Hi, your holiday sounds great. I went to Kenya, then to Marais Mara in Tanzania. Incredible. Animals everywhere. You get quite blase about lions and giraffes. Highlight was probably watching a whole pride eat their breakfast just after they’d killed and realising as the cubs look at you, drenched with blood from head to tail, that OK, these aren’t pussy cats!
You get up very early and there wasn’t a whole lot to do after dinner, but you are so tired all you want is bed. Take plenty of mosquite repellent and one of those diarrhoea tablets that contain a mild antibiotic as well because upset tummy’s are mainly caused by infection.

Don’t eat any food that’s been left out on a buffet. We ate freshly cooked meat and veg and were fine. Only trouble we found with food was monkeys trying to steal it!

Although all the guidebooks said take Sterling or Dollars, everyone we came across wanted their own money, although obviously big hotels and most safari camps will change anything.

Tanzania is Moslem country, of course. Quite particular about what you wear. Again, on the private beaches you are fine, but don’t walk around the towns except in long skirt or trousers and always cover your shoulders and arms.

Because it is so very hot in Zanzibar, the pace of life is much slower. Things do get done, but we met some Americans there who got very irritated with the slow service and not too many waiters or hotel staff spoke good English.

i envy you so much. I would go back tomorrow if I could.