Trip preparation

In the months before my trip there was much to do to get ready. I had to get my series of shots and immunizations, get my visa, gather more things such as clothes and other items. I also wanted to learn as much as I could about where I was going before I got there. If you are planning to go to the Kilimanjaro region you might like to try www.kilicam.com. When it is working, you will see a view of Kilimanjaro from the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). You get a glimpse of the weather in the area also. However, like many things in Africa involving technology, it seems to be either down or not providing information quite often. But it is fun to look at when it works. By the way, Kili is in the clouds most of the time during the day but you will get teasingly good views of the great mountain.

I also found the local newspaper on the internet. The Arusha Times comes out weekly on Friday and gives a great sampling of what is going on in the Arusha/Moshi/Kilimanjaro region. It is unlike any newspaper you can read in the U.S. I found it to be fascinating reading and only raised my level of excitement for what I was about to experience firsthand, the good and the bad of the area. I continue to check out the Arusha Times occasionally even 6 months after returning home. I found out that there was a major earthquake in the northern part of the region just about two weeks after I got back home. Had I still been there in the Ngorongoro Region I would have felt it.

It is an article I read in the December 15 issue of the Arusha Times that finally got me to sit down and start my Africa blog. The lead story was about how as many as 210 giraffes had been slaughtered this year in the West Kilimanjaro game Corridor. This is where I spent the first 2-3 days of my safari. I photographed many of the giraffes in the area. (I will have may of the photos posted soon) In fact, they became one of my favorite animals and one of the most photographed by me. Not only were giraffes being killed but so were zebras, elephants and many others animals as well. The West Kili area is very remote with few roads and access is difficult. There are not nearly the umber of visitors here as in other more popular or well known game parks. This makes it feel much more natural than the ones with many vehicles and visitors but also much easier for poachers to do their thing. It is very large and basically untouched by modern civilization. This makes it an easy place for poachers to work. I have contacted the Arusha Times and Hoopoe Safaris, who co-own and manage the area to see how I and any one reading this can help to stop the animal slaughter in this area. I did my safari with Hoopoe and will tell much more about them in the future. I encourage you to read the article for yourself.

As this blog develops, I will not only share my experiences of the trip, but will also share with you the many multitudes of ways that we in our privileged world can help to improve the lives of those in Tanzania and preserve the wonderful wildlife and environment of the region.