The Art of Honking Horns

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Janette

Horns are honked for many reasons.  Deciphering those honks is like the systematic process of identifying the cause of a baby’s cry.  This process is quite intricate but becomes second-nature over time (or so I’m told).

Let’s start out simple.  The primary honks are easy to spot.  The main streets are always crowded with hordes of motorists on any type of wheeled contraption imaginable.  Due to the chaos, honks are used to communicate multiple messages.  Sometimes you’ll hear a prolonged honk which says something like, “Buddy, you are in a vehicle WAY too big to be trying THAT maneuver!” or “Dude, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY we will get out of here alive if you keep on coming so STAY WHERE YOU ARE!”

Then there are a series of shorter honks.  This particular set of honks can be used for lots of reasons.  The shorter honks could say things like, “I’m a motorbike in your bind spot, please be aware,” or “I’m coming up on you really fast, so either move out of my way, or stay where you are so I can pass you.”  The personality of these honks can even be jovial, as if motorists are saying “hello friend, lovely day to be out on the road,” or “sure fellow driver, I have plenty of room, so come on over.”

Finally, we have the quick honks; the light touches of the horn that really serve no purpose whatsoever.  A few of these remain somewhat of a mystery, although after a month of living here, I can make semi-educated guesses on the purpose and intent of a couple of them.

First, we have the cat calls.  This a clear, nonsensical honk which is immediately followed up by a man yelling something (most-likely inappropriate) as he whizzes by.  There is no need to pay attention to these.  How long will it take men to understand that this interaction is NOT a turn-on?  The world may never know.

Next we have the honks with no follow up yelling.  These either mean that a motorist is thinking “hey there lonely bule (foreigner)” or as if to say “I am a motorist, and you are on foot, so I am being kind enough to identify myself in your general area even though there is no possible way I could hit you due to my current location.”

And lastly there are the mystery honks I need more time to figure out.  At certain times of night, on my walk home, when I come to a main road I must cross, I hear a quick honk that seems to really come out of no where.  There are hardly any cars on the road, traffic is moving well, and I am shrouded in darkness as I wait to cross, so what is the reason for the random honk?  Perhaps there is an unwritten rule that on any given roadway there has to be at least one horn honk every 25 seconds per 5 cars…the investigation is ongoing.

In such a huge city, with probably a million extra people over the limit of what the roads should accommodate, the honking of ones horn seems to serve more than just necessity.  It seems to have evolved into a protocol, a language.  And the volley of conversation is there, you just have to listen.

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A bella serata to remember….

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Janette

It was the perfect temperature with a slight breeze and a starry sky.  I was sitting in the taxi en route to our New Year’s Eve destination along with every other resident of Jakarta.

The traffic was especially impressive due to some major road closings, so what should have taken about an hour took more than two.  But I didn’t mind.  We were in a climate-controlled fish bowl, enveloped by celebratory souls who made up the gorgeous chaos that spread in every direction.

Fireworks were clearly in good supply as every clear patch of night sky had shooting stars with fabulous bursts of gold, green, and red ending their journey before fading away.  I could have stayed in that taxi most of the night, enjoying the colors, watching people, making wishes.  There was a peace inside my little bubble that floated among the energy that coursed outside.

With traffic stopped and nowhere to go, we hopped out and walked the last 10 minutes or so to a bar called Memories.  How appropriate.  A place and time when friends can come together and remember days gone by before the year’s end while simultaneously making new connections for a new year.

It was fun to see a new area of the city and see everyone out and about and having a good time as 2013 came to a close.  But as we checked our watches and phones as midnight drew near, there was no group chanting, no massive explosion of cheers and/or smooching.  There was just craziness the entire time with no countdown to interrupt the stream of partying.  That seemed unusual and it felt like something was missing from the experience, but maybe that was an appropriate message for me on this particular New Year’s Eve.  Perhaps the lesson is not to get stuck focusing on a single moment in time, but to focus on blurred lines and bigger pictures.

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An EF’in Christmas

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Janette

Arriving in Indonesia and beginning work right before the holidays has been fun albeit much different than home.

Since Indonesia has a majority of Muslim worshippers, you don’t see Christmas lights and decorations unless you are in one of the malls.  No decorated palm trees, no candy canes, no fake snow in the windows of well-kept homes.  These are silly details I miss greatly.

However, the charm of the season is alive and well.  In the EF teachers lounge last week, holiday plans were arranged, Secret Santa gifts were exchanged and sincere well wishes were given to one and all.

On the Saturday before Christmas, those of us who remained in town were taken out to a Mexican restaurant.  There were only a few of us from Kalimalang (plus our support staff), but we were joining the teachers and staff from the Bekasi school as well, so we actually filled up most of the bottom floor.  It was nice to at least see the other teachers, even just briefly.  The food was great, the live music was really good and it was fun to be outside of our little town for a change.

In the days leading up to Christmas, I took advantage of the peace and quiet (so to speak) and worked on a list of things I wanted to accomplish.  First and foremost, I slept in every day.  Since I got to Indonesia I’ve been awake, functioning and working for about 12 or 13 hours a day.  This is totally of my own doing, for the purpose of being as prepared as humanly possible so I can worry a little less.  (I’m hoping to cut this down slightly as I get more comfortable with the schedule and routine.)  After sleeping in I would read a little in my book, go over my Bahasa Indonesian flashcards and then finally take a shower and maybe take a nap.  I also went to a few different malls in the area to do some shopping for my room…and Merry Christmas to me!  I was able to get pretty much everything I still needed to acquire.  I got a wall hanging to cover up a lot of missing paint on my wall, a fan to drown out the noise from the neighborhood, a new bedside table for some extra shelving and surface area, hooks for the wall, a fluffy new pillow, new curtains and a book bag. (I didn’t realize how often I’d be toting my laptop around and thus needed a larger bag to make carrying everything more comfortable.)

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Also, after seven days of struggling, I was finally able to finally have a functioning cell phone, so I really enjoyed being in contact with everyone from the states.  It was truly a Christmas miracle.

However the experience of being here, now, simply doesn’t feel Christmasy.  And maybe that’s ok.  I definitely don’t miss sub-freezing temperatures, the treacherous task of getting myself safely from my bus stop to work/home, and the grumpy mood that the holidays sometimes put the general public in.  But that also means no parties, no “Christmas Story,” no “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” no crisp evening walks or drives around the neighborhood to see sparkly decorations that warm the heart, and most disappointing…no homemade baked goods!  Normally my kitchen would be rocking!

But I’ve decided that it’s better this way.  I think I’d rather ease into my new life with fewer reminders of home.  This way it will feel as though Christmas just didn’t show up on the calendar this year.  So the next time I am home for the holidays, it will make the experience all the more magical.  Every twinkly light will be more memorable, baked goods will taste more delicious, presents for the tree will be wrapped with more care and precision and loved ones will warm the heart no matter the temperature outside.

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Interesting Indonesia

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Janette

In a country that hovers around the equator, I figured that my new home would be very different than my last one, but of course those differences are never exactly what I’d expect them to be.

Besides driving on opposite sides of the roads and there being few (if any) discernible traffic laws, there are other differences that totally surprised me.

Drug trafficking is punishable by death…and you are informed of this on the plane during the recorded safety announcements.  Even possessing marijuana is pretty serious, resulting in automatic jail time.  So kids, just say “no!”

You must declare a religion when opening a bank account.  I’m told this relates to how you are allowed to deal with your money in accordance with whichever holy book you follow.  Definitely didn’t expect that one.

Liquid comes in bags here.  Whether it be cooking oil, or laundry detergent, many liquid products that I would expect to come in bottle or can form comes in a bag.

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DSC03835Back home, the darker the tan you have, the more exotic you look and the more you stand out, usually in a good way.  It gives off the impression that you’ve been traveling around tropical islands enjoying a life of leisure.  Over here there is a draw towards white skin.  I noticed this immediately when shopping in any store with a health and beauty section.  About half of the beauty products contain skin bleachers to whiten skin…something I’m sure to avoid for many reasons.

The rain dictates what I do day-to-day.  The nights that it doesn’t rain I usually go up to the food court.  It’s usually a place I stop by after work since it’s really close to school and on the way home.  But even if I have the day off, I make the 20 minute walk there to use the free wi-fi with my laptop.  Since it’s the rainy season, the heavens can open up and flood 70% of my walk so I take the dry opportunities as they come.

Cigarettes are everywhere.  I’m definitely in the minority by not smoking.  Some establishments have a time limit where you are allowed to smoke inside after a certain time of the evening, but it still makes me miss the “no smoking” laws back home.  I hate being around smoke all the time.  Alas, with everyone here starting to smoke at a young age and with cigarettes being so cheap, I don’t see that scenario changing any time soon.

Listening to the music here is like stepping into a time machine.  From the times I’ve traveled around in vehicles with radios rocking out, I’ve noticed that they play a lot of 80’s and 90’s music.  Specifically Queen, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Scorpions.  And as far as live music goes, everyone seems to choose Mr. Big, Extreme, Firehouse, Bon Jovi, and John Denver’s “I’m leavin’ on a jet plane.”  Not bad choices, I happen to enjoy this selection, but this is pretty much ALL I hear.

It’s been fun finding all of these idiosyncrasies.  I’m sure that more will turn up, so stay tuned.

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Indonesia – The Early Days

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Janette

Well, I’ve now been in Indonesia for one week.  It’s hard to believe that my months of planning and preparation are over and I’ve magically found myself “here.”

With the help of the wonderful people I will be spending my year with, I have settled in pretty quickly.

My first morning in Indonesia, after being woken up by the Call to Prayer from the local mosque, I was (thankfully) able to go back to sleep.  But sleep wasn’t very restful.  The 12-hour time difference, combined with the guards in our development banging metal poles together every hour and the street vendors that wander through our development as early as 5am to sell a plethora of items to anyone who may be awake, or the Muslim wives who can’t leave their houses, prohibited me from sleeping past 6am on that first day.  But at least our complex is never deserted and if I have the need or desire for fried food, fruit, ice cream, balloons or toilet bowls, I know that these items will eventually pass by my door.

On my first day of work, I was picked up by one of the office boys on a motorbike.  It’s about a 25 minute walk through the neighborhood (to avoid the main road which has no real sidewalks) to get to my center.  I was very thankful that I was not expected to just guess where I had to go.

For about a week I was in training.  With the help of my fellow teachers, I learned the way to and from work, where the other two teacher’s houses were located, I became familiar with our local hangout, tried lots of amazing and delicious new foods and made a trip to the mall so I could set up my room and feel at home as soon as possible.

It didn’t take long for me to adjust to my new surroundings, but there are lots of differences from the life I have just left.

I live in a house with three other teachers.  There are two men upstairs with their own bathroom and small common area and I’m with another woman downstairs with our own bathroom, the kitchen and the actual living room.  Everyone has a private bedroom, and the arrangement is great, but it has been so long since I’ve lived with roommates.  Not that I’m complaining.  It’s great not to be alone in a house all the time.

I have a maid named Martini.  I wasn’t expecting this as part of the arrangement, and have a hard time getting used to this concept, but she’s a doll.  She speaks no English and I don’t speak Bahasa Indonesian yet, so we do a lot of smiling and nodding, but the house is always clean and our clothes are always washed and pressed for us.

Remembering I live in a developing country is a daily task.  I live in a “gated” community and still have cockroaches.  It seems like almost everyone can afford a car of motorbike, but the roads cannot accommodate the population.  Jakarta is known for it’s traffic so if it’s possible to walk (like from home to school, or to run errands) I usually just walk.  Not to mention that many of the roads are crappy anyway.  There is always trash on the sides of the roads and in front of buildings, and some “streams” I on my walk are not tributaries, they are sewage systems.  Hot water doesn’t exist…there is just water.  If you are hot and want to take a shower, the water will feel cold.  If you are already cool from being in air conditioning all day, then the water will feel like it’s room temperature.  But being in a developing country also means a more simple way of life.  I don’t have internet at the house and am having trouble setting up my phone, so I’m much less connected and it’s been really nice.  There are always lots of people out an about and everyone is happy to see you, say hello and practice the few words of English they know.

We are also in the rainy season now, which means early in the day it’s hot and humid, then a gray cloud rolls in and BAM…there is a downpour and instantaneous flooding.  At some point in the evening the rain stops or slows to just a drizzle.  The temperature is always hot or warm and skin is always sticky, but I’m happy to not be in the cold of New England for a change.  This adjustment is fairly large, but one that I am happy to make.  The other night I was walking to the food court to meet up with everyone from work and realized how lonely I’ve been for the past few years.  Nothing but work and sleep.  Now I was unexpectedly gleeful.  I let the warm, gentle rain splash on my face, instead of shuddering and turning away like I was used to doing.  I smiled silently at the moment of recognition that this was now my home.  When I go away on a trip and someone asks me where I live, my answer will be Indonesia, with all it’s interesting beauty and simple imperfections.

This is going to be a great year, filled with challenges and surprises, which is exactly what I have been craving.

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Singapore

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Janette

It’s hard to believe that I now live in an area of the world I thought of as “exotic.”  So many awesome things are close by and can be reached with a short flight.

The other day I had to go to Singapore to finalize my work visa.  I know Singapore is pretty small, but there was SO much to do and I was able to see quite a bit in just a few hours.  After the hour and 20 minute flight, and a few minutes of paperwork I had to deal with, I had the rest of the day to explore.  I hopped on the green line and traveled to the Chinese and Japanese gardens.  There was a beautiful pagoda to walk up for a nice view of the surrounding area.

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The gardens were laid out so beautifully with paths to stroll, bridges to cross and thoughts to ponder.

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After spending some time with nature, it was time to head to Orchard Road where lots of tourists shopping takes place.  From the street you could see lots of shops facing the road with some street vendors outside.  There were also entrances that led to an actual mall inside where you could access three or four floors of stuff, including a food court area.  I ordered a dragon fruit blended juice and happily wandered through the crappy trinket stalls.

On the street, there were many Christmas decorations set up.  I just didn’t really expect to see that, but everything looked beautiful.  It was just like NYC only hot.

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After some shopping it was time to pick up the ol’ passport and head to the airport to begin the journey back to Indonesia.  It was a long day, but it was really awesome to be able to do a day trip to see another country.

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10 hours in Seoul

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Janette

At first thought, I was unhappy about having a 10 hour layover in Seoul, because it was during the day and that meant not having the opportunity of crashing at a hotel.  But it only took about an hour for me to realize how fortunate I was.  After spending the necessary time passing through my checkpoints, I happened upon an information counter advertising “free” tours around Seoul.  Initially thinking this was too good to be true, I promptly dismissed the notion until once again, I happened upon yet another booth, also tempting me with seemingly free tours.  Not wanting to be taken for a sucker, I tried to be one of “those” people and asked a few rapid-fire questions to the guide to see if I could find the catch in their scheme.  I mean, I had oodles of time to kill, and was interested in the 5-hour tour, so I wanted all the dirt up front.  Lo and behold, I found the dirty secret after a short interrogation…the tour cost $13.00 USD.  Ok, Ok, that’s a steal so I immediately signed up!

So where did my $13.00 and 5 hours of my life go?  First, $3 went for the insurance feel.  Next, I was given a winter coat to borrow since it was about 30 degrees outside and I was dressed for going to the equator.  I boarded a nice bus with my fellow group members and headed to the city center.  The first stop was the Gyeongbok palace where we were given a brief history of Korea.  We were then taken a short distance away to the Jogyesa temple where we received a lesson in architecture and the placement of religious items.

Gyeongbok Palace

Gyeongbok Palace

Jogyesa Temple

Jogyesa Temple

My remaining $10 paid for the entrance fees at both locations and the delicious lunch that followed.  I had beef bulgogi…one of my personal favorites anyway; it was really nice to have that particular dish while actually in Korea.

At this point, we were free to go shopping for about an hour after we were done with lunch.  We were strategically placed in the prime gift shop location on Insadong street, so it was easy to quickly find all of my souvenir requirements.

Insadong street

Insadong street

Luckily, everyone had just met up with our bus for our return trip to the airport when it started to rain.  Perfect timing.

The tour was wonderful.  And amazing value for $13!  But that’s not all.  Since I still had time to kill before making my connection, I took some time to wander around the terminal.  In addition to the delicious coffee shops, smoothie places, wifi, free lockers to use for your bags (so you don’t have to carry everything with you), and very helpful info desks, I noticed a spa where weary travelers could get all their knots worked out.  And, there is also a travelers hotel on the top floor where you can actually rest in between flights.

My tour guide did mention that out of the 11 years that the Incheon Airport has been in operation, it has been named the best in the world for eight of those years.  After experiencing it for myself, I totally understand why.

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Moving…to Indonesia!

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Janette

“ONE  DOES  NOT  DISCOVER  NEW  LANDS  WITHOUT  CONSENTING  TO LOSE  SIGHT  OF  THE  SHORE  FOR  A  VERY  LONG  TIME.”

The past five years have encompassed an interesting time of my life.  I may not have appreciated it at the time, but I was given an opportunity to rewrite the outline of my life and redefine my dreams, my focus.

I experienced a devastating breakup which propelled me into a life of travel.  My subsequent years of being single have allowed me to develop a relationship with myself.  I was able to set personal goals and achieve them, pick a travel destination and not have to argue with anyone on why I should or shouldn’t go somewhere.  It was liberating to move past all my fears, purposely putting myself outside my comfort zone in order to have some of the most memorable experiences of my life as a result.

What started out as a healthy (and much deserved) reward to myself became a necessary component of my daily life that extended into my future.  The constant education became an addiction.  As much as I was meeting people from around the world and learning about distant cultures, I was learning more about myself.  I learned things like how much discomfort I was willing to endure in order to make a day-dream come true.  I’ve learned how much I love to fly and the number of sleepless hours aboard a plane it takes to make me twitchy.  And I realized that at a time when I may have lost faith in many areas of life, human kindness, good will and the promise of fulfillment were found very much alive.

In what seems like a short period of time, I have expanded from smaller trips nearby my permanent location to longer trips much further away.  I have overcome my fear of getting turned around, eating alone and being lonely.  As I constantly conduct case studies on the environments I find myself in, in order to read those around me and assess my experiences, I have noticed that people are genuinely good and helpful and I am never truly alone.  This realization, combined with the desire to trek the globe, led me to  entertain the opportunity of really being a local somewhere…semi-permanently.  One or two weeks was no longer enough to see if a new situation really suited me.

In the past few years, this life experience is one I have given considerable thought to.  The first step on this journey was to obtain my TEFL or TESOL certificate.  This was cheap and easy to acquire due to the many online resources that are available.  After my certificates were in hand and my CV was created, it was simply a matter of double-clicking my way through job postings to see which ones I qualified for, which packaged deal sounded the best, and which countries I would be willing to reside in for a year.

After many inquiries and responses, I was offered the job in Indonesia.  At this point I am yearning for challenge.  The life I have been living is consistent, easy, routine.  There is nothing wrong with this system except that I am not being challenged on a daily basis.  I was growing too comfortable and my skills, senses and mind were growing dull.  A shock to the system does a body good and moving half-way around the world, by myself, to a place I have never been, where I don’t know anyone, to do a job I have never done, seems like the biggest challenge I can possibly give to myself.

“TO  LIVE  IS  THE  RAREST  THING  IN  THE  WORLD.  MOST  PEOPLE  EXIST,  THAT  IS  ALL.”

– Oscar Wilde

So this is where I stand.  Rhode Island has been an awesome home for 7 years, and I truly feel that I have sampled a large majority of what Rhode Island and New England have to offer, so now it is time to move on.

A month from now I will be traveling to what will be my new home for the next year.  As I sink my teeth into every new aspect of life, I will be sure to add plenty of commentary as I navigate around a new job, city and country.  With about 17,000 islands that stretch along the equator, I’m sure there will be no shortage of wonderful excursions and challenges to experience and share.  And even if I decide that living abroad is not for me and the only times I should be in another country is for vacation purposes, at least I will be able to look back on this time of my life and say “I actually did this!”

“IT  IS  NOT  POSSIBLE  TO  FAIL  IF  YOU  HAVE  GROWN  AS  A  PERSON  IN  THE  PROCESS.”

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Portland (of the Oregon variety)

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Janette

This was my first trip to the West Coast.  Up until this point I’ve only flown over this area, so it was about time I visited a new coast and a new state.  I was getting together with a friend, which is the perfect excuse to explore an unknown destination.

Oregon welcomed me with open arms and I was very excited to see a place that I’ve heard rave reviews about, and experience identical results.  The friendly nature of the locals was apparent upon exiting the airport, when I needed help with the public transportation system, and carried through to when I was on foot and needed street directions to be pointed in the right direction.  Everyone was easy to approach, eager to assist and was comfortable to fall into conversation with.

I had the evening to kill, so after a much-needed nap and well-deserved manicure, downtown Portland was the first destination on my radar.  It was rainy, so I got the authentic experience, mixing in with all the other hooded and umbrella-clad city folk.  It was fun to see Pioneer Square, which is really more of a rectangle that also encompasses the “mall” area and the street of food trucks and stalls which offer everything from Italian to Iranian choices.

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I was enticed by exotic menu’s but went to Rock Bottom Brewery instead for a great burger that really hit the spot.  It was a great first day, albeit a little cold.

7018d35a5f01f6c67936445d967941ff4ad77154_l[1]The next day I rose to find another rainy day, but that didn’t stop everyone from gathering downtown for the usual art fair and farmers market.  Stretched out by the river were tons of venders selling clothing, jewelry, ceramics, glass and wood products.  As we moved in to the park, the bounty changed to greens, vegetables, fruit, nuts and mushrooms.  With a cup of hot cider in our hands, we were well prepared for a leisurely stroll around the stalls.  I got to see the infamous “Voodoo donuts” location, but the line was a mile long, as usual I’m told, so we decided to keep moving instead.

A little later in the day we got to Powell’s, a huge bookstore complete with color coded sections and a coffee shop.  It’s not every day that one gets to roam around an actual book store, so I was pretty excited to spend some time here.  The only problem I ran into was the issue of transporting the books.  Portland is very progressive and very green, and plastic bags are banned.  On one hand, I love this idea very much.  However, when I’m purchasing a stack of books, made of paper, in a city that rains a lot, I’m not going to want a paper bag to hold everything…something water-proof would be nice.  It was a challenge, but we made it work.

dsc01160[1]Later that evening we went to Ave Gene’s, which is the restaurant where my friend works.  It was nice to be together on the customer’s side of the line, going through the menu.  And what a menu it was!  From the drinks to the salads to the pasta, muscles, pork steak, and desserts, everything was amazing and local.  Not to mention that the entire staff was awesome, the lighting was perfect, and the bar seating on the side of the restaurant faced the open kitchen so customers can see everyone in their dashing white uniforms, preparing all the dishes.  I’m so glad we were able to get a table and have that experience.

qgyHZZRW[1]change[1]Sunday was my last day in town, and I was told that Sunday brunch was “the thing” to do, so it was done!  One of the hot spots was a placed called “Screen Door,” so we went and put down our names, considering it was a huge line.  We killed some time by going to the coffee shop next door.  It was a cute place and I was able to order rice milk with my chai latte…the day already started off on a great note.  When our name was called, we were seated in the enclosed porch and proceeded to drool over the extensive menu.  We decided to sample many items which included crispy chicken and sweet potato waffles, banana’s foster French toast and eggs Sardou.  This was probably the best breakfast I’ve ever had and definitely worth the wait.

images[10]images[5]During my stay the sun did not come out once, which was sad, but the people and the public transportation allowed us to do and see everything.  I was so glad to sample so much of what Portland had to offer, and to experience first-hand a large area filled with genuinely friendly, socially conscious people.  Perhaps I’ll visit again one day, in the Spring!

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Tanzania: Part 2 (play time)

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Janette

SAFARI

During my 2 1/2 week African experience, I was afforded ample time to explore the treasures of the country.

One of the first big things I was able to do was go on a safari.  There were a bunch of people in my orientation group who were interested in going, so we quickly organized our van for the first full weekend we were all there.  Safari’s usually ran from Friday-Monday and each day was equally beautiful and awe-inspiring.

On the first day of our trek, we stocked up on snacks at the grocery store before heading out into the unknown.  In no time we had left the bustling streets of Arusha behind and headed West to venture deep into Lake Manyara National Park.  If my notes serve me correctly, we were able to spot the following animals:  Elephants, giraffes, a camel, wildebeest, lizards, baboons, zebras, cranes, warthogs, kingfishers, blue monkeys, antelope, water buffalo, hippos and gazelles.

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It seemed like every few minutes our driver would stop and point into the lush greenery to identify another beautiful creature we didn’t notice was a few feet from our jeep.  The acute eyesight and senses of these tour operators was nothing short of miraculous.  After a long day of animal searching, we headed to our campsite, which was really cushy (probably to ease us in to the safari routine).  The site had cabins (for anyone willing to pay), a pool and a gift shop.  After our delicious 3-course dinner we got cozy in our tents on that first chilly evening.

The next day we continued West to explore the Serengeti.  As the jeep ambled on and the hours passed, I watched as the lush greenery of the day before gave way to vast expanses of flat, golden earth that stretched for miles in every direction.

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We drove for hours squinting against the bright sun in search of wildlife, meanwhile taking pictures of the iconic umbrella trees or large rock formations that would dot the landscape every now and then.  Around mid-day we were rewarded by sightings of lions and leopards, much to the relief of the group.  The cats are hard to find, especially when they are sleeping, so we were lucky.

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We drove until we saw a beautiful sunset before heading to our camp for dinner.  This time the site was colder and more rugged where animals could roam around our tented area.  That notion was exciting to me, but not everyone felt at ease about it.

After a few hours of cold sleep we were woken up early and driven back out to the Serengeti plains to see a beautiful sunrise.  The morning fog had not yet lifted as we slowly rolled along looking for life in the ethereal mist.  The sun was barely over the horizon when we could see hot air balloons in the distance.  I remember thinking that those tourists were getting a one-of-a-kind view of the land, but there was no way they could spot the beautiful (and rare) cheetah’s that we just got acquainted with on the ground.

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Right after brunch we headed East to the Ngorongoro Crater.  We traveled through the main park entrance and followed the trail that approached the rim.  As we made our descent, the enormity of the crater revealed itself.  The only way to really understand that this area is indeed a crater is from the air (or from a postcard).  The trek down was slow, as the rock wall was pretty steep in places.  Once at the bottom, we drove or a few hours on the trails of this new elevation that seemed to stretch on forever.  When dinner time came we made the climb out of the crater to our campsite on the rim.  We were greeted by a herd of zebra that were wandering around our camp area.  This was by far the most exciting (and frigid) site of them all.  In an attempt to stay healthy and warm, many of the adventurers in multiple jeeps decided to forgo the cold showers for 3 days…myself included.  We piled on every layer we had, drank lots of cups of tea with our dinner and cocooned ourselves in our sleeping bags to make ourselves as comfortable as possible.

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The next morning was foggy, cold and rainy, but it began to clear, revealing an awesome view of the lake in the crater below, just before we began the journey back to the city.  On the way out, we were lucky once again by seeing more lions, flamingoes, ostriches, and other birds among other things.  The only animal we did not get to see was a rhinoceros, but considering how lucky we were to have seen all the cats, I really wasn’t upset about missing one of the “big five.”

We headed back to Arusha early in the day so that we could be back at our homestays for dinner.  It was a great journey and experience, but I was glad to sleep in a real bed and take a hot shower again!

ZANZIBAR

My second weekend was spent traveling around the island of Zanzibar.  Luckily I was able to get a Precision Air shuttle to the Kilimanjaro airport, and then it was a direct flight to Stone Town.  Once I exited the airport I noticed the difference in weather immediately.  The amount of sun seemed the same, but the temperature was about 85 degrees and humid.  After being chilly most of the time in Arusha, this tropical feel was a warm welcome, (pun intended).

Getting a taxi took about 30 seconds and the decision was made to immediately travel to Jambiani on the Eastern side of the island to meet up with friends who arrived the day before.  The White Sands bungalows were a slice of heaven in every way possible.  Low tide allowed visitors to approach and inspect the out-rigged canoes that rested in temporary dry dock.

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Since we were in a pretty rural area, we figured it would be easier to just go to the adjoining restaurant for dinner.  After we ate and enjoyed a freshly retrieved coconut and watched the sun set, we all walked down the beach to a little hut-type of bar for drinks and conversation with some local maasai tribesmen.  As the night went on, the men were gearing up to make a beach fire and play their drums, but I made my way back to the bungalow, eager to lay in the hammocks that faced the ocean.  For me, that evening was paradise.  The perfect temperature, a warm breeze, feeling weightless rocking in a hammock and being lulled to sleep by the sounds of the Indian Ocean and distant tribal drums, with the aroma of a fresh fire teasing my nostrils underneath the brightest Milky Way I’ve ever seen.  I’m not sure many things could ever top that.

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After a great night’s sleep, I departed Jambiani and headed 2 hours North to Nungwi at the tip of the island.  This is a community of Dhow boatbuilders and everything is done by hand right on the beach.  It was great to see the guys at work.

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I moved on the Kendwa, the next town over, for lunch before heading down to Stone Town on the South-Western part of the island.  This was an awesome area with great energy and an interesting mix of cultures.  Zanzibar is 99% Muslim, so mosques are everywhere and many restaurants don’t serve alcohol.  Middle Eastern music is played in various spots and the tiny winding streets look very European.  A museum and monument educates visitors on the huge slave trade port that was once in use, and after eating a banana split and watching the sun set at Mercury’s (a restaurant dedicated to Freddy Mercury) you can bargain for cheap, yet elaborate, henna designs, painstakingly applied with a toothpick.

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Compared to Arusha, where I was instructed to stay in doors after dark (at 6:30 pm), it was nice to be out for hours, in the company of locals and tourists alike, soaking up everything this exotic place had to offer.

The next day I rose and ate my included breakfast of tea, mango juice, watermelon, toast and an omlet before meeting a guide for my morning excursion.  I scheduled a boat ride to tiny Prison Island.  Once used as a quarantine location, the island is now part resort and part turtle reserve.

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After taking about a hundred photos in the hour I was walking around, I headed back to Stone Town and then on to the airport.  I had a stop in Dar es Salaam before ending in Arusha, and then the usual dalla dalla rides to my homestay.  That night I was able to see a few volunteers and my house mama again before departing the next day for my last African adventure.

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After eating a French toast breakfast I decided to go back to bed for a few hours.  I had all morning to get myself ready, so there was no rush.  I finally decided to get up around 10:30am and proceeded to take a nice long hot shower.  After double checking my bag, I went into the city and got on a bus bound for Moshi, a town at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  I liked Moshi instantly.  It felt like a mini Arusha, only less congested and many more Muzungu’s.  Most foreigners come to this place to climb Kili, but I came for the coffee.

I walked to the Kilimanjaro Backpackers Hotel, which was more like a Hostel.  It cost $6 a night and included breakfast…not bad!  After checking in I found a cute café a few blocks away.  I ate outside with a pretty nice view of Kili, lucky since the clouds around the peak were just clearing as the pink light of sunset was making the mountain blush.  A great setting for an evening meal, although this café offered American-style food, which always misses the mark.  The food of Tanzania is delicious, but when they try to prepare American food, everything has no flavor, even the chocolate cake.  The coffee, however, was it’s saving grace.  Using locally sourced Kilimanjaro beans to prepare the drinks, I ordered a sweetened iced coffee.  What I received was a treat, a delight, much better than my chocolate cake.  They added some kind of powered creamer (milk isn’t offered anywhere) to the sweetened iced coffee, and must have either shaken it or partially blended it, due to the ice ships and froth on top.  The flavor was amazing, with a medium body and a distinct spicy note which added a little kick.  For someone who really isn’t a coffee drinker, I practically chugged that glass and debated on whether or not to have another before bed.  But I had a big day ahead of me, so I decided to skip the second glass in favor of sleep instead.

The next morning I waited at my hotel’s front door for a man named Beo, who I thought was going to be my tour guide for the day.  Beo came, walked me to the bus station, and put me on a van headed for a coffee plantation part way up Mt. Kilimanjaro.  There I met Mike, who took me around the coffee plants, telling me everything I ever needed or wanted to know about coffee, Kili, and the local way of life.  He had me pick ripe coffee cherries, pulp them, told me about the drying process, and then had me roast some beans and grind them to try as a pour-over brewing method.  I always have to add some sugar, but it was the exact flavor of the night before.  Medium body with that distinct spice…unmistakable and delicious.

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Later that night as I was preparing myself for my early morning departure back to the US, I caught a whiff of the roasted coffee still lingering on my sweatshirt and thought how lucky I was to have a personalized coffee tour at the base of Kili, the highest mountain in Africa, a name the locals say with reverence, much like Mt. Fuji in Japan.  Looking back on these two-plus weeks, I couldn’t believe I actually got to see and do everything I’d hoped to accomplish on  this adventure, and what an adventure it was.

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