We've been on the road for a month and a bit. So far we've been to some amazing places. We started in Kenya where we met up with Mitch and Sianne and had our first night camping. Wasn'tu a very good nights sleep little hard to get used with only airline pillows, so that was our first purchase. We all left Nairobi on route for Masai Mara to Safari 'Game Drive' through the National Park to encounter our first African animals. Lots of pinching was going on as we couldn't believe our luck with what we were able to see. Zebra, Gazels, Vultures, Impala, Antelope, Buffaloes, Wildebeest, Elephants with huge tusks, Lions devouring a Buffaloes kill including the daddy Lion with his awesome maine, Jamie was very excited as Lion is his fav. Candice's are the Giraffes - such awesome animals the way they move, their shape and their coloration they look like they should be prehistoric. They talk about seeing the Big 5. This includes Lions, Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards and Rhino. We were very lucky to see the top three. Unfortunately we couldn't find the Rhino or Leopard that day. We travelled to Mara River where the famous migration of the Wildebeest takes place every July in the Serengeti to get to the Masai Mara and return crossing the treacherous river with Hippos and Crocs again in October. Unfortunately we had no wildebeest crossing as they were still in the Serengeti, however we did get to see a massive herd run across our path on our way out of the Mara. We also got to see a wonderful African sunrise and yes the opening song to Lion King was hummed through our heads. We also got to visit a Masai Village with tourist trap written all over it. Although we got to see the Masai people dressed in their traditional dress and they did a welcoming jumping dance which is one tick off our list. Next up Uganda, where we stayed at Jinja right on the Nile. We did some community work with Soft Power - local charity helping improve education in Uganda. We helped paint the school classrooms for the afternoon and enjoyed a few cold beverages after we were finished at the bar overlooking the Nile.
Next up Musanze in Rwanda. The scenery in Rwanda is just glorious with mountains surrounding small villages and crops on the mountain which gives different colours to the mountains depending on the crops. Just breathtaking views of the valleys. On our way to Musanze we got to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre which has been built to commemorate the horrific 1994 genocide where around one million Rwandans died. It was a very emotional place to see what these poor people have been through. To drive around the country there are wooden memorial logs in the trees with ribbons attached to it, which symbolises a mass burial site below it. There were hundreds just in the short area we travelled. Despite their tragic history the people are lovely, giving us a hello whenever they could - especially the cute children on the side of the road as our big yellow bus drives past.
Got to Musanze and got to go in a dorm room instead of a tent. Rare joy on this trip. Got to have a good nights sleep before our trek the next day. We left early and started our steep climb towards the rainforest. Started to soon realise how unfit we were. We had trekked straight up for abound an hour and then reached the rainforest In the Parc National des Volcans. Once we entered it was like walking into a movie set. The moss hanging on the trees, the shape of them and the dense vegetation was so beautiful. The guide said it would take us about another hour to trek in, before we would hear word of where the trackers have found the Gorillas and if we were able to beeline a shortcut straight to them. We met the trackers and we had to only take our camera with us into the Gorillas territory. We walked in and Candice hadn't realised that we had arrived at where the Silverback was sitting. She got a surprise and instant tears from the sight of them. The feeling was overwhelming and humbling to see evaluation at its greatest. We got to spend an hour with the Gorillas and that was not enough time to watch them interact with each other and us. The Guide would make a noise - like we do when clearing our throat, this would let the Gorillas know we were friendly and that we meant no harm. The experience most one of the most memorable of our travels and we're so glad we did it.
Went for another Game Drive through Lake Nakuru. The lake had thousands of birds and buffalo swimming around. We were meant to see Flamingos but the was too much fresh water on the lake and they had left due to not enough algue and shrimp in the water. Thereis meant to be 400 bird species in the lake and we got to see a lot. We also got to see black Rhino at a distance and Lions sleeping in the trees. We had lunch at a resort in the national park that overlooks the lake and the wildlife just roam outside just outside the resorts fence line.
Next up Naivasha where we got to cycle in Hells Gate national park. The scenery in this park is just breathtaking an you cycle down a road with Giraffe, Zebra, Baboons and Warthogs on either side of you. We tracked down a gorge into a valley where apparently the thought of Mufasa's kill scene in the Lion King was conjured from. Also a scene that Angelina Jolie had filmed in Tomb Raider, where she sleep on a valley? Not sue will have to watch the movie.
Hells Gate had amazing towering cliffs and volcanic peaks with natural hot springs leaking through the rock face and it's boiling hot.
That afternoon we went to Elsemere, where former late Joy Adamson lived, she was famous for her bond with a Lioness Elsa. It's in the film Born Free. We got to have a lovely afternoon tea with colobus monkeys in the trees that came down and stole the food off our plate while eating still. "Cheeky monkeys!!"
We returned to Nairobi where the group went to a place called Carnivores - local restaurant that used to serve game meat but don't anymore but still sell croc, buffalo balls, ostrich - all you can eat meat so Jamie was in heaven.
Met the new people for our next leg of our tour changed bus to a more uncomfortable one, boo, then headed to Arusha where we got to travel into Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater to visit the amazing animals and see the forever changing scenery. The Serengeti had a very long rough rocky shake the shit out of your 4WD entrance and for a whole there we though we were just going to nowhere as there were just gazelles everywhere and no trees, grass or water for them. We drove for what felt like forever then came the vegetation and rocky terrain. We got to see all the big five apart from Rhinos. Got to see hyenas feeding on a kill which made for amazing photos! We got to camp out that night in the Serengeti with the wildlife and fear of lions coming into our tent. Jamie wanted to hear them roar but the only noises we got to hear that night were the ones from the other tourists around us snoring!
The next day we went to the Ngorongoro Crater, an old volcano that before it erupted and collapsed 2 million years ago was one of the worlds tallest mountains. The crater is 610m deep with an area enclosed of 260 square km's. The crater is so massive and steep which creates a natural enclosure for the wildlife down in there as they don't go out of the crater as their food and water source is all there. We got to see Elephants, Zebra, Buffalo, Hippo and Lions - lots of them. In one area they were laying on the road exhausted from killing and we got to see the lioness and dad lions together eating and resting. One of the lions decided to walk along worth the safari truck and we go sooo close to them it was freakin awesome!
We really enjoyed this place, Zanzibar to most stunning beach you will ever set eyes on. We only had two nights but being able to just have that there was worth it. We relaxed on sunbeds on the beach at Zanzibar, cocktails in hand, white silk sheets ruffling in the breeze around our gazebo. The ocean a stunning blue and the sand blindingly white. Might just be the most beautiful place we've been - must see if you have a chance before it gets to touristy! We go a full seafood buffet with all the trimmings for next to nothing, most amazing place.
On the same island we then visited Stone Town gorgeous place reminded us of Europe with windy narrow alleys with a splash of Arab architecture and mosques as well. We got to visit the night market which served fresh seafood and AWESOME pizza parcel things. Jamie was so excited for all the variety and how raw and amazing like it was to 'street food' in Asia. One for Candice though with crapes Nutella and Red Banana. Candice felt sorry for a poor homeless guy as he was digging through the bin for food so she gave him hers. There are many spices in Zanzibar for such a cheap price. We've got many blends that will be used for dinners when we get back - if we can get them home.
Left Zamzibar for two massive drive days in the truck. Sooo over the long trips. Especially when you're hungover!!!
Went to lake Malawi and stayed at Kande Beach where we stayed at a really nice beach but right on the water front really cheap too. Because the lake is so large it has waves and you can hear them crashing through the night.
Made it to Victoria falls where we have been for three nights, gorgeous place. Got to see the Victoria Falls at its best with not too much mist do you can see everything. Did a micro light flight over it and also walked with two lionesses in the wild - amazing experience!
More to come...
