Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti

The jewels of Tanzania are the Ngorongoro Crater and the world famous Serengeti. Ngorongoro is a collapsed volcanic caldera (like Crater Lake). It is a closed ecosystem that is unrivaled anywhere in the world for its diversity of wildlife. Lions, zebras, leopards, elephants, water buffalo and other mammals coexist in a literal Garden of Eden providing a concentration of wildlife not found in many other places.

The Serengeti is a seemingly endless expanse of grassland dotted with otherworldly acacia trees. Literally millions of animals graze on its fertile grounds. It is a profoundly moving landscape that elicits emotions that I have not often experienced in nature. We saw more animals than we could count. We watched a hyena feed on a small gazelle, a lion eat a water buffalo, a pair of lions stalk and charge a herd of zebras, and elephants sparring with water buffalo and each other. We saw innumerable giraffes, countless zebra and wildebeest, and every kind of gazelle including dik-diks, Thompson Gazelle, Grant’s Gazelle, Impalas, Hartebeest, Topi and Springbok. Countless varieties of birds in all the colors of the rainbow were everywhere. We saw hundreds of hippos wallowing in ponds and were overwhelmed by the expanse of this magnificent plain.

I just don’t have the words to fully express this experience so I will let Deb’s pictures tell the tale.

Serengeti sunrise

Deb under an Acacia tree

Topi

Zebra and Wildebeest

African fish eagles

We watched this pair for about an hour only 20' from our truck!

Lion stalking zebra

Hyena feeding on gazelle; vultures watch with envy

Rare hippo out of water sighting

Hippo pool

These lions were ambling down the road (The first one peed on our truck)

Our last spotting as we left the Serengeti. This Cheetah posed for us.

Kenya through the back door

Bouncing along through Tanzania on our overland safari truck I reflect back on the past week in Kenya. It was one of those weeks full of “aha!“ moments. It was one of those weeks off the beaten path that we always look for in our travels. It was one of those weeks that we will always remember long after we have forgotten everything else about this trip.

Everywhere we went we were treated as honored guests and were even invited to speak at a Catholic mass. We were overwhelmed with kindness and generosity. We were given more gifts than we could carry including a giraffe, a hippopotamus, an impala, and two Masaii warriors.(Fortunately these were all carved of wood). We were also presented with two live chickens, one of which we are sure we had for dinner. We were invited into the homes of total strangers and granted every courtesy and fed more than we could ever eat. I got drunk with a priest and a nun, talked politics with a coffee broker and a government official, and learned how to make local moonshine.

Probably the most surprising thing for me was that my perspective of the Catholic church changed completely. I was quite skeptical of the missionaries that came to Africa and robbed the natives of their beliefs and their culture. Now I realize that without them, the Africans could not compete in the modern society that is washing over them. The Fathers, Brothers and Sisters of the Catholic church have built schools, dispensaries, clinics and hospitals to improve the lot of people across the continent. They have sacrificed their lives in the true spirit of Christianity.

Through a friend of a friend ( thanks Patti) we connected with a Catholic priest in Western Kenya. He generously shared his life with us for a few days. He shared his parish, home and roots with us. (Thank you Father Martin) We got to visit the humble village where he grew up and I, my friends, yes I, attended several Catholic masses.

Father Martin picked us up at the Kenya/Uganda border and after lunch took us to his native village nearby. A rough collection of mud huts topped with thatch were dispersed through several fields of maize, beans and cassavas.

A hut in Father Martin's village

After a visiting with some of his relatives we went off to his house where we spent the next two nights. We had long discussions about religion and philosophy and drank beer long into the night. (Getting drunk with a priest was a first for me).

Hangin' with Father Martin and Father Augustin

The following day was Sunday so we all went to mass. The first mass was under some trees as this village was too poor for a church. Fields of maize provided the walls and the canopy of trees arched over the congregation to provide the roof. The floor was dirt. Rough benches provided the pews. The spirit was stronger in this “church” than in the loftiest cathedrals of Europe.

Church in the trees

An African mass is unlike any other. These people are joyous in their celebration of their belief. The service starts with native dancers leading a processional to literally dance the priest to the altar. Dressed in matching T shirts young girls dance in dual choreographed columns as the priest in his vestments follows them up the aisle. African drum rhythms pound out gospel songs as the choir and congregation sing in four and five part harmonies complete with random ululations of praise.

Father Martin

We spent a few more days with Father Martin doing rounds castigating recalcitrant parishners. This offered an opportunity to observe life in a small African village; an opportunity not possible without a guide like Father Martin.

Parishner

Next Father Martin took us to visit a friend who runs a convent school near Nakuru in the central highlands of Kenya. Sister Pauline welcomed us as long last family, gave us a cool little hobbit house to live in and vowed that it was our home whenever we were in Kenya.

She along with Father Martin took us too Lake Bogoria National Park. This park protects the eco system of one off Kenya’s Great Rift Valley alkaline lakes (similar to Lake Nakuru). It had many more flamingos than Nakuru and a bonus of some hot springs and a geer spewing from the lake.

Father Martin and Richard at Lake Bogoria

The following day Sister Pauline took us to her native village in Eastern Kenya up near the Somali border and we bid Father Martin a fond farewell. Again, we were greeted as long lost family members.

Some of Sister Pauline's family members

We spent a day chilling in her village, meeting her relatives and visiting their homes.

Sister Pauline's village

The following day, we attended a 35th wedding anniversary party with hundreds of other well wishers. I attended yet another mass to celebrate their marriage with a renewal of their vows. It was touching and hilarious at the same time. (You had to be there). Victoria, the wife was a hoot and it was easy to see how this man could love her for 35 years.

The happy couple renew their vows. (Note dancers in the background)

Today, we left Kenya behind, but it will always have a place in my heart and mind. I will never forget the wonderful people I met there and the kindness and generosity they showed me. While I remain skeptical of organized religion in general, there is no denying that a lot of good is happening in Africa because of the Catholic church.

Sister Theresa, Deb and Sister Pauline

GORILLAS!

Rwanda is a beautiful country, more vertical than horizontal, with heavily cultivated slopes to support its ever growing population. The genocide of 1994 already seems a distant memory and the country is rapidly moving into the 21st century. While it’s nickname is the country of 1000 hills, its main claim to fame is as the home of the mountain gorillas.







Our group of eight is walking through the cool twilight of dense bamboo forest. Shafts of sunlight illuminate the forest floor carpeted in golden bamboo leaves. The slender segmented trunks of the bamboo spindle their way into the canopy above protecting us from the fierce equatorial sun. The silent forest gives us a few moments to contemplate our expected encounter with the gorillas. After a gentle climb of less than half a mile we are confronted with three men in green uniforms. Nothing sinister here; these are the trackers. I know that the gorillas are close now because the trackers are here to guide us to the gorillas..

We break out of the cool forest into the harsh sunlight and slip and slide down a steep muddy slope in dense undergrowth of shrubs full of nettles. As I round a bush, suddenly I am face to face with a giant silverback sitting on his haunches. He seems unconcerned as I fight a rising panic at being only six feet from this massive gorilla. He is a regal creature with deep black fur, and a face that it is foreboding yet somehow not hostile. The dominant feature is his eyes as I gaze into them to see the intelligence within. I am still intimidated by this creature who probably weighs 800 pounds and could snap me like a twig with his massive arms and hands. The good news that he is a vegetarian and despite his imposing presence intellect overcomes emotion and I realize that there is no threat from him.

As we watch him, a juvenile literally tumbles into view as he drops off a solitary bamboo stalk. He rolls to the feet of the silverback. He continues to amuse us with his antics as he rolls around on the ground and does a backwards somersault into the brush. Meanwhile, the silverback is stripping branches of shrubs with his teeth to get at the juicy inner layers beneath the bark. Other members of the family become visible in the undergrowth. Then there is a commotion of chattering and grunting behind the silverback and with a speed that belies his size he scampers several feet back into the brush. Our guide informs us that there is some dispute between two of the older gorillas and father is acting as mediator as he grunts and gestures at the unseen combatants. The gorillas move off through the brush and we follow as our guide and one of the trackers breaks branches and hacks at the undergrowth with machetes. As most of our group moves to follow the silverback the guide grabs me and tells me to go back. I don’t understand until he points to a female with two new babies; a rare set of twins only born this February.

All too soon our guide instructed us to take our last pictures as our hour with these gentle beasts was nearly over. He told us to spend our final moments imprinting our memories without aid of cameras. As we turned away, I looked back over my shoulder for one last glimpse. I was gratified to know that such magnificent creatures were protected and that my entry fee had helped in some small way to insure their survival.

Swimming with Cobras on the Nile

Our crew

Jinja is billed as the adrenaline capital of Uganda. The town is located at the headwaters of the Nile River where it pours out of Lake Victoria offering the best whitewater rafting in Uganda. As dedicated river rats we love to go on new rivers but this was even more compelling as we had been on a felucca on the lower Nile in Egypt a few years ago and this was a chance to see the other end of the river.

Sedolu, our guide barks out the command,”Forward paddle!” Deb and I dig in and pull out into the current along with 7 other of our companions from our overland truck . Even at its source the river is broad as it pours out of Lake Victoria. It spreads at least a quarter mile between lush green banks that rise 100’ above into the clear blue sky. Sedolu invites us to take a swim and I roll off the tube into the warm water. We swim along for awhile in a long pool that leads to the first rapid. After a few minutes, Sedolu orders us back in the raft. I don’t understand why until he points out a cobra swimming across our course down river.

I get a small chill but Sedolu says that it is the first he has seen in several months. I ask him what else we should be concerned about and he replies with a sly grin, “You don’t want to know”. I realize he is joking…I think.

The first rapid

Soon we hear the roar of the first rapid. Sedolu says we must portage the first part of the rapid as it is class VI which means it is un-runnable. As we portage the first part my stomach knots up. This is some seriously big and gnarly whitewater. Huge drops into keeper holes followed by even bigger drops into even uglier holes makes skipping this a no brainer. Then, I look at what we will run and it is not much better…only class V! We jump back in the boat and paddle for all we are worth into the rushing water. We hit the first wave and nearly do a tail stand but our momentum carries us through safely. Somehow, we bounce through the following wave train without incident into the pool below.

After another easy rapid, Sedolu gives us a choice for the next rapid. We can take a class III or V line. We opt for the class V line ever though we are told that we have a 50% chance of flipping. As the boat charges down a 12 foot fall I see a sneaker side wave of about 6 feet and know we are going to swim the rest of the rapid. I high side as hard as I can but am catapulted into the rapid. I drop into the froth and after what seems an eternity, I pop to the surface only to be smacked by another wave. Now desperate for air I pop up gulping only to get a mouthful of the Nile. After getting smacked around by two succeeding waves I am washed into the flat pool below gasping and finally get a lungful of much needed air. A safety kayak paddles up and I hitch a ride back to our raft.

Watch for the sneaker wave river left

We float on down the river admiring a number of exotic looking birds and enjoying a warm sunny day which has been rare on this trip. A lunch stop with tasty wraps of chapati, ham and veg restores our strength and we are back on the river for the rest of the run. The next few rapids, while class IV, are straightforward and we we have good runs. The last rapid called Nile Special almost takes us out but Deb thinking quickly grabbed Gino who was next to her and flung them both to the high side to avert another flip.

Believe it or not we made this one

We reach the takeout and are treated to beer and barbecued kabobs. Shortly we are on the minibus back to camp, with full bellies feeling warm and happy after a great day on the river.

Queen Elizabeth Slept Here

After a pre-dawn breakfast and packing up camp we pile onto our trusty overland truck for the short drive to QEII National Park. En route we cross the Equator before arriving at the park.

Our crew at the equator in Ugna (somebody stole the "A" and "D")
(We are the old ones on the left bracket)

Our first sighting of the African Elephant

The park is quintessential Africa. Broad plains lush with grass are punctuated here and there with acacia trees. We see an occasional waterbuck and other assorted smaller gazelles as well as a few warthogs that have a face only a mother could love. John, our eagle-eyed Irishman, suddenly crys out, "Elephants on the left". We yell for the driver to stop and the next several minutes pass to the sound of camera shutters clicking. The herd contains several elephants, including one bull with at least three foot long tusks. We also notice a fairly small calf hiding amongst the four pillars of its mother's legs. Pesh, our group leader, suggests we move on to get camp set up. As we drive towards our camp we soon spy a large lake which Pesh identifies as Lake George . As we near the lake, it is apparent that it is teeming with hippos. We arrive in camp and quickly set up.

After a quick lunch, we drive over to the boat dock to take a boat ride through the famed Kazinga Channel (you have all heard of it. Right?). We troop onto the boat which is not too unlike the jungle boat ride at Disneyland. Although the trip lacks the spear bearing natives in the brush at Disneyland, it does not disappoint. We soon see scores of hippos lounging in the water. The lack of an internal cooling system requires that they stay in water during daylight hours to keep from overheating.

The shores of the channel are literally teeming with wildlife which includes water buffalo, water buck, the largest variety of birds I have seen anywhere and one more sinister denizen; crocodiles. As we cruise further, see a herd of elephants bathing in the channel. They are not happy about our presence and retreat from the water but not before one bull turns and faces us and trumpets his displeasure. The boat ride is over all too soon and we head back to camp.

Yellow billed stork and friends

This flock reminded Deb of our trip to Antarctica

Waterbuck

Water buffalo

Never smile at a crocodile

Hippos chillin'

After dinner with night falling we retire to our soggy tent. Our sleep is interrupted throughout the night by the curious mewing and grunting of hippos that come up on shore to feed. After another pre-dawn start we pile on the truck for another game drive through the park. We spy several more herds of elephants and, as we leave by the east gate, a troop of baboons bids us farewell.

"It ain't a bus, it's a truck"