13 February 2007
The invitation to stay at Usa River, on an abandoned sisal estate, in our friends’ ‘datcha’ was too good an opportunity to miss. The house was converted from several workers’ cottages and apart from the absence of mod cons such as electricity, fridge and clean water was ideal for a complete break for the whole of February. The nearest neighbours were twenty minutes’ walk away. Bliss! We had the generous use of an old but excellent Range Rover which allowed access to the nearby village and, occasionally, Arusha town, but Kay and I spent most of the time on the veranda just watching nature happen, or strolling round the rapidly re-wilding estate. A brief three-day ‘safari’ to Tarangire and Manyara, and three visits to beautiful Arusha National Park provided a wider view of the area. But without doubt the highlight was a day out with James.
