Lake Manyara

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Day 17

First day of game drive to Lake Manyara. We booked a tour for just the two of us and have our own driver/guide and a Toyota Landcruiser with a pop up roof. We drove to Lake Manyara and stopped at a craft shop along the way. The prices were double what we paid! That was a relief to know...at least our negotiation skiils aren't that bad.

On the game drive we spotted giraffes and dik diks (mini deer-like animals that are as small as a dog) for the first time. I was very excited to see a dik dik...hmmm...any way I can bring one home and call it Sparky? We also saw lots of flamingos in the lake. The area around the lake was mostly forested, and we there were a few elephants eating the vegetation.

When we arrived at the lodge (Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge), I was shocked at how stunning it was! According to Lonely Planet, the price is $380 per person! My peasant roots are not accustomed to such luxury, and initially I wanted to carry my own bags. However, I think the locals need a way to earn money, so I stopped resisting, and thought it best if they carry at least one.

At dinner, we were given an a la carte menu to choose our appetizers, dinner and dessert. We both chose the beef, which turned out to be hamburger patties with sauce, and lava cake / blueberry pie for dessert. My hamburger was pink inside but I ate it anyways...

It was a bit odd because they had a guitar player at dinner time playing Spanish style songs, including Guantanemera. I heard it enough in Cuba, and now I have to hear it in Africa?!?!

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