Tanzanian Tryst

Picking the honeymoon was probably the hardest part of the wedding.  Forget the international logistics of having a Franco-American wedding on the beaches of Vendée.  Forget the dress.  Our first major trip as husband and wife had to mean something.  It had to be an adventure, a once in a lifetime voyage. 

We picked the Republic of Tanzania because a) neither of us had been; b) it was in Africa, and I needed to go to Africa; c) it has cool animals and beaches.  I mean really, animals...beaches...what more do you need?

Adorable

So off we went!  We traded the Parisian metro for a 4x4 Toyota, and our business clothes for safari clothes.  Our motto became the most famous Swahili phrase in the world: "Hakuna Matata." Instead of being awakened by honking cars, we awoke to the roars of lions and the cackling of hyenas.

On the edge of the cradle of civilization.

Our travels took us through the northwestern part of Tanzania, through Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro and finally to the Serengeti.  Each game park had different animals and folliage.  Some would be completely dry with little green vegetation.  Others were green, bustling oases.  We became children, giggling and exclaiming with excitement everytime we saw an animal.  "Look!  A baby elephant!  Awww."  Or "Wow!  Did you just see that cheetah take out a gazelle?!"  It was Animal Planet made real.  And can we talk about the sunsets?  This place was made for romantic evenings.

Honeymoon sunset

After a week of schlepping around in the back of our 4x4 over non-existant roads, we were ready to relax.  We boarded our Precision Air flight to Zanzibar and were greeted with pristine, blue waters.  A mixture of sapphire and aquamarine.  We had officially flown to paradise...

Caught in the downpour, Stonetown

...Except we had to get through Stonetown first.  I wasn't a big fan of this small Zanzibari town.  Everywhere we went, we got hassled.  And then we got stuck in a torrential downpour.  Like, flooding in the streets that went beyond my ankles.  Getting in the van to go to the next stop was a welcome relief.  We were ready to lie on the beach and do nothing.  Ready to stroll hand in hand on the shore, with no other care in the world.

That's exactly what we did for four days.

Say fromage!

Tanzania is a breathtaking country.  Its mountains, its rich soil, its flora and fauna, the various blues of its oceans.  It is a country where you can relax, disconnect from the world around you and enjoy the sites and the sounds.  I'm so glad that my first trip to Africa was to Tanzania and that we could do it together.  A lifetime of exploring together got off on the right foot.

To see more pictures of our honeymoon, visit my Flickr site.

If you are interested in traveling to Tanzania, I highly recommend checking out our travel agency that specializes in Tanzanian holidays.  They were top notch!