Spices, Sun, And Some Good Times
June 14, 2025
HAKUNA MATATA!
After a long Sunday of travel, we finally landed safely on the island of Zanzibar! As our feet hit the ground, we hit the ground running towards the crystal clear water that was patiently awaiting our arrival. We spent what we had left of our afternoon taking long walks on the beach, trying all new sorts of foods, and immersing ourselves into the culture along the north east coast of Zanzibar. We huddled into a new Moonup spot and eagerly rushed to bed as we were filled with excitement for our week of scuba diving in Africa!
Tuesday morning came and we were up and at em to embark on our scuba diving journey. It was an exciting day for our beginner divers as they got to feel what it’s like to breathe under water for the first time. Harrison, Bailey, Audrey (Bobo), and Queen Elizabeth (fittingly named by our dive instructor, Sule) descended into the deep end of the hotel pool for their first day of lessons! Meanwhile, Birdie took the advanced course divers, fun divers, and snorkelers out to Mnemba Atoll where they got to observe the Zanzibar reefs and aquatic ecosystems up close. After a long and sometimes rainy morning of diving, we loaded up the bus for our afternoon spice tour. Our tour guide, Saif, led us around a spice farm letting us taste and smell all kinds of things from cinnamon to eucalyptus to vanilla and many more. The end of the tour was met with painted faces and hand made tiaras and crowns for the whole group. Once again, we loaded the van and headed back to our new home, closing out the night with a band at dinner and Moonup after some delicious ice cream!
Wednesday rolled around with a later wake up time, as we rested for what would soon become a great day for TNZ 1B! Finally all on the boat together, we set back out for the island to explore some beautiful reefs. Birdie and Kendall explored snorkeling, pointing out a variety of fish: bat fish, stone fish, lion fish, parrot fish, and more! Brooks, Ella, and Robin jumped in not too far after us, but to continue their advanced certification course. Lots of firsts for everyone, and they crushed it! Once we got back to shore and filled up on lunch, we had the most restful afternoon soaking up the sun and exploring everything on the beach, just feet away from where we sleep. On the beach we met a very nice, yet persuasive, woman named Big Mama who tried to sell us shirts, flip flops, massages, and more. She took a liking to Audrey (Banta) and even offered us the local Hakuna Matata discount. After that we walked back just a few feet to eat yet another delicious dinner followed by some more yummy ice cream. Then we closed out another great day with Moonup by the pool!
Thursday started off well with the sun shining down on us as we headed over to the dive center for our second to last day of ocean exploration. Before we knew it, we were anchored at the reef and our advanced certification students and Tommy were headed down to 30 meters deep to complete the deep dive portion of the course. Robin persevered after having clogged ears the day before and made it all the way down with the rest of the group! After roughly 40 minutes underwater, all of the groups reconnected on the boat and huddled together as a storm passed just south of us and brought some cold winds. But shortly after, the two groups got back into the water to finish their certifications (woohoo!). Lo and behold; everyone passed! Our team of snorkels and divers made it back, greeted by a herd of cows mingling on the beach, and sat down for lunch. We spent the afternoon reading, bonding with one another (thanks to Max’s music taste), and enjoying every moment spent together. When dinner came around, we were surprised with a special visit from a few of the Maasai, who sang and danced for us before Moonup. Thanks to Tommy, we found a new Moonup spot closer to the beach, where we debriefed our day to the sounds of the waves crashing. Everyone hit the hay as we had to wake up extra early for our last day in paradise.
It’s the weekend! Even though everyday is the weekend here in Tanzania and Zanzibar, this Friday was one to remember. We woke up before the sun and headed down the beach to hop on the scuba boat. With a beautiful sunrise and calm waters, we headed out for our last day of scuba diving. Everyone jumped in the water for the morning dive, while few stayed behind and relaxed on the boat. (Captain) Jack made his way up to the helm, steering the boat as our group swam along the bottom of the sea just underneath us. When everyone came back up and got some delicious pastries and fruits, we stumbled into a dance party on the front of the boat, followed by Tommy, Brooks, and Robin doing splash competitions and jumping tricks into the teal blue water. We didn’t think the day could get much better, but just after lunch we headed into Stone Town, a historical site near Zanzibar City. We walked around and learned about the rich history of Zanzibar before visiting a shop to buy souvenirs. Meanwhile, our LOD’s, Leena and Julia, assisted the leaders in coordinating a secret plan to get everyone a Zanzibar soccer jersey. While the jerseys were being purchased, we also got to enjoy some delicious Italian gelato that added onto our day of pleasant surprises. We then said goodbye to Stone Town and headed back to the hotel for one last great meal in Zanzibar. Following dinner we started Moonup a little differently, where Leena introduced the Nug Jug by giving everyone the jerseys that we had all been raving about since our arrival on the island! As everyone shared more about themselves, we crawled into bed for a long travel day back to the mainland to kick off our last section of the trip.
Wheels down in Tanzania, we couldn’t be more excited to start the last section of our trip with the strangers who instantly became family. As we continue to bond and grow close to one another, we remind ourselves to live in the moment and be where are feet are, staying present in the now. Stay tuned.. there’s more to come. Elephants, lions, hippos and giraffes, oh my!
Yours truly,
Birdie & Tommy
Shoutouts:
Leena: Thank you mom and dad for letting me come on this amazing trip to this amazing place. I’m having so much fun doing both scuba and safari! and I can’t wait to see you guys soon! I love and miss you guys!
Julia: Thank you so much mom and dad for sending me on this trip I’m having the best time ever! I appreciate everything y’all do for me all the time & can’t wait to see y’all soon!!
Audrey Bobo: Thank you so so much mom and dad for sending me on this trip! I am having the best time and I am excited to show y’all all the cool things we have done. I can’t wait to see y’all!!
Ella: Thank you so so much Mama and Papa for sending me on this amazing trip. I’ve met so many great people and had so many cool experiences because of you. I can’t wait to tell you all about it! Thank you again for making this trip possible for me and for everything you do for me. I love you!
Harrison: Thank you for sending me on this great trip mom and dad. It’s been pretty great so far and I have been having a good time. Happy Father’s Day!
Robin: Mom and dad thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip and giving me this great opportunity. I have had so much fun and can’t wait to tell you all about it. Love you guys ❤️❤️❤️Happy Father’s Day!!!
Max: Thank you so much, mom and dad for sending me on this trip. I have had a great time and made many memories. Thank you & Happy Father’s Day!
Bailey: Thanks mom and dad for sending me on this trip I love you both so much!
Audrey Banta: Hi momma and dad, thanks so much for sending me on this trip it’s been awesome! I love y’all and miss y’all so much ❤️
Kendall: Thank you mom and dad for giving me this amazing opportunity. Love you both so much and cannot wait to see y’all ❤️ Happy early Father’s Day dad!!
Elizabeth: Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip it’s amazing!! Happy Father’s Day. I love and miss y’all!!❤️❤️
Jack: Mom and Dad, thank you so much for sending me on this trip. Africa is truly amazing and I am having so much fun doing all of the activities. Love y’all so much.
Brooks: Mom and Dad, I love y’all and thank you so much for sending me on this trip. Africas been so cool and the diving was incredible! Happy Father’s Day.
Elephants, Excitement, and Everything TNZ
June 9, 2025
JAMBO MARAFIKI!
Or as we say, HELLO FRIENDS! 1B is here and in full swing! After a safe landing Thursday morning, we loaded up the van and started heading towards Kapimbi Camp. Thankfully, everybody already knew each other from the Doha airport. We made our first stop at the TPC sugar factory for lunch where Brooks started us off by teaching everyone a new game called Chameleon. We ate a delicious lunch and loaded back up in the van to finish off our first Tanzanian road trip! With full bellies and tired eyes, we reached our destination in the afternoon, Kazi Ya Tembo, the place we would call home for the next few nights. Card games and bracelet making galore from Ella, we settled in peacefully to Elephant Camp. After soup, chicken, rice and veggies, we introduced our first Moonup surrounding a warm fire on the outskirts of Shengena. Not long after, everyone crawled into their tents for some rest before our first day of hide and seek with elephants!
The next morning, we woke up to a delicious feast of yogurt, cereal, eggs, bacon, fruit, and pastries. After breakfast we split up into our activity groups, with Tommy’s (Thomas) group group decorating trash bins to donate to the local village and lead by example to stop littering! We had so much fun painting hearts, hand prints, and “Taka Taka” (Swahili for trash) all over the bins! Next, we walked down to the village to pick up trash and meet a lot of new faces. Audrey (Banta) was the village superstar, going around making friends and hanging out with all of the little kids! It was such a core memory for the group, and could not have been more special. Meanwhile, Birdie’s (Gretchen) group got in the van and set out on the first elephant excursion. Once feet were on the ground, we hiked through the African bush in search of relocated elephants. Robin and Julia kept the group positive throughout the infamous game of hide and seek, staying curious and asking our guides questions about the current situation at hand. While no elephants were found, we discovered tracks and other signs of their presence lingering around us! We headed back to camp and met up with the rest of the group by getting out of the sun and drinking water, eating lunch, playing cards + games, bracelet making, and having downtime. Late in the afternoon, we headed down from camp to the local soccer field where kids and adults from the surrounding villages gather to play soccer games. The field was in front of an elementary school, in which we got to go into classrooms and see the lay of the land. When it came time to split up into teams and start the competition, Max and Leena stepped to the plate to show off their incredible soccer skills – the locals were floored! It was an experience neither teams could forget. We headed back to camp to eat dinner, and the guides informed us of an emergency elephant call. We drove a few miles towards a local farm that had been invaded by two bull elephants and watched as one of the drone pilots, Isaac, carefully led them back into the Mkomazi National Park using a drone that mimics the sound of bees to corral the elephants. After a successful elephant conservation attempt, we headed back to camp and had our second Moonup of the trip, led by our first LOD’s (Leaders of the day), Julia and Jack.
Waking up to our usual yummy breakfast buffet, we welcomed day 3 with a beautiful sunrise and open arms. In the same groups from yesterday, we flip-flopped activities and were excited to experience what we had heard from the other group’s stories. Tommy’s group hit the road for Ndungu lake in pursuit of an elephant herd the rangers were trying to relocate. After a quick and fun hike through the bush, unscathed and yearning for an elephant sighting, the group considered a swim in the lake, but opted for a sweet treat on the bus and a game of Would You Rather. Back at camp, Birdie’s group got creative with decorating trash bins. Audrey (Bobo) showed off her artistic expertise by drawing a stenciled elephant to spray paint onto the bins. Once completed – elephants, hearts, handprints, and “Taka Taka” covering the bin, we walked down to the village just below camp and showed our care and support for their community by picking up trash. Harrison, passionate about leaving the place better than we found it, led the group with overflowing trash bags collected from outside of the local homes and dropped the soccer ball on the red dirt, starting off a game of soccer and friendly bond with the younger kids, not quite old enough for the tournaments. The kids were smiling ear to ear, not wanting us to leave, and appreciative of the fun, love, and friendship our group brought to the table. Everyone met back up at camp for lunch and another restful afternoon before another soccer tournament. This time, with an overwhelming competitive scene, we watched the locals battle yet another intense game of soccer. As we settled in before dinner, another elephant invasion call was made by farmers. We moved quickly and jumped at the opportunity to lay eyes on elephants! In all luck, the elephants were already back on route for the park, where they rest assured safety from conflict. A late dinner at camp filled us up, leading us into another Moonup underneath a starry African sky. Once heads hit the pillows, everyone was out like a light and ready to embark on a travel day, where too much was to be in store!
The next morning began with excitement to get up close and personal with the wildlife, yet sad to leave all of our friends at the Kapimbi camp. Shortly after breakfast we set out for the Mkomazi Rhino Project and within 30 minutes of leaving camp, we were looking out the window at more than twenty elephants and a herd of zebras! We also saw ostriches, gazelles, dikdiks, and from afar, giraffes! But the real excitement came as we switched into two safari cars and headed into the park in search of the six black rhinos that call Mkomazi home. We quickly found a curious, young female rhino among the acacia trees, that came right up to our vans to say hello. She took a special interest in Bailey and kept coming back to her over and over, just inches away! Although there are pictures to capture the memory, nothing compares to the first hand experience being face to face with a rhino. We then said goodbye to our new friend and continued on through the tall grass and trees to find the rest of the rhinos and on the way, we made a new friend in our safari driver, Qatabe. I’m not sure anyone could have liked him more than Jack, as tears were pouring out of his eyes at how hard he was laughing from the silly comments, driving, and reactions to our safari experience. Jack said his experience out of 10 was an 11, and it’s safe to say everyone else felt the same way. Lunch filled us up before a long car ride back towards Arusha, adding another Tanzanian road trip to the books. But no need to fret, Elizabeth and Kendall sure knew how to keep us entertained by their newfound interest in fly conservation. They taught the idea of leave no trace to the rest of the group by giving insects within the car a second chance at life. After the long trip back to Arusha, we arrived safely at the Outpost Lodge where everyone was so happy to take a shower, eat a hot dinner with incredible fudge brownies, hold another wonderful Moonup, and sleep in their own bed.
We are off to Zanzibar and so excited to learn about an island with so much history and scuba dive in the crystal clear water! Happy Father’s Day from the Tanzania + Zanzibar 1B crew, we are so thankful for y’all and all you do for us!
Hearts full,Birdie & Tommy
Shoutouts:
Bailey: Hi, we are in Zanzibar right now. Please tell all my school and home friends I miss them, and tell Mare I say congrats on graduating and that I wish I was there. Happy birthday to both of you and happy Father’s Day. Love you guys and I can’t wait to catch up:)
Julia: Hiii mom and dad! I’m having so much fun and I am so excited to see y’all when I get back!! Yesterday I was a foot away from a rhino and can’t wait to tell y’all about it! Happy early Father’s Day dad♥️♥️Love & miss y’all lots!!
Audrey Bobo: Hiii mom dad and lily!!! I am having the best time ever and everyone here is so nice!! We stayed in Tanzania for a few nights and did elephant conservation and we went on a safari. We are in Zanzibar now and going scuba diving soon then we go back to Tanzania and do more safaris. The kids here are so cute and we played soccer with them. I am so excited to see y’all and tell y’all all about the trip. Happy early Father’s Day dad♥️ love and miss y’all!!! Tell Gus and Bo I say hi😉
Audrey Banta: Hey Mom and dad!!! I miss y’all so so so much. Dad, I’m praying for you constantly and love you so much. Happy early Father’s Day!! We saw rhinos yesterday it was super cool. I can’t wait to tell y’all all about the trip and be home. Tell Benton I miss him and say hi. See y’all soon love you❤️❤️
Ella Gordon: Hi Mama and Papa and the Leos! I miss you all so so much and I can’t wait to tell you all about my trip when I get home. I’m having so much fun and I’m happy and healthy! It has been so cool getting to meet all the people here and this has been an amazing experience already! Yesterday we saw rhinos and today we made it safely to Zanzibar. I’ve been wearing my hat and have no sunburns! Happy early Father’s day! I miss you and love you all so so much! ❤️❤️
Leena L: Hi mom and dad! I miss y’all so so much. It is so cool getting to know people and learning about the Tanzanian culture. We saw rhinos and zebras yesterday on our safari. We just made it to Zanzibar and we are going to start scuba diving tomorrow!! Happy early Father’s Day dad! I miss you and love you guys both and I can’t wait to see you guys.❤️❤️
Robin: hi mom and dad!!! I am having so much fun this place is so cool!!!! Thank you so much for this opportunity I love and miss you guys so much❤️❤️xoxo
Brooks: Hi mom, dad, Jack, Nicolas, Thomas, Gigi, Opa, and Paco! I’ve been having a lot of fun, we saw elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, and ostriches yesterday. Happy late birthday and early Father’s Day dad, love y’all!
Max: Hi mom and dad! I’ve had a good time on the trip so far we saw elephants and rhinos yesterday. We are now in Zanzibar and then we go into the Serengeti after that. Happy early Father’s Day, love you guys!
Harrison: Hi dad! I hope you are having a good time up in Massachusetts, and have a great Father’s Day. Hi mom! I hope you are having a great time with the empty house and your trip to Bald Head. We just got to Zanzibar after spending the first portion of the trip camping in mainland Tanzania. After we leave Zanzibar in a few days we will go straight to the Serengeti to go on safari and see more animals. Love y’all
Kendall: Hi mom and dad! Having a good time. We are currently in Zanzibar on a bus. I met great friends and am excited to spend time in Zanzibar. Can’t wait to see you guys. Happy early Father’s Day! Love you
Elizabeth: Hi parents! I am having such a good time in Africa! I love and miss you both! Happy Father’s Day ❤️
Jack: Hi Mom, Dad, and Ashby. I hope y’all are doing well. I am having a fantastic time in Tanzania. It is definitely the coolest place I have ever gone. Dad, happy early Father’s Day. I got you a present and hopefully mom will give it to you on Father’s Day. Love y’all!
Safe Arrival to Tanzania!
June 5, 2025
Hello Tanzania + Zanzibar 1B Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Arusha! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
