Safari Trip

Safari Highlights:
1. The zebras (I think they were my favorite).
2. The lions that were at most fifteen feet from our car.
3. The cheetah that walked next to us.
4. Seeing five of the 16 rhinos that exist in the Ngorogoro crater (especially since there are only 2000 in the world including the ones in zoos).
5. Learning that members of the Massai tribe really do drink milk mixed with cow blood (Nick you were right).

Wow, our safari was so awesome and I am so thankful and happy that I was able to experience it. We left Friday afternoon after our work and headed out first to the Terengeri National Park. The vehicle that we were in is a large SUV where the roof can be unhatched and raises about two feet up. So when we entered the park we lifted the roof up so that we could stand and take pictures but we still had protection from the sun (which was nice since we were in the direct sun all day). Inside the car was spacious so we had lots of room and it had a cooler so that we could always have cold water.

When we arrived at the park we stopped to use the restrooms and as we were walking out we noticed a large group of elephants about 100 yards away so we knew it was going to be good. On our first game drive we saw all kinds of animals. We saw elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons, and lots of birds. Although, I am not much of a bird person so I didn't find them that interesting. But there were these little birds some were blue and some were green and they were the most vibrant color so they were kinda cool. But the landscape alone in this park was just amazing. We were driving around in a savanna area but off in the distance you could see the outline of the mountains. The grass was tall prairie grass that was a little dry but then there were flat top trees everywhere that were just so cool. The landscape also included ant hills that were about five feet high made from the really red dirt that was in the park. Kinda scary to think that there are that many ants but I in fact believe it. I don't think I have seen as many bugs in my life as I have here so it is a good thing that I use by bug spray. We continued to drive until the sun went down and then we went to our lodge for the night.

The next morning we got up really early and meet out guide at six to do a sunrise game drive. It was overcast out which was kinda disappointing because we were unable to see the sun come out but we did see the biggest elephants I have ever seen in my life. We went back to the forest area where there is more vegetation so naturally the animals can be bigger and right in front of our car we saw three elephants. They were no lie, as tall as our vehicle. Our driver was saying that since they are further back in the forest area of the park they were seen less often and therefore a little more aggressive. This you could definitely tell because as we pulled up they all flapped their ears out to show they weren't happy. We kept our distance a little, took our pictures, and just observed them for a little bit. Since there weren't that many animals out that morning we headed back to the lodge for breakfast and then out for the day. The rest of the morning we spent driving around Terengeri and saw more of the same animals. The animal that we were seeing the most seemed to be baboons and they were everywhere but kinda cool. The baby baboons would cling onto their mothers and get a piggy back ride around. While the younger baby ones would swing through the trees and play until they got stuck and a parent had to help them out. Once we finished up here we headed out of the park and on to Lake Manyara.

As we were leaving the park we had a lot of extra food from our box lunch we took to go so we stopped and gave it to some Massai children. The Massai people that live in this area mix so much with other people and tribes that they aren't as stick in their traditional diet. Therefore as we stopped to give them food they were all just grabbing at it. There is little to no farming around them and markets are kinda far away so it made me wonder if the children got enough to eat. We did the best we could and then we were on our way.

As we pulled into Lake Manyara the surroundings were completely different. The beginning of the park was rain forest full of baboons and elephants. As you continued more into the park the vegetation changed and turned more into savanna. Just a little ways into the park we spotted some lions laying off in the distance but we weren't really all that close to them. When they are laying in the grass it is really hard to see them and really feel like you got a good look. Just a little past there we noticed on the side of the road a python snake which was huge and quite disgusting (Hayley you would have died). We continued to explore that park and saw a little zebra family with a young child nursing from its mom and then the dad close by. I then noticed that attached to the mama's zebras leg was a rope and that she was clearly limping. I asked the guide about it and he explained to me that poaching was still a big issue for them. Continuing on we stopped at the hippo pond where are you allowed to get out and walk around. Do you find it ironic that you are allowed to get out and walk around with the hippos when they are the animal responsible for the most human deaths. Anyways as long as you don't get in the water with them or between them and the water you should be fine. While we were standing there was saw two hippos that we fighting with each other that was kinda cool. During the day they stay in the water and can hold their breath for up to six minutes but during the night they can walk up to 20 km. Once we were done here we went to our lodge for the night which was right outside of the park. The funny thing about the lodges is that you also have the option to camp on a safari. So if you camp you literally set your tent up in the front yard of the lodge which is kinda funny. Camping would have been fun but it would have required that we have two cars and gas is so expensive that it would have actually made our trip more expensive.

The next day we spent at the Ngorogoro crater and the best way that I can describe it is as a large Noah's Ark. You start at the top of the crater and are looking down into the bowl area and it is just so lush and green because it has year round water supply. As you get down into the crater there are just hundreds of zebras and wildebeest walking around everywhere. Anyone who goes to the crater will at least see some animals, although they don't have many elephants because there are very few trees. The crater is where we saw the most unique and rare animals. There are only 2000 rhinos in the whole world, included the ones in zoos, and 16 total in the Ngorogoro crater and we saw five so we considered ourselves pretty lucky. We also saw a cheetah that was walking about 20 feet from the car. As the cheetah was walking around you could tell that the other animals around had their eye on her and were watching where she went. The zebras were slowly retreating away. We also drove by a pond that was covered in flamingos which was neat. The most exciting part of the crater was that as we were leaving we noticed three lions laying right next to the road. There were two cubs and the mama lion. A little further away were two male lions. But our guide opened and closed his door a couple of times which got the lions to stand up and walk so we were able to really see them. They weren't my favorite because I feel like they are every ones favorite but they were pretty cool.

Overall the trip was awesome and we were able to see a lot of really great animals. This week we have some fun programs going on. Tuesday afternoon we are going to visit an orphanage and then after dinner we are going to seeing a cultural dance and getting our "shaky shaky on" which is what they say when they dance. Then Wednesday we are going to Arusha for the Rwanda Tribunal Trials and to go to a Massai market. Thursday we have free and then on Saturday some people who are only here for three weeks, the minimum amount of time, will be leaving. Time really is flying by. Take care and I will post again soon. Miss you all.