Safari Day 4-5

Jambo! Mambo vipi?

This is Irfan, sub-ing in for Roshena, who seems to be having some mild side-effects from her scopolamine (motion-sickness prevention) patch. She hopes to be back in action for the next entry. In the meantime, I will do my best to live up to her standards...

After an amazing couple days at the crater, we headed off to the infamous Serengeti, which hosts the largest mammal migration in the world, which is one the ten natural travel wonders of the world. Not to mention the home of the cats!

En route, we took a 'slight' detour through Ndutu cheetah park, where we saw groups of cheetahs up close and personal, including little babies. They're amazing-looking cats. Too bad all they did was sleep. We then went off-roading to look for more cats. These drivers are crazy and awesome. As soon as one drivers encounters something interesting, they radio all their friends. Before you know it, there are ten safari tour groups at the site. We have no idea how they know where to go...there are no signs or proper roads. But somehow, someway, they all make it there within minutes! Before leaving the park, we also saw part of the wildebeast migration, a wildebeast giving birth to a baby, and a swarm of vultures devouring the minimal remains of a slain zebra. The vultures are just that, 'vultures'! They remind me of hungry shoppers flocking the free sample stations at Costco, or khana-goers on chai night!

After what seemed like an eternity on the bumpiest dirt paths imaginable, we made it to the Serengeti. What a sight! Just an immense, vast, endless space. We encountered many of the same animals as before, except from a much farther distance. We definitely needed our binoculars here. Tonnes of zebras and wildebeast, migrating together, in impressive herds, to find water. More giraffes, elephants (for Roshena), impalas, baboons, monkeys, warthogs, antelope, and birds. We also got a good look at hippos and crocodiles in the swampy water. Hippos have got to be one of the most disgusting creatures I've ever seen, next to pigs of course!

And finally...the cats! Various prides of lions...always sleeping! But still amazing animals. We almost saw a chase and kill. One lionness was stalking a zebra who got was isolated fromhis herd. Not knowing what to do, he ran...and ran...and ran. He escaped. Probably because the lion seemed to give up the chase (too lazy? no help from her pride?) who knows? We were quite disappointed, but happy for the poor zebra!

We finally got a glimpse of the last animal in the 'big five'; the leopard. We found them in trees. A mum and baby and a kill. How they get the large antelope into the tree, I have no idea. Strong cats! Really cool to see.

We stayed at the Mbuzi Mawi tented camp for two night. Large and luxorious...but still tents, out in the fence-less wilderness. We need guards to escort us from the tent to the dinner lodge. Apparently we can wake up to a buffalo staring at us as we open the zipper. Although, we didn't encounter this problem, we did almost have a houseguest one morning. We woke up to the rip of the velcro of our tent door only to stare face-to-face with a curious (or hungry) baboon. I yelled at him to scare him away, although he probably just wanted some company. Poor guy. I don't even have to describe Roshena's reaction. I'm sure you can all picture her! Great story to tell though!

The staff at this resort were amazing! Catered to our every desire. Cooked us amazing, custom-made meals, even though they had a set-menu. Got skewers of AMAZING mishkaki (bbq beef skewers)! Delicious! Quite an impressive place. Definitely recommended it to anyone who ventures out here one day.

Sawasawa, enough for now. It's late and we have a long journey back to Arusha (the end of our amazing safari) tomorrow.

Asanti sana and lala salama.