Best animal lover day ever at Tarangire National Park 10/3/18

All kinds of crazy noises throughout the night at the hotel. There were dogs howling, dogfights, drunk men going home from the bars. I guess that’s the benefit of me sleeping every night with earplugs, I was able to sleep through most of it. Andy did not. I woke at 5am from the call to prayer. That was followed by the nearby Christian church blaring their karaoke music, which is a problem for the hotel as they do it many hours of the day. Achmed made another appearance last night so we imbibed. I could only handle 1.5 of the harsh strong Safari brand beers. Plus I wasn’t hungry from eating almost a whole pizza and 2 beers when we first arrived at the hotel yesterday, refueling from our huge hike. 

We got a later start because we’re waiting for our laundry and the Wi-Fi didn’t work since yesterday m and we needed to connect with the outside world. We drove through downtown Arusha to finally pay for the Kilimanjaro trek and safari. Through town we saw the busy markets where people from villages come to sell goods. We’ll have to hit that up when we get back. 

Robert, our driver, told us how the Masaai are taking over more land because their cattle need to be fed, and global warming has created less green grass for them to feed. They are taking over other tribes’ farmland at night and creating battles. So much that the government had to get involved. 

Andy got his National Geographic on in the Land Rover. He set up the tripod in the middle and started taking pics w the big lens. I’m going to be his assistant as he’s been planning for this week for a very long time and has the gear to take incredible pics. 

We saw a group of Maasai boys tending cattle and goats. The boys were dressed all in black with charcoal on their skin. A sharp contrast from the bright colors they usually wear. They were circumcised and sent to live in the bush to recover. Some also stand by the road to take pictures for tourists to make money then go back to the bush. Everyone is trying to a living. The Maasai women carry the huge branches back to the village to build huts, even with babies on their back. Seems fair with the men just watching after the cattle. 

Along the way we saw hanging bees boxes from trees, fuzzy Acacia trees, Bao Bab trees (trees w huge trunks- elephants eat it for the minerals). 

We stopped so I could pee on the side of the road (hey, I just spent 8 days on the mountain). I was on edge dodging the hide red ants and big spikey bush trying to stab me. This place keeps you on your toes. 

We entered Tarangire National Park and they sprayed the bottom of the truck to help keep the tetse flies away. Then the magic started. I can’t really explain all that happened and what we saw and give it justice because it was so extraordinary. The Land Cruiser top popped up so Andy and I could stand and have a 360* view. We were in the park from 12 until past our 6 curfew when we headed back to our campsite inside the park. We saw herds of elephants digging in the dry river bed for water, babies and teens that came up right to the truck. Families of giraffes. Zebras, a 5 ft Monitor Lizzard, warthogs, and wildebeest all drinking by the watering hole. All kinds of amazing beautiful birds. The timid Dik Dik. Mongoose, baboons and their babies, velvet monkeys, gazelles. Andy got some amazing shots on his new long lens and I was excited to have the powerful binoculars. I could see the animals crazy close!

We ate dinner in a cage with the night sounds starting. Food was abundant (we have Zachariah from the hike as our cook again) and we’ll probably gain the weight we lost on Kilimanjaro. I’m not getting up to pee so an empty water bottle will have to suffice in case of emergency.