The next morning, we divide into groups and leave the campsite in six seater jeeps. Soon, we're driving around the outer rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. This enormous ancient extinct volcanic crater is a UNESCO world heritage centre and it's full of life. At the rim, the temperature dramatically drops. Based on archaeological evidence, hominid species (apes etc) have occupied the area for at least three million years. Europeans only discovered it's existence in 1892.
School children wearing uniforms consisting of dark and light shades of green walk at the edge of the road. None of the girls have long hair. Some have their hair braided very tightly to their head. Ahead of us is open road and mountainous terrain. A line of dark clouds sits on the horizon. After driving for a while, a troop of baboons partially blocks the road head. We maneuver around them and we reach the entrance to Ngorongoro Crater. Past the gateway, we are soon greeted with even greater incredible sights.
Ancient forrest and jungle stretch across the terrain. We are still ascending at this point, along a winding dirt track. The ancient landscape is something which has to be seen with your own eyes. No camera could ever do it justice. Ferns pave the roadside. The trees in the cloud forrest are really unusual and tropical, with leaves of all shapes and sizes. The driver suddenly slows down and then stops. There's a pride of lions in the long grass, right at the edge of the road. One retreats into the undergrowth. The others hold their ground. It's the first time I stare right into the eyes of a wild lion which is just a couple of meters away. So placid, yet fierce.
For a while, we are above the clouds. The road begins to descend now. Soon, we're below the clouds again. We pass some trees which have had their branches broken. Our driver explains this is where elephants have crossed. A blue sky stretches ahead now. We pass Masai warriors who are only armed with spears, walking along the road. They're walking in the direction of the lions we recently passed. We enter the main floor of the crater. It's very flat there. Elephants with long ivory tusks look almost prehistoric. The crater is truly magical. It's a very wide open space, with various creatures roaming around. Lions, ostriches, wildebeest, hartebeest, Thompson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, great crowned cranes, rhinoceros, flamingos and more.
We eat lunch at the edge of a swamp. Hippopotamuses are relaxing nearby in the cool water. It's safe to walk around here, but we were warned about eating lunch inside the jeeps. As we were doing so, we soon find out why. Some other tourists who hadn't taken such precautions get attacked by kites (hungry birds). One poor guy had most of his sandwich snatched right out of his hands. These people kept trying to get away from them, but the birds kept diving for them. It was great lunch time entertainment.
Within the Ngorongoro crater lies Lake Magadi. It's a salty alkaline lake which attracts a huge number of flamingos. The pink becomes a blur through the warm air. We see warthogs and hyenas. MJ tells us about how a hyena's method of hunting is called 'an ugly kill'. Because they're more scavengers than hunters, if they catch live prey, they'll start with the angles to stop the creature from being able to escape. The animal will still be alive for a while. At this point I couldn't have imagined what we'd be doing a couple of nights later...
We see herds of buffalo. They're larger than the wildebeest. Out of all the various creatures, it is the buffalo the Masai fear the most. The reason for this is that they will automatically charge, if caught by surprise. Buffalo are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and are responsible for hundreds of human deaths each year. Just as we are driving towards the other side of the Ngorongoro crater's rim, on route to the Serengeti, we have the great privilege of seeing a lone cheetah, which is a rare sight. It's very elegant.
We drive up the winding roads out of the crater. On the outer rim of the Ngorogoro crater, we see giraffes again (there are none on the crater floor). They stand out clearly, towering over the low lying foliage. There are few trees where we are now. We see camels being looked after by the Masai. We hear of more Masai traditions. Masai boys are trained at a young age to become warriors. When they're around thirteen years old, a group of them will go together to kill a lion, using only their spears. Whichever boy is deemed the bravest and most fierce warrior is given the Lion's mane and is honored as a hero.
Soon, we are at the edge of the Serengeti. We stop here for a little while. There's a tiny shop. The local supermarket. It's a hut. I purchase a pineapple here. Bizarrely, it also has Cadbury's chocolate. On top of a rocky outcrop (which boasts many aloe vera plants), is a view which stretches right across the Serengeti. It's so vast. I see zebras. Thousands of them. Over a million wildebeest wander across the land. They're strong and powerful. The annual migration. It's breathtaking.
The Serengeti is incredibly flat. It's a huge, wide open space. Translated, it means 'endless plains'. Which is very appropriate. The road we are on now is dusty and in a straight line, stretching for miles. A bull elephant stands right at the edge of the road, bemused by us humans. I can see the detail on it's skin. The sky is completely blue. The driver really starts to accelerate at this point. Due to being distracted by the wonderful creatures, we're running late. We have to check in for the balloon ride which is hopefully happening tomorrow morning, all going well (it's very subject to weather conditions). The balloon centre was due to close at 6PM. It is now already after six. We meet another jeep on the road. The drivers exchange some words in Swahili. Next, we're driving off the beaten track as the sun is setting. There's a leopard lying on a tree branch. The pattern on the Leopard's fur is similar to that of a cheetah, but the spots aren't completely solid. It's not phased by us at all. It's a privilege to see the leopard in it's truly natural habitat.
After some negotiation, we do get to check in at the balloon centre (it had closed!). We then move on to the campsite. Few others are camping here. The campsite itself is unfenced. Wild animals are free to pass through as they please. We set up our tents in the darkness. I have a tent to myself at the edge of our newly established tent village. My tent is facing the vast wilderness. I look out towards the long grass, wondering what might be lurking just meters away.
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