Truffle Mutt: Jambo Marafiki

Wow! Time sure can get away from you - I hope there are still a few of you out there that remember who I am. I knew it had been quite some time since my last post, but November! Really, that's bad.

Luckily my excuse is a good one - Jason and I had our wedding in Tanzania and we were there for most of January. Of course there was a lot to organize before the trip so blogging got put on the back burner.

We were married at Gibb's Farm in Karatu and then we spent the remaining 3 weeks on safari (which, in case you were wondering, explains the hippo picture - I assure you we didn't eat them, they're vile creatures). It was an amazing trip and I don't think the impression that it made on me will ever fade. At least I hope it won't. The wedding was perfectly organized by the staff at Gibb's and included two ceremonies performed by local tribes, endless tropical flowers, a beautiful cake, traditional Tanzanian food and a performance by a local band that made for an wonderful and unforgettable experience.

There were 23 people from Canada and the US that followed us over 30 hours by plane and bus to Tanzania, where as a group we spent 8 days bumping around in Land Rovers and staying in tented camps. Our adventures took us around Tarangire National Park, the Nogorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park. We got to see the pages of National Geographic come to life, eat fabulous food cooked over open coals while sitting under an umbrella sparkling African stars and then we got to fall asleep to the sound of a roaring lion in search of his pride. It was the trip of a lifetime and I hope to be lucky enough to make it again.

After the first 8 days with friends and family, Jason and I ventured off on our own to explore Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve. The wildlife and the diverse scenery of the other parks was amazing. Ruaha, in Southern Tanzania had recently seen rain and was lush and green with rocky shrub covered hills and sandy riverbeds. While our camp in Selous was perched on the banks of the the river, lined with palms trees, dense shrub and more often then not, hippos. We continued to game drive during the days, but we took several walking safaris with the park Rangers and even got to take a boat safari. The food was always wonderful, but the most memorable thing for me was the fresh fruit. For every meal there was pineapple, bananas, tomatoes, papaya and mango and I never got tired of it.

It was the perfect honeymoon.

For now though it's back into my kitchen and back to blogging. I have several great gifts that have recently found residence in my kitchen (thanks to the wedding registry) such as a Kitchen-Aid mix master, a Cuisinart food processor and a Cuisinart ice cream maker. So stay tuned!