Running Late, Flying High, Getting Close to Death

Today is a special day, with a lot of convincing from me, the parents have agreed to a hot air balloon ride this morning, an extravagant day trip but one I myself am extremely excited about. However, what I am not so excited about is the early start time to the day, we are setting off so early in fact that the driver is spending the night at our camp. So we drag ourselves out of bed at the ungodly hour of 3am to head to the dining area for a cup of tea to kick start tour engines, but what really gets us going is seeing our driver take off without us! Luckily I spot it in time and after being chased down by some of the staff and flashed with their torches he returns. How a driver who had spent the night in a place for the sole purpose of taking us with him in the morning ends up forgetting us is beyond me, but hey, it was early and we did have a couple more people to pick up in a camp on the away, Even Jabshir, our guide, admits to being dumbfounded.

As some of you may know the original plan had been for my parents to meet up with me in New Zealand at the end of my time in Australia but, due to flight costs and dog logistics that plan fell through, so instead we are fulfilling a life time dream of my mum’s and mine and going on a Safari!!! What’s great for me is my parents have arranged everything, I am just along for the ride and excited to play with my new camera. Our destination is Tanzania – over the following days we are exploring the natural beauty of Lake Manyara and its surrounding wilderness, camping in the Serengeti, and delving into the depths of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Mum and I get ready for vertical lift-off

Trying out my new camera

The niece and nephew

Jack moves up a swimming class

Grey Heron on Lake Duluti

Not the largest airport I've been through recently but nonetheless welcoming

The next morning we all awake with excitement for our first official Safari day. It is an early start though, 6.30am, but who cares, we are going on safari. After a quick breakfast we meet are driver Jabshir, I am lucky, my parents have arranged a private jeep and driver for us for the whole of our journey and after loading up we are driven to our next spot, drop our bags at the hotel that overlooks Lake Manyara and are quickly off to the Lake Manyara national park. The national park covers 100 square kilometres and used to be very different, but since 2020 increased rains have lead to the plains being flooded and changed the natural water PH from brackish alkaline to fresh. This has caused devastation to not only the land animals who have lost tons of habitat but also the marine life which are extremely sensitive to changes in the water's PH levels. Now there is no krill in the water as it cannot survive the fresh water, so this park no longer sees the migration of flamingo and the loss of the plains means no more water buffalo or gazelle to name a few. That being said in a short space of time we are lucky enough to see forest elephants, hornbills, the arse of a lion, hippos, bushbucks, impala, giraffe, baboon, blue velvet monkeys and a few antelope. The parents and I are chuffed, Jabshir however insists this is 'soup' – merely a starter to our safari, nothing compared to what the coming days holds for us. So far we are pretty happy and now even more excited to be heading to the famous Serengeti tomorrow. But before that we have an evening of relaxation and entertainment to enjoy with the hotel hosting a local group of dancers, tumblers and jugglers to enthral us by the pool. What's not to like?

Hippopotamus

Impala

Bushbucks

Giraffe

Blue Velvet monkey

Topi Antelope

Rising water levels

Overlooking Lake Manyara National Park

Baboon

Once landed we are driven to Hotel Serena near the town of Arusha and after a quick nap and some lunch we are lucky enough to get a guided tour of the local area by one of the staff called Iddy. We are shown Lake Duluti and see its resident herons and egrets. It is a beautiful place, but I am particularly taken with the somewhat eerie sight of sunken picnic tables that have succumbed to rising water levels, but which now make nice perches for the fore mentioned birds. After the lake we are taken to an old colonial town, which is, surprisingly to my parents and me, apparently Polish, a nation I don’t particularly think of when I think colonial past. Once back, mum, dad and I chill in the hotel bar with a local beer or two and a few games of Monopoly Go before we all enjoy a somewhat extravagant four course meal and head to bed early duly stuffed!

Great White Egret on Lake Duluti

First sighting of 'The Big Five'

And soon after the second sighting

I hope you've enjoyed reading my blog.
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