Best Of

I’m not sure learning how to make fire was such a good idea!

The Tloma Lodge is a small one but just lovely in nice grounds and next to a coffee plantation. I note it’s not being used next year but that is probably because it is so far from Ngorongoro, about One hour 45 mins. It is great for children, the large lawn in the middle was perfect for running around and playing soccer with the provided balls. We also had one of the surprise projects out on the lawn. I’ll not divulge more. There is a lovely swimming pool. The rooms are large with nice sensible touches such as your own water dispenser in the room so you are not dependent on enough water being left in your room. The staff put hot water bottles in your beds because it does get very cold at night. The staff are extra wonderful and friendly. One of the girls spent time teaching the children the Tanzanian anthem line by line so that they randomly would break out in song for the remainder of the tour. Our grandchildren have perfect pitch like their parents and grandfather so it was delightful and the staff just loved it.
Another nice touch is that for the picnic lunch you get for the day in the crater, the staff have a table set up with all sorts of choices, so you literally choose what you want in your sandwich and the other snacks and fruit and drinks.
One of the late afternoons, the group went on an optional tour of the nearby coffee plantation, owned by a family where all processes are carried out by them including the younger children. There was tasting and I’m told it was deliciously coffee. Our children purchased several bags which were put into homemade cloth bags of African fabric made right there. Extremely reasonable price and very fresh.
Meanwhile, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit a local hospital we have been supporting for about ten years now. It is in the Karatu countryside and very near. One of the staff came to collect us and we were taken on the tour of the much enlarged facilities since we were there ten years ago. There was a US plastic surgeon on a visit too and he was blown away by how amazing it was. He had been operating at a hospital in Dar Es Salaam and been recommended to come and see it.
I was particularly blown away by the maternity unit which had only been planned when we were last there. The area was full of new mothers and babes and they had had eight deliveries during the night…yep, sounded just like all the times I was on night shift. We had coffee with one of the founders.
The day before was our cultural day, a visit to a Masai village and a school. I understood that Tauck rotates the villages and I thought this one was the one probably less satisfying than previous ones. Fewer people and the Welcome dances etc were short. On arrival, the men were given talking sticks to hold and the women a typical Masai beaded collar. I love both. I love the sale of local crafts afterwards but at this village there were poor quality pieces and for example, some of the earrings had rusty attachments. You could buy anything including the necklace or talking stick you had been loaned which were much nicer. I bought a collar and two talking sticks plus some other trinkets for my granddaughter as she was with my husband when we were split into groups of three for going inside the homes. The Masai expect you to bargain and they start at very high prices, they are skilled negotiators and unless you are super good at this, you will pay high prices and when you shop at the lodges or the Cultural Center in Arusha at the end of the tour, you will find you did not get a bargain at all but you will feel good you helped the local Masai.
The School we visited, Tumani, we had been to ten years ago. Also supported by Tauck and some buildings funded by individual Tauck guests. The school was also expanded. Both our daughter and daughter in law are in education and they were totally moved by the entire experience. We partook in reading with the students in the library, now packed with books. Afterwards, our Tauck group of six children played in a soccer match with some of the students. My husband and I took three soccer balls and a pump, excellent timing as they were in need of new ones. Suggest this is an excellent gift if you want to donate something to the school. We took pencils, coloring pencils and a couple of blank page note books for this. Our daughter was crying at the end of the visit and she and her sister in law plan to sponsor a child each.
More soon….