And Western style toilets that flush with toilet paper in the Women’s toilet stalls at the Lawn Hotel in Lushoto. This is an absolute luxury when camping. (Oct. 12, 2024)

Inside an individual Women’s shower stall at the Lawn Hotel in Lushoto. Plain and basic but with hot water. (Oct. 12, 2024)

Thanks to Jacob, and waking up at 3:45 am, I was actually the first person to have my tent down at our Lawn Hotel campsite early this morning in Lushoto. With a 6:00 am departure time for our 9-hour drive to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo, I’m doing my best to go with the flow. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Once it started raining and got cool, I plopped myself in a little corner at the guest lounge and had a bowl of spaghetti bolognese, at least that’s what I ordered but I got a hot bowl of spaghetti and sauce instead. A nice corner to eat, drink wine and get some writing done. (Oct. 12, 2024)

I can’t eat food this early in the morning so for breakfast, I just settled for a banana and orange juice. Plus Jeremy made us lunch to go, rice and a Samosa, in my world it’s like an empanada or a pastechi because it’s a deep-fried pastry shell filled with a flavorful mixture of minced beef, garlic, spices, and onions. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Morning countryside views as we are leaving the village of Lushoto and the Usambara Mountains to travel south to Dar es Salaam and the coastal beach town of Kipepeo. (Oct. 13, 2024)

Me and my crown in the middle of the red earth of Zanzibar, Tanzania, at the Kizimbani Plantation. (Oct. 15, 2024)

The Kizimbani Plantation in Zanzibar where our Spice Tour took place is 300 acres of land specifically geared to grow a variety of spices and fruits. (Oct. 15, 2024)

Abdullah (right) our Spice tour guide holding up one of the decorative baskets to put in any of the spices we collect at the Kizimbani Plantation in Zanzibar. (Oct. 15, 2024)

The Annatto is a natural food dye and spice that’s used to color many foods and drinks along with cosmetics like lipstick at the Kizimbani Plantation in Zanzibar. (Oct. 15, 2024)

Lemongrass at the Kizimbani Plantation in Zanzibar. (Oct. 15, 2024)