JAMBO!

Checking in from Ngorogoro after spending 3 days in the Serengeti.

The lodge I'm staying in is perched on the cliffs of the Ngorogoro Crater and I have the most wonderful views from my room.

I've seen so many wonderful sights and was actually lucky enough to have a female leopard walk right by my jeep. She was stunning and so blase about our presence.

There have been so many happy tear moments (and moments where I have to remind myself not to reach out and touch the lion, leopard or elephant).

However, I've had two sad tear moments. Yesterday morning Marco and I spotted a group of elephant standing in a circle - they were kicking up dust and grumbling in their lovely elephant way. One of the females moved aside and we spotted a baby elephant on the ground, laying on its side. It was struggling to stand by just didn't seem to have the strength. We couldn't see any physical injury to indicate that it had been attacked by lions - but the poor little thing just couldn't move.

Thankfully, on our return to Mbuzi Mawe (where I was staying) they had left and the baby elephant was nowhere to be seen. I'm hoping that he got his strength back and managed to get to his feets.

The second sad tears was today as we were leaving the Serengeti. A female warthog had been hit by a car and was dead in the middle of the road :-(


Some funnies for you:

Marco took me to visit a Maasai village, where the men come and do a welcoming dance and the women sing to you. You also get to see inside one of their little houses and visit the school where the children are learning to count and spell and whatnot.

The Chief's son was taking me around and showing me everything - he asked me where my husband was. I said I didn't have one and he said I was too beautiful not to have a husband and that he would be greatly honoured if I was accept his marriage proposal.


Upon telling this to Marco, he advised that he didn't want to tell me as he was not wanting to embarrass me, but it seems all his fellow driver/guides and the lodge staff where we are staying keep asking him for my address and phone number! LOL


It would seem Tanzanian men think I'm beautiful :-) I knew I'd like it here! LOL

I had some amazing viewing of lions and elephants yesterday too - one massive herd of 50+ elephants came over to have a drink while we were watching a pride of around 20 lions bask in the sun and snooze. The lions reaction was almost palpable. They left their sunny rocks to keep out of the elephants way.



Today saw me have my close encounter with cheetah. They were still fairly off in the distance (not as close as the leopard and other lions I've been blessed to see) but it was wonderful all the same. A mother with her 3 cubs - probably getting close to going off on their own. One wanted to come and say hi - but its mother wouldn't have a bar of it and called him away.

Mande's Lesson from Africa No. 1

Make sure you shake your clothes before putting them on in the morning - one never knows when a scorpion may come to say hi

Africa's Lesson from Mande No. 1

Scorpions need to find somewhere other than my pants or shoes to rest or they may very well end up squished!!!

Observations

1.0 Guinea Fowl appear to have a death wish - they are ALWAYS bolting in front of the jeep when they should be going the opposite direction.

2.0 Every single american (except two from Hawaii) seem to think they know it all, know better than everyone, can do what they what whenever they want, think that Africa and her inhabitants (human and animal) are here for their amusements and theirs alone and they are FREAKING LOUD!!!!

Anyways, heading off to the bar and then to dinner. I've got two nights here and then off to Botswana.

loveloves xxo