Food and travel writer Mona Farrugia runs Angelica in Valletta. www.angelicamalta.com
TRAVEL
SLEEPLESS IN THE SERENGETI
Tanzania’s jewel in the crown keeps Mona Farrugia awake.
Photos by Richard Waite, Four Seasons.
“I
don’t care what they say: nothing can be worth the 10 hours in an unairconditioned panel truck,” the voice booms around the pool. The ‘voice’ is wearing a huge Stetson and if I could write that in a Texan accent, I would. But the man is not worth the effort and neither was the man who was supposed to be listening, sipping on red wine and ice cubes with a straw and wearing something my eyes will never recover from: a boatshoe version of Crocs.
“And how is this water so ice-ass cold?” he bellows as he puts a foot inside the chilled pool at the Four Seasons Serengeti, where the ambient temperature is at least 35 degrees Celsius and the water a welcome respite for humans and animals alike. The quality – and emotional intelligence – of other guests becomes important when decent, quiet, book-reading guests (me) are exposed to their very loud conversations. A huge majority of high-end camps all around Africa is populated with American – well-
heeled and getting on in years, many in wheelchairs – discussions about insurance (claims about the ‘slippery side of the pool’), inane subjects and, even worse, serious subjects discussed inanely. A few seconds of conversation and you will understand how the Bushes were presidents and how Donald Trump can seriously consider leading the free world. Rubbish in, rubbish out, as they say in other industries. It counts for hostelry as well. If
55 - Money / Issue 37