Off On Safari

A lot of heavy hearts this am. as we said so long to some wonderful new friends.  We are all excited to be off to home, safari or new destinations but that all said ... hard do leave each other after a pretty intensive experience where teaming got everyone through.

Lots of highs and some lows including discussions and support for the surprisingly large number of us who had relatives with serious health challenges - a daughter who's father had a kidney transplant ... another who's dad was having heart and health challlenges ...  to a niece who's relatively young aunt tragically got pneumonia and suddenly passed away ... to son who's aging mom after an emergency 2 weeks stay in hospital was released then immediately suffered a fall and badly broken hip. Life does not stand still it seems!

With Ashish, Aldrey, Augusto, Ilona, Sonia good-byes complete a large group of us flew out of Dar at 1:30 to Kilimanjaro and to connect up with Emmanuel who we have been planning with by phone for 3 months.  There he was right on schedule with an itinerary and gifts.

As we have come to expect Shaun met someone on the flight and struck up a long deep conversation.  This time a professor who received a nice Eye Bee M hat when we landed.

I must say the accommodation is a bit of a change from the last few weeks.  The Mount Meru Hotel is very open air and very nice.  I'm starting the get a sense of the family tree symbols that are very prevalent in Tanzania.   It is intended to show a families roots... the hotel has a number of representations that are stunning.

It was wonderful to lounge in the pool after a hot day .. off to our first game park in the am.

 A couple of little girls were interested in keeping our pool toy.  Big sister and little sister thing going on!! 

Final Team Presentations

We assembled at 3 pm and travelled to a local hotel for a DOT debrief followed by executive presentations to the combined host organizations, COSTECH and government.

The women had decided to have Tanzanian dresses made which were delivered about 30 minutes before departure.  Hey as a "MAN WITH A WIFE and TWO DAUGHTERS" .. one of the things I say often and am ribbed about ... I understand there were some frayed nerves prior to dresses arriving!  Wait was worth it as we all stepped of the bus .. men and women .. in local attire.

Theo Mlaki facilitated a session where we commented on many aspects of the program. Despite some hiccups to a person we all were extremely grateful for this incredible opportunity ... a career highlight for me for sure ... and our wonderful team mates.  Front row seats ... we are the show ... we get ready to roll.

Mlaki had picked up on our Tribe of the Network and based on a secret ballot vote of the tribe members I was somehow voted in as the tribes King.  Theo came prepared with a Maasi wrap and traditional ebony and bone stick.    In what resembled the Bush/Gore hanging chad fiasco from a few years back in the U.S.A. ...  on a third ballot ... Petra became Queen of the tribe and I was asked to wrap her in a scarf to cover her head (again I've witnessed some of this on the home front thank goodness).  She got a matching spoon.  Tribe photo's followed.  Just a word on all this ... everyone were king and queen of this team ..  all contributed in special ways which was evident in the quality of work and host organizations gratitude. I was honoured to represent the team!!  

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The international Tribe of the Network

Presentations occur ... IBM CSC Tanzania  ... what a team!!

Aldrey cued the amazing slide show he put to music and after some comments from David Sawe, IBM Tanzania GM, the formal program ended.

Tanzania 7 had done a "Smarter Transportation" engagement last year and this man was representing the Traffic Authority.  He came over and I suggested the King stick trumped his traffic baton!!

The presentations end, banquet follows and we say our goodbyes to Cr. Mcharazo and our friends at the library.... hey where is Mr. Comfort?

Back at the hotel we had a final beverage and Francis had the team sign her shirt.  

Final comments to follow upon completion of Safari and return to Canada!!

Dar Market and Sites

Last chance to go to the Dar es Salaam market and most took advantage of it.   You need a thick skin as as the shop keepers and their assistants see you coming and scramble to get you to come into the depths of their shops.   If their was a market in Calgary for African art ... importing this merchandise would be a great little business.  As usual I think of pictures later that I should have taken.  For starters I would have taken a photo of the craftsmen carving or chiselling the large ebony items ... twigas, family trees, rhinos.  

Tanzinite... the fellow was asking about $300 USD I believe for his gems ... buyer beware!

Back at the Peacock I took a few pictures from the balcony.  Shaun dropped over and we saw some interesting sites across the way.  This is the mosque with loudspeakers we hear the 5:15 am. morning call from.  With Shaun in the frame you can see it is a kilo meter or so away .. sound carries in the still of the damp morning air.

A little closer in just off the balcony people live as they might in any high density developing city of 3 million .. proud of their space and working to put food on the table and live life.  Across the way a fellow was taking a shower using water running out of a roof top tap.  

Time to get dressed for final report presentations and a farewell dinner with all of our hosts, the government and of course a tight knit team of 15 consultants.

Team Dinner Draft

Was nice to wind down a bit at
 a sea side restaurant. 

The South an Central American boys.

Aldrey and August .. toast

Hey I know how to do this in my country

Pearl ... husband on the way 

Just a bit happy

We love to have our pictures taken

Illona and Petra  ...  nice smile girls

Can you believe all this?

Brazilian seafood chowder in a spicy tomato sauce

Show Time - We Are Looking Forward to Presenting our rad

Off to the National Library with our presentations

Morning started out on a disappointing note ... we were hoping the fever Christie developed yesterday would be very short lived ... instead she asked for a room service order of toast and water!!  Hope she can rally and attend the Friday night event given all of her contributions to the project.

After kicking it off ... each of the team spoke to sections of the report.

Photo opportunity ... the official handing over of the report!!  Dr. Mcharozo , government officals representing education, technology .. Theo and IBMers.  Super feedback.  We felt great. 

Our team had the bus waiting outside ... and given the earlier offer to take our team and the library staff to lunch ... we all piled into the bus for the ride to the ocean-side restaurant.  You would never know it the ocean is just a couple of blocks away.  Thumbs up on the project from all of us.

Francis and the women... Augusto scram!! 

My turn

We were completely surprised when we were given Tanzanian shirts.  I told Alli that he made my day as I plan to wear mine to the formal gathering Friday night... no longer a need for a long sleeve shirt, tie and suit!! We were thrilled with our gifts.  They sang a traditional Tanzanian song sung when people open gifts.  We sang it again as the gifts we gave the library folks were opened.

Nice spot for lunch!

Smarter LIBRARIES!!

Francis bought Dr. Macharozo a Twiga with a book that sits on a book shelf... he seemed to like it.

Momma Africa looked wonderful again... turns out she is a designer and librarian!!

Cooling off after a hot day!!