3 Jan. 2009
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
After a lovely night in a luxury hut (you laugh, but it's true!) we set off for Day 2 of our safari. But before we climb back into the Landrover, I really should tell you about the huts.
The were round buildings with 2 double / full sized beds. Well, almost doubles. They were more than singles, but not quite enough for 2 people. At least, not considering that we were sleeping under mosquito netting designed for one. We would have pushed them together, but they were on huge, heavy frames. The windows had shutters, firm mesh with small squares, and a layer of screen material. And a thatched roof. So… a little weak spot in the defenses there. Naturally, critters of the buzzing and skittering sort took full advantage of this.
Inside the hut it was very neat looking, being round and having nifty handcrafted wooden furniture and all. Oh, and there was a bathroom that had a small cloth to draw across the opening. This was important because of the lions.
You see, the tour company hosts told us, in all seriousness, that when it rains lions sometimes like to come and lounge around the huts. They are kitties, after all, and don't like to get wet. They stay all night, up through the morning, just (dare I say it?) lion around (yes, I dare). And it rained that night.
The thing about the door is that, despite the shutters, you couldn't see out of it enough to know if there were lions present until the door was well and truly opened. After a night of buzzing, skittering, and uncomfortable closeness under the mosquito netting, Dario and I cautiously (and almost hopefully, 'cause we're illogical like that) opened the door. It was with a mixture of relief and disappointment that we discovered we were sans lions. Sigh, no YouTube videos of companions being eaten. What a let down! Oh well, just breakfast and safari. (Pfft, safari!)
So we set off for a full day of Serengeti goodness, followed by yet another night in our luxury hut. But today was the day we saw how incredibly full of life the Serengeti is. It's… wow. Gorgeous, amazing, vast, thriving, vibrant, dangerous, beautiful, incredible, awe-inspiring, humbling… FANTASTIC! You must go. But let me get to the pictures. They can't really do it justice, since I'm still quite amateur, but I did get lucky a few times. And if nothing else, maybe they'll inspire you to go do better!
"Harold! Slow down!"
"You always tell me to slow down, Ingrid. Why don't you and 'loverboy' there just hurry up? I've got a meeting to get to."
"'Loverboy'? And just what is that supposed to mean?"
Y halo thar!
"Wow, this dirt is GREAT! Ohhh yeah! This is just what I was looking for. Hard morning of elephanting around… a dirt spa is perfect!"
"Wonder how it tastes…" *NOM NOM NOM!*
Friendly broken-tusk elephant across the street says, "Umm… I suggest you stick with the grass for yer noms."
"Pfft! Stoopit dirt!"
Bebe giraffe #1: "Wha– what IS that?"
Bebe giraffe #2: "I count one African and four wazungu."
Monitor lizard, monitoring the… um, water level?
Long-crested Eagle.
Ruppell's Glossy Starling looks glossy.
Ok, it's getting late here and I have a new (paying) job, so I need to get to bed. Never fear, however. I will be, as they say, BACK!
(Get it? It's a hippo. It's BACK. Get it, get it? :D )
Until the next entry, cheers and happy traveling!
ps: SAVE THE SERENGETI! No highway through the Serengeti!
