Africa Trip 2024 - Day 2, Second Day in Arusha

[This is post #4 of what will be multiple posts about our 2024 trip to Africa. To go to the first post in the series CLICK HERE.]  

For our second day in Arusha our Africa Dream Safari contact, Joseph, was going to give us an orientation of what to expect for the upcoming 10+ days then give us a tour of Arusha.  Much to our surprise he also came bearing gifts.

For me there was a Maasai beaded bracelet and for the Frog there was a shuka, the Maasai garment known as the "African blanket".   There was also a very nice bag

Gifts from Africa Dream Safari

The “Maasai” are a semi-nomadic people of East Africa.   Although there are more than 100 distinct ethnic groups and tribes in Tanzania, the Maasai are probably the most recognizable to Westerners. They are world renowned for their brightly colored shukas (traditional cloth garments), distinctive beaded jewellery, fearless cohabitation with the Big Five, as well as their ability to jump incredibly high.  All of that is pretty common knowledge from American TV, but I tried to find out a bit more about these particular items.

Maasai bracelet.  Almost all Maasai bead work has symbolism embedded in the colors and shapes.  I could find the meaning of the colors on the web, but I was reluctant to assign any of those meanings to jewelry which was specifically designed for tourists.  Whether it has a specific symbolism or not, it definitely has the "look" of Maasai beaded jewelry done with the tiny beads of brilliant colors.

Maasai shuka.  I normally associate the Maasai with bright red garments or shukas.  We saw many Maasai wearing such garments in different parts of Tanzania including normal day-to-day activities such as tending their cattle.  These are not "costumes" but what they actually wear.

The Frog with our escort back to the room after dinner at Maramboi Tented Lodge.  We had to have escorts at all of the camps after dark because of the real possibility of encountering wild animals.  However, not all of the guards were from the Maasai tribe.  At Mara River Camp the guard carried a bow and arrow instead of a staff and dressed differently.  He was a member of a different tribe.

However, their shukas can have a variety of patterns and colors.  According to this site, the origin of these brightly colored garments is not entirely clear since they traditionally wore animal skins. 

One explanation is that the Maasai cloth was brought in by Scottish missionaries during the colonial era. This sounds like a logical explanation since shuka cloth does often resemble Scottish plaid or tartan patterns.  That certainly seemed true for the Frog's shuka.  

According to the same website, shuka cloth today is usually manufactured elsewhere including China.   Apparently the Frog's gift of a commercially made shuka packaged in plastic is exactly how a modern day member of the Maasai tribe would buy one for himself.  Who knew?

Tour of Arusha.  After getting our gifts and receiving a short orientation about what to do and not to do while on safari, (mostly stay in the vehicle) Joseph drove us through some of the outskirts of the city.  Arusha is a city of over 600,000.  It is known as both an international diplomatic hub and also the jumping off point for safaris in northern Tanzania.  He showed us how people of very different socioeconomic levels lived adjacent to one another in mixed neighborhoods.

Clock Tower.  We then drove to the center of the city to see several of the usual tourist sites.  First was the Clock Tower.

Clock Tower in traffic circle in central Arusha.

The British had originally hoped to build a road from Cairo to Cape Town which would help unify their territories along the east coast of the African continent.  The clock tower is said to represent what would have been the mid-point of that road.  However, the road was not completed before the end of British colonial rule.  Arusha is probably not the midpoint for the road as it was eventually built.  In any case, it is still an iconic landmark in central Arusha.  It was interesting to think about being halfway between Cairo and Cape Town as we are driving around the traffic circle.

Arusha Declaration Monument.  We also passed by another monument,  the Arusha Declaration Monument.  I am not sure I understand all of its significance, but at least from Joseph's brief comments it seems to be a source of national pride.

The Arusha Declaration Monument

Sights on the street.  We continued to wind our way through the streets, which were a mix of cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, and various handcarts loaded with goods.  I originally shot the picture below to show the hand cart that the men were using and the deep drainage ditch at the side of the road.  At least here there was a curb.  In some locations there was no curb, just the deep drop off.

As I was taking the picture through the window of the van, a motorcycle darted by us.  That was not unusual, nor was the fact that he was carrying something large.  It was only after I looked at the picture after returning home that I realized the "large object" was a gas cylinder.  I can't help but think of all the many times I reminded my students to always always make sure there was a cap covering the valve whenever they moved a cylinder.  I didn't want them to accidentally break off the valve and turn it into a giant missile.  Not in my wildest dreams could I have ever envisioned moving a gas cylinder--without a cap no less--on the back of a motorcycle.

Motorcycles were common on the streets, often carrying large loads.  However I was shocked to see him carrying a gas cylinder on the back.

We later commented to our guide that motorcyclists in many parts of the U.S. are required to wear helmets.  He said they are also required to wear them in Tanzania also, but it is not enforced so at least half of the riders (his estimate) don't wear them.

I liked the next picture because I finally got a shot of a woman carrying an item on her head.  We saw them doing it everywhere. We even saw them occasionally carrying suitcases for guests that way at the Coffee Lodge.  It only seemed to be women.  I never saw a man carrying anything on his head.  I was so impressed by how well they could balance heavy loads.  They never seemed to need to steady the load with their hands.  In fact I saw one woman walking along the road with a very large load on her head, which freed her hands so she could talk on her cell phone.  I asked our guide how the women learned to do it.  He said they start very young and it just becomes second nature.

Arusha Central Market.  The real highlight of the morning, at least for me, was a trip to the Central Market.  Although there are smaller markets spread through the city, this is the large market in the center of town.

I had initially been a bit apprehensive about a walking tour through the market based on warnings in some of the guidebooks about potential pickpockets.  However, as Africa Dream Safaris had set it up, I felt completely safe.  We had a special guide just for the market.  He led the way, while Joseph brought up the rear.  Joseph had warned us ahead of time to only take pictures with our cell phones, but that was more than sufficient for this.

Fruits and vegetables.  There were fruits and vegetables of every imaginable kind.

Note the small bananas in the lower right hand corner of the picture below.  I wish we had those here.  We had them multiple times in our box lunches later in the week.  They were more the proportion size I prefer and seemed to taste just like what I think of as a normal banana.

The guide was pointing out a lot of things as we wound through the narrow aisles, but I have either forgotten most of what he said or did not hear the first time.

I was really impressed by the size and quality of the produce.  Both Joseph and the guide said that was due to the very rich volcanic soil of the region.

Wow, they are enormous

There seemed to be every kind of bean you could ever want.

Monkey bread.  Of course I had to ask what were those large things hanging above our head.  The guide explained they are known as monkey bread, the fruit from the baobab tree.  We saw baobab trees much later in our trip while in Tarangire National Park, but those trees were all bare since we were at the end of the dry season.

Monkey bread, the fruit from the baobab tree

Inside the hard skin of the baobab fruit is a white, sweet and sour tasting pulp that can be eaten straight, or drunk as a juice by soaking the pulp in water. A light drink made with sugar and water reportedly tastes like a pear-flavored lemonade.  

This site claims the pulp has six times more vitamin C than an orange, 50 percent more calcium than spinach, and plenty of flavor to add to many recipes.  It can also be easily dried and ground into a powder.  I was surprised to find out that the powder is now being touted in the U.S. and Europe as a super food and is available on Amazon.

I am pretty sure the cream colored chunky pieces in the center bag are the pulp from the monkey bread.

Not just fruits and vegetables.  The market had lots more than just fruits and vegetables.  We saw a huge mound of sardines.

Sardines

I think this woman was sealing sardines into individual plastic packets.  I was intrigued by the fact that she was doing it with a candle.

Sealing small plastic bags of sardines, some of which are piled on her right.  I think the brown things in the foreground are something else.

There was also a butcher shop. I don't know what the meat was, but lamb seemed pretty common at our meals when we were at the camps on safari.

Butcher shop at the market

They were even grilling some of the meat.  We did not buy any of the meat, raw or grilled.

Grilling some of the meat

Nor did we buy any of the many live chickens

Lots pf chickens with roosters that kept crowing

Spices.  However we did buy some spices from one of the vendors who was obviously a friend of the guide.  I don't know his real name, but he was introduced to us as Mr. Spice Man.

Mr. Spice Man

I did not ask where the spices originated, but I assumed Zanzibar.  Known as the "Spice Island", Zanzibar is actually part of Tanzania.  Historically it played a strategic role in the Spice Route, due to both to its geographical location off the coast of east Africa and its spice production.  The island specialized in the cultivation of cloves, becoming the world's largest producer in the 19th century.  According to wiki they are now a distant third to Indonesia, but still produce 7% of the world's cloves. Zanzibar has also been known for cinnamon and nutmeg.  I bought some ground cinnamon and some unground cloves.  I am not sure why I did not get any nutmeg.  For whatever reason it did not come to mind, probably because he was pushing so many other things.  In any case I am thinking I might be able to use the cloves and the cinnamon in pumpkin pie or some other goodies this Thanksgiving or Christmas.

By the way, I asked him if he knew where his shirt came from.  I tried to explain to him that it was from a university in Pennsylvania, a part of the U.S.  He had no idea.  He said he bought it at the second hand store because he liked the lion.  

Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre.  Next stop was the Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre.  It is a privately run art gallery.  Unfortunately it was getting late and we were both getting quite hungry.  We were also worried that we would miss the end of lunch at the Coffee Lodge.  We were also given no indication of what there was to see, so we ended up not staying very long.  Now seeing more info since arriving home, it is clear we barely scratched the surface of what there was to see.

Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arusha_Cultural_Heritage_Centre.jpg)

Tanzanite.  We did see a couple of things.  The owner talked to us about and showed us samples of tanzanite.   Tanzanite is a blue and violet gemstone found only in a tiny area (4.3 miles x 1.2 miles) near Kilimanjaro International Airport.  Interestingly it shows strong trichromism, meaning it appears either blue, violet, or burgundy depending on the orientation of the crystal.  Because of high demand and only one known location in the world where it is found, some predict the supply will be exhausted in a few decades. 

Ebony Carvings. The one thing I did hope to see even before leaving for Africa was some of the carvings from ebony.  Ebony is an extremely dense black hardwood.  It has been used to make intricate carvings for centuries, despite how difficult it is to work with due to its hardness.  Many such carvings are small, but the Cultural Heritage Centre has some of the largest and most intricate in the world.  I did not take many pictures, but some large carvings are in the background behind the musicians below.

Musicians outside the main entrance of the Cultural Heritage Centre.  There are some large sculptures in the background.

We also saw where a craft person had been working on a sculpture.  Unfortunately he was not there at the time  It was still interesting to see the simple tools used to create these beautiful carvings.

Wish we could have seen the sculptor working on this piece.

Of course I loved the large sculpture of the wildebeest crossing the river in the background.  I am still in awe at how sculptors can create something like this out of a piece of wood with just some simple tools.

Wildebeest crossing the river.

It was now nearly mid-afternoon and we were starving.  We returned to the Coffee Lodge to enjoy another buffet lunch in the garden under the shade trees. We spent the rest of the day relaxing in an attempt to shake off the still lingering jet lag, repacking in preparation for the flight to Serengeti Nstional Park, and of course eating dinner.  A major theme of this trip so far had been all of the outstanding food.  

We turned in early.  Joseph promised he would pick us up bright and early the following morning for the trip to nearby Arusha Airport and the beginning of our safari.  That is the topic of the next post.

Africa Trip 2024 -- Day 1, First Day in Arusha

  

[This is post #3 of what will be multiple posts about our 2024 trip to Africa. To go to the first post in the series CLICK HERE.] 

After our 5+ hour flight from Doha, we landed at Kilimanjaro International Airport at about 7:30 am Tuesday, September 10. 

When first looking at the possible flights I was a little surprised that Tanzania was still more than 5 hours from Qatar.  Africa is huge and much larger than apparent from most common maps that use the Mercator projection which projects (and hence distorts) the round surface of the earth onto a flat map.  It exaggerates the size of countries nearer the poles (such as the US), while downplaying the size of those near the equator (Africa).

Here is what is supposedly the true size of the U.S. relative to Africa.

The true size of the continental U.S. vs the true size of Africa.  The tip of Maine is touching Qatar.  The southernmost point of Texas is almost touching the northern border of Tanzania. (From https://s3.amazonaws.com/thetruesize.com/mockup.html#?borders=1~!MTU3NTY0Njk.NDU0NTE1Ng*MzE0MTk4OTM(NjA3MjIzNg~!CONTIGUOUS_US*MTAwMjQwNzU.MjUwMjM1MTc(MTc1)MA~!IN*NTI2NDA1MQ.Nzg2MzQyMQ)MQ~!CN*OTkyMTY5Nw.NzMxNDcwNQ(MjI1)Mg)

 

BTW  In case recent travelers to Greenland would like to know, Greenland appears to be roughly the same size as Africa on maps using the Mercator projection. In reality, Greenland is 0.8 million sq. miles and Africa is 11.6 million sq. miles, nearly 14 and a half times larger.

Unfortunately the weather when we landed was overcast so we could not see nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, however that was the only slightly disappointing aspect of our arrival.  Everything else was fantastic.

We walked down the staircase from the plane and across the tarmac where we were met by the super friendly Africa Dream Safari representatives.  They whisked us through the terminal and out another door, down the tarmac, and into a separate small building, the VIP reception area.  Africa Dream Safaris is apparently one of only a small handful of safari companies that can use the VIP service.

The VIP area had its own screening machine for our carry-on luggage.  There was no waiting because we were the only ones there.  We barely sat down on the overstuffed couch and took a sip of the drinks offered to us when we were ushered into a small office, the dedicated customs officer.  He looked at our visas and passports, asked a couple of questions, and we were good to go.  While all of this was going on, someone else retrieved our checked bag.  They then ushered us into an Africa Dream Safaris van standing outside the door and we were off.  It all happened so fast I am not sure how long it took, but I am guessing 15 minutes.  There is no doubt in my mind many people from our flight were still standing in line in the terminal.

We were then off to our hotel, Arusha.Coffee Lodge.  According to the map, it is about 73 km or 45 miles.  However I never saw distances between sites in Tanzania listed in km or miles in any literature, always time.  It was about a 90 minute trip from the airport (east of Arusha) to the Coffee Lodge (west side of Arusha).

Here is a picture through the windshield of the van as we passed through one of the many villages along the way.  There are multiple things to note.

• Driving is on the left side.  I never did quite get used to that.
• The road is paved.  Most roads in Tanzania are not.
• Even though this is one of the few major roads, it is only a two lane road.  Plans to widen the road may be coming soon based on a major loan from Japan in 2022.  That would be a huge improvement because lots of very slow truck traffic kept the road at a snail's pace much of the way.
• Gas, at least at this station, was 3198 Tanzanian Schillings per liter or $1.17 per liter.  That would be $4.44 per gallon--definitely expensive by Texas standards.
  
• Just ahead is what looks like a crosswalk, but is also one of the many road bumps.
• Although only a few in this picture, there were motorcycles everywhere.  They used them to transport almost everything, including quite large items.  They are also a common means of public transportation.  We saw many young men sitting on them near intersections waiting for a possible customer.  Used in this way they are called boda bodas.  The motorcycles nominally drove on the far left next to the shoulder, but they tended to weave in and out of traffic and do all sorts of strange maneuvers.

Another means of public transportation not seen in the photo above is the slower but safer tuk tuk.  Built around a motorcycle, it has two wheels in the back where up to three people ride behind the driver.

Tuk tuk on the main road nearing Arusha

Arusha Coffee Lodge.  It was not long before we made it to our hotel, the Arusha Coffee Lodge.  It was fabulous and stood in stark contrast to the countryside through which we had just driven.  In almost every way it seemed like a throw back to colonial Africa.

Main entrance to the lodge on the left, restaurant straight ahead.  The outdoor luncheon buffet was behind these buildings under the trees. ( https://www.elewanacollection.com/arusha-coffee-lodge/photo-gallery)

 

Located within one of Tanzania's largest coffee plantations that dates back to the early 1900's, the hotel consists of 30 cottages spread out among the evergreen coffee plants under the shade of tall trees.

The paths wind through the coffee plants to the individual guest cottages.  The leafy plant on the left is a coffee plant.  They are kept relatively short to accommodate hand picking of the beans. Almost everything is in the shade of old growth trees.  (https://www.elewanacollection.com/arusha-coffee-lodge/photo-gallery)

Our cottage was huge.  

Cottage #3, our home for two days.  The couch in the foreground faces large doors that open onto a patio with outside seating.

 The bathroom wasn't too shabby either.

Bathroom in our cottage

One of the nice things about staying here while trying to work through our jet lag after such a long flight was the opportunity to explore several things on site at our own pace without the need for an Africa Dream Safari guide.  

Coffee Tour.  One of the things I had been looking forward to here was the coffee tour.  We were escorted by the very knowledgeable guide with one other couple.

Although out of season, this small group of coffee plants were in bloom.

Coffee blossoms with a Mother of Pearl butterfly

A few out of focus coffee beans

He showed us the cut trunks at the base of the plants.  They cut back the plant near the base every seven years and allow it to grow back from the roots.  They could do this up to seven times, so any plant could be growing on roots that were up to 56 years old.  We also saw multiple termite mounds.  To control these, they periodically brought in aardvarks.  We had to be careful not to step into the large holes the aardvarks created to go after the termites.

After a very detailed  tour outside, we went inside for a roasting demo.  Our guide actually roasted the beans in the small roaster on the counter.  Periodically he pulled out the beans and allowed us to smell them.  Even with my terrible sense of smell I could notice the difference after only a few minutes.

Roasting the beans

He had a full display of the different "roasts".  This wiki article explains many of the characteristics of each roast and labels them in terms of temperature.  What I did not realize was that it was primarily just how long the roast was allowed to proceed since the temperature increases with time.  All the various roasts are from the same batch of beans, just longer roasting time.  From start to the finish of the longest roast was only about 10 minutes.

 

We did not stay to taste any of the coffee since I was having a serious allergic reaction to something.  My eyes and nose would not sop running.  We still got to see and learn a lot.

Shanga.   The Coffee Lodge had a number of shops on their property that were also interesting to explore.

However by far the most interesting and unique were the Shanga workshops.  Shanga, the Swahili word for bead, is a self-sustaining enterprise that trains and employs people with disabilities to produce creative products.  The activities include weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making and metal work, using recycled materials whenever possible.  These products are then sold in the gift shop on site and also around the world.  Having started with one individual in 2007, Shanga currently employs 34 disabled crafts people.  The disabilities include physical disabilities, the deaf, and the blind.  As noted on their webpage,  Shanga’s aim is not only to provide employment opportunities to those that need them most but also to remove the stigma that people with disabilities often face in East Africa.

The various workshops are located around a central courtyard.  We visited twice, but unfortunately there were not a lot of people working while we were there.  We did see a large group doing bead work, and several individuals doing glassblowing.  

Shanga courtyard.  The tree is decorated with necklaces made from glass beads.

 

We were intrigued by the bicycle parts incorporated into the spinning wheels.

 I did find a bead bracelet that I liked and a metal and fabric Christmas tree ornament.

 

Christmas tree ornament and bead bracelet.  As an unexpected bonus, the bracelet came in a really nice cloth pouch.

Walker, Texas Ranger.  We spent some time talking to the greeter/host/interpreter working in the Shanga courtyard.  He asked us where we were from.  United States.  Then we asked him if he had heard of Texas.  His eye lit up and said "Oh, yes!  Chuck Norris is my favorite actor!"  Apparently Walker, Texas Ranger is a popular TV show in Tanzania.  He was the first of several people we encountered who had the exact same reaction.  

Everything had been great and the people were so so friendly.  Anytime we encountered staff even walking the grounds they always greeted us with a smile and a "Jambo Jambo".  I especially appreciated the desk clerk at the hotel who found some anti-histamines for my allergy reaction when I asked for the location of a pharmacy.  It was an incredible first day in Africa.

Africa Trip 2024 -- The Adventure Begins

[This is post #2 of what will be multiple posts about our 2024 trip to Africa. To go to the first post in the series CLICK HERE.]

Our epic adventure to Africa officially began with our trip to DFW airport on Sunday afternoon, September 8, to catch Qatar Airways flight 730.  It was scheduled to depart at 6:55 pm and to arrive in Doha, Qatar, a little more than 14 hours later.  With the eight hour time difference, that made the arrival time in Doha approximately 5:20 pm Monday night.  

Flight path for Qatar 730, DFW to Doha, September 8-9, 2024, 13h 55m.

We then had an 8+ hour layover until our flight, Qatar Airways 1499, was scheduled to leave at 1:55 am Tuesday.  That five plus hour flight would get us to our final destination, Kilimanjaro International Airport outside of Arusha, Tanzania, at approximately 7:30 am Tuesday morning,.

Flight path for Qatar 1499, Doha to Kilimanjaro, September 10, 2024, 5h 15m.

The city of Arusha is the jumping off point for almost all safaris on the northern Tanzania safari circuit.  We would stay two nights in Arusha, then fly by small plane to the northern part of Serengeti National Park.  There we would meet up with our guide/driver who would be with us for the remainder of the trip as we worked our way back to Arusha in the safari vehicle.

 

Super stringent baggage allowances.  It was a relief for the adventure to finally begin after more than a year of sorting out all of the many many details. There had been countless issues to work through, but the biggest one, the one that faces almost everyone taking photography equipment on safari, is what to take and how to get it there given the severe weight and size restrictions for luggage.  

 

We strongly hoped to avoid checking any bags to ensure we arrived in Africa with everything. Even if we checked bags, we definitely did not want to check any of the camera equipment.  The trip would be essentially ruined if the camera gear did not make it on time or arrived damaged.

 

For business class, Qatar allows two carry-on bags, but with a maximum size each of only 20"x15"x10".  The maximum total weight of the two bags is 33 pounds.  We did not know how strict they would be, but we had read numerous online accounts of Qatar personnel checking size and weight of carry-ons at either the check-in counter or the gate. 

 

Even if we totally abandoned the goal of all carry-on, there was still an issue with the small plane from Arusha to Serengeti National Park.  Luggage on the small plane was limited to two soft sided bags per person, i.e. one carry-on (presumably a back-pack) and one small duffel to stow in the cargo hold.  Maximum total weight of the two was limited to 33 pounds.

 

What do we take and what do we leave behind?  For months we weighed everything, looked at various possibilities by entering the items in a spreadsheet, and generally agonized over what to take.

 

Cutting back to the minimum had to be balanced with the realization that there would be no possibility to buy anything while on safari and probably not even in Arusha.  Redundancy was critical on items such as cameras and battery chargers, again since there would be absolutely no chance for replacement or repair.  We also needed plug adapters, cords, and  a power strip to recharge our large number of electronic devices.

 

We needed sunscreen (we would be on the equator), bug repellent (we didn't want to get bitten by tsetse flies or to contract malaria even though we were taking the anti-malaria drug malarone), basic first aid supplies including multiple remedies for potential travelers' diarrhea (we knew to only drink bottled water, but the variety of food in remote locations likely would be a challenge),  our usual medications, and of course some clothes and wide-brimmed hats.

 

We early on abandoned any idea of taking heavier electronics such as laptops or iPads. 

 

Clothes were the next most expendable, but even there we needed some layering since mornings and nights, especially at the higher elevation around Ngorongoro Crater and especially in an open vehicle, were expected to be cold.  We finally settled on three pairs of hiking pants and four long-sleeved "fishing" shirts each, including what we were wearing, and one pair of hiking shoes (Turkey) or hiking boots (Frog) that we wore everywhere including the plane.  We might have gotten by with one set of clothes less, but this worked well to get laundry done at locations where we were staying two nights.  We also each had a fleece, a vest, and a backpacking rain jacket.  We certainly had no "dress up" clothes.

Finally we were ready.  Everything was finally pared down to a total of five bags (two backpacks and three small duffels) plus a small crossbody bag for each of us.  Total weight for the Frog's two carry-ons was 31.6 pounds, i.e. less than the maximum 33 pounds.  However if they added in the weight of the crossbody bag it would be a bit more than 33 pounds.  What counted as "carry-on weight" was ambiguous.

Frog's carry-on duffel and camera backpack.  Total weight 31.6 pounds  For scale, the luggage tag is approximately 4.5" x 2.75"

 

My carry-ons totaled 29.4 pounds.  The duffel was a little longer than 20", but it was not packed tightly so could be smooshed if necessary to meet Qatar's requirements (I hoped).

 

Turkey's carry-on camera backpack and duffel  Total weight 29.4 pounds 

That still left a  checked bag that weighed an additional 18 pounds.  There was nothing in the two end sections, so hopefully that would give us some wiggle room on the return trip if needed.  We knew this additional bag put us over the maximum for the small plane to Serengeti, but Africa Dream Safaris worked with us in advance to get some extra baggage capacity.  Problem solved.  Thank you Africa Dream Safaris!

 

Checked bag.  Finally a use for this duffel that had been buried in the back of the closet.

As much stuff as we had and despite the fact we were taking the Hemingway Experience option of possible African Dream Safari itineraries, at least we had less than Ernest Hemingway had on a safari with his son and his wife in 1933.  As reported in the preface to Green Hills of Africa they had

 " twenty-one pieces of luggage: seven suitcases (three for Charles and four for Ernest and Pauline), five gun cases, one tackle box, one rod case, one gun-cleaning-rod case, one camera case, one trunk, one hatbox, one duffel bag, one shell box and one zipper bag."

DFW was crowded.  We arrived at DFW 3+ hours before departure, which was a good thing.  Terminal D, the international terminal, was packed.  We had pre-paid parking, but were initially afraid we would not be able to find a covered spot.  Fortunately luck was on our side.   We found one great empty spot near the walkway to the terminal that was even near the Qatar counter.

 

 

Bye, Snowy.  See you in two weeks. 

 

Check in with Qatar.  Next stop was the Qatar counter to check our bag and get our boarding passes.  There were lots of people everywhere, but the line for business class was short.  We were still a bit anxious about the carry-ons, but it turned out to be a non-issue.   After checking our passports, the agent gave us our boarding passes and put business class tags on each of our carry-ons.  She did not measure or weigh any of our bags.  In fact, she put the tag on my backpack while it was still on my back.  

TSA.  Next was getting through security.  Yes we had pre-check, but apparently so did just about everyone else on this very busy Sunday afternoon.  We got in the pre-check line, which extended down the hall for quite a distance.  I don't know how long it took, but the sign about the pre-check line said it was a 20 minute wait.  It was over 30 minutes for the "regular" line.

Despite the wait, we went through without any significant issues.  Once collecting all of our stuff we were off to find the American Airlines Flagship Lounge.

American Airlines Flagship Lounge.  Flying business class on Qatar gave us access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge, their premier lounge.  I was actually looking forward to checking this out.  We finally found the sign and took the elevator up to the lounge entrance.  Maybe it was because it was so crowded or maybe we just did not wander around enough, but I was underwhelmed.  It did not seem particularly special.  They had all the self-serve alcoholic drinks you could want, but I couldn't find much to snack on.  There were huge windows overlooking the airplanes below, but the sun was so intense that most people were lowering the blinds.  We finally found a couple of seats and settled in to relax for a bit. 

I was probably being too picky about the lounge.  At least we got in and at least we found some seats.  Later on our way through the terminal to our gate, we saw long lines out of several other lounges.  It was so crowded people were having to wait to even get into those lounges.

Qatar flight--the adventure truly begins.  We made it to the gate and soon began boarding.  That is when the adventure, at least for me, really began.  The first leg would be in one of Qatar's Q-suites. We were in seats 7E and 7F, rear facing seats that Qatar refers to as a double suite.

 

Seating chart for business class on Qatar Airbus A 350-1000.  We were in seats 7E and 7F, rear facing seats that Qatar refers to as a double suite.

 

There was a low divider between us, but it was lowered after take off so we were sitting next to each other.  There was lots of room and with the doors closed on both sides, was very private.

Like an idiot I did not take many pictures. However Qatar airlines has an interactive view of the double suite.

Several stewardesses and stewards introduced themselves and offered us drinks when we first boarded.   I turned down the champagne (that annoying conflict with medication I am on), but did go for Qatar's signature lemon mint drink.  I had been wanting to try it and it was very good.  

 

The cabin crew made sure we had pillows, the super nice Qatar blanket/quilt, and our very own pajamas.  They also asked us when we wanted to eat.  We could choose to eat essentially any time during the flight.  Since we had not eaten, other than a little snacking, we opted for soon after take off.  Needless to say, it was not just pretzels and a drink.  

 

 

The appetizer

  

Main course -- seared chilean sea bass crusted with piquillo olives and pine nuts

The Frog went for prime beef tenderloin with bernaise sauce

Yes there was also dessert, but without a picture I have long since forgotten what it was.

 

We also both took in a movie.  There was Ocean's Eleven for me and one of the Dune movies for the Frog.  There were many many movie choices, but surprisingly few I had ever heard of.  That was probably the only slightly disappointing part of the flight.

I was still so excited I was not sure I would be able to sleep, but the cabin crew put a mattress pad type covering over the seats.  We changed into our pajamas and settled into the lay-flat seats.  I have no idea how long I slept, but I did sleep.

 

As we got nearer the end of the flight we ate again and got cleaned up for landing in Doha.

 

Hamad International Airport.   We landed at Hamad International Airport a little after 5 p.m., almost 15 minutes early.  The airport is only 10 years old, but it is obvious they must be expanding.  We disembarked down a flight of stairs then took a very long bus ride to the terminal around lots of construction.

The airport is almost a destination in itself with the largest number of high end shops I have ever seen in one place.  What made the airport especially nice for us was the Qatar business lounge.   Qatar actually has two business lounges in the airport.  Al Mourjan Business Lounge - South is larger and is considered a bit more elegant.   However, due to its proximity to our gates, we used Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden.  

 

Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden. Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden is only a little over a year old.  Although perhaps not as large as the other lounge, at nearly 80,000 square feet it is not small.  There is lots of seating, including next to an unusual but relaxing fountain/water feature.

Water feature through one section of the lounge

However the main attraction and the source of the name is the fact that the lounge overlooks the tropical gardens and water features of The Orchard below.

The Frog at Al Mourjan Business Loung - The Garden, with The Orchard in the background on the level below.  Although not evident since it was after dark, but the glass features allow natural light into the space.

In both of the pictures above the lounge was nearly empty.  That is because of how flights at the airport are scheduled  To minimize travel time for passengers and maximize aircraft utilization, a huge number of flights arrive and depart at roughly the same time.  One review indicates the airport is nearly deserted 18 hours per day, but is massively busy from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, 11 pm to 1 am, and 5:30 am to 7:30 am.  I don't know about those exact tines, but that was our experience in the lounge.

 

With our more than eight hour layover, we had lots of time to kill.  We found some slightly private cubicles in the back designed for two people.  The chairs were not especially comfortable for sleeping, but we did sleep some.  I never could find the sleeping rooms that I thought were supposed to exist, but now see they were down a hall near the entrance.

 

Of course there were also several places in the lounge to eat either snacks or a meal.

 

Eating a light meal in Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden

 

 I found it interesting how they handled the menu .

This was how we called up the menu with our phones

There were lots of other amenities in the lounge that we did not use such as showers, game room, gym, and spa.  This review covers those things and more with lots of pictures.  Even without using those things, I was most impressed with this lounge.  It has probably spoiled me with regards to use of any other airport lounge in the future. 

On to Africa.  It was finally time to head to our gate.  Boarding went smoothly once we found the gate, but the boarding was a bit odd.  Like our arriving flight, the plane was a significant distance from the terminal.  The odd part was they started boarding economy class first.  This continued for some time, with those folks moving into shuttle buses.  We were afraid we had not heard our boarding call, so the Frog asked the gate agent.  He quickly explained, "Not to worry.  We don't have approval to board yet.  As soon as we get approval, you can board the bus."  Sure enough, we were soon loaded on the business class shuttle bus--nicer bus with more room--and whisked away while the economy passengers were still being squeezed into their buses.

Although not Q-Suites, the flight was still very nice with lots of room in our individual cubicles.  I don't remember a lot, but we did squeeze in breakfast before landing.  We arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport a little after 7:30 am Tuesday, September 10.  We were finally in Africa, just a little over 28 and a half hours since we had left DFW Airport.

The Africa Dream Safari representatives found us, ushered us through customs, then whisked us off to Arusha.  However that is the subject of the next post.