stand on a scale in front of the pilot (yet!). After we loaded our luggage on the plane, we walked over to the airport so we could go through "security" - a woman with a metal detector wand. We were a little concerned about the flight because Clif lost his Dramamine pills yesterday, and he usually needs them every time he flies. We didn't know how he would handle this little, bumpy plane. But he took some Tylenol PM as an emergency back-up medication, and he managed to arrive in Arusha with all of his stomach contents intact.
We had to hang out at the Arusha airport for a while before our driver appeared, but then he took us over to eat lunch at The Blue Heron. This restaurant was recommended by Ed and Debra, and the food was delicious! Clif had a chicken slaw salad, and I had a pizza with olives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes. We ate outside, but it is actually cold here in Arusha. I never expected to have to bundle up in Africa in June, but both Clif and I have layers of clothes on to stay warm.
I looked on Trip Advisor last night to read about the lodge where we would be staying. People mentioned that the road to the lodge looked a little "rough", but once inside the gate, it was a lovely place. I didn't think any road could seem rough after the roads we had experienced in Dodoma, but I have to say, this road was actually a little rough. True enough, however, once we were inside the gates of The Ahadi Lodge, we were greeted with a glass of cold, fresh juice and great hospitality. The only complaint is that the electricity is off, and the generator is not strong enough to run the hot water heater - so no hot showers for now. We laid down to take a nap and didn't stir until 2 hours later. The last two weeks have been some of the greatest of my entire life, but we have been experiencing new things every single day, and I think all the mental stimulation just wore us out. People who have been on safaris have told us that it can be as relaxing or exciting as you want it to be, so we'll just play each day by ear. I don't know that I'll ever get another chance to go on safari, so I don't want to miss anything that I really should see. But we are looking forward to seeing the breath-taking scenery as much as the animals, so whatever we see will be spectacular.
I'm missing my kids (and my dog), and I'm sad that this trip is 2/3 over, but I am so very GRATEFUL to God and the Lilly Foundation for this amazing trip.
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