Thirteen Lutherans and two Presbyterians leave the Chicago suburbs for two and a half weeks of work and play in northern Tanzania.
26 June 2011
Arrived at Kilimanjaro National Park
25 June 2011
Prayers, please!
Peace,
Melissa
Kilimanjaro in the distance
Great first day in Africa, transitioning from Chicago to KIA Lodge near Arusha, Tanzania. Van trip to the market in Arusha provided a chance to practice bargaining skills. Back at the lodge caught a glimpse of Kili (aka Mt Kilimanjaro)--made our day.
Steve & Ruth Sweetser
A few pictures to tide you over
We arrived at the Kilimanjaro airport in this GIANT plane! |
Beds at the Kia Lodge, complete with pretty flowers |
Matt and Melissa after a long day of travel |
Breakfast together |
Our huts! |
The pool |
Pretty flower! |
Are we there yet? YES!
We are really in Tanzania! The birdsong is beautiful. No traffic. No TV. It is very overcast today so we have not seen Kilimanjaro yet. Other mountains are visible in the distance. The landscape is more arid than we imagined. Didn't expect as many cacti and dry grasses.
Each hut pictured is two rooms. When we arrived last night, the bed was turned down with flowers on the pillows. The bath has a nice shower and large sink. It's not very hot, but it is humid.
Carole and Steve
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde
24 June 2011
We Are In Africa!
Thoughts from our first night
Jambo!
Judy
23 June 2011
LET'S GO
ever been. Let's go to Africa!
-- MTB
all packed as well
22 June 2011
Greetings from Amsterdam!
Carole and Steve
21 June 2011
What's in a name?
Every day has been a "goodbye" day since then. Friday night, I bid farewell to members of our group who I wouldn't see in worship this weekend: "See you in Africa!" Saturday night, I said goodbye to other group members after evening worship: "See you in Africa!" Sunday, I said goodbye and good afternoon to other members of our group after morning worship: "See you in Africa!"
The truth is that I will meet up with some of our group at the airport in Chicago, and we'll all travel together beginning Thursday afternoon. And we will hook up with other members of our group in Amsterdam on Friday, and fly the rest of the way to Tanzania together. And then we will wait eagerly to meet up with the rest of our group in Tanzania on Saturday.
But it is much more fun just to say, "See you in Africa!" So hopefully, this blog will be your way to join us - to fly with us and experience Tanzania with us and meet up with us (at least in the virtual world) as often as we can manage it.
And so we say to you what we've been saying to one another these past few days: "See you in Africa!"
Peace,
Melissa
20 June 2011
getting ready
Jan
19 June 2011
Getting Out of Here
We’re crazy busy too trying to get everything packed and ready to go. We’re watching our grandkids today and they are running through piles of clothes, vitamins, shoes, etc. on the floor of the living room and dining room. Tomorrow is my last day at work, so it will be hectic.
Compared to Melissa, we had not identified Tanzania as a “must see” destination. But we have wanted to travel and see as much of the world as we could. The opportunity to help others combined with going on safari was too good an opportunity to pass up. We have a wonderful group of travelers, and I treasure the opportunity to get to know them much better.
Carole and Steve
Getting Started
Somehow, packing for a 17-day trip to Africa means turning the whole house upside down, tracking down work gloves and flashlights, travel-size shampoo containers and extra shoes, water bottles and duct tape. I have my big bag mostly packed, and a backpack ready to be stuffed with everything I might want during two eight-hour flights (one from Chicago to Amsterdam, one from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro).
Yes, crunch time has arrived. I have three days left after today to cross as much off of my work to-do list as possible, to finish packing, to restore some semblance of order to our home, and to finish packing so that I can ship myself across the ocean on Thursday.
This trip that has seemed so far off is now so very near. I've been wanting to travel to Tanzania for close to ten years now, and I'm now only three days away. This is going to be huge. And life-changing. And I can't wait!
Peace,
Melissa