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!!