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Published: October 25th 2008
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After our lunch with the baboons in the middle of the Ngorongoro Crater onward we went to the Serengeti National Park. The guides had been calling the road that we were now to travel down the 'free massage road', when we asked why this was they just laughed and said the road was so bad and bumpy that it felt like a free massage .... I wasn't convinced. On leaving the crater, driving up the crater rim walls we finally got some good glimpses of what we had been driving around in. The views really were amazing and the light and colours of the crater floor seemed to constantly shift. Moving further away from the crater once we had reached the top of the rim, it stayed fairly hilly and we saw lots of Masaii Villages and Masaii people herding their cattle. The 'free massage' road was so bad that I was glad for the seat belt that strapped me in, without it I would have hit my head on the roof of the land rover time and time again. However, I am now sporting many bruises from where the seat belt kept me in my place. I have never been
on a road like it in my life and those three hours were the longest three hours I have ever experienced on the road.
The first thing that struck me as we entered the Serengeti National Park was that it was this African landscape which you seem to always conjure up in your mind, it has been seen in so many TV programs and films that it seems so familiar and yet you can't quite believe that you are there for real. The park itself is huge and Julius explained that as it was currently the dry season we would only really be seeing those animals who call the Serengeti their permanent home. After hearing both of the above we were not holding out too much hope of seeing many things, especially as once again we would be sticking to designated tracks. I was SO wrong!
Apart from the usual sightings of Thomson Gazelles and Zebras which we were no longer getting too excited about, the first half an hour was uneventful. Then, no more than five meters from the side of the track we were on we spotted a Cheetah. As we got closer, we realised it
was not one, but three of them. All lounging around in the shade of a tree (it was very hot). We presumed that as there were three of them together that it must be a mother and her two cubs, although they were the same size as her. They were very laid back and we managed to take loads of pics, then they lazily got up and walked away down the road as if there weren't a bunch of people hanging out of Land Rovers being quietly excited at the sight of them, cameras clicking away. Carrying on we saw lots of other animals which we hadn't seen in the N. Crater such as Hartebeest, Topi, Jackals and all sorts of birds. We then happened upon a female lion lazing around on top of a rock surrounded by long grass. It was almost as if she was expecting us and was posing for her photo shoot. She didn't move an inch, not even to turn around and look at us!! We then saw our first Hippo, out of water, wandering along in the distance, eventually he found a nice watering hole and did what hippos do best, got in and
submerged himself coming up for air every now and again. We also saw some Elephants close up for the first time. A huge male elephant, a female and then a little baby - so cute. Everyone who goes on safari talks about seeing the 'Big Five''which are Water Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Black Rhino and Elephant. By this point we had seen all of these except for the Black Rhino (as I said - I don't count 'the rock') and a Leopard. We had been told the chances of seeing a Black Rhino in the Serengeti were very very slim so we will have to wait until Etosha National Park in Namibia for a good chance of that again. You are very lucky to see a Leopard. My tent buddy Marion has been on loads of safaris and never seen a Leopard so this was her, and all of our main aim of the day. You can imagine therefore, how stupidly excited we were when we saw a Leopard, fast asleep on the branch of a tree not far from us. I have never before felt so lucky to see something in all my life. I managed to get some photos
but it was a bit far away. I think with some extra zooming in photoshop once I get home I should be able to get a really good picture out of it.
The Leopard was our last animal spot of the day so we went onward to our campsite. If I haven't mentioned it before now ... we were due to camp in a bush camp, in the middle of the Serengeti. Yep, that's right, in with all the animals. There are no fences, just a few guards with guns. We have to go everywhere in pairs. When we asked why this was we were told that if we were attacked by a lion it would give us a better chance of getting away i.e. if you were alone you would be dead, when there are two of you its a 50/50 chance. Nice!!! Absolutely no food or toothpaste were allowed into the tents with us as the smell attracts the animals and they mainly like to hunt at night. It worried me therefore that when the sun was setting the cooks were still cooking! We had to eat our meals that night in the dark, all imagining one
noise after another. We all then went to the bathroom together as we were told under no circumstances to go to the bathroom during the night. Once we were tucked up in our tents we all got scared when we heard lions doing their calls to each other (I kid you not).
Despite all of this .... I was fast asleep in 5 minutes and had the best nights sleep I have had on the trip so far. Now I really can say to people that I can sleep through anything and mean it!!
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Sue Cameron
non-member comment
Hello
Hi hun - your travels sound fantastic - what an amazing experience. Can't believe you've seen so many animals, plus, I'm so impressed with you braving it out in the tent at night!!! We're missing you loads. Will send you an email soon with our news (not that there's much!!).