Today was the third day of safariing. After another great buffet breakfast, we met Justin in the parking lot with our bags and set out for Ngorongoro. The morning started out overcast and we didn’t get to see a sunrise like yesterday. The immediate drive also yielded less animals as the day before. The only area worth noting before checking out if Serengeti park was a short stretch where we saw giraffes really close the day before. Today there were hills and hills of buffalo – a really cool sight.
When you check out of Serengeti, you are basically on a random hill in the middle of a vast plain of nothing but grass that stretches as far as the eye can see in every direction. You can actually see the curvature of the earth. Actually, shortly before arriving to this point, possibly the coolest experience to date occurred. As we were driving down the long straight sandy road to this hill in the middle of nowhere, we encountered four lions walking towards us in the middle of the road. We slowed to a stop in front of them and they just mosied on by like we weren’t even there literally one or two feet from the right side of the car. The experience was thrilling. It definitely cemented the fact that lions are the baddest ass.
Shortly after leaving the checkpoint, where I bought two postcards of giraffes mounting, we encountered a giraffe sauntering in the road as well. Giraffes have really girlish facial figures.
It was a few moments after this point where I noted about Justin’s truck and his driving. We almost smashed into another truck. As it drove by it flashed it’s lights to say hey and we lost traction in the sand and almost fishtailed into them. Thrilling when you aren’t wearing a seatbelt because of the lack thereof.
Later on I was able to get a picture of some of the Maacai boys who had to paint there faces white and black because of a circumcision party.
When we got to the Ngorongoro check point, Justin patched up the SUVs booboos and we went on our way past the guard with the machine gun and buffalo skull pillars.
Descending down into the crater was breath taking. Side note – the crater is the remnants of the once highest mountain in Africa. It was a volcano that imploded and turned into a crater. It was slightly overcast and chilly at first, but as the day wore on past lunch, it cleared up and became beautiful.
The crater is about 20km in diameter and about 200+ in circumference. It offered a more layered viewing than Serengeti because of the mountains in the background, animals in the foreground and various wildlife and vegetation sprinkled about.
There are some parts that offer up a jungle like feel where you drive through and you feel like you are on the set of jurassic park. I actually had the theme song stuck in my head all day.
We stopped for lunch around 12 or so in the jungle area which is where a black kie (not sure on the spelling, but it’s a big fucking bird) swooped out of nowhere when I wasn’t looking and picked a chicken leg out of my hand without barely touching me at all. Not more that 20 seconds afterwards the monkey that was stalking us came within a foot of my lunchbox before I taunted him with my machismo. Actually I just closed my lunch box and said NO. Teresa then took three bones, and the monkey didn’t hestitate to take two in the mouth and one in the hand and run off to murder them.
After lunch, we went to a swampland/pond area so Justin could further secure the tire in the back. The pool had a bunch of hippos with birds on their backs and also 4 pelicans that seriously had a synchronized diving routine down pat. It was nuts.
I suppose the only other thing of note about the crater aside from the ridiculous amount of kiddish “holy shit, am I really here” giggles it forced out of me time after time was the rhino sighting. Although it was about 100 yards away and merely a white spec without binoculars, it still managed to draw a crowd of about 15 trucks. There are only 18 rhinos in the park so a sighting is a big deal. We sat there for a while hoping the butthole would move closer, but he didn’t so we headed back to the new lodge. On the way, right at the gate we ran into some Macaii children whom we gave our fruit and crackers to in exchange for a picture or two.
The lodge. Wow. The lodge is perched up on the rim of the crater and offers an uninstructed panoramic view of the entire crater. Fucking ridiculous. I consistently am being blown away by thing after thing on this trip. Each room includes a view like this. So awesome. We got back around 4 so we lounged in the sun until sunset which was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Then we went straight inside and had a cup of coffee that the Sopa dudes made for us ben though the cafe was closed cuz were VIP bitches. While sipping, 12 macaii boy teen tribal dancers walked in like the owned the joint and danced to a choreographed balled of oomphs ahhs and pre pubescent shreeks. My jaw hurts from hitting the floor as hard as it did. Once at dinner, we convinced the host to give us a window seat that overlooked the pool that overlooked the crater. I had steak with herb roasted potaters and a vegetable panache which is a nice way of just saying vegetables. T had lemongrass grass fed chicken with the same trimmings. We had a bottle of water and made believe it was the finest red. We argued about which way to hold the glass was the best and most efficient way to make yourself look like a pretentious asshole. Then we were served apple strudel. There is quickly being established a 1.5 to .5 serving rule where I eat 1.5 of the servings. I’m ok with this. All in all it was a very delicious and romantic dinner. NOT.
Then on the way back to the room, you look up and you see every star you can name. T was able to name all of them because she is an astronomy dork and is wicked smaht. After being escorted to our room by a guard with a flashlight. Seriously this flash light is used to fend off buffalo and elephants. Remember this for future reference. You DON’T need guns. Just a flashlight. The guest waiting at the front door was quite a surprise. Thank god for the flashlight. (cara you would have loved this). A fucking scary big ass spider was waiting for us at door handle height.
Good night. Tune in tomorrow to find out what happened.
Ps. Under 48 hours til Kili.
