Heading to the Serengeti

We had to travel the rim road from the east, around to the west and left the road at the Malanja Depression. As we headed northwest we passed lots of Masai bomas. We are suppose to visit with the Masai this morning but the 1st two we stop at the chief was not in so we can't go inside. Third time a charm and they welcome us with song and dance. We are free to take pictures with the amount that is paid to visit the bomas where other bomas ask for money everytime you take a picture. Only about 3 young men speak english well enough and we get to have a visit inside one of the huts. We are told after the hut visit he would negoiate a price for what we buy. Just how he put it as if we had to buy something. I ended up buying a beaded bracelet & necklace.

Next stop is Oldupai Gorge. It's also commanly know as Olduvai Gorge but about 80 years ago the 1st German in the area exploring misunderstood the name which is for one of the plants that grows in the gorge. It's the well known area where Richard and Mary Leakey found signs of prehistoric man, animals and tools. A short lecture is given and time to explore the museum that includes a cast of footprints found into hardened volcanic ash. The Nutcracker skull was found here by Mary Leakey. We travel into the gorge for a short drive and head over to the shifting sands. It's 1 pile of volcanic sand that is blown about 17 metres a year. Not sure why over the years it hasn't just dispersed but didn't find it all to exciting to look at and Jackson had said he had something special to show us. The 3 of us just went okay, move along. I didn't even think it was photo worthy. Down a hill wakes a Masai warrior and he starts talking to me in Swahili. He shows me this club and then realize that he is trying to sell trinkets. Can't believe that he would sit on that hill all day long and when and if a 4x4 comes by, we takes the time to walk all the way down the hill and over to try to sell souveniers. Somehow the title warrior doesn't seem to quite fit the image of a Masai warrior.

After a picnic lunch under a bit of shade from a tree we drive along a flat track of land. Lots of gazelles in the area and a few giraffe, a jackel and ostrich. We meet up with the main road heading into the Serengeti but about 10km up we head west on a secondary road. Tonnes of gazelles in the area, then we spot 3 cheetahs lying on the roadside. When we stop, they wake up. The 1 closest to the road moves off a bit. Jackson seems to think they would be 2 brothers and a sister. They start to walk away and we follow them hoping to catch sight of them hunting for gazelle. They seem to keep an eye on the gazelle but nobody starts to run after them. Another 4x4 pulls up and it's the California couple we had lunch with in Tarangire (the guy that's originally from Chatham). Since they are not hunting we opted to head off to look for more animals.

We drive around Lake Ndutu which borders Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti Nat'l Park. Our camp will be in this area for the next 3 nights. The zebra and wildebeest are migrating through this area around Jan-Mar when the rain is giving them fresh grass and it's also the calving season. Along a swampy section, I think I see a lion in the reeds so I ask Jackson to head down for a better look. Sure enough, there are lions around the area. 2 are coming out of the reeds and 3 are asleep on the ground nearby. Some are fairly young, probably born last year but still no little cubs. We stay quite a while and ask to drive over towards the reeds and we see a male lion sleeping alone. He rolls over and is full of ticks on his behind and belly area. Even a few ticks around his eyes.

We head away from the water to the flatlands and see tonnes of zebra and wildebeest. It's not the millions you see in the photos but still a lot of animals in the area. I ask to head over to a stopped 4x4 to see what they are looking at and it's 5 cheetahs. A mom and 4 cubs. Not tiny ones but probably just under a year old since they are close to their mother's size. They look like they want to hunt so we stay to watch but they just walk a bit, start to stare at the animals and sit down for a while, then repeat it over again. I guess it's time to head to camp.

Our tented camp is on the dry side of Lake Nduto set up on the cliff. There is only 8 tents. The tent has 2 twin beds, a trunk, chair, night table. Behind the beds is a partition with since, chemical toilet and shower. I'm asked what time to bring a bucket of hot water that is hoisted above the shower area. I turned the water off while soaping up but found I still had plenty of water so I imagine they give enough water in the bucket for 2 people to shower. It has electricity and 9 ventilation screens that can be zipped down to let in the breeze. There is also a covered porch area with a table and 2 chairs. It's a mobile camp that moves with the migration periods so it only has a canvas floor but is very comfortable. Before dinner we sit around a campfire. A dinner there is only 1 other couple staying here and they are from Romford Essex, U.K., just down the road from where Grammie grew up. Back at the tent they have even turned down the bed. The service is excellant at the tented camps.