May 19th, 2014
Logan airport, Boston, MA

And we're off!

We all met at NEC around 2PM and loaded into the bus:

Thanks to Dan Freese for driving us to  Boston! Everyone remembered everything as far as we could remember. Through security and to our gate:

We depart at 7PM local time for Amsterdam. Then a 2 hour layover and then on to Kilimanjaro, arriving around 7PM local time on Tuesday.

During our bus ride, I asked the students to answer some questions. Here are the replies.

I REALLY HOPE I SEE...
a Tanzania sunset, a Massai giraffe, and a baby lion.
a male lion or a birthing experience.
an elephant crossing our path.
a lion cub playing with other cubs.
an amazing sunset and a full moon to take pictures of.
a hunt and kill!
a lion attack a wildebeast!
all of the Tanzania wildlife!
a cheetah chasing a gazelle.
a good looking wildebeast.
some baby animals.
a giraffe drinking water.
cool African insects.

I AM VERY EXITED ABOUT...
traveling with my best friends and an awesome group of people!
the impact this will have on my life and traveling with a great group.
visiting my #1 travel destination after so many years.
having an incredible experience with great people!
all the picture opportunities!
traveling to Tanzania.
seeing a new place!
watching the expressions on everyone's face when we see our first elephant.
my first visit to Africa.
providing this opportunity to so many students.
trying Tanzanian food, yum!
finally visiting Africa (my 5th continent)

TO BE HONEST, I'M KIND OF NERVOUS ABOUT....
feeling ill from my malaria medications.
being very tired the morning after we get there.
adequate toilet facilities.
culture shock and getting sick.
getting sick.
the bugs that are all around there.
the airports, they make me anxious.
losing camera equipment.
being disconnected.
losing passport and wallet.
being attacked by a rhino.
not sleeping at night.
getting a crazy bug bite.
having awkward Swahili / forgetting something important.

I'm not sure when I'll next be able to update the blog. Please don't take silence as indicating anything wrong - Internet connections are kind of sketchy out there. Trust that we are all happy and well and will be in touch as soon as we can.

Please leave any comments you care to below, and I will communicate them to their intended recipients.

Bon voyage!