Safari is Over

Karatu School, 5th Grade

Let's look back for a recap of our safari experiences...

Terri and David, Trip Leader

We saw the Big Five (cape buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhino) in both South Africa and Tanzania, including a "5 in 1" (all five in one day) our second day in Kruger.  In Tanzania alone we saw 3 leopards, 63 lions, countless antelope, and tens of thousands of wildebeests and zebras during the migration.  We ran into several waves of the migration.  I once timed a constant stream of running wildebeests and zebras, several animals wide, crossing the road in front of us that went on for more than 12 minutes.

Karatu Farm Woman

We were totally delighted with our travel companions and guides in Tanzania.  Traveling with friends and family is a wonderful way to share experiences and cement relationships.  Our guides were professional, yet fun.  They taught us much about the animals and culture of Tanzania.  We'll long remember them.

6th  Grade Class

Though the safari was over we spent one more day in Karatu participating in a "day in the life" experience.  We started with a morning visit to the Karatu elementary school where we met with 2nd, 5th and 6th graders.  Each class consists of approximately 50 well behaved students who greeted us with smiles and songs.  With the older children we asked and answered questions so they could practice their English.  We are humbled by their enthusiasm for education and learning.  The schools and teachers are accomplishing so much with so little.  We all gave generously to the school through the Grand Circle Foundation.

Brick Yard

A visit to a local brick yard followed our school visit.  The villagers share an area where they dig clay to make bricks.  Each family makes its own for sale, but they help one another with the hard work.  In temperatures reaching 100 with humidity and in full sun they dig the clay, beat it with sticks to pulverize it to dust, mix it with water, form the bricks, let them dry, create a kiln and fire them for 3 days.  In the end they sell each brick for about $1 each.  It is tremendously hard work, but a way to supplement income while awaiting the rains so they can plant crops.  When we see how difficult substance living is here, we realize why the children are so enthusiastic about their education.

Bill, Dave, Byron, Rand, Steve, Terri
Jennifer, Mary Ann, Patsy, Pat, Rick, Fran, Martha, Karen, Carol

One last afternoon at leisure and we re-joined our friends in the other safari group for a "farewell dinner".

Early the next morning we once again boarded our Land Rovers for the 2 hour drive to Arusha.  We had time for one last stop at the Cultural Heritage Center for shopping, then lunch.  Immediately after lunch Mary Ann, Bryon, Fran, Carol, Rand and I said farewell to our travel companions and headed to the airport for our departure to Stone Town in Zanzibar.  The rest of the group would return to the US that evening.