Camping In The Snake Park

The next morning, we drive back through the flat plains of the Serengeti. We drive right through the migrating herds of wildebeest. We go around the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, instead of through it, this time. One of the jeeps breaks down near a Masai village. The houses there are made out of straw and mud. The Masai approach us, carrying spears. One of them (who looks like a gangster Masai from the mud hut hood), sells me a bracelet made from acacia seeds and turquoise beads. It's one of the only occasions I can take a photo of the Masai. The watch that Phill gave me was being highly sought after. I'm offered an elaborately beaded ceremonial staff for it. I keep the watch. One Masai proposed. He wanted me to become his fifth wife and live in their village with them. The jeep is up and running again. We leave the village. No women have been kidnapped. The roads along the Ngorongoro rim we are driving on are rust coloured and flanked by lush green jungle at either side.

We arrive at our next campsite. It's a snake park. It has one pub named Ma's Bar (with the sign being a rip off of the Mars Bar logo). The pub is richly decorated with items from all over the world. People visiting here did the creative interior design. Photographs, t-shirts, post cards, drawings. Something very similar to Pink Floyd's 'Echoes' plays in the background. The pub is quiet. The owner (a.k.a 'Ma') shows us a book of photographs detailing the development of the snake park/ pub - the album goes right back to the seventies. A second door leads out the back of the pub. Many poisonous snakes, crocodiles and birds are in a bizarre zoo outside. I feel sorry for them. This evening, we camp in the snake park. The ground is hard and it's difficult to put the pegs in for the tents. I use a hammer. We eat dinner. It was only as I was finishing, I notice in the torch light, that many tiny black insects are crawling at the edge of the plate. I've no idea how many I actually ate, as I had been eating in mainly darkness. Mmm.