MON. MAR. 6, TUES. MAR. 1 DAYS 1 AND 2 TORONTO-AMSTERDAM-MOSHI

A loooong day ! It was a tough wait at home on Monday morning: the hours crawled by, filled by going over, for the thousandth time, the itinerary, the gear, and what to expect. Drumming fingers, staring out the window, then a strange calm as departure time arrived. We picked up Mom and met Jeff, Marlene and Tristan at the airport. Fond farewells, some laughs, some photos, lots of tears and then .... GO TIME !

What followed was 20 hours of mind numbing monotonous hell. Two flights, a layover in Amsterdam's wonderfully efficient Schipol airport, and two hours of hot and crowded bureaucratic nonsense at Moshi airport. We found Peter, our driver, for the short drive to the lovely Bristol Cottages hotel in Moshi for a light meal, much needed shower and sleep. We are exhausted already.

Surreal to think that this adventure is under way. Thirty years of dreaming, talking, planning and actual doing have come to this moment. We kept looking at each other, blinking, uncomprehending, reminding each other that this was real, no dream. And this is just the beginning !


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