We flew into Nairobi, Kenya. We spent two days in Nairobi visiting the David Sheldrick Baby Elephant Preserve and the Giraffe Center.
We took a shuttle from Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania. The drive took about 6 hours. In Arusha, our first chore was to deliver supplies to Neema Baby House Orphanage.
On the second morning in Tanzania, we headed to Tarangire Park. I got to see my first elephants in the wild. Thrill of a lifetime!!
We also got to see giraffes, water buffalo, zebras, wildebeasts, gazelles, hippos, warthogs, lions, ostrichs and cheetahs.
After Tarangire, we went to the Serengeti. It was a long drive on a rough road, but well worth the trip. We saw many of the same animals, but also saw a leopard up a tree with his kill. He was too well camouflaged to get a picture, but I did get a picture of an old kill hanging from a tree.
Baby Thompson's gazelle - newborn - first suck.
Sunset from our deck at Serengeti Serena Lodge
From Serengeti, we traveled to the Ngorongoro Crater. It is a huge caldera with a unique collection of animals. It was here we saw the Rhino. Bruce was the first to spot him on the horizon. We also saw several jackals and hyenas.
After leaving the crater we stayed in the village of Karatu. It was lovely. There were two ladies -mother and daughter - who made baskets and sold them at the hotel where we stayed. They tried to teach me how. I now know that I am all thumbs!!
The next day we took a cultural walk in the village of Mto Wa Mbu. We learned that they can make almost any crop into beer!! The highlight was eating at the home of a local family.
Communal toilet.
Carvers
Hostess cooking lunch.
We went back to Arusha for two more days. We stayed at Ngare Sero - a beautiful bit of paradise. It is an old German plantation. Bruce got to fly fish and it was a very nice time of relaxation. We were fortunate to be able to see Kilimanjaro. They say it is a rare sight. There were also monkeys in the trees and beautiful flowers everywhere.
We spent a little time at a Boma Village where the Masai lived. They showed us their culture and lifestyle. The young boys had just gone through their manhood rituals and were dressed in special clothing and face paint.
It was a busy, exciting, visually spectacular two weeks. It was amazing how close we got to the animals. The people were welcoming and hospitable. We enjoyed every minute of our two weeks.
The story would not be complete without thanking our wonderful guide, Deo Kessy!!! He is a great guide and became a great friend.
