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We finally have access to a computer that isn't tortuously slow and so can post another blog.
Our Kenyan guide escorted us across the border to meet our Tanzanian guide on June 26th. To be honest, I am not sure which lodge we have just arrived at but yesterday we were in Tarangire and tomorrow we move on to Ngorongoro so are somewhere between the two. We have had some neat animal experiences with our guide David. One day we stopped along a dirt road when a line of elephants came marching towards us. We kept still and quiet so as not to alarm them and could have reached out and touched them as they passed. We have now seen elephants sleeping, bathing, feeding, nursing, scratching against trees, mating, taking a dust bath, and even one helping another up who got stuck while rolling in a muddy pond. We could watch them for hours (and probably have).
This morning we saw a pride of lions feasting on a giraffe they caught last night. The two males, our guide says likely brothers, had already eaten. One was fast asleep and one was keeping lookout nearby for
the females and cubs, of which there were several, while they ate.
We also visited a Maasai village where two brothers had adjoining villages and each had several wives and numerous children. We arrived as one of their cows was birthing a calf. We watched the calf shivering as he tried to stumble to his feet. By the time we left he had dried off and was happily nursing.
These were much younger villagers than in the village we visited in Kenya. We took part in a couple of dances with them and when we took photographs they all wanted to see themselves, except for a couple of shy girls, and there was much giggling and laughter. Joseph, head of one of the villages, told us that they eat only milk, blood, and the meat from the cows, sheep and goats they raise, and porridge. No fruit or vegetables. He insisted we hold a baby goat and have our photo taken and I couldn't help thinking of our Golden nurse's advice not to touch any animals when we discussed whether or not to have a rabies shot before our trip as I tried not to touch the large
lump of dung stuck to the baby goat's rear end. I also recalled the advice not to touch my newly pierced ears unless I was in the shower 'because fingers have germs' as Joseph tried to persuade me to try on a pair of extremely dangley and decorative Maasai earrings. I joked that my ears were far too small as we compared them to the holey and highly decorated Maasai ladies ears.
This might be our final blog as I believe our accommodation, which has been a mixture of very comfortable lodges and more basic large tents so far, becomes all more basic tents from now on.
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Judy and Nigel Blagden
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Wow - what a holiday you are having
It all sounds absolutely fascinating and the sightings of animals must be wonderful. How good to be in the heart of these communities and getting a first hand experience oftheir way of life. I am sure the rest of your holiday will match up to what you have been doing so far - hope the basictents meets approval. Enjoy it all