July 05, 2005
Reflections on East Africa
Over the last six months travelled through East Africa visiting 4 different coutries, 10 national parks/protected areas, and crossing the equator 7 times. I have slept in 34 different towns, 4 national parks, 3 trains, 1 ferry, and 1 airplane....Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 10:36 AM |
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The Long Road to Malawi: Part 2
The day after visiting Saa Nane Island I visited another island that was just a short ferry ride away from Mwanza, Ukerewe Island. I think that my day on Ukerewe is one of the highlights of my trip. I got...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 09:05 AM |
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June 22, 2005
The Long Road to Malawi: Part 1
I have now visited four of the five countries that Lonely Planet considers to be part of East Africa. (And when it comes to East Africa travel, Lonely Planet is pretty much the only game in town.) The one country...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 10:29 AM |
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June 12, 2005
Parc National des Volcans
Last Monday I went gorilla trekking in the Parc National des Volcans in northwestern Rwanda. Everybody I had spoken to who had visited the gorillas said that it had been an amazing experience, but everyone also spoke of the hike...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 10:06 AM |
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June 07, 2005
Memorial
Irene Umutoni, age 6 & Uwamwezi, age 7 Relationship: Sisters Favorite toy: A doll they shared Favorite food: Fresh fruit Behaviour: Daddy's girls Cause of Death: A grenade thrown in their shower This is the first thing I read upon...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 11:06 AM |
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May 31, 2005
Kibale Forest
Kibale Forest is a wonderful park in Western Uganda (near Fort Portal). I arrived there last Wednesday and, unfortunately, could only stay there for a day because park fees and accommodation is so expensive... But a wonderful 24 hours it...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 04:03 AM |
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May 22, 2005
Back and Forth from Kampala
For some reason I have been coming and going back and forth from Kampala ever since I arrived in Uganda. I have come into Kampala now four different times: when I first arrived in Uganda, after Murchison Falls, after Sipi...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 11:18 AM |
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May 15, 2005
Rafting the Nile
About a week ago I went whitewater rafting at the source of the Nile. It was quite an experience. I hadn't been at all sure that I wanted to go. All the brochures put out by the companies that do...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 03:19 AM |
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May 11, 2005
Murchison Falls
I arrived in Uganda about a week and a half ago. I spent a few uneventful, lazy days in Kampala. (The highlight was going to Shoprite, a grocery store. So much food all in one place!!! I was extremely excited...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 02:59 AM |
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May 02, 2005
A Day in The Life
Travelling independently has a lot of ups and downs. Sometimes you have absolutely amazing moments that you wouldn't trade for anything and that remind you of how good it is to be alive and how lucky you are. Sometimes things...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 10:15 AM |
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Hell's Gate
One of the best day’s I have had thus far in my travels was spent at Hell’s Gate National Park near Lake Naivasha, Kenya. It is a beautiful park located in the Great Rift Valley. Aside from the amazing landscape,...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 02:54 AM |
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April 26, 2005
Nairobi and Around (Part 2)
I cannot say enough good things about my visit to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org). It is essentially an animal orphanage for young rhinos and elephants. The animals are kept there until they are two years old and then...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 04:36 AM |
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Nairobi and Around (Part 1)
Nairobi is a rather modern city with a big city feel to it. It reminded me more of New York City than it did of Dar es Salaam or Mombasa. Much to my surprise, I rather liked it although there...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 03:56 AM |
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April 12, 2005
A Dhow Trip From Lamu
I recently spent a few days on Lamu, an island off the coast of Kenya. It is very similar to Zanzibar, but not as touristy and instead of cars on the island, people travel via donkey. It was a mostly...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 08:40 AM |
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Watamu: Ruins, Monkeys, Shrews, and Jellyfish
Watamu is a nice little town on the coast of Kenya, just north of Mombasa. It has beautiful white sand beaches and nice warm water. It is currently the off season, though, so there aren't a whole lot of tourists...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 07:56 AM |
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April 05, 2005
Mombasa
About a week and a half ago I left Tanzania and arrived in Mombasa, Kenya. Kenya and Tanzania are very similar, but there are two things I've noticed that seem to be a lot different: 1) It seems way hotter...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 09:07 AM |
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March 27, 2005
Hiking in Lushoto
After a couple of days relaxing in Dar, I headed out to Lushoto, a small town in the Usambara Mountains, in Northeastern Tanzania. The center of town is lively with a bus station, numerous restaurants, and a market of Thursdays...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 03:02 AM |
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March 07, 2005
Village Life
What is Itete like you may be wondering? Truth is, its not really much of a happening place, not that I was expecting it to be. This is my typical day: Get up around seven, eat breakfast, write in my...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 08:01 AM |
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February 22, 2005
Hanging Out in Dar
Shortly after the music festival ended I headed back to Dar to get ready to go to Itete. Dar is not a particularly interesting place, however there are a few things worth noting that happened while I was there. A...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 07:21 AM |
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Zanzibar - Music Festival & Prison Island
My timing for going to Zanzibar was quite good because there was an African music festival (Sounds of Wisdom) going on the last few days I was there. The festival was excellent. When I first got to the fest I...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 06:50 AM |
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February 17, 2005
Zanzibar (Jozani Forest & Jambiani)
The following day was my trip to Jozani forest in the middle of the island in the hope of seeing monkeys. To get to the forest I took a dalla-dalla, which is a mini-bus and the most common form of...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 05:20 AM |
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February 16, 2005
Zanzibar (Stone Town & Spice Tour)
I just got back to Dar after spending just over a week on Zanzibar, an island just off the coast of Tanzania. Zanzibar is actually part of Tanzania, but has some independence. Zanzibar has its own president and I...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 10:10 AM |
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February 11, 2005
Future Plans
My visit to Itete on safari was wonderful. There was no way that I could visit there and not love it. The Father at the mission was really friendly and encouraged us to stay longer. One of the things that...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 07:10 AM |
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Safari!!! (Part 7 - Mikumi Park)
Mikumi Park Mikumi Park was our last stop on the safari before heading back to Dar. The drive there took the better part of the day we left Itete. As we were driving there three things worth noting happened: a)...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 06:35 AM |
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February 08, 2005
Safari!!! (Parts 5 & 6 -- Rodent and Itete)
Rodent After leaving the Udzungwa Mountains, we headed for a remote fishing village on the Ruaha River. On the way, we stopped in a town called Ifakara to get lunch and visit the market. Jason made me promise put this...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 09:51 AM |
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February 07, 2005
Safari!!! (Parts 3 & 4) - Uluguru Mts. & Udzungwa Mts.)
Uluguru Mountains After leaving the Selous we headed toward the Udzungwa Mountains via the Uluguru Mountains and Mikumi Park. A picture would probably be worth well more than a thousand words in describing the beauty of the Uluguru Mountains, but...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 08:50 AM |
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February 05, 2005
Safari!!!! (Parts 1 & 2 -- Police Problems and the Selous)
Police Problems Going on safari was absloutely amazing. (Wild Things Safaris - so highly recommended I am giving them a plug here.) The experience far exceeded my hopes and expectations. It began early on the morning of the 24th. We...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 07:46 AM |
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January 19, 2005
A Change in Plans
Well, I didn't quite make it to Kili... The night before we were supposed to climb the mountain I was feeling a lot worse. Even before then I was thinking that going on a climb that usually causes healthy people...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 07:54 AM |
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January 14, 2005
Jambo from Africa!!!
At long last I arrived in Africa just under 2 days ago. After 2 really long flight and very little sleep, Jason and I arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday night. The weather was absolutely perfect, just a little overcast with...Read this update
Posted by Jillian at 05:37 AM |
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