Serengeti

Serengeti day 2




Today we left at 8 AM for our game drive. Del and Carolyn went on the balloon ride so we had to pick them up at 10. So we searched for game for two hours on the way. The animals were slow to come out today and we did not see too much. But it was fun to see the gazelles and the zebras and the giraffes and the things that are easy to spot. I know that this is bold print but doing this in a tent with no lights I can’t see the keyboard and hit something by mistake. We picked up Del and Carolyn and off we went on about 3 more hours of game viewing. We came upon a lion crouched for a kill but I think the vehicles kept that from happening. There were about 3 or 4 lionesses who were together and so after awhile, we went on. Down the road we came upon a lion pride where the mama lion had made a kill of a Thompson’s gazelle. She was not sharing with her babies or anything. There were about 3-4 big lions and about the same number of babies. We stayed and watched for a long time and before it was over, the big lion went down to drink at the water and then came up between the cars and plopped down under a tree in the center of a little circle of road. The babies got adventurous and got under a couple of cars and everyone thoroughly enjoyed watching them. We saw hyenas, hippos, giraffe and so much more. But we did not in general see what we saw yesterday. We came back to the camp for lunch which was not good at all to me. Then we had a couple of hours to rest, take our showers since they have to be done before dark so the guys can fill up the buckets safely. Then at 4, Del and Carolyn and Jim and I went on an afternoon drive with Omari. It was excellent. We saw a big male lion, a rhino which is rare to see in the Serengeti (Omari said one tour in ten sees one) and I saw a female lion walking along about 20 ft from the road as we raced back to the camp. I could not believe I spotted one and Omari thought I was joking so didn’t stop. Our favorite thing of the drive was spotting a mama jackal with babies. She had made an old termite mound into a home and the two little pups were eating around the entrance and they were so cute. The Mama watched from a distance after we drove up. I don’t even mention the elephants, the cape buffalo, the zebra, the gazelles, the topi, the hartebeest and other things we saw. Another great day.

I have to say that these tents are a bit too rough for me. There are no lights except run by battery so are very dim and you are encouraged to use them as little as possible. But they have hooked Jim’s CPAP up to one so I can’t help but appreciate the staff for that. The generator to charge batteries doesn’t work but a few hours a day so it is more difficult than in some camps. The bed is lumpy and not comfortable and there is no chair inside to sit in at all. You can’t walk anywhere except in the center of the camp so there is not much to do during the down time. Last night we had them roll up the sides of the tent so we could hear the noises and there was a stampede of zebra about midnight right by our tent. It woke me up and I could hear them in front of the tent and one beside the tent. I heard a hyena and a few other sounds as well. Wonder what I will hear tonight.