Serengeti National Park

It has been interesting to see how each of the areas we visited on safari have been different. The word Serengeti comes from the Maasai word meaning "endless plains."  It seems to go on forever.  It is one of the world's most popular wildlife sanctuaries.  Although, during the dry season, the concentrations are comparatively low since many wildebeests have moved north in search of food.  We found the wildlife viewing just as fabulous as the other parks.  One of the first things we spotted was a pride of about six lions resting under a small acacia tree.  They were no more than four feet from our vehicle.  We sat and watched them for at least half an hour as they napped, gave each other a bath, crossed the road in front of our jeep to get a drink of water and took turns being "the look-out."  They had obviously just had eaten breakfast as their bellies looked full and one of them had blood stains on its cheek.  Another highlight was seeing a very large herd of elephants coming towards us on the road.  We stopped and they kept walking in our direction.  At one point, they stopped and some of them started throwing dirt in the air with their trunk.  Bashili told us it was a "warning."  We backed up and they soon walked off the road and slowly moved on.  It's amazing how quiet they are.  We also had a rare sighting of a leopard napping in a tree.  We saw spotted hyenas, large herds of giraffes, jackals, vultures, many zebras, gazelles, eland, impalas, warthogs and secretary birds.  We stopped at a hippo pool with at least fifty hippos and we also saw a crocodile.  One of the last things we saw was a cheetah and her two adorable cubs.  We couldn't get over the vastness of the Serengeti and not only the wildlife, but seeing all of them living together in one place.  Lunch was at the Serengeti Visitor Center where we were given a short presentation about the great migration.  We ate lunch with the hyrox (sp.?) which look like giant rats without tails, mongoose, monkeys, and we enjoyed both people and bird watching.  Our lodge had a nice look-out deck to enjoy the sun setting over the plains and to meet other tourists from all over the world.

Early the next morning, before sunrise, we were picked up at our lodge and taken to the middle of the Serengeti for our hot-air balloon ride.  It was a perfect way to end our safari!  We watched the sun rise as they inflated four balloons.  We floated above the trees, sometimes brushing the tops of them and even so low that we touched the tops of the grasses with our basket.  It gave us a unique vantage point for wildlife viewing as well as a greater appreciation for the vastness of the Serengeti.  We saw a male and two female lions, hippos floating below us, hyenas, elephants (who were angry at how close the balloon was to them), giraffes, wildebeests, gazelles and of course, the three other balloons in the distance.  We floated with our pilot, Frank from Canada, for about an hour before landing (not smoothly~the video is fabulous).  After the flight, we all gathered for a balloon prayer and a champagne toast.  Finally, we enjoyed breakfast in the bush under an umbrella tree complete with linen tablecloths.  It's here where we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary a little early.  We all agreed that this would be one of the most memorable experiences of our lives!

Because we slowly worked our way north over the last four days, the drive back to Usa River was quite long~about seven hours.  We again enjoyed the sights on the way back of the landscape and the people who live there.  We enjoyed wonderful conversations with Bashili about Tanzania, their way of life, social justice issues and he asked many questions about America.  We couldn't have asked for a better guide.  He helped make our safari one we will never forget.  He seemed to know everything about every species of animal, the history of the country, the parks and current political issues affecting Tanzanians.  There wasn't a question he couldn't answer.  He was also knowledgeable about the going rates of Tanzanian soccer shirts as we stopped along the way to negotiate souvenirs with local street vendors.

We returned to ADRA around dinner time long enough for Allan and Christopher to grab their packs before Bashili drove them to Moshi.  They stayed at the Uhuru Lutheran Center that night where their guide met them for their pre-climb briefing.  Allan called later that night and said the guides were some of the nicest people he had ever met.  They will be climbing with a guide, an assistant guide, two porters each and a cook~nine of them total.  I was a little worried as Christopher left here not feeling well and not knowing if it was just car sickness or something more serious in which it would not be safe for him to climb.  Allan called the next morning before beginning their ascent saying he was feeling much better.  Whew!  We didn't hear from them last night (after their first day of climbing) but we got a call from them this afternoon saying the first two days were fabulous!  They made it to their second camp at around 2PM and they were doing just great.  They are above the clouds now so they are able to see the top of the mountain~he said it was absolutely gorgeous!  We may not hear from them tomorrow but we have them in our thoughts and prayers.  Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is a serious undertaking and only about 60% of the climbers summit, but I know they are in good hands.  My sister-in-law is right, angels can fly that high.   

Nicholas and I have spent the last two days recuperating from safari, getting more supplies (Coke and chocolate!), doing some laundry, catching up on the Olympics (we get an English-speaking channel from Kenya), spending time with the babies, and reading our books.  The sweet volunteers from Germany and Denmark invited us to join them for dinner out tomorrow night so we are looking forward to that.  We are enjoying our time together. 

Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary and our first one apart.  Even though we're not together, we are together in spirit and given our situation, we wouldn't have it any other way.  Our daily devotional for today, August 4th, was very fitting and I thought I would share it...

Hold my hand, and walk joyously with Me through this day.  Together we will savor the pleasures and endure the difficulties it brings.  Be on the lookout for everything I have prepared for you:  stunning scenery, bracing winds of adventure, cozy nooks for resting when you are weary, and much more.  I am your Guide, as well as your constant Companion.  I know every step of the journey ahead of you, all the way to heaven.  You don't have to choose between staying close to Me and staying on course.  Since I am the Way, staying close to Me is staying on course.  As you focus your thoughts on Me I will guide you carefully along today's journey.  Don't worry about what is around the next bend.  Just concentrate on enjoying My Presence and staying in step with Me.
John 14:6; Colossians 4:2 

Love and Blessings everyone!  Thanks for all of your emails, comments and prayers.  They (and you) mean so much to us!  Hugs and kisses all the way from Africa!