The R&R Big Adventure

Up, up and away

Our first evening at the lodge got off to a good start when a dung beetle fell on Robert – twice – at dinner. I think everyone else in the restaurant knew what had happened as well. I think a neighbouring table actually had it worse as I heard the guy say it fell onto his food and he almost ate it. There may be napkins and tablecloths, but we are out in the wild after all.

In the early hours I awoke with the sound of animal noises outside our tent which I didn’t recognize: it transpired they were lions, not that far from the camp, making sure everyone knew whose territory it was. The alarm went off at 4.45am as we were being picked up at 5.20am to be taken to the launch site for our hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti: how many times would I have the opportunity to do that on my birthday. I didn’t realise that if you bought the balloon trip you actually got a 4×4 thrill ride thrown in for free. I have no idea how the driver managed to navigate across the plains in darkness, to get to the launch site half an hour away, constantly using nifty steering to avoid getting stuck in the flooded earth. We were bumping around in the vehicle so much, R’s Fitbit thought we had done 10,000 steps by 6.30am. We stopped by one vehicle that had indeed got stuck on the way to its (competitor) launch site, and our driver lent them and another car his tow-rope to help them get free. We arrived just in time to make the balloon launch briefing. I had been in a hot air balloon before, many years ago, in Luxor, but hadn’t had to start the trip getting into the basket, which was on its side, lying down, before being righted at take off. Thankfully it was a professional organization and, once airborne, our Belgian pilot did a great job taking us down above the herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, and then up between two layers of cloud for some fantastic views of the Serengeti. From up there we could clearly see why it is called ‘the endless plain’. This certainly was a once-in-a-lifetime birthday experience and we both really enjoyed it. Landing nearly ninety minutes later, we were taken to a site in the bush where they had set up tents and tables for a post-flight breakfast for the guests, and I had ‘happy birthday’ sung to me by the staff (!).  We got chatting to a couple who had been in our balloon – a very nice couple from Surrey, but who did the classic ‘oh we have gay friends, you know’. We didn’t feel the need to tell them we have straight friends, in return.

From there we were taken by 4×4 to be reunited with our guides, who would then continue the day with another game drive. Unfortunately there was a slight mix up on drop off points, and we were left stranded temporarily at a rangers hut. However it turned out ok, as when we were re-picked up to go to the correct handover point, we got a great view en route of a hyena, and a leopard with its kill, lying in the branches of a tree. We went back to the tree with our guide and we could clearly see the dead gazelle hanging between high branches, the leopard sleeping on a lower branch. We continued out into the south-eastern Serengeti and later saw a cheetah right opposite the vehicle, staring at us, panting in the heat of the day. We continued to see more herds of zebra – this time resting their heads in twos and threes on each other’s bodies. We thought this might be a sign of bonding / courtship, but it is primarily so they are facing in opposite directions, enabling them to sense any predators coming their way, and alert the rest of the herd.

Across the vast plain we could see the skies darken and rain falling in the distance. We didn’t want to get stuck out there (as our driver said – ‘if we get stuck, we will be staying the night’) so we headed back to camp. The sight of so many 4x4s all driving fast across the plains towards one of the gates, as the rains closed in, was like something out of a disaster movie. We made it, and stopped before we reached the camp to see the leopard again. It wasn’t there, but it had moved its kill to different branches, and we could see the carcass of the gazelle had been further gouged by the leopard.

Back at the lodge the sun was starting to come out again, so we stayed at the bar and had a bottle wine to celebrate my birthday. I was trying to soak in as much as possible the gorgeous views across the Serengeti, including the sight of a zebra casually wandering into the grounds, as this certainly wasn’t the usual January 31^st view or weather.

There were no dung beetles on Robert at dinner, but I did have one land near me which I flicked off the table.

We had a lie in this morning until 7.30am as we weren’t leaving camp til 9am. Today we were exploring the east Serengeti, in the hope of seeing some big cats. Sure enough, it didn’t take long before we saw three cheetahs, lying in the sun, looking at us curiously as we drove up. As we continued on, looking for lions, we came across two vehicles which had got stuck in the muddy tracks, one trying to tow the other. Our driver stopped and got out to help tow, but that didn’t work, so when another vehicle passed by they stopped to help too. A group of Danes were in that vehicle, and as we engaged in conversation whilst we were all waiting, it seemed that Greenland was a subject they wanted to avoid. It took a fair amount of rearranging tow ropes and vehicles to try and pull from different directions but eventually both vehicles were freed from the mud. Whilst we were standing around waiting, we spotted some lionesses in the far distance. We hoped they would still be there when the cars were freed (over an hour later) but luckily they were – five of them lying around, not bothered at all by the sound of two safari jeeps pulling up.

At the organized picnic area, where all the safari groups and their drivers break for lunch, we saw beautiful brightly coloured birds, small mice, and mongoose – all with nests there, constantly on the look out for tourist leftovers. Onwards we drove, and at one point I couldn’t see anything – not a tree, small mound or bush – in either direction, except for grassy plain, stretching to the horizon. This area is vast. We eventually reached the eastern part of the Serengeti, where the landscape became more hilly, with acacia trees, and consequently, herds of giraffes amongst them. One herd (some sixteen in total) had young ones with them, still suckling, and it was amazing to see them gracefully walk across the plain together, in search of more tasty acacia leaves to eat. 

We eventually reached our next lodge, in the heart of the Serengeti, which has terraces overlooking the plains. True to form, the rain started again, and became heavier with accompanying thunder and lightning. Now, after dinner, it has finally stopped: we just hope the tracks will be passable tomorrow for our final day in the Serengeti.