Well, I’m home. And Tanzania was AMAZING. We saw and experienced so much, I don’t even know how to articulate it all! Seeing such a beautiful place in person really touched me, and the struggles of those in this country really made me realize how blessed I am, and how much I take for granted. I think when a person goes on a trip like this, it changes them. It certainly changed me.
We took well over 1000 pictures, and I will get them up on a share site when I can but for now here are a few shots that will hopefully convey how incredible of an experience it was. Enjoy, and if you want to see a larger view, just click on the photo!
We saw lots of elephants with their babies, and OMG, so cute! Some were too small to even feed on the foliage but they would pick up branches with their trunks and ‘pretend.’
This one our guide called an ‘Elephant back-scratcher’. We saw ruined trees like this all over the place–I guess the big guys can get quite violent when a tree looks at them the wrong way or they they find an itchy spot they just can’t quite reach…
I loved the giraffes. There’s something about watching them stride across the plain that is just amazing. Here we were able to get quite close as they noshed on some leaves.
We saw many hippos, and this shot is from Lake Manyara. They are massive creatures, aren’t they? The day was overcast, so rather than hide in the water to stay cool, several ventured out to feed.
Note the Hyena skulking behind the herd. The wildebeests and zebras appear unshaken, but you could tell they were very aware of every movement, and ready to bolt at a second’s notice.
It took a long, long time for the animals to settle and come down to the water for a drink. This is when the animals are at their most vulnerable, and so they wait and wait, trying to stay alert for any movement. Zebras and Wildebeests will drink only once a day here. In fact, a lion attacked the herd just as they finished.
This is a Baobab tree…some call it the ‘upside down tree.’ These huge, beautiful trees have many uses for both people and animals. I saw many while in Africa and took lots of shots (you guys know how I love trees). I thought of Becca every time I saw one, because she has a NF PB book that contains info on the Baobab.
My pictures montage wouldn’t be complete without a shot of a lion, now would it? This one was not hunting, but rather playing in the grass with her mate and young cub. They were tough to spot and very hard to get close to.
We saw a ton of Baboons. They were everywhere and weren’t camera shy at all. One even climbed onto the jeep! They were very cute and playful, especially the young ones.
We also travelled through a village, seeing how people lived. It was a real eye opener. They have very little, and had to work very hard to provide for themselves and their families. Here is a boy making a ball to play with out of plastic bags and twine that he’d carefully collected and saved.
This is a typical dwelling in the village–a stick and mud hut. The materials are relatively inexpensive. One of the dangers here is the rainy season and flooding. It isn’t uncommon for families to leave their homes to avoid the flood waters and then come back to repair the damage.
The children in the village were very interested in us, and especially our digital cameras. They would come up to us and high five us, fist pump, etc and then want us to take their picture so they could see themselves on the digital display. Too, our sunglasses were a big hit–all the kids wanted to try them on and they liked to look at themselves in the mirrored reflections. This boy here hopped into my lap the second I sat down and giggled and laughed the whole time. Such a wonderful moment, seeing how simple smiles and actions can bring so much joy. By far this was the best part of the trip for me.
Some of the sights we took in were heartbreaking, like our visit to one of the many, many orphanages. The children there were slow to warm up to us and the weight of their situation was evident on every face. We gave them some gifts and played with them, and a few gave us tentative smiles by the time we had to leave. I have the email address of the teacher there and hope to send down a care parcel of shoes and clothes in the coming months.
This is in Zanzibar…look how blue the water is! We had a wonderful time playing in the waves and searching the white beaches for shells and crabs.
We stayed in a very lovely hut with an ocean view, high enough on the bluff to catch the breeze. This is a shot of the sunrise from our deck. We spent several nights here, relaxing and doing as little as possible. 🙂
Stone Town awed us, both with its rich history and the carvings on doors and balconies in some areas of the city. The doors were very intricate as you can see, and many were reinforced on one side and had their studs intact, originally embedded in the door to keep lions and elephants out.
Much of Stone Town is actually a warren of tight alleys and bustling shops. It was a lot of fun to tour around and pick up a souvenir or two. A spice island, Zanzibar’s wares are known the world over, so I snagged a few good deals on vanilla pods and saffron threads.
As a major site for the slave market, there were many historical areas intact to show just how the slaves were auctioned and where they were kept. It was terrible to see, yet a good way to honor those who had their lives stolen from them by keeping the memory of what happened alive. These are the actual chains used to hold slaves, who were whipped to determine price. Those who were quiet the longest earned a higher price. Horrifying.
I want to leave things on a high note, so here’s a view of the harbor. I love water and all it symbolizes…the openness of the ocean is a good reminder of the opportunities awaiting each one of us, and that we must steer our boats toward them. Happy sailing!
Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.
What an amazing adventure. You are so lucky to have those kinds of experiences.
These are beautiful!! I’m so glad y’all visited the orphanage. I am looking into doing a mission overseas where I may be able to visit orphanages.
Thanks so much for sharing, and also thanks for stopping by my blog! Glad you liked the interview with James Fitzgerald! Yeah, that cabbie story is a strange one. 🙂
K
Your Africa pictures are gorgeous! What a trip of a lifetime.
These photographs–one word: wow.
OMG! These are amazing photos. You didn’t need my suggestions at all. You’re a natural. 😀
Wow, these photos are breathtaking! Thanks for sharing. I particularly like the giraffe and elephant ones, they are in my stories.
what amazing pictures! I hope you took lots of good notes for future books! And for your blog! 🙂
Haa–my first big report in high school was about Tanzania… had to write a paper and present it to class in a 20 min presentation.
Every since then I’ve dreamed about going there… man I am jealous.
Thx for the pics.
What a trip of a lifetime!!!!!! Amazing pics. The back scratcher trees were cool and the slave pit is just…shocking! wow, just wow!
Aw, you did find a giraffe for me! 😛
It really looks like an amazing and eye-opening experience. I would love to someday make my way down there myself. 🙂
Fantastic pictures, Angela. Thanks for sharing! I’ve always wanted to go to Zanzibar – it looks like such an amazing place! Welcome back!
Thanks everyone. It definitely was a life changing trip. I’ve always been good about conserving and reusing, but I think now I’ll step it up a notch, really thinking about things like water conservation and the products I buy and their impact on environment.
Showers affect me the most, I think. Where we were, less than 15 % had running water to their homes, and things like shampoo, body wash, toothpaste–these were luxuries. Heck, hot water was a luxury. It really makes you think about what we waste, and how many little incidentals we take for granted.
Awesome, awesome, awesome! Welcome back. Can’t wait to see more pictures.
Wow! What a trip. Thanks for sharing some of it with us.
Amazing! What a fab experience! You should post the address to the orphanage so we can all send a care package as well!
Angela,
Just so you know…The Americans weren’t the first people to take advantage of the people of Africa (Not that it’s any better, but it’s an FYI). What happened in the past really STUNK!!!!! We can’t change that it occured. All we can do is change is how we treat each other from here on out…Speaking from someone who was born in the UK in ’65 and immigrated to the US in ’74…I think things have improved a lot since then. I hope I’m right…
Amazing pictures. I was in parts of Africa in the late 80s. It’s an experience for sure!
What fantastic pictures Angela. You have so many artistic talents. It seems like you had a wonderful trip. It’s amazing everything you got to see and do.
I’m hoping to go to Uganda next spring to visit the orphans that I sponsor there. They have changed my life with their humble gratitude.
I can’t wait to see the rest of the photos and thanks so much for the brain candy you posted while you were gone.
Stunning photos. Thank you for sharing them.
Love the photos Angela! Can’t wait to see more when we get back to town. Glad you had a fabulous trip.
Russ & Shauna
Wonderful pics!
I’m glad you had a good trip, and welcome back.
Welcome back, Angela. Sounds like an awesome vacation. The pictures are fabulous.
Wow, what a fantastic trip that must’ve been. Thanks for sharing all these pictures–it gives such a varied portrait of what you experienced.
What a once-in-a-lifetime trip, Angela. So awesome to be able to take it with your family. Can’t wait to see the rest of the pics!
Wow Angela, this is all so beautiful and amazing. How lucky you are!
Africa is like the cradle of our world, and I’ve always considered it the most beautiful place, close to Heaven. Mount Kilimanjaro and Victoria Falls are two places I’ve decided I must see before I die.
That being said this isn’t about me! It’s about your amazing trip. Incredible photos. I hope your trip was as awesome as it looks.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures. What an adventure!
Hi Angela, welcome back! Thanks for sharing some of the pictures from your trip. It looks like you had an amazing time in Africa.
It all looks incredible. A trip of a lifetime full of everlasting memories.
These are fabulous! I love them. My cousin went and she has lots uploaded on facebook. There could never be enough pictures of Africa. Never. It’s some of the best photos I’ve ever seen.
Thank you for sharing!
Wow! Your photos are fabulous! Thank you for sharing a place I never expect to see in person. Your descriptions are almost as good as being there!
Truly wonderful.
OH MAN that slave market must have been CHILLING. Makes me sick just thinking about it!!
But that baboon is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!!
Awesome pictures, Angela! So glad you had an amazing trip!
These are wonderful pictures. But when I saw the pit with the slaves in chains, my gut wrenched. What a powerful statement.
Oh, wow, Angela, these pictures are breathtaking! It looks like your trip was amazing!!