Day 184 Ngorongoro Crater

You know it’s going to be a good day when an elephant ambles into your campsite to get a drink of water before your jeep is loaded up. The view from the edge of the rim, before we descended into the crater was spectacular, and it was a wonderful start to the day that marked our three-year anniversary. Three whole years together that included six whole months spent traveling through more than ten countries together.

At first, I thought “Oh this is pretty! Yep… lots of animals here… How nice…”

And then, we saw a line of metal and glass reflecting the sunlight in the distance. “Something is going on down there.” Josh said excitedly. I couldn’t believe so many jeeps would be lined up watching something, “Really? “Maybe it’s a parking lot or something… That’s a lot of jeeps!” I responded.

It wasn’t a parking lot. As we got closer, it was a line of a crazy amount of jeeps watching seven lions surround two cape buffalo. It was a big five kill taking place before our very eyes. ‘The Big Five’ refers to the five animals that are hardest to kill on foot. Not, because of their size. They are the lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, African elephant, and Black rhinoceros.

We later learned that this drawn out kill began with seven or eight buffalo when the lions attacked. At first we thought the male mate was sticking by his wounded female, but we later learned that they were both males. The other buffalos had left, leaving one wounded and one trying to help his friend.

“Arnold, I think I should go help the buffalo…” I said, offering to climb out of the jeep and protect the wounded animal from the preying lions. He laughed, and allowed no such thing. Even from far away, looking through the binoculars, we were wide-eyed with excitement and wonder over the drawn out big five battle. We were also surprised there was no big male lion leading the fight. Younger males and lionesses were in charge. Where was the older male?

“There he is!” I cried out as I spotted an older lion with a big mane laying up against one of the jeeps watching the battle.

Arnold told us that the older male lions let the young and the females do their bidding until the animal was dead. Then he was the first to eat from the fresh kill. We were in awe at his laziness. He just slept in the shade while not one, but seven of his pride tackled a huge buffalo for his (and their) dinner. Arnold drove us closer. We learned that some of the jeeps had been watching since sunrise – a little over two hours before we had arrived. I was grateful we hadn’t been there so long. It was hard to watch, and I felt for the buffalo.

The lions would circle in, one would jump on the wounded buffalo and he would try to fight back until his friend came and shooed the lions away. Sometimes the lions would tease the healthy buffalo, until he would lower his horns and the lions would back off. The healthy lion called for his friends, but none of them responded, none of them came to help fend the lions away. Our friends from the hostel who were also on safari were there watching in another jeep. Tiffany said it was as if the one buffalo sat down to take one for the team- in a way, to let the other ones go away, and live. But this didn’t make the healthy buffalo who stayed by the wounded one’s side happy.

The healthy buffalo nudged his wounded friend, trying to get him up, but he wouldn’t budge. He circled around for awhile, and then… he started walking away. I know, I know, “It’s the circle of life…” and I shouldn’t be so emotional over it, but it was heartbreaking. Editing the hundreds (and believe me. There were hundreds) of photos was more difficult than watching the kill unfold in real life.

As soon as the lions were sure the healthy buffalo was far enough away, they moved in. The wounded buffalo had to know what was coming, but he put up a fight. It was heroic. With seven lions either on him or pulling his legs apart, he stayed up for quite awhile before they eventually had him on his back. It was cruel watching them rip the buffalo apart. But then, the buffalo got up again, making one last stand until the lions pulled him back down one last time.

I’m assuming it was one last time. After the two hours or so we had devoted to watching the kill go down, we told Arnold we could go pursue a rhino or two before our permit was up to stay in the crater. We reeled, in disbelief over what we saw. And then there were more lions, just hanging out in the crater. Walking around LIKE A BOSS. Making all of the other animals a little bit twitchy wondering what they were going to do. Instead of any more kills, they walked towards us and took a sip of water from a puddle on the side of the road and continued ambling around the crater.

“They are lazy in the crater.” Arnold told us. With the walls so high, other animals have nowhere to go. If that water buffalo kill happened in the Serengeti, it would have happened much faster because the Serengeti is so huge, and the animals can run away or hide more easily.

We spotted a rhino in the distance, rounding out our Big Five sightings, some zebras playing, took a few group pictures and then headed out of the crater and back to Arusha. We may be over budget, but boy was it totally worth it. And hey, maybe this means we’ll be home sooner than we thought we would! Good news all around!

Day 183 The Serengeti and a Masai Tribe

We woke up before the sun to go on a drive. By the time we were on the road, the sun was barely peeking over the horizon and we stopped to take in its beauty forgetting, momentarily, about our hunt for cheetahs chasing after wildebeest or perhaps a baboon holding a lion cub up over an audience of animals bowing before them while magically, Elton John descended from the clouds playing ‘The Circle of Life’ on a white grand piano.

This thought alone prompted me to start singing “MAAAAHHHH-ZABENYA!” Everyone laughed and humored me as I burst out in song at random moments on safari. At least, I’d like to think they were humoring me and weren’t annoyed in the slightest.

I’ve become slightly (Andrew thinks “oddly”) obsessed with maribou storks. I just think they are the absolute coolest birds ever. I was ecstatic about a whole tree full of them in the morning.

The game drive in the morning wasn’t as exciting as we thought it was going to be, save for the line of zebras we stopped to watch in awe at their penchant for traveling in single file. We saw a hippo out of water, zebras rolling around on the ground to get the mosquitos off their backs…

And more leopards in sausage trees (I swear, that’s what they were called)! But, sadly, no cheetahs.

On our way out of the park, someone called out “Giraffe!” and sitting in the back seat, I looked out either side of the jeep wondering where it was, figuring it was way off in the distance, that is, until I looked up and the giraffe was right. there. Less than two meters away from our jeep, he loomed above us and then it seemed figured we weren’t a tree with leaves for him to nibble on, so he ambled over to something he could take a bite out of. It was hands down, my favorite part of the day.

We agreed to stop at the touristy Masai village on our way to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. There was a small entrance fee, and we knew it wasn’t going to be the most unique tribal experience, but I was still curious what they were going to present to us as their “day to day” life and what they would say about their tribe.

Immediately we were greeted, and the men started chanting and did something of a skip back and forth in front of us. They got Josh to join, but Andrew hung back with a camera instead of skipping and singing with the warriors. Then Leanne and I were led to the semi-circle of women, and a beaded necklace was placed around our necks and the women began singing. Now, usually, I think I handle myself (for the most part) pretty well when I’m in a new environment or surrounded by people much different than myself. But for some reason, I could not wrap my head around the fact that I was standing in the midst of a group of Masai women, one who was gently holding my hand, as they were all singing around me. It’s clear, from Andrew’s videos and Leanne’s pictures, I look quite the fish out of water. It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable- not in the slightest- it was just a sheer moment of awe of our trip.

The Masai continued to sing and then the men jumped. Those men have some serious ups and I debated how they would fare on a basketball court, amused by the thought that they would probably kill it, all while playing in their Masai shuka wraps and plastic sandals against the western style jerseys and shoes.

We were led into a modest cow dung and straw hut. A man slept on the bed behind us as we sat on its edge listening to the Masai way of life. Leanne and I asked a few questions about the women- who helped them when it was time to have a baby, etc. Our guide brushed it off saying, something along the lines of “The women know.” We smiled, amused that he didn’t seem to want, nor care to either know the answer or perhaps to simply communicate the answer to us.

Josh asked why there were so many more women than men in the tribe. How is it possible for one Masai man to have so many wives and there not be more men for the amount of women. It was a fair question. One that was not given a fair answer. “That’s just how Masai are. More women are born instead of men.” He answered. This really got Josh’s goat. He wasn’t having it, and neither were we, but we didn’t have another source to ask, at least, not yet.

Our guide tried to lead us to the makeshift shop in the middle of the village, but we skirted around it, instead walking along the huts and asking more questions. We were then led to the “school” a small hut (if you could even call one) outside of the circle of houses. Children ran around outside until they saw us coming and then immediately ran into the school to sit on the benches for their latest visitors. A blackboard was behind us with letters and numbers and sentences that was clearly set up as a prop for the stage that the students promptly took before us, reciting their ABCs. It made me uncomfortable. I should have taken some video, but I was too… I don’t know… aghast at the thought that they clearly do this for the donation box that is set up in front of them, even after we were told that our entrance fee was for the children and their education.

Again, after the school, we were led to the display of necklaces in the center of the village. Again, we avoided it and instead photographed the women sitting against a house making more necklaces. This is why I wanted to visit the village. These women are so beautiful and I’m sure they have led such an interesting life. Again, I wanted to know more, more about the women, not the men whom the tribe is so famous for.

This is a patriarchal tribe. Males- known as warriors- are in charge, they have multiple wives, and there are rumors of continued FGM practices even though it is illegal by Tanzanian law. Girls at our hostel told us stories they had heard that blew my mind and made me so curious of the realities of women in these tribes. Do the women comply readily with these expectations of them? Is there ever any dissent? Aside from all of the work they do for the men in the tribe, are they treated well? Could a woman ever be a warrior? Women can play football in the states if they really want to, right? It’s practically the same thing, right?

I asked our guide. He burst out laughing. Like it was the absolute funniest thing he had ever heard of in his life. “But… why not?” I asked, curious. “A man has to be circumcised…” He trailed off, amused by my curiosity. “But, women ARE circumcised.” I replied. He laughed, like it was still not possible for a woman to ever be a warrior, like the mere thought was simply… wrong.

I smiled. “I don’t understand, if all a man has to do is get circumcised and then go into the woods for three months to learn how to become a warrior, couldn’t a woman do the same? She will be circumcised anyway…” He listened, paused, and then continued to shake his head, but didn’t offer any further rebuttal.

The women sat in a circle nearby with several babies, oblivious to the content of our conversation. I desperately wanted to bring them into the conversation, but I had a feeling that was not possible. It seems as though the men enjoy their women uneducated, pregnant, and oblivious. Perhaps I’m mistaken, and my observations- at least from this tribe is not necessarily accurate. I became anxious to go to a real Masai village to talk to the woman about their role within the Masai after our safari.

Our guide deemed our time was up and we were ushered out nicely, but in a clear “Ok, it’s time for you to go…” kinda way. Our curiosity was piqued and we sat in the jeep on our way to the rim of the crater playing the visit over again. “Something is going on there, more women than men? No way.” Josh pointed out. We all agreed and wondered if even at another tribe, not visited every twenty minutes by a jeep full of safari goers would we get a more accurate answer.

The rim of the crater was beautiful. That is, until I was sure something had gotten in our tent and then Andrew saw a large mass of blackness eating grass around our tent. “It can’t be a hippo, they can’t get up here…” The cooks assured him on his way back from the bathroom. “It’s probably just a buffalo…” Because, that certainly makes one feel better walking to and from the bathroom after dark…

Day 182: The Serengeti

Going on a safari is kinda like going on a road trip. Fortunately today’s road trip was to the Serengeti. I didn’t realize how exciting this was until we were standing outside of a giant gate welcoming us into the park. The Serengeti is just one of those places, much like Angkor Wat and the Taj Mahal and the Old City in Jerusalem where I never really pictured myself standing in front of. This Round-the-World adventure can be a bit of a head-trip at times.

En route to The Serengeti, we had to drive around Ngorongoro Crater, we stopped to take in the view, and then I continued to love the scenery in between the crater and the Serengeti. Masai homes dotted the landscape. Warriors stood out against the landscape. It was quite beautiful, especially when one would be out with their cattle or lounging in the grass with their friends. I’m in love with the Masai shukas (the colorful shawls they wear around their shoulders) especially against the backdrop of greens and browns in the fields.

Day 182 also happened to be Andrew and my six month trip-aversary! We’ve made it a whole six months of traveling around the world together! Before we left, we wondered how long we would make it… We would not only wonder if our friends were placing bets on whether or not we would make it, and for how long, but we would also make the same kinds of bets ourselves. It seems like forever since we left Korea, yet unbelievable we’ve been on the road for as long as we have been. I’m glad we’re still kicking and this was a wonderful way to celebrate!

Other safari-goers were posing in front of the gate and we readily climbed out of the jeep to take a few pictures of our own. Only, we had to wait for a group of French girls to finish their shots that were no doubt going into their modeling portfolios back home. Leanne and I giggled at their perfectly planned poses and agreed we had to do a similar shoot of our own. The boys played along. Not exactly by choice…

The ride itself was at times, slightly traumatizing. Headache inducing. Cloudy with dust. Bumpy. A small price to pay for the animals on either side of the road. Wildebeest were everywhere. A pregnant hyena gave pause only a few feet from where we stopped. We were mesmerized and we knew we were just getting started.

We stopped for lunch at the bottom of a rocky hill and climbed up the hill for the view after we sifted through our packed lunches for what we each deemed edible. Arnold, our guide, told us that the Serengeti means “endless” and with a view like this, you can see why the park is named so… I was equally impressed with the cloud shadows over the plains.

After we dropped off our tents and bags at the campsite to make more room in the jeep for our afternoon drive, we spotted several jeeps stopped in the middle of the road. We joined them, and sure enough a lioness was sleeping in the tall grass. Only minutes later, a male lion stood up- surprising us all and climbed on top of the lioness. Lit’rally. (I couldn’t bring myself to photograph the lions doin’ it. Sorry, if that’s your thing, but it felt a little too intrusive and I put my camera down during you know, the business…)

“They have separated themselves from the pride to mate.” Arnold told us, and further explained that a male and female will leave the pride for a week. A whole week, to mate every fifteen minutes. The lioness didn’t seem to pleased about this situation and the mating didn’t last for long before they were laying back in the grass again. We waited to see if they would have another go at it, but eventually got bored, and told Arnold we could go.

We saw more elephants, more lions lounging in the grass, and a couple more hyenas until we spotted another group of jeeps in the distance. Arnold sped up and we were bouncing around the back of the jeep all the way to join them.

Everyone was looking towards the ‘sausage trees’ in the distance. There were leopards in them. Can you see the one in the middle of the tree trunk above? Another is standing on the lower branch/stump on the smaller tree below.

We traded binoculars and directions for where to look and we sat for at least a half hour watching one drag a kill up into the tree and a couple of others go from one tree to the next. Leopards. In trees. Andrew was satisfied. He’s been wanting to see a cat in a tree since Uganda like I wanted to see a zebra.

By dusk, we were back at the campsite setting up our tents and standing in line for showers before the sun went down completely. Dinner was again a fun exchange of stories until we realized we should probably head to our tents like everyone else. Only, we stood outside of our tents for awhile longer giggling like schoolchildren over stories and the appropriate accents to go with them. Stopping only to catch our breath from laughing so hard and repeated glances up at the absolutely magnificent starry sky above. Best. Sky. Ever. Hands down. Of not only this trip, but of life. The Serengeti is where it’s at!

Day 181: Lake Manyara

We were so relieved that another couple decided to go on safari with us that the possibility of them not being cool was an afterthought.

“What if they suck?” I asked Andrew over tea and toast for breakfast at the hostel.

“Well, then we’ll have someone new to make fun of after the trip is over…” He responded. Or maybe that’s how I responded in my head. I can’t be entirely sure…

Fortunately, they didn’t suck. At all. As we drove out to Lake Manyara (our first stop on our Tanzanian safari), we discovered that they, too, were Americans, on a longer than average trip around the world, and were equally amused at how strange it sometimes is to talk about traveling around the world to someone who is on a two, maybe three week vacation from home. Questions started flying back and forth and the two hour drive out to the lake flew by.

We were so relieved that another couple decided to go on safari with us that the possibility of them not being cool was an afterthought.

“What if they suck?” I asked Andrew over tea and toast for breakfast at the hostel.

“Well, then we’ll have someone new to make fun of after the trip is over…” He responded. Or maybe that’s how I responded in my head. I can’t be entirely sure…

Fortunately, they didn’t suck. At all. As we drove out to Lake Manyara (our first stop on our Tanzanian safari), we discovered that they, too, were Americans, on a longer than average trip around the world, and were equally amused at how strange it sometimes is to talk about traveling around the world to someone who is on a two, maybe three week vacation from home. Questions started flying back and forth and the two hour drive out to the lake flew by.

Not long into our drive, we spotted them. And then one wasn’t afraid standing so close to the road, I could not stop marveling at how beautiful they were. I know, zebra print isn’t a new thing… But on a real zebra it’s simply fascinating. Against the golden and green grasses, they stood out in such a bold way that it was difficult to say “Ok, we can go…” to our patient driver/tour guide, Arnold.

I knew we had more to see, so I tried not to mourn the zebras as we rolled away and soon became equally elated over the many baboons. So many that we had to wait for them to cross the road before we could continue on our drive. And then… “Stop! Elephant!” I yelled, as a huge elephant was ambling out of the brush, towards the road, right where we had stopped. For a minute I wondered if he was going to come up to our jeep. He slowed down a bit only a couple meters away from us, and then continued on his way, to join the other elephants we had passed on the other side of the road, further away, not nearly as close as this giant beauty got to us.

Breathtaking.

Do you remember that feeling of going to the zoo for the first time? Or maybe even that feeling you might get now, when you’re so close to a wild animal you wonder what would happen if there wasn’t a thick layer of glass or a high fence in between you? That’s kinda what going on a safari is like, only times one hundred. We were all transformed, overtaken with childlike excitement over the elephant after the baboons after the zebras…

There were flamingos in the distance, so many that it created a distinct pink line on the horizon, and then a rainbow on the drive home. Which I took as a reassuring sign that going (way) over budget to do this safari was worth it…

A fairly common (and surprising in my opinion) response to how long we’ve been traveling, and how long we plan to travel is “Oh… you must have so many stories!” I never know how to respond to this, and usually end up saying something along the lines of “I suppose… maybe we do…” often simultaneous to wondering if that’s my cue to tell a story right away.

This actually happened in Jerusalem with our couchsurfer host. He outright demanded a story and I responded with an awkward tale that was neither interesting nor funny because I felt so put on the spot to entertain. Andrew and I relate this reaction to our travels to when people at home (friends, family, random people you run into after a few years) react to us when we say we’ve been living in South Korea for several years. “What’s that like?” They ask nine times out of ten. Then, they expect you to sum it up in one sentence without boring them about the nuances and intricacies of living in a foreign country, let alone, when it’s South Korea. For the record: Yes, I like kimchi and No, I wasn’t afraid of North Korea.

With Josh and Leanne, celebrating their year trip-aversary today, there was no awkward response of what it’s like to travel around the world, or one sentence summary of stories from our trip. We laughed about ridiculous fights we found ourselves getting into, annoying travelers we’ve met along the way, and exchanged stories of tuk-tuk drivers who tried to rip us off in India.

We stayed up too late chatting oblivious to what time we had to get up in the morning until we noticed we were the last table in the dining area. Only then, did we say sneak off for a few hours of sleep before heading to the Serengeti in the morning!

Day 165: Small Game Drive

At first, the small game drive through Murchison Falls National Park resembled yesterday’s safari, only… not as exciting without more of the bigger animals. And any animals we did see- they were always on the left side of the car, so I was starting to get a little frustrated that they didn’t seem to care they weren’t on MY side of the safari van. 

That is, until we saw a tower of giraffes crossing the road ahead of us. To MY side of the van! One seemed just as curious about us as we were of them and I could have stayed there all. day. long. Aren’t they beautiful?

Sorry if you’re not into giraffes, I just couldn’t help myself posting all of these. New favorite animal? Maybe! Well, until I spot some zebras in the wild and then I’ll be really torn!

The rest of the small game drive was -comparatively- uneventful. We thought we were heading back to Kampala when we exited the park, but instead, we were driven to another part of the park that had another waterfall. Not before our van broke down in the middle of nowhere though! Luckily we were only stranded for 15 minutes or so before our driver got the vehicle working again. He was a trooper, really, as we actually ran into many minor vehicle problems throughout the safari.

While we were standing in front of the falls, our guides told us that the government had recently decided to use this third waterfall on the Nile for power. The first one (near Jinja) had already been converted into a power plant- the second being THE Murchison Falls we saw the day before was suggested, but then dismissed for power use, and this third set of falls will soon be gone. Sad, really.

After a quick lunch, we climbed back into the van for the long drive back to Kampala. On our way out we were distracted by these guys chillin’ alongside the road.

The malaria meds and sun through the window weren’t doing me any favors. My skin was burning and my emotions were getting the best of me. Seriously, Doxycycline, you are the worst. Andrew keeps telling me it’s better than getting malaria- but after days like this one, I’m not so sure. Arriving back at the Red Chili, I welcomed dinner, a shower, and bed.

Day 164: Safari Day!

You know it’s early when you’re stirring milk and sugar into your coffee with only the light from your flashlight to see. We climbed into our van just after six. We crossed the river and had the roof of our safari van raised all before the sun was up. Before seven, we were rolling through the park beginning our safari.

Not ten minutes into the drive we were watching a baby elephant trail behind its momma. Birds sat on giant buffalo grazing less than 100 meters from the dirt road. Hyenas roamed the outskirts of the herd of hartebeast and silhouettes of giraffes were farther in the distance. It was incredible.

At one point we came up on to vans pulled off to the side of the road- there was a lioness hiding behind the bush in the middle of the grass. We all clamored to see praying our zoom lenses would yield at least one picture worthwhile. When she was finished humoring us and disappeared, we drove on, seeing hundreds and hundreds of hartebeast, beautiful birds that made me feel as if I were on set of Jurassic Park, and one litter of baby warthogs. There is nothing- absolutely nothing- cuter than a litter of baby warthogs.

Move over baby goats, you’ve got some stiff competition here!

We stopped near the edge of the lake to stretch our legs and look at the hippos in the middle of the water. When we got back in the van, we didn’t see much, that is until we spotted a tower of giraffes closer than any we had seen that morning.

We were a bit tired when we got back to camp for lunch. Andrew and I attempted to take a nap, but failed miserably mostly because I started crying for no reason at all. The burning sensation from the malaria meds had mostly gone away, but it had seemed that emotional sensitivity had replaced the skin sensitivity and I was beginning to feel like I was going crazy.

“If someone told me that we wouldn’t cry at all on this trip, I would think something was wrong with them…” Andrew tried to comfort me.

“But we just went on safari! Why am I crying?” I demanded as the tears fell, annoyed that I had no idea what they were for.

I pulled myself together, we had lunch, and then we lounged in the shade with our other new safari friends, some sleeping not far from the warthogs that were taking their own naps in the camp. Later in the afternoon, we loaded back up in the van to go on a second safari- this time by boat instead of jeep.

I’m not sure which one I enjoyed more. We saw more elephants, many many more hippos, crocodiles, and a view of Murchison Falls from the water. It was so relaxing until a smaller boat started circling our own taking pictures of us. It felt a bit unnerving after we had spent the entire day looking at and taking pictures of animals in the park that I felt a bit like an animal myself being photographed.

I’m not sure if he was working with the tour company and trying to get promotional shots of the boat trip, but the amount of times he aimed his camera directly at our boat really made me uncomfortable! If he was shooting for the company, all he had to do was board the boat before we took off and tell all of the passengers what he was up to- then it would have been fine! Later, we all joked around that we should write to the company to say that they don’t have permission to use our faces for their advertising purposes. Wild Frontiers Nile Adventure Safari, I will see YOU on Trip Advisor. If that was your photographer, shame on him for being unprofessional and creepy!

Having dinner with fellow travelers on this trip is one of the best parts of the trip. We dined with a Norwegian who has been EVERYWHERE. A Dutch immigration tax lawyer and his wife? girlfriend? Two Austrian girls who work with those with special needs. A German kayaker. And those were the ones I had the chance to talk to long enough to find out what they were doing! The Dutch couple were surprised to hear we’re Americans.

“You don’t look like you’re American.” One said, not exactly surprising me. For some reason, no one ever guesses we are American. We usually get German or Northern European… If they guess an English speaking country, it’s usually Australia. It’s been curious to me and I haven’t figured out why we don’t come across as American, so I had to ask why.

“You’re not loud.” She replied. Andrew and I both laughed and we explained how we’ve been traveling and never get “American” when people guess where we are from. Then we had an interesting conversation about their trip a year ago to the States. I asked what they liked and didn’t like about their visit. We were totally amused by their response.

They liked how easy it was to travel (and yes, it totally is, America. So when you get frustrated by your piddly hour delay, just stop it right there) and how neat and clean everything is. They were impressed by how well parks are maintained and nice waitresses are and how everyone always asks “How are you?” when they would walk into a store. They said it took some getting used to when they would stop (picture a Walmart greeter) and start telling them how they were feeling. They were surprised by how the residential area is separate from the shops and markets, that there is a place for everything. Their country is so much smaller, that everything meshes together. Andrew and I agreed that it’s one of the things we’re not looking forward to after living in Seoul, needing a car again. We also agreed with them that the food portions are simply too big. After living in Seoul and now traveling more, I can’t imagine eating American style portions… We told them that we both get a bit sick when we go home and try to eat like our fellow Americans. (Obviously that doesn’t stop either of us from indulging though. I will get sick for one cheese coney any day.)

After dinner, we went to shower up and when I walked out of our tent, I nearly ran into the warthog that was munching on the grass outside. So picture me standing in my scarf-towel with soap in hand yelling to Andrew “Could you hand me my camera?” so I could take a few pictures of where we slept. If I were more brave, I would have climbed out of bed to take a picture of the giant hippo that woke us up in the middle of the night mowing the lawn in between all of the tents. Instead, Andrew and I watched in awe through our screen windows as he stood less than five inches from our tent walls chewing away.

Day 163: Murchison Falls

We’re going on safari! We’re going on safari! I don’t think I slept well the night before because I was so excited! That, or the dorm bed was not the best. Either way, we had to be ready by 7:15, so we were up and at ‘em early, storing our big backpacks in locked storage, storing our computers in the locked office, ordering coffee, and attempting to check email before we boarded the bus to Murchison Falls.

We were told the drive would be four hours. It ended up being more like eight. Due to traffic mostly, but not aided by one passenger trying to change money at a small bank along the way. That took forever. “Africa…” seemed to be the general consensus when he returned frustrated at how long it took and how long we had waited. We didn’t arrive to the Falls until after three.

Apparently you can’t be in the park without a guide, but he really didn’t do much, and we would have been able to see the views had he simply pointed out the trail to us. At first, Andrew and I were afraid this was going to turn into another Kampot – but when we walked up to the overlook, we were glad it was a real vertical waterfall opposed to the horizontal “waterfall” we were shown several months ago in Cambodia.

We walked all around the falls and took turns taking pictures and then we headed towards our campsite. Through the park there seemed to be different pockets of areas full of Tste Tste flies. These flies are known to carry the sleeping disease and are just as (maybe more?) dangerous than malaria carrying mosquitos. To combat these flies, we had to roll up the windows and wait until we were out of the infested area. So for about twenty minutes we were riding through the park- in the late afternoon hot sun- with the windows rolled up- with no air-conditioning sweating like you would not believe. When we opened the windows up it felt like a blast of cold air after being so warm for what felt like forever.

If you look closely, you can see the Momma Maribou stork feeding three or four little ones. By little I mean the size of a small child because the Momma Maribou was gigantic, coming up to my shoulder if we would stand side by side. They were feeding when we got back into camp and were quite the noisy bunch.

At the camp, we were paired up and put into some pimped out safari tents and then had dinner before nearly everyone went to bed early to be up and ready by 6 AM to catch the ferry across the river and see more animals in the early morning hours.