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Published: September 21st 2016
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Despite being able to sleep in this morning for a later departure we really couldn't. Matt & I got around and then went out to the overlook area to enjoy a cup of coffee and take in the view one last time. This has been a wonderful place to stay! Breakfast was really great as well which was very welcomed. We loaded up the Land Cruiser and headed west to the far reaches of the park for our last two nights (boo!). The drive took about 4 hours with some stops here and there for animals but overall was super enjoyable!!! The roads seemed great compared to 90% of what we've traveled on and it's a very hot day, so standing with the wind whipping around you is refreshing! Throughout our trip it is very common for passing tour cars to stop and talk. They share what they've seen and where, etc. Babenga stopped twice today on the main road and then told us all of the guides were complaining about the roads. What???? This is like heaven to us!!! LOL
We all agree that we enjoy the areas that have an abundance of wildlife more than the "hunt"
for the cats. Our drive was full of zebra, wildebeest, elephants, giraffe, and Impala. We went through an area that obviously had gotten more rain recently because it was more green and the animals were there in big numbers.
We stopped briefly on the road for another lesson from Babenga (he is the wise one!) on the Acacia tree. There are many varieties and they have an amazing ability to defend themselves. For example, the most common one ( that I nicknamed the "toothpick" tree) is the giraffes favorite. They can eat them despite the thorns because their saliva has the ability to immediately heal their tongues every time it goes back into their mouth and down their throats (crazy right?). A giraffe could literally eat an entire tree in one meal so this Acacia senses it's being attacked and releases a tannin that makes their leaves begin to taste bitter. But here's where it gets even more unreal....the other Acacia trees in the area pick up on the scent of this tannin through the wind and release it themselves causing the giraffe to have to walk very long distances for food! All of this stuff is simply mind
boggling sometimes.
Our way to our last camp is through an area where the great migration passes through on their way North to Kenya. They recently passed through and during that time there are many many kills so unlike all of the previous kills we've seen that cleaned down to bone within a matter of 36-48 hours, these kills were still largely intact. Under the hot sun of the day lets just say we had our fair share of gagging moments as we passed through many patches of thick air heavy with their death.
We made it to Kirowira camp and were welcomed with a cold glass of champagne as well as a glass of the best fresh squeezed OJ I think any of us have ever had. We couldn't be happier as our trip has been bookended with camps with the lodges in the middle. This place is what Matt & I definitely had dreamed of in terms of where we wanted to stay when on a safari. It's "glamping" safari style with the whole property being large canvas tents reminiscent of a 1930s or 40s experience. Our tents are elevated on large wooden decks with the
closets looking like an old travel trunk and the bathroom featuring a full floor to ceiling wooden vanity. The lounge/reception tent has a desk with a phonograph and large upholstered chairs that open up to a rock patio featuring a telescope and fire pit. Again the view is phenomenal and I am seriously waiting for Robert Redford & Meryl Streep to appear at any moment!!
We enjoyed lunch and then had a couple of hours to relax before and evening game drive. The area we are in is suffering badly from drought so we didn't see many animals, mainly baboons and a hippo out of the water who once seeing us moved quickly to safer ground. The one thing we saw the most of was the dreaded tsetse fly. They were pretty awful despite our deet repellent and attacked us with vigor. At one point I did just have to pause and laugh...I am in the very back and from my vantage point a full tsetse dance was in effect with Tom and Matt swatting and stomping, and Babenga spraying his bug spray and trying to smash them. We each ended up with several bites but there's literally nothing
you can do. I will say they do bring out some very unladylike language though!
Our evening was nice and relaxing with some cocktails in the lounge before dinner. The staff surprised Tom with a birthday cake and serenaded him with a song in Swahili. It was a fun end to the evening. Tomorrow is our last full day in Africa 😞
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