From: "jon mellor" <rtwjon@hotmail.com>

Date: January 12, 2004 7:45:15 AM EST

Subject: africa!

Hi Everyone,

Just a short one, Internet is expensive here in Lushoto!

I've had quite a time so far! It all started 2 weeks ago when my friends Niamh and Phil picked me up from the airport in London. They then took me on a lovely tour of their hometown Swindon. We then went up to a town just south of Manchester for a rockin' New Years night bash! They then drove me down to Oxford where I spent the day and then I took a bus down to London to see the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Then it was off to Africa. I landed in Dar es Salaam early in the morning and got a cab to my hotel. I then wandered the town seeing all the sites. Unfortunately that night as I was going back to my hotel I got into what I thought was a cab but turned out not to be... The driver drove into a dark alley where ~4-5 guys surrounded the cab telling me they were the police. I managed to get out of there (thank god I can run!), but they did rip the t-shirt from my back and I lost my glasses.... The next morning I decided to get the hell out of Dar so I went to Arusha for a safari. I had to wait around a couple of days, so I spent many hours wandering the streets. Everything is sooo different here, it's amazing. There is so much poverty it is quite sad. All of the shops are in basically shacks and there are only a few paved roads in the whole country. There are lots of people always trying to sell you something. Sometimes they are good things, but sometimes they are just trying to rip you off!

After Arusha I did my safari, which was amazing! Did 3 major parks including the Serengeti (my favorite!). Saw lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, leopards, hippos, wildebeests.... you name it! It was a truly unforgettable experience!

I finished my safari yesterday and am now in Lushoto for hiking through rainforests!

Well my time's running out, but I'll email everyone again soon!

cheers

Jon