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Here are more update notes and impressions since we left Uganda.
At Jinja next morning we had a total eclipse of the sun at 08.15, the longest eclipse this millenium!!!, which sent everything dusky and quiet.
We were more concerned to get our silencer fixed as it had disintegrated on safari. Where could we get a new one?
We do not have new ones but we can get one made in 3 hours!
So 4 hours late with new silencer and sparks plugs we were on the road.
A few hours later we had a surreal experience of a semitrailer joining our road at speed and gently tipping over , taking the cab with it , slideing across the road to come to a rest about 40 yardsin front of us. The driver climbed out of the shattered window and was joined by many people who were on the side of the road. Fortunately no one was in front of us and no one injured so we just backed off and went on our way -- a little shaken.
We skipped through Kenya in one day, passing through 2 border posts and back into Tanzania again. Interesting drive via Kakamega and Kisumu, a terrible road, the route my mother used to take to Kenya many years ago taking my brothers to school
.
Back to Musoma, where we have visited before, to find it full of tourists and (almost) nowhere to stay. Our 1st choice had no less than 3 overlanders camping with their little mushroom tents beside the lake! We managed to get 2 rooms there the following day, having driven to Mwanza to pick up Mary Claire (Rs sister) who joined us for a couple of weeks. It was much more peaceful after the weekend! Musoma is a delightful Town and we enjoyed watching the sun set over the Lake sipping a beer
On into the Grometti corridor, the Western gate of the Serengeti. We followed the Grometti River in to Serenera, where we camped, seeing herds of zebra, wildebeest, giraffe.
We were treated to a sighting of a family of bat-eared foxes playing and a lone black-backed jackal, then a real treat: a large pride of lion crossed in front of us, on their way to hunt: 14 adults and about 7 young, all different ages. They took no notice of us, and were all most single minded!
Camped in basic campsite and had 3 days with a Landcruiser with open top roof and driver Andrew.
Saw animals in their environment, especially struck by elephants coming very close, graceful giraffes, leopard on the prowl, a cheetah with cubs and lions stuck up a tree.
Heard hyena in the camp at night....
On way to Ngorongoro, took a side (?better?) road but got caught in a downpour and had a hairy 20min slipping and sliding in sticky mud, which splashed over the windscreen, trying to keep the momentum going and not slide off the track and not hit the underside of the car. was not a good place to get stuck --- but we made it through
Camped on edge of Ngorogoro crater, spectacular site. Woken at 2 am by tearing of grass on all four sides of tent. R peeked through the flap to peer at the underbelly of a mighty buffalo. When 20 min later all was quiet we ventured out to the loo to find a large buffalo chewing the cud between Mary Claires and our tent. We shot back into the tent and crossed our legs. Poor MC was wondering if a buffalo was going to step on her, or worse, have a pee on her tent!
We were informed next day that they all were friendly, but didn’t believe that...
The Crater is stunning,
Manyara : we saw elephant young playing in the mud pool, pushing each other in
Tarangire was lovely for the accommodation, however grass was high (rainy season) : dik diks walking all around us at the camp.
Arusha for lunch stop then on to
Moshi: treated to a spectacular view of Kilimanjaro for breakfast on the roof.
Usumbara mountains - Lushoto- good weather, fabulous views from the Irente Point after a 2hr walk. Quaint hotel with faded history...a time warp.
on then to the coast, to a lovely hotel Travellers Lodge, right by the sea, at Bagomoyo where we spent a few nights recovering from the long dusty, bumpy drives we had done. Lovely garden with 125 different palms, warm Indian Ocean and scrummy seafood.
Saw Mary Claire off in Dar es Salaam, after a great 2 wks with her, and now shortly off to Mafia Island and then to Zanzibar for the Music Festival. Return to mainland on 16/2/10, then further travels to the South and West of Tz before heading back to UK via Ethiopia on the 24/3/10.
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