The Journey Begins

What'd up Africa!?! I'm officially in Karatu, Tanzania safe and sound, and what a crazy 3 days of traveling it was. My first flight left JFK saturday at 9 pm. I was pretty nervous flying but I popped some unisom and passed out for the whole 7 hr flight to Heathrow Airport. After landing in London we had an 8hr layover. Good thing I was traveling with 19 other students to keep myself occupied. We stayed together and played apples to apples and made arts and crafts till it was time to board the plane to Kilimanjaro. Everyone is really nice and we all get along very well. Our next flight was taking us to the Nairobi airport. Reality was really setting in that the next time i'd step off the plane I'd actually be in Africa. During the 9 hr flight emotions were high from being so jet-laged to nervousness to being so far from home but excitement at the same. Needless to say I didn't sleep very well. So we landed in Nairobi to meet the rest of the students and some staff there. There's 27 of us all together. I'm so glad I had people to travel from JFK with because I was totally lost in the airport with no idea where to go. There we had a 2 hr layover before boarding a charter plane to Tanzania. That's when the nausea set in from all the crazy traveling so far and probably from being outside for the first time in 3 days. (We haven't been in fresh air since entering JFK; stuck inside airports during layovers). Of course we took off in this tiny little propeller plane and started flying over Mt. Kilimanjaro. Which is beautiful snow capped mountain but I was too sick to look out the window or even take pictures (sorry). So when we started to descend and hit some turbulence I felt the nausea hit and puked the whole way down. No fun. Thank god it was only a 45 minute plane ride. So we finally land in the Tanzania airport to check through customs, and what happened when I went to baggage claim? One of my duffles didn't make it. But before having a panic attack I soon found out everyone was missing at least one bag so I didn't feel too upset about it since I knew they had to go find 19 of our bags. Good thing were going to get them today since I've been wearing the same socks and teeshirt for the past 3 days. When we claimed what was left of our bags we got into 4 Land Crusiers waiting for us outside the airport. From there we drove an hour to a town called Ashura to get water, something to eat and exchange money for Tanzanian shillings. 1500 shillings is less than a dollar! Aftter lunch we took a 3 hour drive to Moyo Hills campsite where we will be staying for the next 7 weeks. And yes on the drive I saw my 1st wild giraffe (twiga)!!! The whole drive I was admiring the scenery waving to the people we passed on the street Jambo! and others peering cautiously at our vans filled with 27 white americans. We met the staff at our campsite and everyone was very friendly. But I will have trouble remembering everyones names for the next couple of days. We ate dinner and got our room assignments. LoveLoveLove my roommates and claimed the top bunk to pass out till our 730am wake up call. It's can't believe i'm actually here. It's amazing this is really happening!!!

Excited to get to Moyo Hill

One Week

Oh Herro! So I thought I'd attempt to practice blogging before I leave Ameurika. 1st off, I'm done packing! Yes, I've finally shoved the last of my things into my bags, equaling 100 lbs of luggage to drag around the airport. Now only ONE WEEK till i'm off to study abroad in Tanzania and Kenya for 3 months. Next week I will be joining SFS (School For Field Studies) with 27 other students from around the country to study wildlife conservation, ecology, habitat management, sustainability and Swahili. Now that flights are confirmed, and baggage is packed its time to say goodbye. Its sort've nerve wrecking but exciting to be starting this new chapter in my life. And yes I will be sad when it comes down to saying my goodbyes especially to family and friends but I know I'm ready to start this journey. Hopefully this blog will be an insight into my travels on the Serengeti with lots of pictures being posted (since i'm better with photos then words). So keep in contact and i'll try and keep this updated while i'm away.
Missin' you all already
- Dana