Friday, January 6, 2012

Travel: Mafia with the Browns-

whale shark info

mafia island info

 

We started with a minor delay at the Arusha airport- but were able to keep busy. ..  Cole got a new hat from Stella.

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First lodge Ras Mbisi beach bungalows.  Warm coconut welcome.  ( happens everywhere but my kids hate the stuff).  Great views of fisher men pulling in the line- took hours and hours.  This type of net fishing is illegal since is pulls everything up.  But the boys liked seeing the jelly fish, starfish, and small squids the fishermen brought in by accident.  Even though illegal we saw it both days.

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The place had a Boat we could use for sunset tours etc… but the wind was too bad so we used it for a pirate boat in the ocean by the shore most of the time.

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Birch and Cole playing rescue mission- but half way thru Birch freaked ( for real) then calmed and fake stranded Cole was rescued.

 

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Finally the whole reason for the trip- swim with the whale sharks.  … But no luck  Nature wins again-  mom gets seasick- boat ride ok though.  Giant garbage can sized jellyfish seen, so not really sure I would have thrown the kids in the water even if we had seen them.  We had seen two whale sharks from the air flying in our first day and they looked huge- so maybe all for the best.  Kids never scared to snorkel rest of trip and I was slightly worried about this. 

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Off to Chole our tree house lodge next.  It is in the ruins and very cool.  Night one sunset tours on the sail boat.  Everyone gets a chance to steer.

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Our very high tree house.

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Our cool outdoor bathroom complete with monitor lizards, kerosene hot water, and mating or piggyback riding millipedes depending on the kids mood at the time of description.

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Snorkeling fun.  Deep dives by the boys who are both getting very good.  Stone fish, parrot fish, choc dip fish, coral  etc…..

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the walk to and from our boat and how tired we get on the boat even if candy in our hands.

 

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Our dinner seats changed each night- ruins or sea or main lodge.  New years we had crab claws and fish and good wine and conversation- until our kids far away in their tree houses finished their movies.  We had no electricity but saved the dvd power just for the nights. 

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You know David and sunsets and me and xmas family photo ops…. Here they are.

peace

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1 comment:

simpson said...

Hi Birch, this is Konnor Simpson. I was in Mrs. Celani's class with you. It looks like you are having soo much fun. I am wondering if you are coming back to Maine? I wish I could come visit you.
from Konnor Simpson