I'm glad you enjoyed our Masai photos - yesterday really was an unforgettable day! It's one thing experiencing Africa's wildlife, but the cultures are just as interesting.
Fortunately the elephants didn't give us any trouble last night, although they spent most of the night feeding a rock's throw from our tent, which we eventually decided to put under the "shed" in our campsite. This felt safer and also prevented the light late-night shower to wet our tent. This is what our campsite in Tarangire National Park looked like:
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| Tarangire public campsite in the daytime |
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| ...and at night. Rather scary, I tell you! |
We were off on a safari early this morning and again Tarangire produced a ton of elephant sighting. In fact, we haven't seen as many in one day so far! The tally for the day was 340!! We have now seen more than 1000 elephants on the trip. Today was extra special, though, because one breeding herd walked right up to the vehicle whilst JI was filming and stood there, all next to each other in a row, and watched us. It was a very special moment shared with very relaxed elephants.
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| Very relaxed elephants next to our car |
Although the big cats eluded us this morning, we enjoyed fantastic sightings of more common species, including baboons and banded mongooses. I also caught myself saying: "Wow, this place is beautiful" more than a couple of times! Tarangire must be one of the most scenic reserves I've ever seen!!! I especially like the baobab trees.
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| A couple of banded mongooses |
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| A yawning Tarangire giant |
From Tarangire we aimed for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area - an area that is not only home to the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, but also borders the Serengeti National Park. On the way there we stopped in Mto Wa Mbu, a bustling little town even on a Sunday. It was a real mission to buy firewood and charcoal, but we managed...eventually...after spending a fortune! The heat was almost unbearable.
On the way up the crater rim the hyena took serious strain - the heat was intense and the going so slow that she overheated. We had to stop a few times to let her cool down. The surprising thing is how cold it is once you reach the top! Both JI and I are now freezing at our campsite, Simba A, which is right on the rim of the crater. We've put on everything warm we have! The view into the crater is simply breathtaking and we can't wait to go down to the bottom in a week's time. Unfortunately we have to take a guide in with us! This is not only an expense we didn't budget on, but seems unnecessary and potentially awkward, depending on who goes with... We'll have to wait and see what happens.
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| On our way to the top... |
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| Villiers next to the Ngorongoro Crater! |
For now we are keeping ourselves warm next to the fire, waiting for JI's toffee bread to be complete.
Have a wonderful week!
Villiers
Highlight of the day:
Villiers and JI: The view down into the Ngorongoro Crater
Lowlight of the day:
Villiers and JI: Paying 60000 Tzsh for our firewood and charcoal!!!!
10 comments:
Sjoe, julle sien darem die mees amazingste goed, daai olifante lyk omtrent soos 'n ondervinding!! En die scenery is verseker ongelooflik! Ek is ook MAL oor die boabab bome! Geniet elke oomblik en le dit maar vas op kamera... en in julle harte!
Groete van ons klomp! :-)
Naand julle twee, hier in die RSA gaan dit nog goed, JI net jammer ons span het vasgeval teen die Natal span in reen. Die Vrystaat span het so baie geskop dit is meer as wat enige ander span in 'n jaar sou doen. Julle maak ons jaloers met dit wat julle sien en beleef. Ek is seker julle sien elke aand uit na dit wat voorle die volgende dag, net soos ons hier uitsien om dit te lees en saam met julle te geniet. Wees verseker dat dit wat julle nou beleef op n latere stadium in jul lewens net soete herhinderings sal terugroep.
Iemand se fotografie het verbeter, want die fotos is uitstekend. Wag vir nog.
Sjoe Oom Olifant jou reuse dier! Pragtig. Die nagfoto met die droë boom is iets vir 'n spookstorie. Ja-nee dis alles ongelooflik pragtig - ervaringe wat jul eendag vir jul kinders van kan vertel. Hoop alles werk mooi uit vir die besoek aan die krater. Lekker slaap.
Ongelooflik mooi! Julle is sooo bevoorreg! Julle kan bly wees daai olifante was so rustig -'n ou grote het hierdie week in Pilansberg 'n kar omgekeer vir die pret.... Nog iets uit die Beeld: Tanz se prez het die grootpad deur die noordelike deel van Serengeti goedgekeur; dit bevestig net weer wat voorheen in die media gesê is. 'n Aanlynpetisie is egter reeds goed op dreef... Geniet dus die ongereptheid! En terloops, JI, keer tog seblief dat Villiers daar afvoeter en sy naam helemaal en finaal krater (!!) maak! Dankie weer, julle ouens, dat julle jul ervarings op so 'n spesiale manier met ons hier by die huis deel. Dis elke dag se hoogtepunt! E
al wat ek kan se is dat ek jaloers is. Dink julle tweetjies kort girls daar om julle warm te hou vanaand....hahaha. Hoop julle survive die koue.... more is julle daar... ongelooflik om te dink julle het al sover gekom om in die Serengeti amper te wees. Maak die beste van elke oomblik. Ek stem saam met alaml anders, hierdie tripie gaan nog oor en oor vertel word!liefde uit warm PTA!
Sjoe julle, Ek het nou eers die hele naweek se blogs gelees en julle kan vanmore wakker word en Se "that was legendry".
Ek moet se al is dit Spooky daai is die Coolste foto van 'n kamp vuur wat ek nog gesien het!!
Die Olifante is awesome, en Well done op die voelspesie telling wat ook in die hoogte in geskiet het!
Geniet dit en ek hou duimvas dat julle 'n nice gids kry! :)
Villie, net so bietjie tegniese advies rakende die oorverhitting van die hyena. Kyk elke oggend voor jy ry of daar genoeg water in die verkoeler is; moet nie net die overflow bottel volhou nie. En manier om die voertuig af te keol as dit oorverhit is om terwyl die die enjin luier, die A/C af te sit en die verwarmer op WARM te stel. Ja ek meen warm!Ek is net bang julle het 'n lekkasie in die verkoelingsisteem. Oppad deur die Kalahari verlede Desember het Hernie se Mazda dieselfde gedoen en dit was gelukkig net die onmenslike hitte en nie meganiese probleme nie. Dit was die hitte, 'n swaar gelaaide voertuig en diep sand, uur na uur wat dit veroorsaak het. Kan nie wag vir vanaand se stories nie. Tjirs. F
Ek het al soveel foto's gesien van die Krater, maar soos meeste ander natuurplekke kan mens dit seker nie regtig op 'n foto vasvang nie. Geniet dit! Ek hoop die gids is sy geld werd. Wonder of daar flaminke is, seker, dis mos nou nat orals.
Dis darem great dat julle met so min teëspoed sover reis, mag dit so voortgaan. Die bietjie hiccups is maar Afrika en maak die ervaring uniek.
Lekker man, uiteindelik sien julle die magiese krater in lewende lywe! Ek's jaloers! Daai kamp van die vorige aand het flippen scary, maar flippen cool gelyk! Geniet die krater, hoop die gids was oulik! F
Mmmmm, toffee bread? Sounds delicious!
I never imagined you guys would be cold on this trip, hope it doesn't last!
Enjoy the crater - it looks awesome :)
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