Category Archives: USA

At Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas, USA-Our around the world trip Nov-Dec, 2013

At Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas
At Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas

I do love this hotel nikipata nafasi ya kurudi tena Las Vegas nitajitahidi lazima nikae tena hapa lol! Nadhani siko peke yangu kwenye hili maana Amani na Malaika waliataka kukesha kwenye dirisha so waone dancing water ambayo kuanzia saa mbili usiku, shoo ilikua kila baada ya dk 15. Ilibidi tufunge mapazia na kuzima TV ili tusione au kusikia music tuweze lala la sivyo nadhani tungekesha :) I did well kwa kweli nilichagua hotel nzuri maana ilikua muda wa mama kuchagua hotel anayopenda :)

at Bellagio hotel
at Bellagio hotel

 

Outside view Bellagio hotel
Outside view Bellagio hotel

 

The view from outside Bellagio fountain
The view from outside Bellagio fountain

 

Binti Malaika
Binti Malaika

 

Binti Malaika
Binti Malaika

 

Mr Amani
Mr Amani

 

Malaika and Amani outside Bellagio hotel
Malaika and Amani outside Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

Hubby enjoys bellagio fountain from our room window
Hubby enjoys bellagio fountain the view from our room window

 

Binti Malaika
Binti Malaika

 

She didn't want to miss anything she had to sit here lol!
She didn’t want to miss anything she had to sit here lol!

 

Binti Malaika
Binti Malaika

 

The view from our room, Las Vegas by night
The view from our room, Las Vegas by night

 

Binti Malaika at Bellagio Hotel
Binti Malaika at Bellagio Hotel

 

Binti Malaika at Bellagio hotel
Binti Malaika at Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

The view from our room at Bellagio Hotel
The view from our room at Bellagio Hotel

Las Vegas Nevada, USA-Our around the world trip Nov-Dec 2013-Day 2

With my kids in Vegas
With my kids in Vegas

I do love Vegas kwa kweli, hapa kila mtu yuko kwa ajili ya kuhave fun na ndio raha yake yenyewe. Hii ni mara yangu ya pili kuja hapa mara ya kwanza ilikua kwenye honeymoon yangu 2004. Baada ya kuamka na kuchange kwenye mummy’s hotel choice tulielekea Ihoop pancake house yaani siwezi kuja Marekani bila kuvisit pancake house lol! Kama kawaida utalii muhimu ilibidi tusimame kwenye bango la Las Vegas kwa ajili ya picha ya kumbukumbu :) Oh dear, siku hizi America kila kitu ni foleni yaani kuna watu wengi kila sehemu, fikiria mpaka hapa kwenye bango kuna foleni ya kupiga picha. Baba Amika akajionea isiwe tabu cha muhimu ni kupata picha inayoonyesha bango akasema mke wangu simama hapo pembeni tujipigie picha haraka tujiondokee, ingawa picha hazikuwa nzuri sana maana kuna watu wanaonekana nyuma yetu but tulipata picha ya bango la Las Vegas lol!

mama Amika in Vegas
mama Amika in Vegas

 

The view from our room at Bellagio hotel
The view from our room at Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

At Bellagio hotel
At Bellagio hotel

 

In our room at Bellagio hotel
In our room at Bellagio hotel

Was so nice to meet Mange na familia yake in Las Vegas nao walikua hapa kwa ajili ya holiday. Siku zote huwa napenda wazazi ambao wanapata nafasi ya kusafiri na watoto wao na kupata experience hii kwa pamoja inapendeza sana. Huwa nampenda sana Mange so nilifurahi sana kuwaona hapa, namuombea aendelee kubarikiwa siku zote yeye na familia yake.

Amani, Kenzo and Malaika at Bellagio hotel
Amani, Kenzo and Malaika at Bellagio hotel

 

With Mange at Bellagio hotel
With Mange at Bellagio hotel

 

With Cassie and Malaika at Bellagio hotel
With Cassie and Malaika at Bellagio hotel

Yaani ilikua kama bahati vile siku hiyo hiyo nilipata nafasi ya kuonana na my fb friend Kathleen Kuntz akiwa na mumewe na wifi yake, nao walikua Las Vegas kwa ajili ya weekend. Was very nice to meet you Kathleen :)

With Kathleen, her hubby and her sister in law at Bellagio hotel
With Kathleen, her hubby and her sister in law at Bellagio hotel

Our around the world trip Nov-Dec 2013-Long beach Miami Florida-USA

Mama Amika
Mama Amika

Wednesday, 20th Nov: Asubuhi tuliondoka melini na kuelekea hotelini. Tulifikia Holiday Inn long beach hotel ambayo iko kabisa kwenye hii beach mashuhuri. Tulikaa hapa usiku mmoja tu na kesho yake tulikodi gari ambayo tuliendesha wenyewe to Orlando.

Long beach Miami
Long beach Miami

 

At long beach Miami
At long beach Miami

 

At long beach, Miami
At long beach, Miami

 

With my babies at Holiday Inn long beach
With my babies at Holiday Inn long beach

 

Amani and Malaika at Holiday Inn hotel long beach, Miami
Amani and Malaika at Holiday Inn hotel long beach, Miami

 

Mr. Amani at Holiday Inn hotel long beach, Miami
Mr. Amani at Holiday Inn hotel long beach, Miami

 

Binti Malaika at Long beach, Miami
Binti Malaika at Long beach, Miami

 

Binti Malaika at long beach, Miami
Binti Malaika at long beach, Miami

 

Our hire car in Miami
Refueling on our to Orlando

 

On our way to Orlando
On our way to Orlando

 

Everglades Air Boat @ Fort Lauderdale Florida USA Dec 11. 2012

Evergreen Air boat
@Everglades Airboat..Fort Lauderdale

 

We arrived safely at Fort Lauderdale, Florida after our 10 night Caribbean cruise. We really had a wonderful time and had the chance to visit an amazing places. It felt really good to explore the new things – the feeling is indescribable. After disembarking we took a city tour followed by an air boat tour in the Everglades wetlands. We were fortunate to have the chance to see some wild alligators! We didn’t have a lot of free time to stay because of our flights, but we plan to come back again one day!

What a vacation – we loved it! :))

[amazon_enhanced asin=”1741795761″ /]

Our last night @ MSC Poesia Cruise Ship, Dec 10. 2012

@Our cabin
In our cabin

 

Okay here we go after 9 nights and 8 days in the cruise, this is our 10th night and unfortunately it is the last one. Our 10 night cruise ends all too soon and tomorrow we will be arriving at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the morning we will disembark and then take a city tour followed by an Air boat tour in the Everglades. And we hope to see some wild alligators too!

After snorkelling in Bonaire, a city tour in Aruba, the Mud Volcano El Totumo in Colombia, visiting Native Indian village and Panama Canal in Colon Panama, getting a kiss from dolphin in Jamaica and all the yummy food on the cruise ship, this is what you can see in my face :))) Happy, happy me, loving it!

Our 10 Night Cruise Starts Here, Fort Lauderdale USA, Dec 1st 2012

 

Onboard MSC Poesia Cruise

 

Three continents. Our journey began in Asia – the Middle East, crossed Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, then finally, North America. Finally, after two long flights we arrived in Miami, Florida. We stayed there for just one night to rest, then continued on to Fort Lauderdale so that we could be close to Port Everglades from where our cruise would depart. We stayed here for one night and the following day we boarded the MSC Poesia for our 10 night cruise to Bonaire Island (under Dutch rule), Aruba, Colombia, Panama and Jamaica.

This was my second cruise. My first was a Princess Cruise on our honeymoon back in 2004, so I was really excited. For my daughter Malaika it was her 3rd and for my son Amani is his 2nd. My husband and I believe it’s really important and worthwhile to give the kids a chance to expore the world as much as possible and learn about different people, places and cultures. To be honest we are starting to see the benefit of it for them. They’re more exposed for their age and understand the world more than most kids in their age for that we’re very pleased.

The 1st impression of cruise was wow!

@Phoenix Arizona, Utah & Las Vegas, USA. July 2004

 

Stratophere Top of the World Restaurant, Las Vegas

 

Hii ilikua part ya honeymoon yetu. Nachopenda kuhusu hii safari ni kwamba tulidrive all the way to Las Vegas, tulitumia muda wa wiki moja kufika Las Vegas kwa sababu tuliamua kusimama na kulala sehemu mbali mbali on the way.  Pia tulitembelea Meteor Crater pamoja na Grand Canyon ambapo tulilala usiku mmoja. Kwa kusema ukweli safari hii ni moja ya safari ambazo nilizipenda sana mpaka leo imeshapita miaka karibu saba bado naikumbuka kama jana vile, ningependa tena kufanya safari kama hii sehemu nyingine duniani. Hii ilituwezesha kutembelea na kuona maisha ya real Amarican people maana tulikua tunasimama kwenye small town na kulala kwenye small motels.

Wakati tukiwa njiani tulisimama kwenye mji mmoja kuweka mafuta pamoja na kununua drinks. Kwa nini nimekumbuka huu mji ni kwamba ulikua wa kushangaza sana ulikua tofauti sana na miji yote ambayo tumepita, this small town watu wake walikua wako very strange yaani jinsi wanavyovaa ni kama watu wa miaka mingi sana nguo ndefu na ambazo zina staili moja pia wanafuga nywele ndefu kwa wanawake na kufunga kama mabutu mawili au moja. Wanawake wote walivaa staili zinazofanana pia wanaume. Gari letu lilivyokaribia tu kwenye mji huu tuliona watu wanatuchungulia toka majumbani tulivyofika Petrol Station mambo yalikua yale yale. Tukadhani labda upande huu ni ule upande wanaoishi wale wabaguzi wa rangi ukilinganisha mimi ni African tukaona bora mimi nibaki kwenye gari Mr. yeye aingie dukani kwa ajili ya kulipia mafuta na kununua drink.  Aliporudi hata yeye alishangaa sana akasema kwa kweli mji huu uko tofauti bora tundoke mara moja hatukuweza jua kisa na mkasa wa huu mji.

Baada ya mwaka mmoja kupita siku moja naangalia Oprah Winfrey Show then hapo ndipo nilipata jibu. Kumbe mji unaitwa Colorado City ambao uko Arizona, watu wanaoishi hapa wanadini yao ya tofauti inayoamini maisha ya wake wengi pia ni ruska kwa wasichana wadogo kulewa na watu wazima ambao wamewazidi miaka mingi sana. Kitu cha kushangaza ni kwamba watu wengi hawakuwa wanajua kitu kama hiki kiko kwenye nchi iliyoendelea kama America. Wamarekani wenyewe walishangaa na kusikitishwa kuwa kitu kama hiki kipo na kinaendelea nchini kwao. Pia tukajifunza kuwa kuna mengi ambayo yanaendelea kwenye mji huu ambao kwa ujumla ni vya kushangaza pia hawataki wageni kwenye mji wao ndio sababu kubwa ya wao kutuchungulia na kukimbilia ndani. Baada ya kumaliza kuangalia na kuelewa kwa undani nilibaki mdogo wazi na kusema wow!

Baada ya kutoka Colorado City Arizona tuliendelea na safari yetu kama kawaida. Mji mwingine ambao ulinifurahisha sana ni small town call Zion. Iko katikati ya desert ambao umezungukwa na milima mikavu katikati yake ndio kuna huo mji. Tulilala Zion Park Lodge  na kupata nafasi ya kuzungukia mji kidogo nilipapenda kwa kweli ni pazuri sana.

Tulipoanza kuingia Las Vegas mambo yakaanza kubadilika ghafla mambo yakawa ni kufurahisha tu. Tulivyofika tu Stratophere Hotel nilibaki mdogo wazi kama vile nilikua naangalia movie kumbe si movie ni hali halisi hiyo. Tuliposimamisha gari tu wafanyakazi wakaja kwa kasi na kutufungualia milango ya gari huku wengine wakitoa mizigo kwenye gari na kutuomba ufungua wa gari kabla hata sijamaliza kushangaa naona gari letu hilo linaondoka na kwenda sijui wapi yaani lilipotea machoni mwetu ghafla ndio nikakumbuka zile movie nilizokua naona zamani kuwa watu wachukuliwa magari kwenda kupaki mmh! eti leo hii ni mimi nilibaki kutabasabu kabla hayo hayajaisha Mr. ananishika ananishika mkono na tunaelekea hotelini wow! kuelekea reception unahitaji kupitia Casino baadae nagundua kuwa ndio staili ya Las Vegas hiyo karibu hotel zote ziko hivyo.

Tulivyocheck in ikabidi tuzunguke zunguke hotelini hii ni Vegas uwezi kukaa sehemu moja au kulala kila sehemu ni fun tu. Baada ya kuzunguka tukaamua kwenda Casino na nikaamua kucheza Slot Machine ambapo nilikua na kidola changu 20 uwezi amini muda mfupi baadae najikuta nina 200 wacha ninogewe na kuendelea kucheza big mistake baada ya muda kidogo najikuta nimeliwa pesa zote nina ziro mkononi nilichukia huyo, hapo hapo hubby yeye kashinda $120 si nisianze kubembeleza angalau anipe $10 nikiwa na imani kuwa nikicheza nitashinda tena angalau kurudisha pesa zangu. Alichofanya alicheka maana yeye kacheza mara moja kashinda na kaacha kucheza si asinikatalie nilichukia sana nilimnunia karibu siku nzima hata sikuweza kwenda kwenye Stratophere Rides ambapo tulikua na mpango wa kwenda kisa nimeliwa kwenye kamali lol sasa nikikumbuka naishia kucheka si aibu ilioje. Ila ukweli ni kwamba mpaka leo nataka siku nikienda tena Vegas lazima nicheze nilirudisha $200 zangu hahahaaa…

Uzuri sikuacha mambo ya kamali yaniharibie honeymoon na mwisho wake tuliishia kuipenda Las Vegas kupita kiasi, tuliweza tembelea sehemu mbali mbali na kuweza kuenjoy fun za Vegas. Kama kawaida yangu siwezi kwenda sehemu bila kuwa na food favourite, nilipenda sana Strawberry pancakes from  I-Hope, sikuwa peke yangu inaonyesha ni sehemu mashuhuri sana kwa pancakes maana foleni ya kuingia si mchezo ila ukishaingia tu utajua ni kwanini.

Tulikaa Vegas kama siku nne, one night tuliweza kwenda romantic dinner at Stratophere Restaurant Top of the World, ilikua fun maana ukikaa huko juu unaona kama vile jengo linazunguka wacha tubishane na hubby mi nikisema kuwa madirisha yanazunguka yeye anasema hapana ni sisi tunazunguka mpaka tulipomuuliza waiter na kutuambia kuwa ni sisi tunazunguka mh! nikaona hii kali nikaona makubwa ya ulimwengu kwa ujumla tulienjoy sana. Pia tulitembelea Star Trek, hoteli mbali mbali, restaurant na bar tofauti na kila moja ina mvuto wake ni kweli mambo ya Vegas yaache Vegas kwa kweli. Muda wetu wa kukaa hapa ulionekana mdogo sana siku nne hazikutosha kwa kweli lazima turudi tena.

 

Los Angeles, USA. July 2004

Universal Studio Hollywood

 

This was part of my honeymoon. Ni safari yangu ya kwanza kwenda US. Tulisafiri kutokea Sydney mnamo tarehe 4th July 2004 kuelekea Los Angeles. Tulikatiza kwenye ‘International Date Line’ was kind of adventure na nilipenda sana. Ndege yetu ilituchukua 14hours but we arrived in US the same day 4th July. Tuliwasili Los Angeles airport and palikua pako kimya kidogo kutokana na kuwa ni Public holiday 4th July. We stayed at Radisson Hotel Los Angeles and baada ya kupumzika tuliweza tembelea mitaa ya karibu. The next day we tulitembelea mitaa ya Hollywood na kufanya shopping kidogo. Siku inayofuata tulienda Universal Studio for tour,kwa wale wapenda movie kama mimi hii ni sehemu yake, was wonderful.

The next day tulihamia Holiday Inn Disneyland ili tuwe karibu na park ambapo tulikaa hapa for 3days na kupata nafasi nzuri sana ya kutembelea park. The park ilikua busy sana thanks for our  fast line ticket, tuliweza tembelea ride nyingi bila kushinda kwenye foleni. My favourite ride was Hollywood Tower Hotel was scary but good scary. Kitu kingine ambacho kilinipendeza sana hapa ilikua ni maswala ya misosi yaani kila sehemu ilikua na chakula kitamu sana my favourite was Classic Nachos ambayo nilikula Rainforest Cafe, my goodness was delicious pamoja na kwamba nimeshawahi kula classic Nacho before but this one was yummy!  Kwa ujumla nime enjoy sana muda wote niliokuwa Los Angeles lazima nirudi tena sikumoja. Honeymoon ilianza vizuri sana me nilikua happy kupindukia. Cheers!!!!:)))