This morning’s breakfast was one of the best so far, boiled eggs, watermelon, pineapple, a veggie and sausage mix, and a fried banana. Yes, fried banana, so weird but was really good. After eating, we hopped on the bus and headed to the TAWA Foundation. I took loads of notes there, but for the sake of whoever ends up reading this, here’s a brief summary of what I learned:
TAWA (Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority) really prioritizes wildlife conservation through their protected areas, game reserves, wildlife management zones, etc. They operate under strict laws and try to balance tourism, hunting, and conservation in a sustainable way. Hunting is done in a controlled way with strict quotas, and they only allow the hunting of matured male animals. Their mission is all about promoting recreation and prosperity through conservation. They deal with everything from managing wildlife and preventing human wildlife conflict, to law enforcement and community engagement. One thing that stuck with me is how big of a role local communities play in the success of their work and how challenges like poor infrastructure and lack of investment can make it tough. The two men who spoke to us were clearly super passionate and serious about what they do, which made me even more interested in learning about their work. After the talk, I asked questions about community involvement and how they deal with some of their challenges. We ended it with a group photo, then headed to lunch.
Lunch was the same buffet from the first day, right by a market. I bought a little gift for someone before we got back on the bus and drove to a nearby hiking trail. Two local guides led us through gorgeous fields and a forest, the mountain views were absolutely stunning. We passed cornfields and I even saw a crab scuttling by, which caught me off guard so I screamed (oops). It was so hot, but I tried to stay positive and just enjoy the views.
Eventually, we reached a river that blocked the trail, so we had to turn back. On the way back, I walked up front with the guide for a few seconds while the rest of the group lagged behind a bit. That’s when I suddenly heard everyone screaming from the trees behind us. They stepped on an ant nest and not just any ants. These ants went full attack mode, crawling up people’s legs, into their clothes, and biting them like crazy. Some people ended up with bleeding bite marks. I was far enough ahead that I only got one bite on my stomach, so I just stood there dying of laughter while everyone else ran around panicking and trying to shake the ants off. It was honestly the funniest moment of the trip so far.
To get out, we had to cross the river, only we weren’t allowed to walk through it ourselves because of safeguarding rules. So the guides literally gave us piggyback rides across. Once we made it to the other side and back into the field, we rushed back to the bus, still laughing and yelling about what just happened, well i was lol. Everyone’s shoes were full of mud because we hadn’t been told to wear our boots. Once on the bus, it was chaos, everyone pulling off their shoes, shaking out ants, and calling everyone to tell them the story.
We made it back to the hotel and immediately jumped into the showers. For dinner, we had pizza/quiche filled with potato, tomato, carrot, and cheese, plus fries, beef, and a mixed veggie dish. Afterwards, I went to Ellie and Phoebe’s room to clean our muddy shoes. We didn’t have proper brushes, so we used the toilet brush (it was clean!!) and the bidet. We were crying with laughter the whole time, but honestly, we did an amazing job.
What. A. Day.
