It was a long all day drive from Kenya to Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. Long but also interesting. A two lane road most of the way and the cars and trucks weave in and out of lanes regardless of what is coming in the opposite direction. We finally all took naps so we didn’t have to see it happen.

Entrance into Tanzania was easy, peasey. At the first window you show your passport, the next one your visa and finally your yellow fever vaccine. At the border we picked up 2 new guides who will be with us until the end of the trip.

We stopped for lunch at the Arusha Coffee Lounge which is one of the oldest coffee plantations in Tanzania. The grounds were gorgeous and the food was wonderful. Wilburt told me to wait to buy coffee until we got to our hotel because there was a locally owned coffee plantation located nearby.

Located on the grounds of the hotel/plantation was a place called Shanga. I would describe it as a sheltered workshop for adults with “special” abilities something like the School of the Holy Childhood in Rochester. Most of the work completed there is glass blowing. They collect wine bottles from all the area restaurants and hotels in the area.

They clean the bottles, sort them and then melt them down. They make gorgeous glasses, pitchers and jewelry from them. Of course, I bought lots of jewelry and and glass elephant wine bottle stoppers.

Therese and I spent a very enjoyable afternoon at the pool bar looking drinking Dawas. This drink that we now love is the national drink of Kenya and is made with vodka. In Tanzania it is made with gin and we definitely had difficulty convincing the bartender to make the change.

Next up a VERY exciting first day in Tarangire National Park.