27th
February 2009, Arusha
Wake-up time 5 am: I hate waking up at 5! I start feeling the burden of this trip. And certainly that damned dog barking and howling all night long didn't help much.
I can see some fog in Africa for the first time: a kilometre of thick bank then suddenly vanished. Incredible!
Then we go to the Curio Market, a real trap for tourists where I get a pair of earrings and a few cup holders at ridiculous prices. Then shopping, lunch and we leave back heading to Ngorongoro.
We stop for an hour in a camp-site because we can't enter the Ngorongoro area before 6 pm in order to have our pass (lasting 24 hours) still valid tomorrow.
Once we enter the Conservation Area, we can enjoy a spectacular view on the crater: green and blue are the predominant colours. We catch sight of dozens of buffaloes and elephants just close to the Simba A, the public camp-site where we're sleeping tonight. It's really cold and after dinner a couple hyenas roam around our tents. I decide I'd better sleep on the truck tonight.
1st March 2009
Wake-up time is 5. Wake-up time? Did anybody even sleep?!?!?! I heard all night long animals roaming around the truck, some of them even tried to shake the vehicle to find some food in the kitchen beneath. And I, the brave, didn't even have the courage make a move, so I never understood what kind of animal had been bothering me for so long. We suppose it might be some warthog or buffalo. Also the cold was quite annoying. Anyways it was worth it, the shiver of a night spent in the Ngorongoro is breathtaking, a surge of adrenaline. The volcanic crater is located at 2200 metres above sea level, is 16 kilometres in diameter and takes up an area as large as 265 sqm. This is the biggest intact caldera in the world. Only one road runs along the crater rim. There are four ways connecting the rim with the internal part of the crater; the route takes around 30 minutes with an off-road vehicle. The abundant rains together with ponds, little lakes and internal streams, nightly fog surrounding and feeding the forests along the slopes of the old volcano, created an out-and-out ecosystem. The savannah takes up the most internal part of the crater, alternating with some wetland, scrubs of acacias and semi-desert areas; in the middle of the crater is a lake. Into the crater the concentration of fauna is impressive: over 25000 large-sized animals have been counted up. The most typical image is probably the one portraying the big herds of zebras and gnu, but inside of the crater we can find the characteristic species of the savannah such as: elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, jackals, hippos, baboons, as well as other quite rare breed of white rhinos, latest survivors of a species which is all around Tanzania threatened with extinction. Species of birds are countless and these migrant animals are obviously attracted by the several stretches of water. Noteworthy are flamingos, constituting one of the most populated colonies around Africa. Impalas and giraffes are not present. The local Maasai tribes have the right to graze in this area and it's not uncommon to meet some of them together with their livestock.
While we enter the crater the day is dawning. We straightaway catch sight of a huge quantity of animals. In addition to the same old buffaloes, warthog, giraffes, zebras, elephants, I could also see hyenas, jackals, flamingos, livestock and other characteristic birds, hippos very closely and nothing less than six lions! Four females and two males. What a feeling! We catch sight of the first three females from afar and we try to follow them closely trying not to find their traces. They come towards us and they cross the road in front of us. One of them crouches just on one side of the road, turning its back on us to then turn around from time to time: seems like it placed itself there, to pose and be admired. Another lioness is sitting on the grass, looking around. A bit farther on the two male lions are dozing and yawning. The real Africa.
We head back to the camp-site to have lunch then we leave again direction Serengeti.
The Serengeti National Park is a place in which African mystery and charm combine together to explode with a huge strength and where beauty and rhythm of nature can be experienced at first hand, like it rarely happens elsewhere. Along its endless plains totally lacking trees, one of the most impressive natural cycle on the planet keeps repeating itself: the amazing animal migrations taking place every year in order to find new grasslands.
The Serengeti is also well-known because of the predators inhabiting this place, lions in particular. Unfortunately we can't catch sight of any animal with the exception of some antelopes.
In the afternoon it gets more and more interesting when George manages to spot a leopard which was sleeping on a tree as far as twenty metres from us. It was not totally visible to the naked-eye because it was perfectly mimicking in the vegetation, moreover it was turning its back on us. I managed to see it only thanks to the zoom but it was amazing anyway. I can now consider myself satisfied, I've seen all the 5 Big Five.
In the early evening reach a place used as a camp-site. We are not alone, there are other trucks. Still I'm scared of the animals like last night and I gotta decide if allowing Takalani to sleep with me or not.
2nd March 2009
At the end I decide to let Takalani sleep with me: never made a worse decision! He was snoring like a bear. Moreover there was no animal around this time! During the game safari our truck gets stuck in the mud. It's nightmarish; broken-down in the middle of the savannah with a high probability of being attacked by some lions or other dangerous animals. The trucks looks to be close to rolling over, it seems like the are not many hopes of turning the tide. After exhausting and continuous shovelling and pushing, around one hour later, we manage to put the truck back on the the right way to finally head back to the camp-site. It was a useless game, I've just seen a serval. In compensation I had the chance to take extraordinary pictures at sunrise.
Wake-up time 5 am: I hate waking up at 5! I start feeling the burden of this trip. And certainly that damned dog barking and howling all night long didn't help much.
I can see some fog in Africa for the first time: a kilometre of thick bank then suddenly vanished. Incredible!
 |
| Serengeti National Park. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
Since we were in Malawi we've been travelling side by
side with other overland groups such as Nomads, Dragoman, Intrepid. It's a
continuous overtaking of each other to then meet again in the most suggestive points
of interest of this traditional route, precisely Zanzibar.
The way to Arusha is long, 10 full hours, with always a keen eye at buses travelling at madly full speed and overtaking even in populated areas. It's not rare to find overturned vehicles into some ditch on the side of the road. Just today I've seen two of them, a truck and a bus, soon after an accident.
When we stop again for lunch, obviously on the road, a guy literally flies out of a bus and comes next to us, under a baobab, begging for some food. When all of us are done Takalani picks up the leftovers, tomatoes, salad, cucumber, bread, he puts them all together in a plastic bag and hands them to the poor guy who starts pigging out. It almost hurts me to see that, but when he even expects to be given a coke as a drink I'd like to send him about his business and take back all the supplies given.
The way to Arusha is long, 10 full hours, with always a keen eye at buses travelling at madly full speed and overtaking even in populated areas. It's not rare to find overturned vehicles into some ditch on the side of the road. Just today I've seen two of them, a truck and a bus, soon after an accident.
When we stop again for lunch, obviously on the road, a guy literally flies out of a bus and comes next to us, under a baobab, begging for some food. When all of us are done Takalani picks up the leftovers, tomatoes, salad, cucumber, bread, he puts them all together in a plastic bag and hands them to the poor guy who starts pigging out. It almost hurts me to see that, but when he even expects to be given a coke as a drink I'd like to send him about his business and take back all the supplies given.
Fresh, green and rich in greenery, Arusha is one of the most developed cities
in Tanzania, registering a dizzying growth rate. Arusha is also the main access
gate to the Serengeti protected area as well as other northern parks. This
primary touristic centre is therefore the Tanzanian "capital" for
safaris. Around Arusha coffee, sweetcorn and wheat plantations are present.
In the late afternoon we arrive at the Masai Camp-Site which also has a nice
bar-restaurant. I have a little argument with Takalani because he wants me to
cook tonight. This was not agreed before, my duty is washing dishes but today
it's not even my turn.
After a small break at the bar I go to sleep, it's too late for me but the loud music (Madonna and Michael Jackson are really appreciated here) give me some problems in falling asleep.
After a small break at the bar I go to sleep, it's too late for me but the loud music (Madonna and Michael Jackson are really appreciated here) give me some problems in falling asleep.
28th
February 2009
We leave the camp-site to go into town where we stop at an internet point: that piece of shit charges me 7500 shillings for half an hour! I can sniff-out the rip-off so I wait for Kasper and Lasse to see how much they are soaked. Same amount but it seems really too much to me so I report this to the two guides. They go furious, so they enter the shop to complain. The artful lady decided to charge us 7500 shillings instead of 750! Ten times as much! "I can accept being diddled as I am tourist but that's being a real piece of shit" I thought! While she is giving me the money back she even smiles at me, but I look back at her totally pissed-off and I shake my head as a sign of contempt: dishonest!
We leave the camp-site to go into town where we stop at an internet point: that piece of shit charges me 7500 shillings for half an hour! I can sniff-out the rip-off so I wait for Kasper and Lasse to see how much they are soaked. Same amount but it seems really too much to me so I report this to the two guides. They go furious, so they enter the shop to complain. The artful lady decided to charge us 7500 shillings instead of 750! Ten times as much! "I can accept being diddled as I am tourist but that's being a real piece of shit" I thought! While she is giving me the money back she even smiles at me, but I look back at her totally pissed-off and I shake my head as a sign of contempt: dishonest!
 |
| The Curio Market in Arusha. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
Then we go to the Curio Market, a real trap for tourists where I get a pair of earrings and a few cup holders at ridiculous prices. Then shopping, lunch and we leave back heading to Ngorongoro.
We stop for an hour in a camp-site because we can't enter the Ngorongoro area before 6 pm in order to have our pass (lasting 24 hours) still valid tomorrow.
Once we enter the Conservation Area, we can enjoy a spectacular view on the crater: green and blue are the predominant colours. We catch sight of dozens of buffaloes and elephants just close to the Simba A, the public camp-site where we're sleeping tonight. It's really cold and after dinner a couple hyenas roam around our tents. I decide I'd better sleep on the truck tonight.
 |
| Ngorongoro Crater. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
1st March 2009
Wake-up time is 5. Wake-up time? Did anybody even sleep?!?!?! I heard all night long animals roaming around the truck, some of them even tried to shake the vehicle to find some food in the kitchen beneath. And I, the brave, didn't even have the courage make a move, so I never understood what kind of animal had been bothering me for so long. We suppose it might be some warthog or buffalo. Also the cold was quite annoying. Anyways it was worth it, the shiver of a night spent in the Ngorongoro is breathtaking, a surge of adrenaline. The volcanic crater is located at 2200 metres above sea level, is 16 kilometres in diameter and takes up an area as large as 265 sqm. This is the biggest intact caldera in the world. Only one road runs along the crater rim. There are four ways connecting the rim with the internal part of the crater; the route takes around 30 minutes with an off-road vehicle. The abundant rains together with ponds, little lakes and internal streams, nightly fog surrounding and feeding the forests along the slopes of the old volcano, created an out-and-out ecosystem. The savannah takes up the most internal part of the crater, alternating with some wetland, scrubs of acacias and semi-desert areas; in the middle of the crater is a lake. Into the crater the concentration of fauna is impressive: over 25000 large-sized animals have been counted up. The most typical image is probably the one portraying the big herds of zebras and gnu, but inside of the crater we can find the characteristic species of the savannah such as: elephants, buffaloes, hyenas, jackals, hippos, baboons, as well as other quite rare breed of white rhinos, latest survivors of a species which is all around Tanzania threatened with extinction. Species of birds are countless and these migrant animals are obviously attracted by the several stretches of water. Noteworthy are flamingos, constituting one of the most populated colonies around Africa. Impalas and giraffes are not present. The local Maasai tribes have the right to graze in this area and it's not uncommon to meet some of them together with their livestock.
While we enter the crater the day is dawning. We straightaway catch sight of a huge quantity of animals. In addition to the same old buffaloes, warthog, giraffes, zebras, elephants, I could also see hyenas, jackals, flamingos, livestock and other characteristic birds, hippos very closely and nothing less than six lions! Four females and two males. What a feeling! We catch sight of the first three females from afar and we try to follow them closely trying not to find their traces. They come towards us and they cross the road in front of us. One of them crouches just on one side of the road, turning its back on us to then turn around from time to time: seems like it placed itself there, to pose and be admired. Another lioness is sitting on the grass, looking around. A bit farther on the two male lions are dozing and yawning. The real Africa.
 |
| The Maasai. |
 |
| Ngorongoro Crater. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
We head back to the camp-site to have lunch then we leave again direction Serengeti.
The Serengeti National Park is a place in which African mystery and charm combine together to explode with a huge strength and where beauty and rhythm of nature can be experienced at first hand, like it rarely happens elsewhere. Along its endless plains totally lacking trees, one of the most impressive natural cycle on the planet keeps repeating itself: the amazing animal migrations taking place every year in order to find new grasslands.
The Serengeti is also well-known because of the predators inhabiting this place, lions in particular. Unfortunately we can't catch sight of any animal with the exception of some antelopes.
In the afternoon it gets more and more interesting when George manages to spot a leopard which was sleeping on a tree as far as twenty metres from us. It was not totally visible to the naked-eye because it was perfectly mimicking in the vegetation, moreover it was turning its back on us. I managed to see it only thanks to the zoom but it was amazing anyway. I can now consider myself satisfied, I've seen all the 5 Big Five.
In the early evening reach a place used as a camp-site. We are not alone, there are other trucks. Still I'm scared of the animals like last night and I gotta decide if allowing Takalani to sleep with me or not.
 |
|
Can you see the leopard in the red panel?
|
2nd March 2009
At the end I decide to let Takalani sleep with me: never made a worse decision! He was snoring like a bear. Moreover there was no animal around this time! During the game safari our truck gets stuck in the mud. It's nightmarish; broken-down in the middle of the savannah with a high probability of being attacked by some lions or other dangerous animals. The trucks looks to be close to rolling over, it seems like the are not many hopes of turning the tide. After exhausting and continuous shovelling and pushing, around one hour later, we manage to put the truck back on the the right way to finally head back to the camp-site. It was a useless game, I've just seen a serval. In compensation I had the chance to take extraordinary pictures at sunrise.
 |
| Serengeti National Park. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
 |
| Serengeti National Park. © 2009, Giovanna Puccia. All rights reserved. |
After driving through the Western Corridor and having
seen hundreds of gnus, dozens of zebras and giraffes and many other animals, we
official get out of the Serengeti National Park. We don't have lunch because we
had a miserable brunch after going on safari. I can't put up with this, I'm
hungry and it's our right to have breakfast and lunch, because we paid for
them. I point it out to Takalani. I'm really upset as well as hungry; I paid
for this journey and I start being tired of sleeping in mangy places and the
food is not good. To make a good impression Takalani buys some bananas for us
in the first village we meet on our way.
In the afternoon we arrive in Musoma, on Lake Victoria. I don't know why all people say this place is amazing. It doesn't say anything to me, you can't even go for a swim because the water is infested by schistosomiasis and it's stinky. I finally take a shower after two days.... We have fish and chips for dinner then I go to bed. To all appearances this will be our last night spent in a tent: finally!
In the afternoon we arrive in Musoma, on Lake Victoria. I don't know why all people say this place is amazing. It doesn't say anything to me, you can't even go for a swim because the water is infested by schistosomiasis and it's stinky. I finally take a shower after two days.... We have fish and chips for dinner then I go to bed. To all appearances this will be our last night spent in a tent: finally!
Keep reading...My travel story continues in the next post!
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