Day 29 - Shake Rattle and Roll, and maybe even a Lion or 2

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Today we get a sleep in of sorts as we don’t leave until 0800 for the Serengeti. Back up the road we covered yesterday to the Ngorongoro crater, but then past the turn off and onwards for quite a few kms.

The morning is overcast and as we get to the gate it starts to drizzle rain, or is that just the fog.... Up we go again. Hard to see where we are going but Masha has it under control, that is until he swerves and a few of us see why. A bloody BIG elephant crashes through the bush and almost comes onto the road as we pass. I get a great view of him waving his trunk, ears and head by the side of the bushes and road. Way too close for comfort, and even Masha is a bit unsettled by this close call. Lucky he was on the ball. On we go discussing our encounter with this animal, into thicker fog and mist (literally).

Start going down and the fog lifts and the sun appears. As does the rougher road surface. This road is seriously rough. Corrugations, pot holes and just ugly surfaces. We have to travel relatively quickly to try and skip over the corrugations, but still no joy. And this for the rest of the day - about 5 or more hours all up. In between this we were playing open shut them with the windows to get fresh air but no dust.

Stop at Oldevai gorge to see and hear about the early homo sapien and homo erectus which were found in this area. Interesting view on how we were formed from our ape type friends. Tea break then onto our lunch stop at the Serengeti border. Road seems to get even rougher, if that is possible.

Lunch stop, similar to yesterday, lots of trucks, lots of people, no hippos though. Notice a guy with some beers. Go and get some for us and they wash the dust down very nicely. Lots of little birds again so we have entertainment with lunch. Climb a rocky outcrop for the views and then back to the truck for the last sector of the drive. Will this part be any better. NO.....

Drive on rougher roads again and finally turn off to tracks for a game drive on much nicer dirt tracks. Very flat lands now so looking hard for animals other than the ever present gazelle and zebra. Spot vultures flying but nothing comes of that. Eventually spot a bunch of trucks stopped. Activity at last.

They are watching a big male lion in the far distance. We look, but too far to get excited, then we spot a cheetah closer to us. Watch for a while then decide it is time to move. As we start off, our other vehicle radios that they hav3 a pride of lions just ahead of us. Sit down hold on and off we go. Get there and sure enough, 6 lions walking down the track in front of us. Close enough to touch, but not that silly. Cameras whirring, all shuffling positions so everyone gets pics, etc. no drama as we get exclusive viewing for quite a while. The other vehicles haven’t spotted us or them yet. Bonus..

We follow, getting great views and pics. It starts to rain, no matter, lions to be had. Soon another truck arrives. We have done our bit and decide it is time to head for the lodge. Back to the main road. Dodgy surface again, and even more interesting now it has rained. More trucks gathered on the side of the road. Something fast had moved near them we spot a cheetah and some gazelle. Excited guides suggest a kill is about to go down. Sure enough, the gazelle bolt as does the cheetah. Boy can the cheetah go fast, down low and after the gazelle. Didn’t see the kill as they went behind trees but the guides both said it looked like it had been successful.

OK now to the lodge. More trucks. This time a gazelle in a tree. Leopards lunch box in waiting. Looked pretty fresh but no leopard in sight. This time we bolt. Finally get to the lodge. Welcomed with fresh hand towels to wipe the dust off. Room keys, induction then to our rooms. Very flash with a balcony and views over the Serengeti plains. Even a bath which gets a run before tea.

We find the restaurant and eat, again another Maasai dance show and then off to bed. Early start tomorrow.

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