Monday July 24, 2023
We land and I’m in the front row of an 8 passenger plane. Push up with left hand and pull down with right. Ok no problem. We see Mount Kilimanjaro, at least the top of it poking through the clouds. We get off the plane and start the game drive. Yup from the plane to game drive straight away!
We got to camp at 2 and had ‘lunch’ which was popcorn chicken (eg chicken strips), coleslaw, veggies, and a banana pudding which was very good. We went to our ‘tent’, 5, which is the furthest from the main tent. The kids are closest, then Bebe and Babu, then me and Fiona. There is a flushing toilet, and a bucket shower, and a 5 gallon pail with a ladle to wash your hands (no running water), and no WiFi eh.
We go out for an evening safari at 5 until sundown. We see a leopard at the river, then he gets up and goes on the hunt. The wildebeest are in a line and break when the see the leopard. It is amazing. We then crawl over to it and it is off again but the sun has gone down so we are back to camp. I’ll add in picture later as there is no Internet. We sit by the fire and meet the family from Barcelona; a family of 4 kids (older daughter in college 2nd/3rd year who was at Duke for a bit, a brother, Carlos, who is off to St. Andrew’s to study physics, another daughter who is 13/14, and a 11 year old son, Thomas. Then a mom and dad, who is also named Carlos. Dinner was carrots, broccoli, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding at 8pm. We finished around 9:15, and was in bed by 9:45 as we need to get up at 5:30.
Tuesday July 25, 2023
Up at 5:25am and got ready! The tent master brought over coffee and hot water. I flashed the tent attendant to come get us forgetting my camera and coat in the process. I did remember my coffee. So I hustled back and got the camera and we were off by 6:05am. we saw our first sighting at 6:15 And it was too dark. A hyena, we see the sun come up while watching 8 lions roam around with their kill. We see the same leopard with its breakfast and a group of hyenas. On the way to the water crossing we see a baby giraffe. We are now at the water crossing number 4, the famous one, and saw three giraffes cross and then go back. It is around 9:30 and there is an elephant coming. Hopefully it will lead the wildebeest across since the giraffes could not! Ha!
The crossing was pretty incredible; all this dust and wildebeest going across the river. 100’s of 1000’s going across. So close together their hives clanked together- the smell of wet wildebeest- ha! We went away from the river to have a snack which of course is when they crossed 45 minutes later. All 6 of us jumped into 1 truck and Benedict drive like a mad person back to the river. The kids where hooting and hollering and Fiona exclaimed ‘oh my’ a few times. You know it is a heck of a ride if she says ’oh my’. Hold onto your butts people! Lol. Anywho we saw it and was amazing. We then wandered about until the call came over about two cheetahs. So we popped over and said hello for 30 minutes while they laid under a tree. Not sure the cheetah is going to make it since it is such a picky eater and only eats what is runs down. That would be a bummer as they are very cool. Apparently there are only 600 in all of Africa, and we have seen 4. Back to the tent camp for lunch. Beer yes please- one of each. I still prefer Kilimanjaro over Serengeti lager. I ate all my lunch which was very tasty even if I can’t remember. We then hung out in our tent till 4:15 the girls had their bucket showers in around 2 since they don’t want wet hair to sleep. We got back into the trucks to go on the next adventure.
We saw the same eight lions that we saw in the morning on the correct side of the river. Then we popped over the see the elephants and sunset. It was a very good day; one of the best. We sat around the fire and had more beer, popcorn, then at 8 dinner was called. More beer with cauliflower, sliced potatoes, and chicken with gravy. The kids filled up on popcorn and sweet potato chips so picked at their food. We talked about Costco and the beauty of it, the Spanish family’s hike up Kilimanjaro – 68 kilometers up and down – we are thinking 5 days up and 2 days down. The girls names are Dany (23 and in collage), Victoria (13), and Avi (short for a longer Greek goddess name). We took off from the table of 12 at 9:15 and I had a my bucket shower. Our shower head doesn’t actually stop the water as the dribble is a shower in itself. I ended my shower with a little conditioner in my hair. Apparently so did Lawson.
Wednesday July 26, 2023
The coffee and hot water man woke us up at 5:30, 30 minutes too early. Bah! It really doesn’t matter as I was up at 2:30 and 3:30 listening and recording to the wildebeest; it is not what you think. More if like a cross between a bullfrog and a large goose, yup, nailed it. We turned in the lights and said thank you, then rolled over turned off the lights and rested a few more minutes. The wildebeest were right outside our tent munchies away at the grass and moaning to each other. A serenade of croaking? Sure.
My stomach is queasy, oh goodtimes. I’m ready by 6:05 for our 6:30 departure. You can barely see outside but do not need to call for an escort. We mosey down the path, I didn’t have to run back to the tent to get my camera unlike yesterday morning. I was ready stomach protesting and all! We jumped in the truck, me behind the driver, Fiona next to me and the kids in the back. Alan and Rowena have their own truck and 3 milk crates to get in and out. Goodtimes.
We cross the river and see the sunrise. Quite lovely. We have a different pack of lions on this side of the river that we spotted in 3 different places doing different activities. 1) 4 sleeping and who couldn’t be bothered 2) 2+ next to a shrubbery, 1 outside and another poking their head thru the brambles 3) 2 lions trying for a baby lion . So another 8 lions! Yeah! Along the way we saw crocodiles, hippopotamuses (like 30), lizards, birds, giraffes, elephants, impalas, eland, buffalo and more I’m sure. My butt hates me but make it back. We have lunch which is red cabbage, lima? beans (the ones that look like corn), and chicken-pot-pie. I have a Fanta to start but can’t stay for desert. I take my Coke togo and now am resting after taking my chalk pill. Hopefully will make the 4:30 drive, but I know I will. Oh, the Lexar ‘professional’ 128 cards I got for my camera suck balls. I’m going to only get good fast reliable Sandisk SD cards moving forward like the ones that work. Bah!
It is 4:15 and I feel much better. I get my stuff and Fiona’s and head to community tent. I have a Fanta. It is 4:30 no Niamh so go fetch her and explain 4:30 means in truck not leaving tent. Need to leave at 4:15 to be in truck. She has been having same stomach problem for last seven days poor kid. I give her more chalk to eat. We are off to see an evening water crossing. We see a few cool things on way like elephant family, a few cool birds, hyenas, and then we wait from 5:15 to 6:15ish and they get close but no crossings. The sun is going down I take a time lapse and Lawson poops behind the truck. The time lapse is great and so are my comments about Lawson pooping. lol. We eat tiny little flies on way back to camp. They are covering us as we drive. Nelson smartly decided to put up windshield after 10 minutes as he can no longer see with tiny flies hitting his eye balls. Lawson smells like bug spray as he incorrectly applies it while moving smoking me out. It only annoys the big meaty fly in front of him, me. We get back to camp sit around the fire. The Spanish arrive back ; they drive to Kenya and took a picture of boarder sign. Dinner is late. We start dinner at 8, but food does not arrive till 8:50. Bebe grumbles, we eat lamb, peas, and polenta half dollar chips, I stick with Fanta for my recovery. We hear a hippo calling behind our tent. There are less wildebeest around to wake us up. are in bed by 10 with a wake up call at 6.
We are up and the kids were awake but not awake. Lawson exclaims that he was woken up 3 minutes ago, but that was more like 30 minutes and he fell back asleep. Niamh is still fragile again so she might need something else to aid her well being. We are in the car by 6:30 and it is now 8 and the crossing number 4. A big group came down but didn’t push the front yet. We will probably wait for another hour or so… who knows. It is like globs of water and they will collect and merge but not run down the glass then all of a sudden a glob will slowly move forward and then collect and decide not to run down the glass.
Ok. We waited 4 hours and the wildebeest crossed! Yeah! 400 pictures later. There was a crocodile and some zebra crossed too. We waited with two people that have been touring the world, they have been to 76 different countries since 2016. Pretty crazy. Back to camp for lunch. I had more Fanta. then spend the time in the room chillin out. Fiona and Lawson took off for popcorn at 3:30. The truck took off at 4:30 for the evening tour. I went to the community tent with all our stuff
We saw proper lions (the ones with a super mane like in Disney movies) and went to the Kenya border. We saw a great sunset at the border. Many many and more then many wildebeests. Lots of fires today and smoke make a killer sunset.
Friday July 29, 2023
We woke up at 6:30 for packing and then breakfast at 7. I had a very large omelette, fruit, and juice. I wore my Kilimanjaro beer shirt for my beer picture. We make it to the airport by 9 and say goodbye to Nelson and Happy. I sent Nelson our group shot via WhatsApp and he has sent over his YouTube rap channel 😉 We have landed at two airport. The first to drop off two people and a second to go through customs to leave Tanzania at Mwanza. We had to take all our bags off, get them X-rayed, get our picture, fingerprints (only me and Fiona not kids), and then get back into the same plane. A 45 minute detour. We are now back on the plane going 200 miles and hour for a 70 minute flight to Rwanda flying over Lake Victoria! Hopefully customs into Rwanda will be easy? Hum.