Early start, 6am breakfast, 6.30am leave for the crater.

Last night was cold, our butler  (I say with my nose in the air) has turned down the bed and warmed it with a hot water bottle. I slept well, I think the belly issue has resolved itself. The Navigator also sleeps well but arises early, as usually, while I laze in bed.

The Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania is the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. Giraffe were too awkward to make it over the rims, through the thick jungle, so zero of them here, crocodiles also couldn’t make it over the rim. It was formed about 2.5m years ago. The walls are about 2,000 feet high, 7500 feet above sea level and it covers a bit over 100 square miles. Its magnificent and the variety of wildlife is inspiring.

A Rhino is spotted, he’s a big boy, but has a bleeding horn, so has clearly been in a fight, he just wanders past, head down, in his own world. I hope he gets it sorted, he looks a little down.

We see Grants Gazelle, a bit bigger than the Thompsons Gazelle that abound. We haven’t seen Grants Gazelle before, at least I don’t think so.

Then we see a huge male lion chase some hyenas away from a kill, the gutless hyenas spread out and run. Really funny to watch.

We see a Kori Bustard and its chick,  it can fly, rare for a Bustard, the baby has the same mad eyed look as uts mother.

We are on a mission today, to find the elusive black rhino, spoiler alert, the black rhino remains as elusive as ever.

Then after a pitt stop where the Navigator talks to some Australian girls who are doing some work in a school here, we head back and find a bunch of lions doing lion stuff,  killing things, chasing things. 3 females and one bug male.

We leave the crater, a lunch a a roadside stop, then to our accomodation, early, about 2.30pm. The break and the  space is nice. We find out Dennis has to leave early and somebody else will take us to the Airport in Arusha tomorrow.

A relaxing afternoon, first in 3 weeks is so nice. A few gin and tonics at happy hour, then an early night. Tomorrow we’re driving to Arusha, southern side of Mt Kilaminjato, and flying to Zanzibar for a little R & R before flying home.

The adventure has been amazing.

Ciao from Tanzania

Pauolo

Relaxed start, breakfast at 7.30, we leave at 8.30

Little native mice wander all around the reception grounds but apparently they don’t create too many issues.

As we leave the staff are singing a farewellg song, we love the staff of this place.

As we leave we see a Zebra tail on the road, and think the worst, but about 500 metres away we spot a a zebra without a tail. Coincidence? I think not. Most likely it survived a lion attack.

Elephants are sighted just near the Tamu Tamu camp, apparently they come to the camp regularly. Last night a torch showed up zebras on the edge of the camp. The Cowboy and his warrior escort saw a hyena in the camp returning after a few ales with Dennis his favourite bar tender. There are no fences here!

The eagle eyed Navigator sees a lone lion under a tree.

A severe Belly ache for Pauolo gives us a new priority.  A toilt. Dennis says theres one in 7km, it feels like 70.

Lions again, three of them under an umbrella acacia tree. There is o shortage of lions here.

We drive through central south Serengeti, the grasslands are a mass of grass, and very few trees survive.

We stop at a Masai village for a look, buy some stuff and visit a pre school class. Littlies are chomping on chuppa chups, that would be good for their teeth.

Then up hill down dale and we eventually get to Lions Paw Lodge, on the rim of Ngorogoru at 6.30pm, dusty dirty. Its been an enormous day, I can hardly keep my eyes open writing this.

Ciao

Paulo

Early start, 6am breakfast, today is big cat safari day. Not sure how Dennis can top the last few days though.

We’re all a bit doughy starting the day at sunrise, the hard safari travelling takes it out of you, even if you are doing it in the style we are. Shadows of Africa and their properties and staff have been wonderful, they make sure your days are full, you are fed well, are very comfortable and are safe.

We drive east then south into Serengeti National Park, exotic birds, zebra’s, wildebeast, elephants, Thompsons Gazelle, topi’s, impala, a jackal and other animals are out looking for food, water and safety. Lion’s, cheetahs and leopards are looking for lunch.

There are hippos galore, in their stinking shit filled water holes, snorting, breathing loudly  looking fat and innocent, they are fat but they ain’t innocent.

We find a few prides of lions over the day, some with kills, some looking for a kill. One lioness with cubs (we don’t see) hunts some Thompson Gazelle, they are flitty little antelope with constantly swishing tails bit when they spot the lion they bolt in all directions. We follow the lion for a while. One pride of lions is in a windy dusty spot and my new camera seizes up, the lens has locked, possibly grit or dust but nothing I do fixes it so I’ll be relying on phone photos and The Dancers good digital SLR  shots.

Some cheetahs with fat bellies from kill, sleep near a tree, occasionally opening an eye.

A leopard, the last of our targeted big 3 cats for the day, lounges lazily high in a tree, his head in a fork in a branch lazily casting his eyes over us.

Lunch is on a hill with tables and toilets. Dennis has more food than we can ever hope to eat.

A long day, we’re tired and dusty, but Dennis has done well again.

Dinner and a few drinks finish the day. The food here is exceptional. A last attempt to fix the camera fails, looks like a warranty job when I get home.

Tomorrow we leave heading to Ngorongora crater but we’ll doing some cultural stuff, we’ll go to the crater the next day.

Ciao from the Serengeti in Tanzania

Pauolo

Relaxed start today a late 7.30 breakfast, leave at 8.30. Our masai warrior is waiting to escort us up to the reception/ dining tent.

Let’s backtrack a little. Last night was one the guests birthday, we heard the staff singing a at 9pm, Cowboy was actually there swaggling a cool ale. At 2.30am I wake to “doof doof ” electronic music, it goes on until about 5am. I think it must be one of the guests javing a late night party  however I find out in the morning it came from a nearby village on the night air, not one if the guests.

Then, about the same time, a clatter sound like bag wheels on cobbles, but it’s not, it’s either wilderbeast or zebra running past our tent. We can see the tracks as we walk next morning.

Breakfast is pleasant, the staff are gracious and we are ready to go  on time, if the Troopy starts? There is still a battery issue.

A push start is needed, a heap of us push and it kicks first go. First, we have a game drive back towards Kogatende.

First thing we spot is a herd of elephants, standing like it’s a work ” toolbox meeting”, possibly discussing whether they’ll trample the old Cowboy or the other old codger.

Dennis has a surprise, he says,  next thing he says ” look right, a baby Giraffe is about to be born”. And in 18 years of guiding he’s never seen one born. However, it wasn’t the surprise. The Giraffe baby is born, we see it drop to the ground. First its got to move and start breathing, which it does, then the next 45 minutes its trying to stand, which it does, then its got to work out where the milk is, which it does. It needs to do this ASAP to avoid predators, if possible. Another experience I won’t forget in a hurry, we were first to spot it and the only ones to see it all the way tthrough.

Now he says, lets find the surprise. Its not far from the giraffe. Its a Leopard, resting in a tree, very elusive animal, we’re about 2 metres from it, as it cooly looks down on us with those cool yellow eyes. Very hard to spot. That’s the last of the Big 5 for us to see.

The area is a granite area, hilly, birds everywhere, very few safari vehicles here.

Lunch today is on a hill, so the  vehicle is pointed downhill for a jump start, if we need it, and we do. Delicious food, wine, coffee. The Navigator throws some of Tim’s ashes into the wind  to spread across the Serengeti, he loved animals and there is no shortage of them here, I think he’d appreciate that.

We checkout of Seregeti National Park – at Tabora B Gate about 3.20pm, heading our next stop at Tamu Tamu Serengeti Camp.

The roads are so bloody rough, the corrugations are constant, deep and shake the vehicle so much. Dennis says the Landcruisers are by far the best, Landrovers are a bit delicate.

There is a prison, inmates in orange gear stand out.

Then theres a village, drinks are procured by Denis, there are women in colourful dresses walking down the road, small children playing, pool tables in dusty open air shelters. This is sort of the Africa I imagined.

We haven’t even got to the National Park entrance and a pride of lions, about 12 or 13, have killed a wilderbeast and are either sleeping or munching on the carcase. A few sour looks and growls as six of them chow down at the same time, theres only so much space in a wilderbeast rib cage so they do need to work that out.

Tamu Tamu Serengeti is older than Kogatende but the same design and furniture. It beautiful, same furniture and process’s. It works.

Dinner is a lovely meal, an early start in the morning 6am breakfast, 6.30 we start hunting the big cats.

Ciao

Pauolo

Attached is a video The Navigator did today. Pretty spectacular

Early start today, 6am the warrior arrived on our verandah for the escort up to the dining/bar area for breakfast. They have a nice GF spread for me, eggs over easy with bacon and good coffee. The African service with a genuine smile doesn’t hurt to help start the day.

I learned last night that the warrior guiding us knew my name, at least I thought he did, he said “Pauly Pauly… Slowly Slowly’, I slowed down. I thought he was being a bit liberal as we’d only just met, but as I found out at breakfast “Pauly Pauly” means Slowly Slowly.

I slept ok except for an early loo visit when I was a little disoriented, tried to find the toilet door in the tent, unsuccessfully, and The Navigator woke turned the light on and gave me a good scolding and the stink eye. A light helped orient me and I found the loo. There were a few odd noises during the night, probably hyenas we were advised, sounds like “huh…..huh huh….”. Cowboy and Dancer heard footsteps, they think it was the Ranger with the gun doing his rounds.

Dennis gets on the road, rally cross back to the Mara River and he takes the track up the northern side. The hot air balloons pass us on the way to the river crossings, looks like its a nice way to see the wildlife. A herd of elephant are wandering east on the southern ridge moving quickly. The wilderbeast are consolidating into a very large mob, they go right, they go left, none go down the river bank. Other little mobs are joining in, feints to the left and right then nothing. We sit tight, dozing, Dennis snorts and snores once, wakes himself up, shortly after he says ” It’s on!!!”

Helter skelter to the Mara River bank and we see one of the natural wonders of the world, wildebeast and zebra in a long line tearing through the water to the other side, hoping to dodge hippos and crocodiles. Its massive, the safari vehicles come from everywhere but we were nearly the first one there, pretty spectacular!

Then we see the same thing down river at another crossing, a wilderbeast leads, egging the others to follow, eventually they do follow, this time zebras bring up the rear.

Then we see another crossing further down again. Hard to describe how exciting it is. This is migration season but apparently there are days they don’t cross the river, we were very lucky.

A picnic lunch on the hill behind the river bank, Dennis advises ” bush bush” is the go, and don’t go far from the vehicle. Bush bush = bush wee.

We then drive to the Kenya – Tanzania border for an unofficial border crossing photo. Hyenas, lions, buffalo and the spectacular umbrella acacia trees are a stand out.

Its a long drive, but we’re back home at 4pm. Then the rain starts, its a very nice sound in our 5 star tent resting before drinks and dinner.

Tomorrow we move on to Tamu Tamu Serengeti, owned by Shadows of Africa,who we are travelling with.

Cheer ciao arrividerci

Pauolo

Finally a sleep in! Then the trip to the Serengeti in Tanzania by light aircraft.

Breakfast at 8am, almost nobody in the joint, I figure they’re either on safari or checked out and heading somewhere else.

The drive to the airstrip is relaxed, no roof up, we see a cheetah resting under a tree but no carcase nearby.

At Olkiombo Airstrip, a dirt Airstrip, in the Masai Mara Reserve there are a lot of planes, small and large dual prop aircraft, safari vehicles everywhere, people arriving and people leaving. Its hot, so we sit in the shade, rangers with guns walk around, and we wait and wait, the Navigator is restless, but eventually it arrives. Its a Safarilink single engine 12 seater with 2 pilots, seating a bit tight but I’ll survive. Navigator is looking a little pale and The Dancer is paler.

The first flight is 30 minutes to Isibania where we stamp out of Kenya, get our Tanzania Visa and stamp in, then a short ride to our dirt airstrip and a short flight over the Serengeti to Kogatende Airstrip where Our Shadows of Africa driver (Dennis) meets us.

A quick late picnic lunch at the airstrip and then we start the safari, we see lions, elephants, hounds of zebras and wilderbeast (part of the migration) its a different landscape to the Masai Mara, slopes and hills, granite boulders, tighter scrub but still little surprises around every corner. The drive to our camp is like rally cross, the corrugations are next level, but Dennis gets the troopy humming and we’re there at dusk.

Our accomodation is at Tamu Tamu Kogatende, 5 star glamping, only 2 months old, our room is spectacular. Security here isn’t a novelty, a young  Masai guy escorts to and from room  and another patrols with a serious rifle.

Dinner is very nice, early to bed

6am start tomorrow,hopefully to see the great migration at the Mara river crossings

Ciao

Pauolo

Today a picnic lunch somewhere in the reserve, hopefully no lions join us.

Breakfast is survived without Warwick the Whinging Wormeating Cowboy having his meal snavled before he finished. So, he’s in a good mood, or so it seems, as he sleeps a good portion of the day away in the back seat, snoring and sleep talking about finding a leopard before he leave Africa. 

We load up into the Troopy at 7.30am, its coolish, the rain last night has cooled things down, there’s no dust, yet, maybe later.

Its no time and we’re at a spot where a lioness has just killed a wildebeast, she’s protecting the kill from hyenas, jackals and vultures we think waiting for the rest of her pride to turn up. We call past at the end of the day and she’s still there, nobody else has turned up for the party.

Next its birds, all sorts, pretty yellow birds, Kingfishers, Secretary Birds, Lilac Crested Something or Others.

Next we find a cheetah that has just taken down a Thompson’s Gazelle  he/she is magnificent. Once again gruesome munching of a recently live animal is under way.

At another spot a huge male lion has just killed another wilderbeast. Warwick suggests its like the pub specials, only in the big cat world it’s ” Wilderbeast Monday”. When he’s finished eating the rear end and juicy bits, he’s exhausted and finds shade right beside Navigators window, she could reach out and touch him (but she doesn’t), Warwick whispers “shut the window! But she doesn’t, she doesn’t move, Ken starts the vehicle, he slowly and gracefully ambles past other safari vehicles ( as a proper King does. There are rules, these are wild animals running on half a million acres, no fences, no interference, Kenyan National Park rangers patrolling all the time with automatic weapons checking for poachers and safari operators doing things they shouldn’t.

Hippos next, at a spot on the Mara River, heaps of them, babies as well. Sunning, swimming, snorting, blowing spouts of water, waiting for an idiot to stumble near them so they can chomp them or it.

We have a beautiful picnic lunch under a tree looking over the well grassed (dry though) Masai Mara rolling hills and plains with the umbrella type trees dotted around. Its very peaceful and so scenic.

By 4pm, we’re done, so its back to Zebra Plains Camp and our 5 star tent in the bush where while it’s dark you need an Masai warrior escort back to your tent, for a 100 shilling tip. Simon, our smiling, efficient Masai waiter gets us sorted for dinner. He’s 35, married with 4 children, his wife is the boss he says “akoona mitada” (no worries in Swahili)

Tomorrow morning we fly in a light aircraft to the Serengeti in Tanzania.

I’ve loved Kenya, much more than I expected. The wildlife has been amazing, the landscapes are epic African and the people bright and pleasant. Our guide Ken has been brilliant, a gentle natured man, probably in his 40s, 3 daughters (16, 12 & 6), seems pretty respected by the other guides. Shadows of Africa have a good one with him. We’ll say goodbye to him tomorrow morning and hello to our Tanzanian guide.

Ciao from Zebra Plains Camp on the Masai Mara, Kenya for the last time

Pauolo

6.15am breakfast, not a pretty sight our crew, unlike the Dior and Armani safari clad young Columbians arriving at the sunrise breakfast. Short shorts, tight tops, in safari gear….. the men in Top Gear sunglasses and probably clad in cool Australian fine wool green tops cobbled together by an Italian bespoke tailor. Sorry Columbians but its time to pick on somebody else, The Wormeater feels I’ve singled him out bit. Possibly true but he does make it easy.

The drive out of the park takes about 2 hours, we see a male lion, lots of birds, and the ho hum old giraffes and zebras.

Great Rift Valley’s rich soil means they grow all sorts of crops. Its the food bowl of Kenya. It’s dry but green, apparently rainfall is regular, but this year has been an exception. They have small farms and larger farms as we head further south towards Tanzania.

Its Sunday as we drive down the valley, people selling things, people going to church in fine colourful clothes and hats, kids waving to us.

The landscape and vegetation change sugnificantly as we drop down to the plains (aka the Masai Mara, tribal Masai land. It’s dry, thousands of cattle, timber yards country again

The tar roads are rough, but the dirt roads are exponentially rougher roads.

Checkin to Zebra Plains Mara glamping facility is easy,  quick lunch gets us ready to unpack and rest a little.

The glamping tent is warm inside, the rain starts and Ken puts our planned safari back to  4.15 Safari postponed.

The roads are sticky but Ken decides we can go. He takes a Kenya Wildlife Ranger with us and we go straight to a lion resting place, there are heaps of lions, the one of them decides its hungry and goes after a giraffe, with no success, but it’s exciting. Then we see a cheetah. There are thousands of zebras and wilderbeast here, wide open slopes and Plains with reasonable grass. The Ranger has us tearing all over the place, fantastic having him with us.

The rain stops when we arrive back, a quick drink, dinner and bed, its been a long day.

Ciao

Pauolo

7.30 am start, the hotel is beautiful, its raining outside, as forecast.

Last night a classical guitarist was playing in the foyer, very stylish, nothing better than a bit of finger picking on gut strings to tap the feet to. Dinner was good but the Wormeater has a little moan, he ducked away to use the loo and came back to find the remains of his main course gone. It was the Dancers fault, I think, he’s putting on too much weight (at 60kg wringing wet) and she let them take the half empty plate. Then he orders a dessert, again not happy because it was “watery like porridge”, jeez, some people you can’t please. He’s in danger of another alias eg Whinger – but I’m waiting to see how he performs today. As they say ” past performance is a good indicator of future behaviour”, so we’ll see.

Kenya Facts

Religion – 86% Christian, 11% Islam. Lots of Christian schools , and first names like Blessed, Praise, and disciples names, and Mary.

Sport – main sport is soccer, followed by athletics, boxing, rugby and volleyball. Betting on sport is huge – 80-90% bet on sport.

Population – 56 million

We climb coming out of Nairobi heading north, tea plantations, market gardens abound and down to our left is the Great Rift Valley.

Height above sea level – Nairobi is about 1800m above sea level. The highland we cross over is 3,000 metres, Lake Navaisha in the valley is back at 1800-2000 metres.

The dirt road into Lake Nakuru Sopa Guest House is rough and dusty. Before we reach the reserve we see some  Rothschild Giraffe, they are endangered. We enter the park and they are everywhere, buffalo, a plethora of birds (including flamingo) on the lake, and a family of lions resting under trees after a kill. A good start and we haven’t even started our safari yet.

Sopa Lodge is high above the lake, spectacular views over the lake and the valley. The Navigator gets a bit twitchy when advised its Swahili night tonight, dress and scarf, she thinks it’s a religious thing and gets a bit huffy, she calms when she finds out it’s cultural, not religious. Be funny if she has to say a prayer or something, they’ll really get the “Navigator Stink Eye”

She calms further with lunch and eats a dessert that fills her “tasters” plate right to the edge.. The Dancer has misplaced an expensive Canon camera battery, bugger!

A few hours rest in our rooms which look over Lake Nakuru, a golf cart down a steep hill and a 100 shilling ($1) tip helps the staff to help us.

An afternoon safari at 4.00 and we see a rhino, lots of giraffe, buffalo and zebra. We also see a young hyena lying beside the road with an injured leg, poor bugger can’t walk. Ken said the park will have it taken to the park vet.

On dusk we arrive back. The Navigator is now in the mood for Swahili Night, whatever that looks like.

Ciao from Lake Nakuru in Kenya

Pauolo