The Safari Begins
Trip Start
Jun 13, 2008
1
11
Trip End
Jul 03, 2008
Where I stayed
Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
So we were totally blown away when we got here. The "tents" involved are simply a substitute for certain walls. We have a room and a deck, a bathroom with a flushing toilet and hot (and I mean HOT) water shower. we have lanterns for light - electric ones with switches. This is nothing like Global Explorers! And I must admit feeling a bit guilty about it. We didn't know we were going to be spoiled like this, but it does feel very colonial...
Mom and Dad totally have the honey-moon suite - two stories, two decks, a granite rock-style shower with and exceptionally short shower curtain - it's hilarious!
So today we went to Lake Manyara National Park, which was a lot of fun. We'll be killing time in the morning, waiting for our bags (we hope!), so we plan to go back in the morning to look for hippos. Once we get our bags, and maybe even a fresh set of clothes, we'll be on our way to Serena Lodge at the Serengeti.
While we were out today, I bough a kitenge, which is basically a big piece of cloth with a pretty pattern on it. My only jacket at the moment is a wind breaker, which is great for safari but not a lot of help as the temperature drops. SO now I have some extra material to wear under my jacket and lock in some heat. At the moment, though, I'm wearing it as a nightgown, to give my only shirt a chance to air out.
The worst thing about losing the luggage this time is that we thought we were in the clear, and repacked the clothes we'd been carrying in our carry on bags. And now I'm trapped in a skirt and a pair of sandals! That'll teach me - I won't make that mistake again!
Today in the park we saw tons of animals! The official list I kept has: olive baboons, widowbirds (with long tails!), blue monkeys, hornbills, elephants, impala, vervet monkey, red crowned hornbills (these were giant!), a lion, warthogs, cape buffalo, palm vultures, dikdiks, giraffe, and wildebeest.
I have a new book to read, but I think I'll keep going with CAtcher in theRye for now - I'm really enjoying it. That's all for tonight!
