Tarangire - 2 months on the road

  Tarangire, Tanzania
Sunday, February 26, 2006

Months 3 on the road starts here. I've become the official alarm clock now as Zablon, the guide and cook seem incapable and nobody else has an alarm. I'm expecting a big tip. I did the rounds this morning at 6:20 as everyone wanted to get up for the sunrise. I have to say though it was a corker.

Buffalo skull

Superb Starling

Male and Female Ostrich

white-headed buffalo weaver

Swainsons Francolin

Mighty Baobab Tree

In the car for about 8:30 and at Tarangire National Park for 10ish. The place was a bit void of wildlife for the first hour, although the scenery was fantastic, the park was famous for its 1000 year old baobab trees scattered everywhere and some nice birds. New ones include lovebirds, franklins and sand grouse.

Elephants under Baobab Tree

Waterhole in Tarangire

Giraffes taking a drink

Male Waterbuck in Tarangire

The highlight of this park had to be once we got down to the river though. What I will remember is that river teeming with zebra, elephants and giraffe just going about their every day business. Spectacular.

Lunch was and experience and a spectacle with raids on most table from the baboons and Vervet Monkeys. People seemed powerless to stop them!

On the trip back to Arusha I though a bit about what a great trip it had been. It really was none stop and each park did have its own unique features. I guess it could be called a sampler of 4 of the major parks in Tanzania and I'm glad for my first time I did it that way, although it did feel rushed. Now I know the ropes I'd probably concentrate on a couple of parks next time spending longer time in each one and get to appreciate the early morning and late afternoon viewings a bit more when the lighting is best and more game is out from under the shade.

I must have been traveling solo for too long. One other thing I found hard to start with was getting use to other people and the fact I had to be flexible and couldn't do things as and when I wanted. This was unlike I'd been able to do on most of my trip so far.

End of the safari

Bill, Jane and Dave were fantastic company though and we all met up for a last supper that evening. Bill was climbing Kili in 3 days and Jane and Bill were hiking Meru the next day along with Lucas our cook.

I on the other hand I managed to get persuaded by the same tour group, Victoria Travels, to hike the 6 day Machame route up Kili the very next day! I think I got a good price as other people were already going and they figured if they let me back out on the streets for a day I could be persuaded to go with another company.

No rest for the wicked!