elephants, giraffes, warthogs, mongoose, buffalo, rhino, lions, waterbuck, Anderson Gazelle, baboons, blue mokey, Vevet Monkey (their balls were literally NEON blue), Zazu, hippos, leopard, servals, flamingos, crested cranes, cheetahs, impalas, thomson gazelles, hyena, zebras, dicdics, wilderbeast & Ostrich... just to name a few of the awesomely amazing and equally bizarre animals i saw when i went to the set of the lion king. Rafiki and i and now basically best buddies, got up with the gossip with Mufasa and (literally) saw Nala stalk Pumba- but luckily pumba managed to scatter away this time!

Went on an awesome 3 day Safari with a company i couldn't reccommend more (Shidolya Tours) and had the best time ever. Was worth every cent the stinge in my tried to keep! Had our first day at Taragire National Park where i saw more of Blue and Tusks relatives than i could ever imagine! Just herds and herds of elephants everywhere- and babies too!! Decided though that i equally respect them as much as i love them cause a bull elephant trumpeting at you isn't exactly the most calming feeling you can have in the world- well not at least when your guide simultainiously informs you the tusks could pierce the door of the vehicle no problem-fantastic! The second day took us to Ngorogoro crater which is officicially in the top 5 of the most beautiful things ive ever seen- stunning! To enter the crater (615m straight DOWN) you go along the ridge to seee the full scale- its like someone has just made a circle biscuit cut out of the land... and all that's left is a trickle of water in oddplaces, a bit of marsh here and there then pure dessert- brilliant! We spend the nights camping in a town called Twiga in the rift valley which was african filled (sneezecorn and ugali to last you a lifetime) and the campsite put NZ standards to shame! There was HOT water!!!!!! And a pool!!!! Basically 5 star! Last day sent us to Manyara national park which is more rainforest like and we got to see monkeys, the blue ones are actually blue, and a whole lot of birds. I'm not usually into birds but these ones look like they were made in a highlighter factory-you couldn't miss them!

After three days playing lion king i've come up with the 'Liv Sterotype'-highly accurate of course- of a few animals
Zebra-these are the cool kids with their Mohawks and everyone wants to be like them-hence the huge number- they do get points for managing to keep something in africa white though but..like their donkey cousins, are only cool in looks and just have nothing going on upstairs-the confused look seems to be permanant.
Ostrich-Mutton dressed as lamb-sure they're dressed in ostrich feather but do they realise they have naked thighs??!?!
Gazelle-The ballerinas of the animal kingdom who can do insane turns at such a quick rate PLUS gain points for doing the jumpy on all four escape when in danger- rather hilarious to watch
Flamingos-13 year old girls into pink
Buffalos-the bullys the animal kingdom that haven't learnt the middle part went out ages ago- im truly afraid of these beasts!
Baboons-just gross...ew .ew .ew..ew..ew i saw some things i just didn't want to see! p.s and if they're guy baboons- you'll always ALWAYS be able to tell...
Hyena-These are the kids that smoke behind the bike shed always creeping around in a discusting manner....come in 2nd to Baboons for grossness
Gnu/Wilderbeast/Vilderbeast(for michelle) These are the 14 year old guys attempting to grow a beard but doesn't quite work and at the same time have that long greasy hair-and then they do spastic hoof kicking at any given moment like they've just taken something...although they gain points for having a funny peanut shaped face
Lion-Thinks he's the king, and is the king...well until any elephant comes along when they'll obviously be demoted.
Warthog-SOO funny! They're stuck in their eighties with their Pumba version of the mullet and are always running around with their little tails straight up in the air like they're constantly paniking! Love them!

So Safari over i tried, for the second time, to go to the tribunal in Arusha for the Rwandan Genocide...but...like most things here, even though they assured me it would be on i got told 'tommorow tommorow' so maybe next time!

I'm now in Moshi and have had some interesting experiences here.. After Arusha i was at the point of being sick of touts, sick of marrige proposals, sick of please let me thrust my hand in your face to shake it while i try sell you another safari/climb/joint/husband, and sick of trying to get rid of a guy who tried to get me to admit that the reason i wear an anklet is because my husband thinks its symbolises i'm good in bed- interesting theory! But, by the end of the day i was Africa happy again. The girl i was travelling with ended up getting really sick here and since she's by herself, and had passed out, i took her to the "hospital" where at no suprise to the doctors she had malaria.. Very interesting insight into my potential workplace! After about 6 hours she ended up seeing a doctor, and got some medicine (albiet while her bed was a cot in the corridor along with hundrends of other patients) and stayed the night. But true african lovliness was more than shown the whole time we were there- everyone had to come to the Mzungu and say 'pole pole' -sorry- about how unfortunate she was. Food was brought, we got lift back into town- just generosity at its purest! The first night i left to go home i was also met by a group of relatives in full accapella african singing in the courtyard- STUNNING! As much as the whole place is under resourced and totally disorganised i can't wait to work somewhere like that! (as crazy as i may be!)

But having our hospital adventure meant that i'm going to have to miss out Lushoto on this trip. Instead i'm back off to Arusha tommorow (only 1 1/12 hours) to meet Alice for dinner, stay the night, then head back to Dar Es Salaam- i'm almost finished! NOOO!!!!! But can't wait to see her- and the awesome part is they're all staying in a really flash place so may splash out and join them...hello being clean for the first time in 3 weeks.....