Safari!

Sunday May 30 - First day on Safari!!!
Packed up a bag with a couple of days worth of stuff and threw all our excess luggage in the boys room (made them clean it up first). Started out right after breakfast in damp, cooler weather after shuffling around the seating in the various jeeps so we were all evenly dispersed – more or less. As we drove up to the Ngorongoro highlands, the scenery changed to a thick, jungle-like rainforest – very “gorillas in the mist” without the gorillas. Stopped briefly at the entrance to the park and read some info and picked up a few souvenirs (some people will shop anywhere!) The drive was very steep with a very sharp dropoff (very unnerving if you’re still not used to the driving on the left and you happen to be sitting on the left!) Very misty with occasional glimpses of the Karatu region far, far below. We pressed on to a point overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater. Stopped for a picture break – very windy – and were immediately surrounded by Masai selling their ever present trinkets and wares, or, for a few thousand shillings – they allow you to take a picture of themselves! Next stop – Olduvai Gorge (or more correctly Oldupai Gorge). Toured the tiny museum set up there and, surprise! - bought more souvenirs. Sat through an informative but short lecture whilst overlooking the gorge. Saw a copy of the casts of some original footprints that show that hominids walked upright long, long ago. On to the Serengeti! Passed many Masai people herding flocks of goats and cows. The landscape changed to flat brown grasslands. Started seeing wildlife! A few zebra (who knew we’d later see millions?), gazelle, ostrich (weird-looking birds!) and giraffes casually strolling around with the Masai on the way to the gate to the Serengeti National Park. The Masai and their animals are not allowed inside the park. Inside the park, we stop for a picnic lunch at the main office. Girls use an absolutely disgusting pit latrine before finding out the “western” toilets are around the corner. After lunch we follow a little trail to a scenic lookout and see an elephant way too close for comfort. I’m still convinced it was a tame one planted there for tourists. Spent the next four hours driving through the park standing up in the jeeps with the top popped up. Spent a good bit of time at some rocks with a pride of lions – nearly 20 in total! Absolutely amazing! Saw animal after animal, everyone clicking away with their cameras. Our drivers were very informative - it was a highly educational and entertaining experience. We felt a bit like we were in some National Geographic movie.
Arrived at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge in time for a nice refreshing swim (thanks to Devin the lifeguard) in the pool overlooking the Serengeti. The lodge itself caters to the rich and famous – we were definitely a little out of our element! Showers alone were big enough for 8 people! We dressed for dinner (“smartly” – as per instructions in each guest room). At dinner, we were offered a menu of choices for the main course of the five-course meal. VERY fine dining! Some students ordered cold milk to drink – very odd to the waiters. Puzzled, they brought it out and tried to be discreet as they watched in amazement as the kids drank it. Had to be escorted to our rooms so we wouldn’t be bothered by any wild animals that ventured onto the lodge grounds, particularly buffalo and baboons (now that’s a little different!) While we were at dinner, someone had been to our rooms to turn down the beds and draw the mosquito nets around the beds. I’m thinking it wouldn’t be hard to adjust to this!