Off to Dar and a phamly reunited...

This morning Erin said some goodbyes to friends in her program, and we were off to Dar es Salaam. Our first stop was the ATM to get cash, of course. The second stop was the Arusha Airport, not to be confused with Mount Kilimanjaro International. We drove down a dirt road that veered off the highway, and suddenly, we were in the midst of a lot of tiny little airplanes.

It wasn't time to check in, so we sat around in the waiting room with the ground crew. Eventually, the check in process opened, we surrendered our luggage (I had a backpack and it had to be checked, which gave us our first clue about just how small the plane would be.

Finally, we went through security, where Erin's ability to understand Swahili, unbeknownst to the security guys, provided us with a few giggles.  Once we cleared through, we were sent to wait in an outside, secured gate area.

We got to watch the activities of the landscaping crew as they mowed the grass around the runway Tanzanian style.

Finally, we were ready to go.  The airplane was loaded, and the captain was in his place.  The plane revved up, and away we flew.

The flight was smooth and although a little long, ended with the beautiful coast Zanzibar in view.  We made a brief stop in Zanzibar, where we changed planes and then headed for Dar, a hotel, and Adam.

Before going to pick up Adam, Erin and I both enjoyed a wonderful shower.  After months of cold showers, Erin had a hard time pulling herself away to leave for the airport.  I was simply elated to stand under a shower for more than three seconds again!  It's the little things in life, even when you have been deprived only a day or two!

By 10 p.m., we had Adam and his luggage safely stowed in a taxi, and we were on our way back to the hotel.  He had his first taste of the developing world as we went down the rutted back road to the hotel, and the taxi driver dropped us off at our hotel.

It has been a long time since the three of us were on vacation together.  Last time we were on vacation together, we were at Disney World, reveling in the world showcase.  Now we will see the real world together, showcased by Tanzania in the adventure of a lifetime.

Tomorrow, we explore Dar es Salaam a little, then it's on to Zanzibar, Stonetown, and a taste of a world far apart from anything we have seen yet.  Tropical beaches juxtaposed with the Muslim population should provide some interesting dichotomies.  I look forward to another day of adventuring with my kids.

Meantime, things I have learned about Africa today:

• You can travel across the world to a developing country and find the greatest shower experience of your life.
• Little planes can have a very smooth ride.
• Zanzibar is VERY hot and muggy.
• Dar es Salaam has a bigger traffic problem than Minneapolis.
• It is fascinating how other countries have stratified the transportation options to make it more or less affordable for everyone to find some way to get transport wherever they need to go.
• Total immersion really IS the best way to learn a language.
• An eight hour time difference is almost unmanageable.  No matter what time of day, the person on the other side of the world is probably not available without some effort.
• Jet lag is not a given.  Sometimes, you just don't ever get it.

Tanzania (the natives pronounce it Tan-zah-kniah, SO charming) is a country filled with natural riches, and I am looking forward to learning more about it as we explore a little more tomorrow.