Ngorogoro Crater

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After the Serengeti, we hit the road for the Ngorogoro crater - a former volcano and now a conerservation area. The sunken area where the volcano was once active is now a haven to a range of wildlife attracted by the greenery and wetlands. It really is an amazing sight as the former volcano covers a huge area. We see wildebeast, zebra, flamingos and plenty of other birds. Perhaps the most impressive sightings are a lioness sat next to our safaris truck and a couple of rhinos (albeit these were in the distance but are still an impressive sight). We have lunch where I'm attacked by an African Black Kite bird - swopped down from long distance and aimed stright for me at eye level, just avoiding it's claws for my food!

The illness suddenly kicks in during the afternoon - tummy troubles are a given in this part of the world but now I was feeling very weak and I could barely walk to the toilet at one of our stops. When we eventually arrive at our camping area, I take a few steps out of the truck and am sick a couple of times. This writes me off for the rest of the evening and I pass on food in preference for a around four layers of clothing and my sleeping bag! (During the first 10 days of our trip, a different person was ill every day!)

Our campsite is diaturbed firstly when a bull elephant decides to stomp it's way through the middle of ther camp during early evening and then in the late evening three or so buffalo decide the camp is a good spot to graze - I could hear one of them grunting and chewing next to the tent!...some buffalo lean on some of the tents leading to a few shreaks! I feel a little more human the following day and we arise before dawn for a long drive to Dar El Salaam on the east coast.

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