Home » Tanzania Kenya » Mount Kilimanjaro (Machame Route), Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater - May 1999

In February 1999 me and Kasia Janota decided that we wanted to go to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and to see other places. We did some research on the Internet and we found a company that provided reasonable outfitting resources.

Mount Kilimanjaro (Machame Route), Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater - May 1999

TH
2004-08-08 22:11:03

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DAY ZERO: In the afternoon we departed from Newark International Airport, USA to Amsterdam.

DAY ONE 20 MAY: In the morning we landed in Amsterdam. We had to spend a few hours waiting for connecting flight. In the evening we arrived to Nairobi. I had my Kenyan visa issued in advance by consulate in New York while Kasia asked an official in the airport to issue transit visa for her. There was not a problem at all to get visa in the airport and it was cheaper than getting one in the consulate. After we passed passport and customs controls we went to taxi stand to get to in Sixeighty Hotel in the downtown. We knew what would be estimated taxi fare (~14US$), but we had to negotiate with the driver. Since we were tired, it was easy money for the driver - we did not try to argue too much. After 20-30 minutes we were in hotel lobby ready to check in. After we unpacked our things and took shower we went to a restaurant downstairs to have first dinner in Africa. We were not impressed by the quality of food at the hotel restaurant, at least we tried a few African beers. We noticed a funny thing: on every hotel floor there was a guard watching halls to prevent thieves breaking into guest's rooms.

DAY TWO: 21 MAY NAIROBI TO MOSHI After breakfast we were supposed to be collected at the Sixeighty Hotel to be transferred to Moshi. There was some slight miscommunication and nobody arrived to pick us up. After a phone call to Moshi we learnt that Davanu Van Company was not aware that we should be on passenger list. We missed morning van that was scheduled to go to Moshi. Next van went only to Arusha where Zara Expeditions would wait for us. In an hour or so we were taken to Davanu bus station a kilometer away from the hotel. About ten passengers entered van. All luggage was loaded on van's roof.
We left Nairobi and, after a few hours, we stopped at a gift shop before border crossing between Kenya and ...