Most Embarrassing Moment, Ever

We're in Arusha at the moment, just hanging around the town, waiting to cross the border into Kenya. The past week has absolutely flown by, and I think we're all a bit shellshocked that today is our last official today together. That said, every one of us is going to the Masai Mara on Sunday for three days, so although we won't be with our crew, we'll still be together for a couple of days. It's sad to think that we'll be going our separate ways after spending so much time together, but it's so easy to keep in touch and I'm sure many of us will meet up again along the way.

I guess the last time I wrote was when we were in Zanzibar. We took the ferry back to Dar Es Salaam, and it was without a doubt the roughest I've ever encountered. I'm not overly prone to motion sickness, but this was pushing the limits, and the sounds of other passengers retching into their seasickness bags did little to help the situation. I guess the good thing about sea sickness is that it passes the instant you set foot on dry land, so that made life a bit easier.

From Dar we drove and drove and drove and drove for hours until we reached Arusha, our base for the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We had another big night in Arusha, and got up the next day to look around the snake park attached to our campsite. (Very cool and terrifying; I actually allowed a snake to be placed around my neck for about six seconds, but I can't say I enjoyed it.)

Later that afternoon we were picked up in a contract Land Cruiser for our departure for the Serengeti and the Crater. The first night was spent at a rather nice campsite near the Crater, and we were treated to some local dancing and acrobatics, which was incredibly cool. Then panic set in as they started pulling us up to dance at the end of the performance - nothing like awkward mzungus (white people!) shaking their bums to the laughter of their friends. I'm dreading the photos when they start appearing on Facebook (and I can't even bear to imagine the video...)

The next morning we got up very early and started the drive into the Crater. It was absolutely amazing - it was very misty when we started the descent, and it is a phenomenal experience to be inside the crater, looking up at the rim from every direction, and to see all of the animals for miles and miles. At the moment the herds are apparently in the Masai Mara, but there was still plenty to see. Highlights of the Crater for me were the enormous flocks of bright pink flamingoes and the black rhino, which we haven't seen to date. There were also loads of wildebeest, various antelope, tons and tons of fetid hyenas, elephants, etc. etc. and the whole thing was simply amazing.

So here's where my embarrassing moment happened. We reached an area of the park where we would be having lunch, and as the guide handed out our lunches, he mentioned that there are large (and I mean large) black kite birds of prey that attempt to steal food from people, so to be aware while eating lunch. He then told a story of an Italian tourist he'd taken to the Crater who, for some reason, put a piece of chicken on his head to test out the theory, and a bird came and grabbed it and cut his skull.

Anyway, we were all sitting on the ground, when I took out a piece of chicken. About a minute before this, one of the birds had swooped down rather close to the group, and everyone was making a fuss about it, carefully hiding away their food. I did the same, until a second later when someone asked me a question and I - foolishly, I am aware - gestured with the chicken in reply. I brought it up to my mouth to take a bite when all of a sudden I felt a smack on my ear and large talons on my hand. I did the only thing I could think of, which was to hold onto the chicken, and the kite flew away.

Everyone sat there in shock for a second until screams of laughter erupted from everyone. I couldn't believe it had happened: I know it sounds really ignorant, and we HAD been warned by the guide, but I was just really surprised how fast it happened, and the ferocity with which the thing attacked me. It's not that I didn't believe the guide; it's just that I really didn't think it would attack so quickly. So naturally everyone has been teasing me about this incessantly, and I can't say I blame them.

Anyway, we left the Crater after lunch (still freezing cold up until about then), and made our way into the Serengeti for the first game drive. The Serengeti looks exactly as you would picture it (or, as you would see on nature programs... imagine that...) - very flat, with sparse trees, and lots of wildlife in the distance. We say a fair bit of game over that afternoon - lots of birds, a male lion (mostly hidden, unfortunately) resting after a kill, and, terrifyingly, a puff adder beside the truck. The snake was something else - they're really creepy, and they have such a bizarre way of moving that it freaks me out.

I was a bit disappointed in the campsite in Serengeti, especially after the cool experience we had bush camping in Chobe. They actually had an ablution block (no showers though), which was filthy, and the campsite was incredibly crowded. (Peeing in the bush is far superior to dirty toilets, although the chance of ticks latching onto your bum increases somewhat.) The amount of people camping there kind of spoiled the experience of being in the park overnight, where we could hear lions and hyenas and all sorts of creatures exciting close to the tent. I had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night- it was non-negotiable! - and the walk to the toilet was a real adventure! Thank goodness for flashlights....

Yesterday morning we saw loads and loads of lions on the drive out of the park, as well as a gorgeous (and huge) cheetah fairly early on. We were very eager to see a kill, but sadly we weren't lucky - hopefully we'll get a look in the Masai Mara though. It was a fantastic experience overall and everyone really enjoyed themselves a lot. The drive back to Arusha was quite long, although we managed to childishly amuse ourselves over the drive. It was nice to have a shower though - after not showering for a few days, we were in need of it, plus we were COVERED in dust, so it was extra refreshing. Last night also erupted (unexpectedly, considering we were all very tired) into somewhat of a party night, and resulted in me accidentally falling down a few stairs and hurting my ankle. We've got both a doctor and a physio on board, so Kristen, the physio, very nicely bandaged it up for me, and although it hurts like hell at the moment, I'm sure it will be fine in a few days.

Today we cross the border into Kenya, and will be in Nairobi on Saturday night before we head to the Masai Mara. Conceivably the next post I make could be from London... which is scary!

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