Arusha
Despite its population of half a million, tourists would be forgiven to thinking Arusha is more of a staging ground for tours than a thriving city in its own right. Our time there was brief but we made the effort to at least leave the walled compound of our hotel and find a local sports bar.
Restaurants & Bars
Bluestone Serengeti Lodge and Lounge
A huge local sports bar, which fairly easily accommodated the 12 of us without warning. There were definite challenges to communication and the menu ended up basically being either chicken and chapati or chicken and chips. We went more or less 50/50 and let the drinks flow freely. The payment was a further challenge for such a big group. Somehow I ended up being the spokesperson for the group, and despite some hiccups, the food was great and very messy as you ate with the chapati. But at the end, waitresses came round with tea kettles and bowls to wash your hands at the table.
Mc-Ellys Hotel
I’d booked a small hotel in the middle of Arusha for my last night after returning from Safari. My initial plan was to wander out and see some of Arusha town, but dramatic and heavy rain basically kept me inside for the few hours I had before everything closed. I found the restaurant and managed to get a coffee, wich was provided by a pot of water and a pile of grounds on a saucer whilst the rain outside came down, and then came back for a nice dinner.
Outpost Lodge
The hotel was booked by G Adventures and one of the nicer hotels we stayed at on the tour. A large double room with a huge shower in the other buildings surrounded by a sculpted garden, there is a nice restaurant and a small but nice swimming pool.
Sports & Activities
Safari
From our hotel, we piled into two jeeps and headed out for our Safari exploring the Serengeti.
