From Tanzania, Eastern Africa

Hello all,

Finally found a place where I can access the Internet
... in the middle of Tanzania ... on a wireless
laptop no less. I'm on a terrace overlooking
cultivated fields and layers of hills leading to
mountains. The vastness of Africa. Below is
something I wrote a few days ago hoping to post when
I got a chance. So ...

29 November 2005
Tangaririe National Park, Tanzania, East Africa

A red African eastern sky breaks dawn and glows into
our tent. We look out on glorious undulating savanah
woods - a vast bowl on our door step with a ribbon of
river on our right. A closer look reveals a line of
elephants heading toward the river. A roar of a lion
nearby pierced last night and an elephant actually
slid between two tents.

Later in the early morning we drive across dried
river beds - bands of zebras and wildebeests graze,
miniature antelopes bound by wary of a tawny eagle
perched on the very summit of a large tree. A baby
giraffe gallops by. Elephants frolic in a river, spray
themselves, trumpet and move on. They in turn are
replaced at the river by a huge troupe of baboons. A
fight breaks out, several mate, a baby hops off a
mothers back, falls scrambling up on a mound and hops
back on the mother.

A monitor lizard, yellow and grey, slithers low. The
baboons depart and four zebras trot to the river. A
baby giraffe and and mom trim the tree bottoms nearby.
We see and hear it all. Eastern Africa is pulsating
and tranquil all at the same time.

We greet our hosts in the few words of Swahili that
we have picked up to great smiles. They know. And we
are learning.

Much love,

Mel and Janet