Day 214 -Settling in our house in Arusha
Saturday, February 2nd, 2019.
We spent part of the morning in our hotel and by 11:30am, our driver, Freddy, came to pick us up to take us to our apartment in Arusha. First, Gregory stopped at the bar in the village to return the beer bottle. The next stop was at an ATM to withdraw money to pay the hotel manager for our two-day stay. It is hard to believe that they don’t take credit cards at this place! When we asked if they had another method of payment besides cash, she told us that we could have done a bank transfer! Well, she should have said that before. We paid her cash and left her several KM from the hotel with a handful of cash. Hopefully, she made it back.
Our driver’s name is Freddy. He works for our host and he is available to us, although we still have to pay. We asked him to stop at a supermarket before we got to the house to get food for the four days that we are staying.
He took us to a very nice supermarket. [Gregory's note: nice doesn't descibe it. It was like being in the US -- large aisles with thousands of products. Expensive, but lots of them.] We were all excited to see so much food and many products that we hadn’t seen in a while, like hair conditioner & gel, and mosquito repellent! Sunshine was feeling sick so she waited for us in the car with the driver. The rest of us where on a mission to get what we needed fast. We ran into the German family we had met at the hotel. They were getting supplies as well and we were all happy to see each other! The dad told me that the vegetables were the same price as in the outdoor market and without the hassle of bargaining! I was so thankful to hear that because we were going to do another trip just for vegetables and fruit.
After paying (thank God the credit card worked here), we said our goodbyes to the German family again and went home. The house looked very nice in the pictures, and the outside it is but the inside is a little rustic. [Gregory's note: like, no hot water in the sinks, bare concrete floors, doors and windows that don't close, and a primitive but working shower.]
The cook/maid came out to welcome us and showed us the house. Her name is Honorina and she is super nice. She only came because we were arriving but she normally has the weekend days off. We had lunch from the bakery -- Gregory had bought some kind of pastry filled with chicken and veggies. Afterward, I asked the cook to chop some vegetables for dinner. I think I’m going to like this place. :-)
At 3:30 a consultant came to talk to us about safaris. I think she thought we were rich because when we told her that our budget was of $3000 she made and face and said that it was going to be hard to work with that number! After she left, Gregory started his intense research on a safari. To be honest, I would have gone with her but then I’m glad someone does research in this house to find better deals!
We sat all afternoon enjoying the faster internet -- for a change. Everyone was doing their own thing. I made tomato soup for Sunshine who seems to have a cold. We went to bed late after doing research on safaris. We didn’t know there were so expensive but we are here and we have to do it! A lot of decisions to make. Gregory also wanted me to check for another home, for the first time, he's the one who's not thrilled with the place. I found a nice apartment which seems far from town, but then we already are! I’m freaking out of all the critters and bugs I have found already but at 11:30pm, I gave up. [Gregory's note: OK, I can deal with rustic and bugs -- but can Lili? Stay tuned!]
We spent part of the morning in our hotel and by 11:30am, our driver, Freddy, came to pick us up to take us to our apartment in Arusha. First, Gregory stopped at the bar in the village to return the beer bottle. The next stop was at an ATM to withdraw money to pay the hotel manager for our two-day stay. It is hard to believe that they don’t take credit cards at this place! When we asked if they had another method of payment besides cash, she told us that we could have done a bank transfer! Well, she should have said that before. We paid her cash and left her several KM from the hotel with a handful of cash. Hopefully, she made it back.
Our driver’s name is Freddy. He works for our host and he is available to us, although we still have to pay. We asked him to stop at a supermarket before we got to the house to get food for the four days that we are staying.
He took us to a very nice supermarket. [Gregory's note: nice doesn't descibe it. It was like being in the US -- large aisles with thousands of products. Expensive, but lots of them.] We were all excited to see so much food and many products that we hadn’t seen in a while, like hair conditioner & gel, and mosquito repellent! Sunshine was feeling sick so she waited for us in the car with the driver. The rest of us where on a mission to get what we needed fast. We ran into the German family we had met at the hotel. They were getting supplies as well and we were all happy to see each other! The dad told me that the vegetables were the same price as in the outdoor market and without the hassle of bargaining! I was so thankful to hear that because we were going to do another trip just for vegetables and fruit.
After paying (thank God the credit card worked here), we said our goodbyes to the German family again and went home. The house looked very nice in the pictures, and the outside it is but the inside is a little rustic. [Gregory's note: like, no hot water in the sinks, bare concrete floors, doors and windows that don't close, and a primitive but working shower.]
The cook/maid came out to welcome us and showed us the house. Her name is Honorina and she is super nice. She only came because we were arriving but she normally has the weekend days off. We had lunch from the bakery -- Gregory had bought some kind of pastry filled with chicken and veggies. Afterward, I asked the cook to chop some vegetables for dinner. I think I’m going to like this place. :-)
At 3:30 a consultant came to talk to us about safaris. I think she thought we were rich because when we told her that our budget was of $3000 she made and face and said that it was going to be hard to work with that number! After she left, Gregory started his intense research on a safari. To be honest, I would have gone with her but then I’m glad someone does research in this house to find better deals!
We sat all afternoon enjoying the faster internet -- for a change. Everyone was doing their own thing. I made tomato soup for Sunshine who seems to have a cold. We went to bed late after doing research on safaris. We didn’t know there were so expensive but we are here and we have to do it! A lot of decisions to make. Gregory also wanted me to check for another home, for the first time, he's the one who's not thrilled with the place. I found a nice apartment which seems far from town, but then we already are! I’m freaking out of all the critters and bugs I have found already but at 11:30pm, I gave up. [Gregory's note: OK, I can deal with rustic and bugs -- but can Lili? Stay tuned!]
For pictures please click here
https://photos.app.goo.gl/652fp3QcUy9vLjRc7
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