The four travel companions hits expected troubles in their quest for a Tanzanian visa. Whith wallets considerably lighter they can finally rest their eyes on the majestic sight of the lowest 100 ft. of Mt. Kilimanjaro that is not covered in clouds. They arrive in tourist packed Arusha with one goal in their minds, to head for the endless plains of Serengeti with all it's got to offer. A quick pit-stop is all that's needed to refill empty wallets and send already high expectations trough the roof.
Not many miles are covered in their very own Toyota Land Rover before the landscape changes completely. Noisy city quickly turns to vast coffee been plantations followed by wide open plains dotted with the odd kettle heard or Maasai village. Their first stop will be the entangled masses of rainforest surrounding Lake Manyara, where baboons and elephants may be lurking around every baobab trunk.
Further along the bumpy gravel roads the travelers can't resist the urge of dropping by the biggest tourist trap in a 500 mile radius. At least they'll get some expensive and highly breakable jewelry out of it.
After killing some hours fiddling with iPods the first Thomson Gazelle pops up beside the road. Paul Simon barely has time to wrap it up before herd of wildbeest studies the tourists with lazy glances. They've seen them before. It's the first time for the intruders though.
Pitching up their tent in the middle of Africa's wilderness without as much as a fence does not scare the brave explorers. Hearing lion and hyena hunting calls in the distant darkness when wanting to sneak out for a pee does. Standing 5 meters from a 7 ton elephant marking its territory does. Being between a hippo and its waterpool when it suddenly desides to charge does. They've been told the chances for spotting the big five is slim at best. Expectations drop a tad, but hopeful glances are still directed firmly at the endless horizon.
As the sun sets over the barren land the travellers are left with a strange sadness, already missing the unreachable horizons enclosing the cradle of humanity. But as they turn their backs on the endless waves of grass, their eyes are alrady searching for a new haven.
Himmel og hav, kor fantastisk. Det hær e jo bilda som æ har sett på TV, film og i bøker, men no e det Jespersønn og Mariapia som e skapera av vakre, spennende, stemningsfulle og skumle bilda og e dær og oppleve infernoet av inntrykk. Helt rart og uvirkelig å sitt på hytta i Selbu og prøv å ta inn det. Åååå dokker e jo så langt unna, og da bli det te at æ savne dokk litt ekstra. Men for en reise dokker e på, kos dokker, opplev og nyt hverandre. Æ e kjæmpegla i dokker to vagabondan mine og ikke så lite stolt av dokker heller. Laaaaang og varm klæm fra mams. Hils te Odin og Ida. Hilse så my fra Ivar å.
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