Wild Africa

Ngorogoro Crater Wildlife Lodge 5:30 pm - Lots to tell you so this may be long!!! First, back to Kili...we started Day 3 feeling a little anxious as our guide books say that this was the day to start feeling some altitude affects. Climbing uphill in strong winds, through barren landscape and after 3 hours we reached Lava Tower which, as you can guess, was a tower of lava in the middle of nowhere. A quick break for lunch at 4,600 m and on we went to Barannco camp. We saw some wild vegetation including the senecio plant which resembles a tall dessert palm and dwarfs humans making you feel like you're in a fairy tale. Camp was great with Kili looming large right next to us, although fog rolled in early but at least there was no wind. We woke up to frost on the ground and that amazing view of Kili before we started our first climb - "breakfast" (so named because you do it first thing in the morning). This a one hour scramble up a vertical rock face...very fun although a little precarious when Grant says "no problem, just hug the rock really closely as you come around" !?!?! But we made it to the top for some great views. Fortunately, so far so good on the altitude sickness - neither of us feel a thing. A couple more multiple hour uphill climbs, which is interesting that they don't seem to daunting when you're going pole pole (slowly, slowly) and we start a descent into our last camp before "summit attempt". This camp is nothing but huge boulders strewn out on a hill and somehow the porters manage to pitch tents amongst the rocks, in the fog. We're still feeling no affects of altitude so we're excited for tonight's challenge (yes, we have to get up at 11 pm to start this climb) but we know it could all end as we have 1,200 m yet to gain until we reach the summit. Starting the climb at midnight...check the next post for the gripping conclusion of Grant & Kim KILI 2005.

Back to the safari...our first three days have been amazing!! Everything we hoped to see, we've already seen (except the elusive Rhino). We rounded a corner and saw an elephant so close, I was certain he was going to jump in the truck with us - no word of a lie!!! Today, we rounded another corner to come face to face with 4 female lions, no further than 5 feet when they passed the truck. Velvet monkeys were permanent company at the lodge last night, jumping in and out of trucks looking for anything to eat (they are surely a nuisance to the locals but hilarious for us tourists!!). We never did manage to catch a glimpse of the python that also lived there, but that may be all for the best. Our wildlife viewing so far, as you can imagine, has also included baboons, giraffes, hippos, cheetahs and even a leopard!!! We'll try to post some pics if we can (especially the elephant!!).

Baggage update: nothing yet. Although we have found our new best friends in South Africa (after $20 US in phone calls today). Boney and Stanley. These are our guys. Our new brightest hope is Boney and Stanley from South Africa who are going to find our bags in time to get us our bathing suits for Zanzibar. We hope. Actually, we don't hold out much hope right now but it is becoming hilarious!!

We are happy to announce (NO, not that!!) that our "Kili Cleanse" officially ended on the first day of Safari. We had a beer for $2 (and 500 mL at that!!) watching the sun set over Lake Manyara...amazing! Jenkins - we thought of you several times as we downed the cheap, large beers!!

Nancy and Carla - you must have put Kim through the "MacEachern travel program". Every few moments, she's asking "do you have a $20...I don't have anything smaller". I'm beginning to think that she only travels with $100's.

We're now off to watch the sunset over Ngorongoro crater...with a beer!

K&G