Monday 28 February 2011

Wedding, Cousins, and Now we are 6!!!

Long time no post - too much fun being had. Essentially, it started with a wedding of friend, during the celebrations of which Mama headed off to the airport to pick up her big brother and family for a week, Sat to Sat, and then Kitty turned 6 on Sunday. Hurrah! So it's been a mad week or so of busy safari and family fun. A selection of photos will pick out the highlights at least... (Big post as lots been done!) So, start with the wedding:
The happy couple

Entertainment from friends

And family (sort of - the orphans consider themselves A's at least...)
Then the great family outing. Hapily, the kids got on famously from about second 10 within the door!


Post paddling (The shots in the pool are definitely not suitable!)
 After 24hrs recovery and fun at home, we headed off on trip 1, to Ngorongoro crater, staying at a nice lodge with a pool in Karatu for some earlier entertainment.
Add caption

The mancub was demonstrating forward rolls. Or just beeing loopy.

Kitty liked this!

And on MOnday morning we'd hired a big car we could all fit in for the crater itself

Abdim's Storks were all over the crater floor - many 1000s

For some, sitting on the roof was the highlight

For others it was the lions that came to visit the picnic site

Mama B liked this best - we don't see many after all

And this is what we don't like about the crater...

Baby golden jackal was nice

Whilst fighting zebra were H's favourite

And L liked the baboons dripping from trees!
 Next treat was a trip to Arusha NP for some.
Mama B always likes thees cool customers

And there was time to stop and feed the eland on the way home
 Thursday managed a trip to Lake Duluti, the Mancub's preferred destination these days

African Darter was a surprise
 
 Then lego was introduced into the fray

Before a final 24hr trip to Manyara ranch topped off the stay - highlights being the inevitable sundowners on the top of my landrover, and large eles among the tents during the night...
The crowd

And a final sunset in TZ for the M family
 But the fun didn't stop, with a birthday girl in the house! Sunday morning, bright and early we enjoyed a wakeup call...
Party started with crown making and edible necklaces whilst people turned up, very African time...

Surprise visitor to the party!

Mama B excelled herself with a butterfly cake containing no dairy and no eggs...

The paddling pool was again enjoyed by all!
And so we found ourselves finally without visitors and completely shattered last night! Mama B is already tucked up in bed now, and life slowly returns to a semblance of normality. Albeit with a 6-year old in the family now.

Friday 18 February 2011

Portrait of Arusha part 1...

So, we've been thinking for a while that we ought to post some pictures of Arusha town, to give those of you who haven't yet made it out here a little bit more of an idea about what it is actually like. We're tried to pick out a few things that are normal sights for us, but probably weren't we we arrived here about 18 months ago - the trouble is, we don't notice half the strange things any more, so probably miss the most striking things! Still, here are the first batch of pics to start you off. We'll try and do some more some other time...
This is the workshop where we had our beds made - lots of furniture shops by the side of the road in Arusha.
What did you think happened to rubbish in a place with no collection? Lots of fires in Arusha...

These guy's keep very fit when they go up the hills...

In the last year pikipiki taxis have spring up at all the street corners. Very handy (and cheap) for getting around town, but not the safest option...

How full can you fill your wheelbarrow? This guy is usually at the bottom of our road.

Dress  shops on the street - Mama B has purchased here.

This is one of the two roads that lead up to our house - Mianzini Rd in this case.
I love what people attempt with bicycles here!
Though heads are good enough for most things...
And if you're really stuck, thow it in a truck - just a shame you couldn't see hom much these were jumping up and down...


There are some nice paved roads about Arusha though - but even there the cows are on the side...
There's always something interesting to see though - drummers on the roof?

We tend to avoid the local butchers...

And this is the other road up to our house - Ilboru Rd. Note mad cyclist again...

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Wobbly tooth!

Major news today was Kitty's discovery of a wobbly tooth! Prompting emergency excited calls to Grannie and Grandma (who was sadly out). Very exciting.
In other news N & D were safely popped on a plane (we think) after a whort walk at Lake Duluti. They will be missed - the Mancub in particular seemed to appreciate D's sense of humour. We are worried.




We're now visitor free until Saturday - wow!