In June and July 2002, Randy and I (Mimi) traveled in Tanzania and the north of Malawi. We decided that we would chronicle not only the high and low points for the day, but also the travel essentials such as the quality of food and toilets, the number of forms of transportation used, our best bargains, and our Swahili "word of the day." In addition, we would record the answers to the inevitable questions of whether we got lost or committed any faux pas that day, what we found most surprising, and who or what merited the "Interesting Person, Bug, or Critter Award."
Our route took us from Dar es Salaam to two game parks in the south of Tanzania: Udzungwa Mountains National Park and Ruaha National Park. From there we went further south to Mbeya, and from Mbeya we traveled into the north of Malawi, spending a few days in Chitimba and then to nearby Livingstonia, a Scottish missionary town. Then on to Nkhata Bay, a backpacker hangout on Lake Malawi, for a few days of R & R and a kayak trip on the lake. We then crossed the lake by ferry back to Tanzania, landing in Mbamba Bay, and working our way across the south through very remote, untouristed areas. We reached the coast at Mtwara, and spent a few days there and in neighboring Mikandani. Then an overnight ferry back to Dar for one night, and then on to Lushoto and a few days of trekking through small villages in the Western Usambara Mountains. Next was our Kilimanjaro trek, and then another safari -- this one in Tanzania's famed northern circuit. Finally, we spent our last week in Zanzibar, relaxing and stuffing ourselves silly on delicious seafood.
Part diary, part travelogue, the pages that follow contain a day-by-day account of our trip with some of the more interesting stories, some of our better photos, and links to some of the places that we stayed, the outfitters that we used, and additional information, some useful and some entertaining.
