Ella's Journey to Iringa

Dear Papa,

let me tell you the story of my last weeks journey to Iringa, my first inland journey into Africa! - See I saw these people only dressed in beautiful red wraps, Mama said they are Maasai and are herding animals - and I was wondering why I have to wear these little suits that are so tight over my head and always need small buttons to be closed, and I really do not like it! Can I have a Maasai dress as well, Papa, in red, please?


Our first stop was for breakfast in the New Acropol hotel, and I really liked it. Mama mentioned something that here on that bench where I sit with her you have learned first about me. But Papa, have you not always known about me?

Then I had a realy good sleep in the car. I found it difficult to fall asleep however, locked into this seat that by now is way too small for me, I cannot stretch my legs any more! Papa, can you buy a bigger one for me, and one where I can see forward, instead of backwards? I am tired of the bag of toys, I want to sea real life ongoing along the roads of Tanzania, it is really interesting!

The first hotel Mama has booked I liked a lot, as you can see.

In the morning when Mama had breakfast and was organising all sorts of things (there was a visitor from Switzerland, that seemed to be real important, he was called Deputy Director General, but I cannot understant that there is anybody more imporant than me!) I could go for a walk with Cletus into the streets of Iringa! They did shoes out of tires just down the road, and I ordered one pair for me, as I have started to walk with Mama, too. It is really difficult to put one foot in front of the other, but when you come back, I will master for sure!

Then I was watching television with Lucy all day, because Mama had gone the the village without me, and it was really boring, and I decided to sleep a bit. I already knew that we would go out in the evening again!

With Cletus I was allowed all sorts of things I am not allowed with Mama, e.g. I could change the gear! He told me that I would surely develop into a real good off road driver, and should rather start sooner than later in exercising. Papa, can we go for more training when you will be back, I want to also sit on the driver seat and stear the wheel!

When the official programme was over, we stopped in Mikumi National Park, and I was particularely interested in the baby animals! See this beautiful baby Zebra, and it was not afraid at all!

I also spotted Impala! Lucy was terribly afraid of them at night, because they made sounds like a lion, but I told her not to be afraid and we called Mama back from dinner, and then it was alright, as always when she comes back. But sometimes she is away for too long, and you too. You should come home soon, Papa!

Here I am asking Cletus if we cannot leave the car to go real close to the Impala, but he said no. Lucy also wanted to go to the elephants, but Cletus said no as well! I really regretted this! Papa, is it true that we cannot go close to them? I would like to caress them just as I do with Castor. I am sure they would like it!

Then this lodge where Mama had booked us in was really lousy, it costed 90US$ for her an me sharing a bed, and despite all my trying, not even the fan was working properly!

But in the end I did not mind, and had another good sleep.

In the morning I was allowed to play on the terrace, while Mama had coffee, until they took me away from there, which I really regretted. They said there was a pack of lions only 300m away, which I did not want to believe at first! I was sure that they simply did not want to let me play!

See how well I can sit now on my own! Just I need a little help to get into this position, but then I can hold for long! And it was quite cold up there in Mikumi, that is why I took my Swiss winter hat with me again! It is quite stylish, isn't it, and the African babies wear woolen hats as well, I have seen, even in Dar es Salaam! Puh, that would be however too warm for me!

See, Mama and Lucy were right! The lions were really close, and the Zebra and Giraffes were much afraid! I was glad to sit in the car by then!

There was a Mama lion and a Papa lion!

And just before we left we also saw some little baby monkeys! They were so good at climbing! Papa, I want to try this as well, so later on we can go climbing difficult routes in the mountains as well, all together! Maybe Castor has to stay at home, he will never be good at this, but I will be as good as these monkeys if I can start to exercise now!

That's all for now! Good Bye Papa! Ella