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Northern Serengeti trip, August/September 2013


PCNW

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Thank you Gilleshag and Graceland you're always so kind.

 

pault you gotta wonder why Floridians would waste safari days for beachy days but this was Breck's portion of the trip that he insisted on since he wasn't planning on enjoying the safari portion. Of course he did and in the end I enjoyed the resort more than I planned so it was even and all worked out. But the dreamy photos will come to an end in my next/final installment and our tour of Stone Town. Not too many dreamy photos to be found there.

 

Meat Market

 

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Contradiction in Lifestyles.

 

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I keep thinking about this young lady that was obviously smitten with her man. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its (his) cover but if you wrote a story about her life I'm not sure what the beginning or middle would be but I feel sure the ending would spell heartbreak for her.

 

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On our final morning at The Residence we had three staff members stop in at various times to offer us gifts and our butler, Shaib, said he felt like crying to see us go. But quite frankly I think it was Breck's wallet he was referring to. One gentleman brought us necklaces he made from intricately woven palm fronds. Mine was a very good likeness of a frog and Breck's a tie and we wore these the rest of the day.

 

We had a guide pick us up at the hotel and give us a walking tour of Stone Town. I continued to be fascinated by these women that could carry and balance their possessions on their head.

 

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Thomas, our guide took us down a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways seemly knowing everyone along the way. Together we decided when it was appropriate to photograph, he being less cautious than I.

 

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I passed this gentleman without noticing him but something made me turn around. He seemed to be asking passerby's for a handout but I'm not sure and as a mother and nurse it seems I should have done something...but what? I still worry about this poor soul.

 

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We visited the Anglican Cathedral that was inspired by David Livingstone and built on the site of the former slave trade market and main whipping post. Most know the history of the horrific conditions that these salves endured but seeing the slave hold really, really touched my heart. As many as 50 men would be dropped into this poorly ventilated hold after having walked long distances. They would be held here three days without food or water with many dying here and at the whipping post.

 

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An evocative and touching series of photos. Thank you.

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I just read back through this report and my word at the errors. An English teacher would send it back for repair.

 

Doors of Zanzibar

 

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They were the first part to be erected when a home was being built and were meant to show the wealth, social status and line of work of the owners. These intricately carved doors were either Indian or Arabic with the Indian doors typically having arches and heavy brass studs. The studs being a hold over from when they were used in India as protection from war elephants. The carving featured would have different meanings with chains being the most common on the Arabic doors indicating they were slave traders. Pineapples: welcome, vines: spice traders, fish: fishermen and so forth.

 

Electrical repair shop.

 

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Thomas asked if we could stand a fishy smell and we headed to the fish, meat, chicken and vegetable market.

 

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At one point when I was hot, tired and sweaty Thomas sat us down in a church pew giving us a history lecture starting oh...in about the 1600's and catching us up to date from there. He finally finished just as my patience started to wear thin and what does Breck do at this point.....start asking questions!!!

 

After "the look" worked as it was designed to we headed to beach for a very late picnic lunch.

 

The making of a dhow.

 

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After lunch and people watching we headed to the airport for our long flight home.

 

A thank you goes to for loaning me one of her beanbags and I'd also like to thank those of you that followed along allowing me to relive our trip and made encouraging and kind comments.

 

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That's all folks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thank you for this - it has been a great report

A great selection of pictures, rounded off with the fascinating Zanzibar section. Some brilliant pictures there of a very different style

It has been a real pleasure reading it.

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Lovely report, really told the story of your trip. Thoroughly enjoyed the photos. Thank you.

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Great trip report, thanks for the read and the photos.

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I braely noticd any tpyos!

 

Actually I didn't.

 

Sorry that it is over. Thanks for this - great report and a nice ending (Love the women with strange "hats" and what a fascinating picture of that couple - I'd say don't think too much! ^_^ ) except for poor Brett's getting the look in church.... Ouch! I felt that from Bangkok!

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@@pault, @@twaffle, @@ZaminOz, @@TonyQ and @@AKR1 thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to the report, very much appreciated.

 

I hesitate to offer this video/slide show after watching the excellent video of the crossings that was recently offered. Plus the transitions don't go as smoothly as they should after downloading to Vimeo. This is pretty much the same thing that my report offered so be warned. Turn up the volume and if you click on the flower by the HD sign in the lower RH corner it will enlarge. Enjoy....if you care to.

 

 

Would someone explain the significance of the @ sign before the user name?

 

As always, thank you.

 

Patsy

Edited by PCNW
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@@PCNW

 

Great trip report, the photos you posted really enhanced it, you have a talent there for sure. I really enjoyed reading about you're adventures.

 

I think the @ before the names works like a # on twitter, it tells the software that its a members name rather than just text and alerts that member that they've been mentioned in a post.

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@@PCNW

 

I think the @ before the names works like a # on twitter, it tells the software that its a members name rather than just text and alerts that member that they've been mentioned in a post.

 

Yes, you summoned us all, like the dead to a feast.

 

Shouldn't watch video at work, so I'll take a look later.

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I just watched the video and loved it all. It was lovely hearing Deo's gravelly voice again two years after our trip with him :) And all those baby wildes. You are also the undisputed Queen of Silhouette photography for me - these are some of the most gorgeous ones I have seen here or anywhere for that matter. Great job Patsy, and thank you for bringing us along for the ride.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Breckisms, good one. I am hoping Breck was totally converted by the end. Elephants crossing, wildebeest crossing. Fantastic! Can you tell us how the day trip to the Mara worked and how long you stayed? Looking forward to more!

Edited by Atravelynn
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@@Atravelynn Breck is converted and we'll be back.

 

Deo had us cross over a bridge that leads to the Mara. He said that the Mara rangers are fairly lenient if you don't stray too far across the border. But he did take us back just into the Tanzania side for lunch so I guess they aren't tolerant of us making ourselves too comfortable. It's just one open plain without any markings (except below) to tell you which side you're on. Deo seemed to have it clear in his head where the boundaries were however.

 

This is the bridge that we crossed yet it's not the border between the two countries. On this day we checked it because Deo really wanted to go back over but as you can see it was too high. But I will tell you he asked if we were game and we said no! There is a rock in the middle of the river that the guides use as a gage for water height. On this day it was under water yet he still wanted to try it, lol. I asked how we would get past the carcasses and he said .......go around them....not too sure how that would work...

 

The thing about this is that if you can cross you really have no idea how high the water might be later and if you can't get back across you have hours and hours of travel to another bridge.

 

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This is the only sign of the border. I had asked Breck to spread his legs so that we could clearly see that he was standing in both Tanzania and Kenya but his metal hips wouldn't allow it.

 

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And this taken at the stone monument so you can see there really isn't anyway to tell exactly which side you're on.

 

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And one last of those lazy boys we saw that day.

 

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