Day
Six: Sunday, Christmas Day
The
Serengeti
In
the middle of the night, some very large animals (or so it seems), pass by our
tent. Gaaruumph! they holler, and I jump up to find the flashlight and
whistle we have been given if we need to call for help. But the sound fades,
and we go back to sleep, the flashlight under my pillow.
The
air is exquisitely fresh, the light glowing, as we step outside at sunrise.
Below the deck is a well-used path, but no animals are in sight. The Mbalageti
camp is situated in the western corridor of the Serengeti on a point of the
Mwamveni hill, and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Serengeti plains
and Mbalageti River. The name comes from the old Maasai language, meaning
wildebeest.
Though
we are not close to the ocean, the air, the light, and the landscape reminds us
of the California hills near Big Sur, as we pass through the dewy grass
alongside the pathway. In daylight we get our bearings and visit the main lodge
(to see if we have internet service, and we do – sort of) and then the dining
lodge. We are greeted with a “Jambo!” and,
a “Merry Christmas,” as it is indeed Christmas morning. There is a huge buffet
breakfast and we choose a table overlooking the Serengeti, from where Smooch,
our travelling bear, can enjoy the spectacular view. 
Today
we are going to do, roughly, a half-day safari, though Elias looked somewhat
disappointed when we informed him of this. There is a gorgeous little
glimmering turquoise pool with a 180° view, and some comfy loungers that called
to me last night … and after our incredible journey yesterday, we both feel we
need some time off today. So the plan is to drive to the Ndabaka Gate and back
again, spending a little more time photographing what we see. The not so good
part of this plan is the suspension bridge, and the washed out road on the
other side of it.
We
see the French family at breakfast and the boys greet us with a, “Bonjour
Madame. Bonjour Monsieur,” in their singsong voices. After breakfast we meet
Elias at the main lodge and run into, again, la Famille Plouffe, as we have endearingly come to call them. They
are doing exactly what we are – a half day and then the pool! I feel there is
safety in numbers (like the zebras) and am a little braver about the bridge and
the road. We all set off, tackle the bridge, and pick up our personal jeeps on
the other side. We travel just behind les
Plouffes and watch in awe as their amphibious jeep parts the waters
allowing us to follow in their marked ruts.
Finally
we land on drier road. The elephants are still where we saw them, the day
before, browsing among the thorny acacias and then, Elias spots something in
the tall grass. As David and I follow his gaze, two tawny backs appear and
before we know it, we are looking at a beautiful pair of lions. A male and
female have graced us with their presence, and patiently hold their regal poses
as we photograph them until they turn, and disappear back into the grasses. It
is another pinch-me-moment and we wait several minutes before moving on.
The
animals are out in full force today, as we pass ostriches, topis, our first
Coke’s hartebeests, some elands, giraffes, and waterbucks. On the main road to
the Ndabaka Gate we are stopped by a large group of baboons – maybe fifty of
them – hanging out on the road. As they groom and pick ticks from each other,
it is hard not to notice their human-like characteristics. They are in no hurry
and basically ignore us as we wait until they move off the road.
Elias
tells us that the baboons, gazelles and zebra are often seen together, each
having a specific role in monitoring the presence of predators. Something like
- eyes, ears, and nose! Sure enough, no sooner do we start rolling again when a
large herd of bachelor Grant’s gazelles, followed by zebras bring the jeep to a
halt again. A few brown-striped baby zebras, frisky like their colt cousins
back home, buck across the road, then stop to eye us in the safety of their
moms’ shadows.
It
takes a couple of hours to get to the gate. I had hoped the monkeys from
yesterday would be there, but they are nowhere to be seen. We use the
facilities and are quickly back in the jeep to return to the lodge. On the way
back we notice a tree with many woven balls of twigs (they look a little like
elastic band balls) about the size of a grapefruit. These are the nests of
weaver birds and it’s all I can do not to get out and grab one for my nest
collection. (I see one later, on the ground, but figure that in my luggage it
will get crushed, and in carry on it will get confiscated!)
I
am a little anxious to get back – mostly to get the flooded road and suspension
bridge behind me – so we do not make too many more stops although brightly
coloured birds and the grazers are in great abundance. Elias delivers us safe
and sound and after a quick lunch, David retires to the tent to read and I am
lying poolside on the comfy cushions.
We
dress (as best as we can) for dinner. It is, after all, Christmas. We wander up
to the main lodge and talk with a young couple who have just returned from a
day’s safari to the central Serengeti. They are very excited, because they saw
a leopard, “hanging over a branch in a tree.” Apparently, loners, leopards hunt
at night and often drag their kill (can be one or more gazelle, young impala,
etc.) up onto the branches of a large tree where they will consume it over
several days. They will also spend a lot of time sleeping in the tree – which
sounds not a whole lot different from our cat, Minou.
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