DAY 22: Team Selous River Camp!

Wow, what a day!? It was a long hot one and by hot I mean HOT!! The sun finally came out and as a result the already scorching tempertures shot up into a whole new, almost unbearable level! Sweat, sweat and more sweat!

But back to today's adventures. We got up at 07:00 and quickly got ready to visit the local primary school  in Mloka Village with a few of the Selous River Camp staff members. After speaking with the headmaster it was decided - there would be a game between Team Selous River Camp (me, JI, the SRC staff members and some of there friends) and the school's 11 best football players (who were all between 10 and 14 years old if I had to guess). We even had a referee with a whistle and all!

The school boys scored first and lead for most of the game, which lasted approximately 30 minutes. But right before the final whistle one of our team members scored the equalizer!! And yes, that team member was JI!! Yep, he'll talk about that goal (a header!) for a long time to come...

JI hands over three of the five footballs to the headmaster

Team Selous River Camp - a "very serious" team, as you can see!

After the game we handed over five footballs to the headmaster, who was a soft-spoken but very thankful man. Of course there was time for a team photo as well!

After the game we took a moment to relax in camp before heading out on another game drive or safari as they call it here in Tanzania. Our first mission was to get to Lake Manze where we would try to film another 50/50 segment, this time on photographing shy animals. We decided to aim for a large tree on the horizon under which we would stop  the Hilux before filming. I was just about to climb out when JI spotted something behind the tree's trunk. A lioness!! She didn't even move when we stopped and had I gotten out I fear I probably would have been lion food!

Careful under which tree you decide to stop and climb out!

...and from the other side

I don't blame her for not moving, because at that stage it was incredibly hot! So hot in fact that we really struggled to get our video footage. My mood was not very good, JI and I were both dying from the heat and the animals certainly weren't working with us. Fortunately things turned for the better when the sun came out again, lighting up the landscape and finally bringing colour to Selous!

Impalas running next to Lake Manze, Selous

We're now back in camp, preparing dinner and posting on the blog of course. I must admit, I'm dead tired, but as our new friend Kayanda Justin would say: "Today was good!"

I'd like to use this opportunity to thank our friends and family for leaving comments on the blog every evening - they really mean so much to us! Much more than you might think. Thanks also to all our other "followers" - we love sharing the adventure with you.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Villiers

Highlight of the day:

Villiers: Although the football was GREAT, the late afternoon scenery was better!

JI: My goal in the dying seconds of the football match!

Lowlight of the day:

Villiers: The heat and they way it made me feel and react.

JI: The heat!