Rwandan Adventure - 8th Day - Transition from Kigali, Rwanda to Kilamanjaro, Tanzania - Thursday, 15 Dec 2022

 

Transition from Volcanoes NP to Kigali-Entebbe-Addis Ababa-Kilamenjaro & on to Karatu, Tanzania

 - Thursday, 15 -  Friday, 16 December 2022

Up at 4:40am to finish packing & head to breakfast.  We were the first there - even beat the staff!!!  Originally we were not supposed to have had breakfast, we would have been long gone.  But they trickled in & we all managed breakfast & a quick pee & toothbrush before loading up into the jeeps by 7am.  

The morning was beautiful as I saw a bird, but couldn't id it.  All the staff came out to wave goodbye to us.  Bachu had had to leave, so we had a fill in drive to get us to the airport along with Isaac.

The drive was easy.  Their were lots of people out & about along the road, but minimal traffic.

The mountains were living up to their names of Misty!  We stopped once to stretch our legs & get a final group shot with the beautiful Misty Mountains behind & below us.  Isaac even tried his had at a selfie!!

The drive continued easily with beautiful views as we came down out of the mountains.

Picked up tons of traffic in Kagali & oh so many motorcycles!!!  What a city!!  We got to the airport fine.  Discovered that our flight to Entebbe had been delayed again & we will definitely miss our connection!  Isaac worked in a panic with OAT & they ended up deciding the best route was for us to fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia & connect with a flight there to Kilamanjaro.  Lousy connection.  We have a 6 hour delay in Entebbe & a 7 hour delay in Ethiopia.  Really stinks, but can't see any other option.  Apparently Rwanda Air had a melt down with 3 of their planes out of service & morning fog delaying/canceling half of their flights.  Crap!  Easily got checked in for our flight & we got everyone into the lounge at the airport to wait.  

Flight took off about 4pm from Kigali and arrived in Entebbe about 45 minutes later.  Easy flight, just annoying that we'll be facing a 7 hour delay there!  They had put George & I in "business class" so we got a little extra leg room.  Ticked off Michele because they were in the cattle car with the others, but it was only for the little short 45 minute flight & it had worked out well to get us all in the lounge!

OAT had gotten us into the Karibuni Lounge at Entebbe (we were even met by an official from Rwanda air who escorted us there!).  So we had a nice place to relax, eat, & drink, & nap while we waited for the 2am flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!!!

We landed without any incident at 5am at Addis Ababa.  The airport is huge, but it was easy to find a quiet place with metal lounge chairs to wait out our 7 hour delay.  We snoozed a little, walked a little and just tried to stay sane on the long delay.  It was a mobbed airport, with tons of major upscale shops - fully international.  OAT had tried to get us in the lounge, but the airport wasn't allowing it.  We couldn't use our Priority pass either.  Flight took off at 10:15am.  We were all exhausted, but easily got on the plane & we were all in crappy seats at the back of the 1st section.  

The flight was okay.  At least it was not rough.

Michele arrives at Kilamenjaro - finally!!!!  Picture compliments of Marlyn!  Thanks Marlyn!!

Thank you Marilynn for the arrival pictures!!!

We landed easily at about noon, but getting through customs/passport control was kinda a mess, folks milling around with no good signage or instructions.  We all finally got through and even with all our luggage.  Our 2 guides were there to greet us which was a big relief.  Alex was the main guide with Nixon as his associate.  Already miss Pat & Rick - they didn't come on the post trip.

Immediately loaded into the jeeps & started out.  Recognized some things are we drove - the location of our previous hotel & some of the markets.  Also where we had stopped to help make baskets.  Made a short pee stop at a service station.  My camera shutter was not fully opening, so my pictures are for crap.  Assuming it was the high humidity or maybe some dirt stuck in the shutter.

Alex decided we needed some entertainment, so he stopped at a Maasai Village.  They all came out to greet us and after the initial introductions, they did a welcome dance & then had us join them.

They engaged us in a jumping contest.  Marlyn & Tom got engaged!  Both were pretty darn good!  It was wonderful fun (especially after the past 24 hours of inactivity & depression!!!

 A demonstration of the Maasai method for starting a fire. They had quite some dexterity! First attempt was a bust, but then the expert stepped up & got it going.  

A tour of their humble abodes followed.  I went with Sue & we sat in the chief's hut while he tried to describe his daily life.  It was dark & close in there!  But didn't smell of anything, not even smoke, so that was a relief.  I certainly prefer my RV for daily living!!!  This is a compilation of all our pictures!  

The rest of the drive was easy, just fought to stay awake.  Arrived at Tloma Lodge about 6:45pm.  Alex had us drop the luggage into our rooms (ours is lovely - pictures to follow) and then up to meet about the rest of our stay.  

We chatted about our expectations.  All of us agreed that while we enjoy the school visits - especially since the teacher would be called in from her holiday break - we would forego the school visit tomorrow & add in the Elephant Cave hike instead.  So another early morning to get in as much of the Lake Manyard National Park as possible!!  Our dinner was a lovely buffet on an outside veranda.  Awesome.  We will certainly enjoy our stay here.  Met the lovely young hostess maned Mariam.  Alex called her Marry Him.  Got everyone to giggling & set the stage for a lively visit to Tanzania!!!  More tomorrow!!!