Safari (Day 6):

Lake Manyara National Park to Mountain Inn

Thursday, January 24, 2013

We didn't have to get up early today. I could sleep until 7:30. All we had to do is eat breakfast and pack up. After that, we started heading back to the Mountain Inn. We got here in less than four hours. We stopped on the side of the road in Robert's village so he could unload his stuff. His wife was waiting there to pick it up. She was very friendly.

 

Back at the Mountain Inn, I tipped my crew. Robert got $75 and Ahmed got $50. They seemed to be happy with it. I had to call Roheel to give him my flight number. I also mentioned that I didn't get a picnic lunch as it was promised in my itinerary. He quickly offered me to eat a complimentary hot lunch in the hotel which I happily accepted. I had a pizza and two bottles of ginger ale.

 

The hotel is pretty empty at the moment so there isn't much to do here. I spent an hour facebooking then I looked at T-shirts in the gift shop. I bought one for myself but I didn't find anything decent for Randy. Mine is halfway decent for $10. I spent quite some time looking at my pictures and now I'm catching up with writing my journal. I have more than an hour until dinner. I'll probably clean up again and finish packing. I can't wait to go home now that I've done everything I planned. It's time to plan my next big trip: Everest Base Camp.

 

I talked to the two younger guys at dinner who just returned from Kili. I don't know their names or where they are from but they left for Kili the same day I left for the safari. They took the Marangu Route. One of them climbed to the summit but the other one could only make it to Gilman's Point. He developed altitude related problems early on.

 

Ms. Luizer showed up at dinner time and sat at my table. She was all smiles. It turns out that I am the best customer Shah Tours has ever had. According to her, people normally come for a week or two the most but I'm still here at the end of the third week. Mr. Shah and Roheel were also there at dinner time and I talked to them a little bit, too. They all want me to come back.

 

By the end of the night, I didn't have a lot of time to take a nap. I probably rested for 45 minutes only before it was time for me to go. The man who usually carries my big backpack between the reception and my room was already waiting for me outside my room. He carried my big backpack to the reception for the last time. I never gave him money before but this time I gave him $5. I'm sure he was happy when he found out how much he got (he couldn't see it in the dark when I gave it to him).

 

A young man (who picked up his brother on the side of the road as soon as we left the hotel) took me to the airport. He also got a $5 tip although he didn't really deserve it since he was just talking to his brother the whole time.

 

At the airport, my first order of business was to buy some gifts. I finally found a decent enough T-shirt for Randy and I also bought coffee for a few friends and coffee and tea for myself. I spent $80 on gifts which means I have $20 left.

 

A blurry picture of myself with Roheel, Mr. Shah, and Ms. Luizer at dinner