One early morning...

It was an early start this morning as I forced myself out of bed at 5.30am.

The air was cool and the sky was still an inky black. I stepped out of the banda and walked up the path towards the torchlight of Rama (one of our guards). He was escorting the honeymoon couple to the restaurant, so I whispered my good mornings, and fell into step behind them. After they had had their tea, I said farewell, thanked them for their stay and headed to the beach to wait for sunrise. A wide blanket of cloud prevented the sun from appearing on the horizon and I waited silently and peacefully for the rays to break through. In the meantime I was mesmorised by the driftwood and distracted by a small troop of Vervet monkeys that had appeared and begun running and jumping in the trees. They playfully grabbed each other’s tails and happily sprung up and down on bendy branches of the pine tree. One monkey even paused on the beach to watch the sunrise before continuing, and mischievously chased its friend on the beach. The show filled me with energy and I turned back to the sea to see the sun break free from behind the cloud and warm the beautiful day.
Asante sana Tent With a View x

A New Home...

I left the laid back yet traffic filled city of Dar es Salaam and began the drive towards Saadani. After nearly a five-hour drive due to a number of stop offs and initial heavy traffic, the bustle of the city and tarmac roads were swapped for villages and beach tracks. The bush began to grow thicker and the landscape varied between African savannah and old coconut plantations.

Michael, the head of the Masai security, met me in the car park and showed me the way to the reception. The restaurant/bar/reception/entertainment area of the lodge was amazing! The building was raised up on stilts, with all wooden and natural materials used in the construction and a makuti (palm woven/thatch) roof. The sides of the building were open and allowed easy circulation of the fresh sea breeze. As it was high tide, the sea could be seen from the small terrace and the waves heard lapping the dark golden sand beach. There was a great energy in the place with cheeky vervet monkeys springing through the near-by trees. Michael gave me a quick briefing and then walked me to Banda no. 12 and my new home. I was then left to settle in for an hour or so before dinner.

I fell instantly in love with the place! 

As I looked around, I took a deep, happy breath. 

I was home.

Tent With a View