Getting closer

Well, bags are finally packed, with help of suggestions from Tripadvisor posters, many final questions have been answered, and I have about 50 Swahili phrases under my belt. Even though I love languages, and have played with, although not fluent in, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Sign Language, I decided to just learn phrases this time, rather than actually learn the language structure. I started with the usual greetings and respect, and included some important ones such as:
(I hope these are correct, as I got them from many sources)

ni sawa nikipaga picha ya wewe ( Can I take a picture of you?)

ni bei gani? ni ghali mno. punguza bei. (How much is this? That's expensive. Please lower the price.)

chakula kitamu.  nimeshiba (That food is delicious. I'm full.)

nasema kidogo Kiswahili. tafadhali sema pole pole. (I speak a little Swahili. Please speak more slowly.)

-----------------------------(There's a lion in my bed-just joking!)

and so on-I hope I remember them when actually in the situation.

If you want to learn some Swahili on your own, try the Jambo Bwana song recommended by many Tripadvisor posters:
http://youtu.be/uRRyAEddO6E