Tuesday's Tanzania

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Our 2nd day of the safari took us into the Sergenti National Park, home to one of the seven wonders of Africa, the Serengeti Migration - which given the time of our visit, we were fortunate to experience.  We were able to see first-hand, and very close-up, large groups of wildebeests and zebras making their "short rains" trek, the longest and largest land migration in the world.

Wildebeests "waiting in line"

"Let's roll!"

                       

Zebras taking a migration break...

 We also saw an incredible hippo pool.

But, to be honest, I think all of us became very quiet whenever we saw hippos at this point in the safari and beyond.  At dinner, the first night, our guide, Swalehe, shared that his brother had been killed three years ago by a hippo when the kayak he was in turned over in a river.  Swalehe  said he was helping to raise his brother's son. 

Having always just experienced these creatures from the safe view of a zoo, I had seen them as gentle giants - how wrong I was.

 

The Serengeti plains were breathtaking - pictures can't truly capture their beauty.

We spent a long, hot day on the safari trail and were again ready for our beds.  So, we were a bit confused when we arrived late at our site and saw lots of regular tents -- no platforms.  No worries, we first naively thought - must be hiding "our special" accommodations around here somewhere....  That thought was quickly dispelled when we saw our guides pulling similar tents off the top of the jeep along with sleeping bags.  Long story short - I "borrowed" Swalehe's foam mattress pad; the planned 6am safari ride was postponed til 10; it is possible to shower in the dark, using only a mini flashlight which stands up on one end - while hubby watches out for hyenas (and thank you, hubby, for not telling me until we were back stateside about the one you stared down while I was in there); sleeping pills are the over 50s' answer to tent camping; and it is possible to upgrade mid-safari to a lodge stay (our third night, complete with buffet and wine) :)

Next week:  More Serengeti, intro. to Ngorongoro, and just why is that German couple following us around?