Visiting the African continent was a significant goal of this trip. Over the years, Cliff and I have explored many countries within Asia, even embarking on previous around the world itineraries, but never inclusive of Africa. We are so glad we were able to include Morocco and Tanzania in our plans this time and as we leave the African continent, we are already adding additional African destinations to our 2025 Around The World plan 
Many of our learning for Tanzania were already articulated in our Kila La Kheri Zanzibar post, but we wanted to add a few more from our time in Arusha, Bagamoyo and Dar Es Salaam:
1) POLI POLI. Poli poli means “slowly slowly” or “slow down” in Swahili. Slowing down is very difficult for many of us to do…especially me We were reminded each and every day by the locals “poli poli” and after a month, we finally started to get it People in Tanzania take time to stop, say hi to one another and ask how things are going. Nayay explained that he would never walk by another Maasai without stopping and speaking to them for a few minutes. Very few of us in the USA take this approach, especially if we are in a rush to get to school, work, lunch, a meeting, etc. It made me realize that we are all missing a lot…..in our pursuit for efficiency and speed, we are losing the people to people connection. I am going to try to adopt more of the “poli poli” attitude when I return to Seattle
2) TRAVEL WITH A LOCAL. Traveling around Tanzania, we were fortunate to have locals with us for the majority of our time. Nayay, Erin, Terri, Caito and William helped us see more and do more than we would have ever done on our own!! We could only hope to have connections similar in any upcoming country! Thank you to all of you who made our time in Tanzania so special!
3) DON’T TRAVEL TO AFRICA BECAUSE YOU THINK IT WILL BE INEXPENSIVE. Simply put, Africa is expensive. Everything costs more than you think it should. Food, transportation, lodging, etc, etc. Of course, I am sure we were getting the Mzungo (foreigner) pricing but it couldn’t really be avoided since we don’t look or speak like locals. We were shocked by how expensive everything was and are breathing a sigh of relief to be back in Vietnam where the seven of us can eat an awesome meal for $20!!! If you are planning a trip to Tanzania, be prepared! A week in Dar Es Salaam will cost you the same amount as a week in Santa Cruz, CA. Go to Africa for the culture and the experience but don’t go with the expectation that it will be a cheap vacation!
4) HAKUNA MATATA! We all know this phrase from the movie “Lion King” but it is more than a phrase…it is definitely a lifestyle in Tanzania. People live life happily and fully, without sweating the small stuff or letting things weigh them down. “No worries” or “no problem” is the mantra and you rarely see a person get upset or lose their temper. It is amazing and inspiring and just like “poli poli” an attitude that I hope to adopt and continue to practice back in the USA!
Termite mound that locals eat for nutrients, especially when pregnant!
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