DAY 17: WRAPPING UP
Today was the last day of my official duties here in Tanzania, and it got off to a very early start with a pre-dawn game drive, breakfast, some quick packing, and one look at the fauna on our way out of the park. All was accomplished by 10 a.m., check-out time at the park.
Some members of the team had early afternoon flights out of Dar es Salaam, so they said their goodbyes and departed the park early. It was kind of sad to break up the group.
We did get one last cheap thrill in courtesy of a group of elephants who decided to invade our camp. They were there, enjoying their breakfast, when we returned from the early morning drive. We had to wait in the main building while they trimmed the vegetation around our bandas and drank from the nearby leaky water tanks. They were, however, a very mild-mannered bunch and caused no problems other than delaying our activities a bit.
We made it back to Dar es Salaam by 3:30 or so, dealt with the chaos of insufficient rooms and recovering stored luggage at the Protea Hotel, then hustled out to buy some last trinkets to remember Dar es Salaam by. Most of our group is leaving soon to head back to CI headquarters, or on to other conservation adventures. Kellee and I are going to take a few days of personal time to visit Arusha, near Kilimanjaro, and Ngorongoro Crater, since we figure we might not get back this way again. I’ve heard good things about both places, so I’m excited to get up there, despite being a little travel weary.
It’s been great getting to know Tanzania a bit, meeting some of our partners and the communities they work with in person, and getting a better feel for the impact of, and continuing need for, conservation efforts here.
Ibariki Tanzania
Tubariki watoto wa Tanzania
(bless Tanzania, bless the children of Tanzania)
- from Tanzania’s national anthem
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