TRAVEL BLOG December 7th, 2021 - SERENGETI SAFARI

 

12/7/21- Waking up to the sounds of the Serengeti is amazing. Despite the hard bed, we’re able to sleep soundly, probably because we're exhausted. The air feels cool as well, much different than when we first went to bed and had to have our mini fans on that we brought with us.

During breakfast we hear elephants in the distance, and soon a pack of them gradually come closer to the campsite. Not sure if they can smell the food but they keep their distance, but as we leave our driver stops the vehicle close by and one of them kicks up dirt and begins to charge. Quickly, the driver puts the car in gear and drives off. Wow!

We do our Covid tests at an outdoor makeshift clinic (about an hour away) and the doctor is very thorough with the swabbing of the mouth and both nostrils. Happy that is done and hoping we get the email in a few days before our flight.

Now onto day #2 of the safari. Like yesterday, we see giraffe, zebra and lions again as we roam around the Serengeti Park. Even though we saw them already it still feels exhilarating and new not knowing what the animals might do or how they may act. In the distance, we see a hoard of elephants moving in bunches and as we approach we count at least 100 of them grouped together. Our vehicle is literally feet away as they migrate across, in front and around us.

We catch two of them fighting, tusk to tusk and then follow two other elephants rubbing on each other as they playfully run around. The finishing touch is when those two start humping in front of everyone. It last all but 7 seconds or so but it was definitely an interesting sight to see. Like watching National Geographic up close.

Continuing on, we find a pair of cheetahs lying in the weeds with a fresh kill. They gnaw on it for quite some time before leaving to find shelter from the sun; and that’s when the birds take over. We track them for a bit but they’re very slow moving, so we continue around the park until we see a leopard resting in a tree. Its limbs dangle as it watches us gawk, wondering if it will come down.

This was an amazing experience as I thought yesterday couldn’t have been topped. And we still have tomorrow! Unfortunately, our vehicle gets another flat tire that our driver had to fix. I offer to help but he wants none of it. I can understand as I would be the same way, and it appears they deal with this all the time with the terrain.

With the afternoon approaching, we picnic at the Serengeti entrance for lunch and that’s when I get a text message that a flight we’re scheduled to take next week wants to change to three days later. UM, NO! With limited Wi-Fi access I’ll have to deal with this later.

We leave the park and drive for several hours toward our hotel, through the bumpy roads which our driver calls the African Massage. Haha, sure it is! On the way he takes us to an authentic shop that sells only from the locals. We find a few things to buy, negotiate a price and when we try to pay with a credit card the guy says it’s down. But wait, he just said when we entered that they accept credit card. I tell him, “Sorry, I can’t buy” and miraculously the credit card machine works again. I can’t blame them for trying. In the shop, they had the most adorable kittens that appear to be a month old. It was hard to put them down when leaving, but there’s no way we can take them back with us as we’re having our own flight problems right now.

It takes only fifteen more minutes to reach our hotel, sorry I mean an oasis compared to the night before (Country Lodge). This place has a pool, dinner included and a very nice room. The two issues are Wi-Fi doesn’t work in the room (which is a pain to have to deal with the airline from the lobby) and none of the outlets work, so have to do everything in the lobby for the time being.

Contacted my agent for the flight that was cancelled and they can’t get a hold of the airline. They mention that a refund is not guaranteed and I let them have it, saying they need to fight for me on this as there’s no way an airline can cancel a flight and NOT refund. Will find out more tomorrow, hopefully.

During dinner (which was a full course meal by candlelight), they fix our outlets in our room so something’s happening. Should be a good night's sleep and can’t wait until tomorrow.