We went back to the beach for one last hoorah before school starts back (tomorrow!). We started at Peponi where we went earlier in the summer and then moved to a lodge a little further south called Emayani for the last few nights (we splurged a little for our 9 year wedding anniversary). It was a great way to do the trip and I could see us doing that again. We were very lucky because at both places the girls ran in to some school friends and we got to spend time with other adults. It was perfect. At Peponi we walked on the beach, played in the tidepools (where we found a starfish), and swam in the pool. The day we moved resorts it was raining, so it worked out well. We got to take the car on a ferry on the way there and as soon as we arrived Tierney saw her friend Dana (pronounced more like we would say Dawna) and Matt and I got to make new friends with her parents. We knew each other to say hi at school, but they were awesome to spend several nights with. We also met an American family living in Rwanda who are going to come and spend a night with us tomorrow as they pass back through Arusha. It’s so fun to meet people like this.
At Emayani they have a turtle hatching program (well, it’s the dive shop next door, but it’s right there). They move nests from a sand island offshore (where they are at high risk for being covered by water which would make them non-viable) to the beach outside the dive center, so every day we walked down the beach and watched the baby turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean. Really amazing. Ashlyn also got the crap scared out of her when a giant hermit crab blocked her path to the bathroom in the middle of the night – one of the hazards of open bandas. She was actually fine and now she thinks it was pretty cool
We did have a minor (well, major) hiccup as we went to leave. All loaded up at 8 am, car loaded, and kids buckled in and the car wouldn’t start. After lifting the hood and attracting all males in the vicinity we made the official call to stay one more night. We were very lucky in that Joey was out of town and our car fundi (mechanic) was available, so he went and grabbed their car and drove down to meet up (8 hours!). He verified the problem and rode back with us to Arusha yesterday where he immediately got the part repaired; he got on an early morning bus back to the beach this morning to install repaired part and drive it back. It could have been so much worse. Here’s hoping he has no trouble getting there, installing, and driving back tonight. All just in time since Matt has a 6 am flight tomorrow morning for the remainder of the week. Thank goodness for great friends and a great fundi!
It’s a big week with traveling, our anniversary, friends from Germany/Serengeti visiting with their new baby, David’s birthday (today), and school starting tomorrow…not to mention new friends coming tomorrow night and Matt leaving town. Whew!
The kids at Peponi
About to get onto the ferry
Our banda at Emayani
Nice view
The seamonster 
He’ll pick up anything
Matt taking the kids for a kayak ride 
Dana, Flo, and Tierney (ISM friends)
Waiting for the turtles to hatch
Ash making sure it gets all the way to the ocean
The boys
Tigers near Kilimanjaro??? 
And because I couldn’t get this to load last time….
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