Grassroots
(Page 8)
Ten Minutes In Tanzania
I'd like to be able to tell you how great it was to leave temperatures in the plus 35C range and abruptly come back to minus 35.
Yes - I'd like to be able to tell you that but..........
And so it was bidding farewell to the safari trail in Tanzania to return back to the frozen Foothills at the end of February.
Not that I wouldn't do it again in a heartbeat mind you, but there's a few things I'd do differently on the next go-around.
For starters I think I'll cozy up to the folks that operate the Park and Flee lot up at the airport - perhaps people they know well are permitted to park somewhere on the lot that's actually within the confines of metropolitan Calgary as opposed to the north end which I swear is part of Airdrie.
Not that it takes any great length of time for the minibus to get me back to the terminal building, but after being away for 3 weeks I had no recollection of exactly where I'd parked.
"Look on the ticket stub you idiot" said my wife when I erroneously punched in her cell number instead of the GPS link to the vehicle.
"On the front seat of the vehicle" I replied as I hung up and paid a cab $50 to drive around the seemingly 600 square mile lot for the next couple of hours in search of the snow covered chariot.
I'm also going to check with the Safari Lodge ahead of time to verify what the hours of operation are with respect to electrical power actually being available in the room.
After spending more time in the air than the space shuttle crew, there's nothing worse than hopping into the shower only to discover that water is unavailable during the hours you actually occupy the room.
And while 8 litres of bottled water coupled with copious amounts of soap and Old Spice will keep wildlife from getting too close, it apparently keeps food servers in the average Tanzania dining room from getting too close as well.
Next time I go for dinner in Arusha and ask how long the order will take, at the moment they tell me 10 minutes, I'm gonna head up to the room, have a nap, watch a movie and only then head back down to the table.
At THAT point, it'll probably only be another 10 minutes before the appetizer arrives.
On my next safari, I'll pack a kidney belt.
As magnificent a vehicle the Toyota Land Cruiser is for plowing through the Serengeti, most of the roads bear a striking resemblance to an area that's been used for aerial target practice with live ammo.
There are no massage therapists in Tanzania.
40 minutes on the back roads pretty much tunes up every moving body part and then some.
When asked how much further it is until we arrive at the next lodge, the driver indicates, "about 10 minutes".
I've come to realize he's related to the waiter in Arusha.
I'll never again ingest 5 cups of coffee at breakfast before heading out into lion country.
After 2 hours of Toyota's version of a mechanical bull, what came in wanted to go out.
Porta Pottys are not a big ticket item over there.
Heading out behind the bush where moments earlier a 600 lb lion took down a zebra - not highly rated in the 12 step plan for human longevity.
Spare 2 litre zip-loc bags?
Priceless.
Oh - and the collar around the neck of the 400 lb lioness lounging not 5 ft from our vehicle?
Not a kitty collar waiting for passersby to hook the leash on to.
It's a radio collar that allows park rangers to monitor the number of victims that fall prey to monster cat.
The doc says I should regain most of the use of my arm in time for next year's trip.
No question I'll head back.
But if I once again forget to disable the call forwarding device to my cell phone and it rings while I'm playing with giraffes - I'll answer it.
I'll tell the caller I'm sorry they missed their Air Canada flight to Vancouver due to the weather however I'm on a safari in Tanzania.
I'll call them back.
In 10 minutes .
Adios until next time
Dave Heron
Dave Heron is the owner and operator of: Pace Setter Travel & Tours (1995) Inc; P.O. Box 612, 49 Elizabeth Street, Okotoks.
Tel: 403.938.5454
Toll Free: 1.800.206.7223.
Fax: 403.938.5568
Email:
pacesetter@nucleus.com
Yes - I'd like to be able to tell you that but..........
And so it was bidding farewell to the safari trail in Tanzania to return back to the frozen Foothills at the end of February.
Not that I wouldn't do it again in a heartbeat mind you, but there's a few things I'd do differently on the next go-around.
For starters I think I'll cozy up to the folks that operate the Park and Flee lot up at the airport - perhaps people they know well are permitted to park somewhere on the lot that's actually within the confines of metropolitan Calgary as opposed to the north end which I swear is part of Airdrie.
Not that it takes any great length of time for the minibus to get me back to the terminal building, but after being away for 3 weeks I had no recollection of exactly where I'd parked.
"Look on the ticket stub you idiot" said my wife when I erroneously punched in her cell number instead of the GPS link to the vehicle.
"On the front seat of the vehicle" I replied as I hung up and paid a cab $50 to drive around the seemingly 600 square mile lot for the next couple of hours in search of the snow covered chariot.
I'm also going to check with the Safari Lodge ahead of time to verify what the hours of operation are with respect to electrical power actually being available in the room.
After spending more time in the air than the space shuttle crew, there's nothing worse than hopping into the shower only to discover that water is unavailable during the hours you actually occupy the room.
And while 8 litres of bottled water coupled with copious amounts of soap and Old Spice will keep wildlife from getting too close, it apparently keeps food servers in the average Tanzania dining room from getting too close as well.
Next time I go for dinner in Arusha and ask how long the order will take, at the moment they tell me 10 minutes, I'm gonna head up to the room, have a nap, watch a movie and only then head back down to the table.
At THAT point, it'll probably only be another 10 minutes before the appetizer arrives.
On my next safari, I'll pack a kidney belt.
As magnificent a vehicle the Toyota Land Cruiser is for plowing through the Serengeti, most of the roads bear a striking resemblance to an area that's been used for aerial target practice with live ammo.
There are no massage therapists in Tanzania.
40 minutes on the back roads pretty much tunes up every moving body part and then some.
When asked how much further it is until we arrive at the next lodge, the driver indicates, "about 10 minutes".
I've come to realize he's related to the waiter in Arusha.
I'll never again ingest 5 cups of coffee at breakfast before heading out into lion country.
After 2 hours of Toyota's version of a mechanical bull, what came in wanted to go out.
Porta Pottys are not a big ticket item over there.
Heading out behind the bush where moments earlier a 600 lb lion took down a zebra - not highly rated in the 12 step plan for human longevity.
Spare 2 litre zip-loc bags?
Priceless.
Oh - and the collar around the neck of the 400 lb lioness lounging not 5 ft from our vehicle?
Not a kitty collar waiting for passersby to hook the leash on to.
It's a radio collar that allows park rangers to monitor the number of victims that fall prey to monster cat.
The doc says I should regain most of the use of my arm in time for next year's trip.
No question I'll head back.
But if I once again forget to disable the call forwarding device to my cell phone and it rings while I'm playing with giraffes - I'll answer it.
I'll tell the caller I'm sorry they missed their Air Canada flight to Vancouver due to the weather however I'm on a safari in Tanzania.
I'll call them back.
In 10 minutes .
Adios until next time
Dave Heron
Dave Heron is the owner and operator of: Pace Setter Travel & Tours (1995) Inc; P.O. Box 612, 49 Elizabeth Street, Okotoks.
Tel: 403.938.5454
Toll Free: 1.800.206.7223.
Fax: 403.938.5568
Email:
pacesetter@nucleus.com
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