Africa Safari – Day 22 – Tanzania – The Great Migration

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.