Safe at Amsterdam

8.5 hour flight on a new 787. Have about an hour here before boarding the final flight to Minneapolis. Warm and sunny here with temps in the 90's for the past couple of days. Airport is a circus but moves right along. 

Noel Petit

On Jul 29, 2019, at 9:33 PM, Sharon Petit <sharonpetit46@gmail.com> wrote:

Have a safe flight! I'm joining Stillings girls for a cook out at Rice Creek Park while you are flying to Amsterdam. Yesterday we had a tornado warning but the tornado touched down near 97 Forest Lake and Scandia. Lindstrom was in the path but no touch down there. They spent time in the storm shelter at the fair. They let them go home early.

Waiting for your arrival.

Love you,

SHP

On Mon, Jul 29, 2019 at 1:27 PM Petit Gmail <petitnoel47@gmail.com> wrote:

Flew in a little 16 seater from Iringa to Dar Es Salam. Stopped at a restaurant across the street from the airport for dinner then through checking at the airport: check ticket and passport, X-ray your bag, take off most of your clothes and go through a metal detector, check passport and ticket again, weigh and tag the luggage, check the passport and ticket again, check the passport, issue the boarding pass, fill out identical from and check passport and take your picture, go up the stairs and put your luggage through another X-ray, put your clothes back on and wait 3 hours.

Dar is warm but not uncomfortable. The plane is on time and we only have 2 hours to wait.

See you all soon.

Noel Petit

Safe at Dar ES Salam

Flew in a little 16 seater from Iringa to Dar Es Salam. Stopped at a restaurant across the street from the airport for dinner then through checking at the airport: check ticket and passport, X-ray your bag, take off most of your clothes and go through a metal detector, check passport and ticket again, weigh and tag the luggage, check the passport and ticket again, check the passport, issue the boarding pass, fill out identical from and check passport and take your picture, go up the stairs and put your luggage through another X-ray, put your clothes back on and wait 3 hours.

Dar is warm but not uncomfortable. The plane is on time and we only have 2 hours to wait.

See you all soon.

Noel Petit

Sunday at our sister church in Wasa

Took a Toyota to our sister church in Wasa, Tanzania. The road is rough for the last hour but the welcome amazing. Church lasted from 10 to 1:45 with introductions and greetings from Fish Lake Lutheran. The pastor's house has a roof and walls bout still needs floors, windows, doors, water and electricity.

Arrived back at Iringa with a short stop at seamstress Helena's shop for more fabric and another shirt. Homeward bound on Monday.

Noel Petit

Returned to Iringa

Our past two days were spent a Ruhaha National Park about 60 miles west of Iringa. That park is the size of Rhode Island and claims to have 534 species of animals. We saw 59. Lions, elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, dozens of bird species, thousands of impalas, monkeys, baboons and a couple dozen species of ground animals. Check the BKB Facebook page for details.

We are now back in Iringa and I will head out to our sister congregation in Wasa for our last day.



Noel Petit

Singing at Tungamalenga

Today we ventured west toward Ruhaha National Park. One of the towns with a Bega Kwa Bega sister congregation in Tungamalenga. We stopped at a Masai village and school that are sponsored by Shepherd of the Hills. Then on to the Lutheran Church for lunch and a concert. We sang with our Iringa choir, two youth choirs from Tungamalenga, and two local choirs from neighboring churches. You will see some of this on the BKB Facebook.

We spent time at the dispensary with Dr. Kahwagi. Then dinner and overnight stay at the lodge in Tungamalenga. We have stopped there often for a break but never knew there was a beautiful lodge. Tomorrow off to the park.

Noel Petit

Day at Isimela

Today began with a 30 minute trip to a stone age site called Isimela. Artifacts from 300,000 years ago have been found there. Apparently the ancient people made took and weapons from quartz and granite here. The site follows an eroded river bed with pillars of limestone beneath surface rocks. The hike was beautiful and challenging.

Following that we moved on to Ihemi church. A moderate sized church along the main road. There we found the Tanzanian choir and two other choirs. After lunch we all sang a beautiful concert to a nearly full house.

Dinner was at a new place called Sunset Lodge. This overlooks the city and is new to me. The long day was fun and now we get to sleep in. Tomorrow is Image Secondary school and a concert at Ilula.

Noel Petit

Sunday in Tanzania

Sang at two church services at Kehesa church in Iringa. The first service was packed and the second nearly packed. Had lunch at the life skills learning center then off to Kibesi church a few miles away in Iringa. Five different choirs joined together for a wonderful afternoon.

Then back to the Lutheran Center to change and gather the "Fabric Team". Elizabeth, Brenda, Dawn and Charlotte helped me pick fabric for quilts. 10 minutes after entering the shop we walked out with 17 pieces at exactly at the budget. Now I have to get it home.

Noel Petit

Friday in Iringa

Today we practiced with the Tanzanian choir in a small classroom at the orphanage. Then we visited the diocese and radio furaha. It is now streaming a Listen2MyRadio.com. Use the lisren2myradio app or internet explorer. We are finally rested but our voices are giving out. Dinner with the choir.

Noel Petit

Fist day in Iringa

After a good night's sleep we are renewed. We spent the morning at Huruma Center practicing with out Tanzanian choir. They knew our joint songs very well and we worked out what they didn't have music for. Lunch at Neema Crafts was wonderful. We they toured the new folks around to the market, Maisi Market, Boma Iringa, Lulu's, and all the rest. We are still beat from long flights so off to dinner and more sleep.

Changes: new vendors along the path to the market, many more shops selling large bags of beans and rice, and theBook Store with shakes is gone!

Greeted Helena and will go back in a couple of days. It is cool and breezy here. We need long sleeves.

Noel Petit

Arrived in Tanzania. Tuesday we flew from Amsterdam to Dar ES Salam in Tanzania. We are spending the night at the Wiasta Chalet. We leave for Iringa in the morning and will ride a bus for about 10 hours. It is warm and muggy here but not as bad as some of our visits. We rode in a brand new Boing 787-10 that was only 2 weeks old from Amsterdam to Dar ES Salam. It has electronic shades on the windows. Push a button and the windows darken - cool.

Noel Petit

Half way there ... in Amsterdam

First flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam. It is 7 hours ahead here. On to Dar Es Salam in a couple hours.
Noel Petit

> On Jul 14, 2019, at 11:14 PM, Noel Petit <petitnoel47@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> You need:
>
> 1) A visa for the country allows you to stay 90 days. You can get a visa from Tanzania by mailing your passport and photos (and payment) to the Embassy in Washington D.C. They are very helpful and will see your passport with visa is returned promptly.
>
> 2) A travel medical visit. The clinic will review what you need for the trip. To Tanzania you need your Tetanus up to date and pills for Malaria. These you take from 2 days before arriving to one week after return. (I will start tonight)
>
> 3) Inform you bank as your cash card will work in Tanzania. Their currency is Tanzanian Shillings with about 2,100 TS per Dollar.
>
> 4) A passport that will not expire until at least 6 months after your trip. This is standard (and silly) for most countries. The logic escapes me.
>
> That's it. All else you need is clothing for the tropical (but high elevation) region and a good attitude.
>
> We leave Minneapolis airport Monday at about 5 PM.
>
>

What does it take to travel to Tanzania

You need:

1) A visa for the country allows you to stay 90 days. You can get a visa
from Tanzania by mailing your passport and photos (and payment) to the
Embassy in Washington D.C. They are very helpful and will see your
passport with visa are returned promptly.

2) A travel medical visit. The clinic will review what you need for the
trip. To Tanzania you need your Tetanus up to date and pills for
Malaria. These you take from 2 days before arriving to one week after
return. (I will start tonight)

3) Inform your bank as your cash card will work in Tanzania. Their
currency is Tanzanian Shillings with about 2,100 TS per Dollar.

4) A passport that will not expire until at least 6 months after your
trip. This is standard (and silly) for most countries. The logic escapes
me.

That's it. All else you need is clothing for the tropical (but high
elevation) region and a good attitude.

We leave Minneapolis airport Monday at about 5 PM.

When will you hear from us

Remember our clock is 8 hours ahead of Minnesota. You will see a blog
entry for today during the morning.

Noel Petit

Continuing this post for our trip in 2019 for the Kiumba Choir We travel to Iringa on Monday July 15. I will keep this up to date then.