Arrival - Thursday, January 19

We’ve arrived in Moshi, Tanzania after a long day of travel half way around the world. Throughout the flights, I was pondering what the next few weeks could hold for me. Honestly, I haven’t really felt nervousness, fear, nor extreme excitement since departing Ames, but rather a strange apprehension about what is to come. In the weeks and months leading up to the trip, I would characterize my mood regarding the trip as extremely excited; as we begin the trip, I feel unsure of exactly what we are going to do. I suspect that as we proceed, things will become clearer and my excitement will return. Some of these feelings are probably related to the stress and fatigue of the travel.

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, I was struck immediately by the unique ever-present aroma. I can only describe it as a unique mix of flowers and cooking spices. I’m sure that the sensory experience from this aroma will be etched in my memory like so many scents from past experiences.

After having our luggage loaded onto/into a van for our approximately 30-minute drive to Moshi, we had our first experiences seeing, albeit in darkness, rural (semi-rural) Africa. I would guess that many of the small shops that dot the sides of the road between Kilimanjaro Airport and Moshi are intended primarily for tourists visiting the area; I will be interested in seeing more of the countryside and how “average” Tanzanians live.

Our accommodations are better than I expected, and I am very comfortable in my room. I will enjoy hearing the familiar music of crickets and the not-so-familiar lack of traffic through the open but screened windows of my room.

Here I lie, under mosquito netting, listening to the peaceful night, pondering what adventures await me in the coming weeks…