January 17, 2015

January 17, 2015 What a day! Safari is truly underway now....not sure when I will be able to post this though as there is no wifi at the lodge we are at tonight and tomorrow night. We began our day with a great buffet breakfast as we said goodbye to our friends at the coffee plantation. From there we set out with Victor en route to the Tarangire National Park. Within mere minutes of,entering the park we spotted a mama and three baby warthogs just a few feet from the side of the road. About two minutes later we came upon our first herd of elephant. Again they were right at the edge of the road and in fact, they crossed right in front of us. At most they were 2-3 feet from the vehicle! From there it kept on with so many more species....I will just say that all our hopes were surpassed. On the way back out of the park we passed more than 100 elephants along the road and on the hills. The baobab trees were magnificent and legend says that they are each God thrust from the heavens landing headfirst and buried in the earth. In the dry season the baobab looks like its roots are at the top hence the legend... Other interesting learning today included lots about the Massai culture. Men take as many wives,as they can afford. It is definitely a patriarchal society! They are semi nomadic. They live on milk, blood (they do not kill the cow...just tap into it to access the blood about twice weekly), and meat. They are changing to include some veg and maize into their diet too but traditionally...they would have nothing but the blood, milk, and meat. So many Massai wandering the fields along the roads...they walk for miles and miles every day. Women haul water and gather firewood, children and young adults tend the herds and the men are nowhere to be seen. Tonight we are at Rift Valley Photographic Lodge and again....we are overwhelmed. The rooms, the views, the people, and the fact that we are in the middle of nowhere are helping to make this the trip of a lifetime that it is proving to be. Yamati (a Massai man) is the manager here. While at work he wears a uniform but as soon as he is finished he dons his native garb and walks home. (About 2-3 hours if he takes his time). Ndori is another Massai who works here. He is missing his two middle bottom teeth. The reason for that is that many Massai have this teeth taken out when they are young kids (about 8-10) with the idea being that if ever they become ill it will be easier to take care of them. Food (milk) can be blown through a straw into their mouths via the gap in their teeth. I've never heard of anything like that before. We also learned about circumcision rituals (take place at about 14-16 yrs of age), marriage customs and processes, and that they shave their heads because they only get to bathe about every week or,two. Tomorrow we will get to see it all up close as we visit a real Massai home that is a short walk from here. We are heading out at 6:30 am. What an honour and experience that will be. Ndori will be taking us as it is his village. He will translate for us and answer any questions we have. So...it's off to bed for me. Power goes off here at 10 pm so I'd better get ready before that happens! There are no streetlights here! We are seriously miles away from anything but the Massai who roam freely in Tanzania. Darlorlynga