The happenings of Thursday October 31, 2024 travelling between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Arusha, Tanzania
The morning of our flight from Addis Ababa to Tanzania started off well. We grabbed a quick breakfast and then a bus transfer back to the airport only to learn that our flight had been delayed by about two hours. I spent the time journaling while the boys read on their kindles and Chaim attempted to work. About ninety minutes in we hear a loud yell “Gate Change! Kilimanjaro, gate change.” There was a mass exodus to switch terminals. Thankfully, it was a small airport and not a big deal, but there was a moment when we were uncertain we were heading in the right direction. After rushing to the other gate, we sat and waited some more. During the flight the boys journaled about their time in Addis and then we gave into screen time. We were okay with it since we hadn’t brought their iPads to Tanzania with us and knew they were about to have a two week screen detox.
I spent the flight journaling and thinking “I can’t believe Tanzania is here and happening!” We had been talking about and planning Tanzania for almost a year. In fact, it was the most well-thought out and coordinated part of our entire year. With only two weeks in Tanzania and a desire to go on safari, I didn’t want to waste our time. I worked with Off Season Adventures, an eco-conscious travel group, to plan this part of our trip for us, one of the best decisions I had made. After landing we deplaned right into a health inspection line. Yellow fever vaccines already acquired we moved onto the visa line. We had originally planned to procure e-visas but flights to Tanzania from Israel were touch and go due to the war and Americans are required to purchase a multi-entry yearlong visa for $100/person even if you’re staying for a weekend. We weren’t about to pay $600 in visa fees for a trip we might have to cancel. Amichai helped us complete a few of the visa papers, which we thought were good experiences. Overall, it took us about an hour to move through the visa process.
Off Season Adventures matched our family with a tour and safari guide for the first nine days of our trip. Hosea was waiting for us when we finally exited the airport. Hosea can be described as tall, strong, handsome, and genuinely friendly. He is a member of the Masai tribe and speaks Masai, Swahili, English, and French. I knew he was perfect for our family the moment he bent down and wrapped the boys in one giant group hug. With a smile from ear to ear he looked at them and said, “Welcome to Tanzania. Now, you are my children this week.” Then, he ushered us into his jeep for a two-hour ride into Arusha where we would settle into the Pazuri Inn Hotel. Along the way we could see Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, the two largest mountains in Tanzania.
The boys spent the two-hour drive sleeping or reading on their Kindles while Chaim attempted to work using his phone. I watched the world go by, soaking in every single new sight. Sixty-five percent of Tanzanians are Christian. Islam is the second largest religion in Tanzania. There are 120 tribes represented with individuals able to choose their religion. According to Hosea, everyone lives together in a harmonious, almost idyllic state. Something I found hard to believe given the state of the rest of the world, but hoped was true in a “If they can do it, we can do it” sort of way. During our drive the majority of small shops, trucks, and cars we passed had fabrics symbolizing their tribe (like a Scottish or Irish tartan) and biblical or Christian names. The others invoked Allah. One shop had a giant Star of David painted on it. Most of the shops were either in huts or on the street. Cows and goats were everywhere with children herding most of them. We also passed many children walking home from school in uniforms that included sweaters. It was about 85 degrees outside, but this is winter in Tanzania. I asked Hosea about all of the children walking and learned that school buses were only available for students in the private schools. Public school students often have to walk up to fifteen kilometers to and from school each day. Many children don’t attend school because there aren’t enough schools available or because they play hooky.
We arrived at the Pazuri Inn around 4:00PM and were greeted with a refreshing hibiscus drink and warm towels to wipe our face and hands. I immediately turned to Hosea to discuss the plan for the next few days. He laughed at me and told me that I no longer had to worry about anything while he was with us. As of this moment, I should focus only on enjoying myself and trying to relax. He would tell us just the information we needed to know to be able to dress appropriately and leave on time the next day.
After settling into our rooms, the boys were excited about going swimming and I was eager to encourage getting out some energy. After thirty minutes of sun-screening because we were afraid the African sun would burn us, we realized the sun had disappeared behind the trees already and was about to set. The boys made it about waist deep into the pool before exiting because it was full of dead mosquitoes and cold by the time we got there. We put our bathing suits away knowing we wouldn’t be using them for at least a week. And I promised myself that we would apply mosquito repellent religiously.
After the no-swim fest, Chef Damian – who looks like he is eighteen – found me and told me he was excited to show me some of the products he has in the kitchen that would be good for our family because we are from Israel. Clearly this was a moment where something got lost in translation, but I was happy to follow him. Aside from making sure we had vegetarian food available, he was excited about the Osem powder he had from a previous family from Israel. He even told me the previous guest told him to use this without additional salt. He also had Israeli pretzels, which the boys appreciated greatly.
The Pazuri Inn is lovely for a low-key lodge experience. It was the first time we experienced sleeping with mosquito nets around our beds. It is also the first place where the showers include a foot bath option. The boys decided this inn was the fanciest place we’ve been so far. I agreed. This was certainly a different travel mode. However, while it is nice to be waited on hand and foot, there is something strangely unsettling about not having full control over the small, daily aspects that are part of everyday living.
