Iringa is a hilltop town off the Tanzam Highway and some 5.000' above sea-level...making for a much cooler and less humid climate than Monogoro and of course Dar-es-Salaam.
It have been a site of much Christian missionary activity resulting in a profusion of churchs in the city and in near-by towns.
Its a bustling market town for the region, ...
...providing all kinds of services, such as those need for Japanese vehicles (or the Chinese motorcyle in the foreground).
It also seems to be a market for all that blue glass which was so popular in China in the '80's.
Although our Lodge is near Ruaha Park, its office is in Iringa, ...
...run by Faraja, the super efficient and friendly office manager.
Pre-pay by wire transfer was unsuccessful (requiring lots of emails with Faraja), so piles of cash were spread across the table as the components of the stay at the Lodge were listed on an envelope and corresponding amounts were set aside for them.
Meanwhile, outside the office building, Michael was loading luggage and preparing for the two hour drive to the Lodge.
Shy about having just her photo taken, Happiness (both her Western name and her demeanor) posed with Rafael upon greeting us. A facility with an 80 person capacity, we were the only guests for our four nights...evidence that it was indeed the shoulder season between the rainy season and the high tourist season.
The lodge is built with local materials and traditions, ...
...including this natural air-flow belevedere above the gift shop.
The accommodations are spread about in cottages of varing sizes and capacities,...
...climbing up towards the"Hilltop", with of course a porch, from which...
...climbing towards the "Hilltop", such that all have an expansive view out across the Great Ruaha River plain.
"Cheetah" is a typical small cottage...
...of course with a porch....
...and a traditional thatched roof with its unique ridge top.
The main space has a double bed, ...
....and places to layout ones stuff, and is illuminated by simple florescent fixtures, or
...solar charged lanterns. Numerous outlets also charge all of ones devices and batteries.
All these are powered by a solar P.V. array on the "power plant's" roof, which also has battery storage inside.
The bath room, with shower, basin and toilet, has hot water, also thanks to solar power.
Morning sunrises....
......were watched from the porch, and ...
...pre-breakfast tea, and .....
...breakfast itself, were served in the main lodge.
Happiness was happy to serve drinks during Happy Hour followed by ...
...dinner itself.
The resident cat, Shallow, was on the ready for any bit which might fall accidentally or on purpose.
Post dinner tea was taken on the deck, watching the sun lower over the horizon.
Cashew, an ebullient Masai, was pleased to pose with me and my world wide wandering Duluth Trading Company roller on case.
