I have arrived! Yesterday’s flights were much better. I was tired enough to fall asleep on both flights and from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro I had the full row to lie down in and sleep soundly. Stepping off of the plane straight down onto the tarmac was when it really hit me that I was here. (Also when I got in the car with Ally and he said “there is no going back now”). It seems that the weather right now is classified as the “short rainy season”. For the month of January it rains for a couple days every couple of days. And then it will dry out for February, and the true rainy season begins in March and lasts through June. Getting through customs was very quick and it seemed like most people were acquiring their visa on arrival (Lucas later told me that the Tanzanian government really appreciates tourism, so they make the process fairly easy).
Everybody was extremely welcoming when I arrived at the house. There were about 10 people in the house and it was very overwhelming, being so tired and all, but it was a great introduction. I have already gotten in trouble by trying to help out with doing my dishes or carrying my luggage even! It’s very kind of everyone trying to help and make me comfortable, but I don’t want to feel like royalty here—I simply want to be part of the family—so I hope the doting and pampering is temporary.
My living quarters are wonderful. I didn’t have many expectations, but it seems like I’m provided with a lot of privacy. I’m in a detached room outside of the main house, with my own bathroom and shower. One thing I was not expecting was AC!
I was so relieved last night when I was able to sleep in a bed! I was exhausted by the time I went to sleep, I laid my head on the pillow and was out. This morning I woke up around 5:30 to roosters crowing and goats bleating, so it seems I will have a natural alarm clock.