Iringa, Tanzania to Ruaha River Lodge…attempt #2.

August 30-31, 2011

Quit fighting the screaming megaphones and got up and got dressed. Went downstairs and ate breakfast. Something to know about East Africa – when you travel – you pay per person and you can choose between full board and half board at most locations. Half board includes breakfast and full board usually provides dinner and sometimes lunch. This took me a little while to catch onto.

Decide to get another spare tire to make sure we are okay driving to the park and back home again. I convince Liam to buy at least some back shocks and put them on the car before we head to the park. That way we won’t have to rent a car from the lodge and drive around by ourselves. Yep, we are the ghetto African tourists. No fancy tour agent for us. Just making it up as we go.

So, imagine. Two mzungus at 0800 on the hunt for a tire and shocks in a small town in Western Tanzania. We have no idea what the name for shocks is in Swahili. We have no idea where the tire stores are, but we can do this. First stop, tire store across the street. They didn’t have the size we needed, so, they pointed us on to store number 2. We couldn’t find store #2. Stopped at a gas station. Liam disappeared for about 10 minutes to go find a tire with one of the mechanics. Came back and on to store number 3. Store number 3 had the tire. Check. Tire. They also had a big jack. Now, after watching Liam almost get crushed by the Surf the day before, a new jack was added to our shopping list. Then, came the hunt for the shocks. Out comes a salesmen to the car and Liam is pointing at the part. Man it is a GOOD thing I wasn’t doing this trip by myself. I know almost nothing about cars. And if I had had to point to the car part, it would have been disastrous. Basically, the way it would have gone would be for me to stand there and bounce up and down and ask them to fix it. Wonder which psych unit they would have taken me to?

Third store didn’t have the shocks but we took our tire and headed to the Gapco down the street and had the tire guy fixed the tire. Liam was off wandering with someone in the store to find the shockums (Kiswahili for shocks). Came back with no luck. Tire was all fixed by this point. And he had even repaired the “brand new tire” we had put on yesterday – it had a leaky valve. No surprise there.

Then, another guy came and jumped in the front seat and went with Liam and I to another car part store to find the shocks. 4^th store had two rear shocks and then we went back to the Gapco.

Watching them change the shocks was an interesting process. While they did this, they took off a tire that Liam thought was a little low. Turns out bad valve. So of the 5 tires we currently had, three of them needed help. I love this Gapco.

I wish we would have taken a picture of the three guys trying to undo the old shockum so they could put in the new one. But, didn’t want to be a target of opportunity. However, in hind site it would have probably been okay. It was really interesting and I learned something new about the car. Starting with, I know what a shockum is now.

Three fixed tires and two new shocks, we were ready to head to Ruaha National Park. Asked how to get to the good road (I’m not taking ANY more rough or bad roads if I have a choice) and were told “Straight.” Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I didn’t know straight included a right turn. Interesting. You learn something new everyday. Thankfully, there was a sign pointing us in the right direction.

The road to Ruaha was decent. Took about 2.5 hours to go 100ish kms. Mostly because of other people and a few places that weren’t great. Yellow baboons are EVERYWHERE. Liam managed to get a few great shots of them running across the road. Just outside the park entrance, we came upon our first giraffe “up close.” Giraffe are very curious. They watch you as much as you watch them.

Yellow Baboon

Baby Giraffe

Pulled up to the park entrance paid our fees and were on our way to the lodge. Passed a herd of elephants, some impala, and a few other things I’m pretty sure that saw us but we didn’t see them.

Pulled up to the lodge, checked in without giving them any payment information, and headed to the main lodge to get lunch. By this point it was about 3pm and we were both STARVING. Thankfully, they were still serving lunch and it was yummy. Took a few pictures from the balcony and then headed to our lodge.

We decided to take a stroll and take some pictures of the baboons and hippos. While we were spending quality time eyeing the hippos and making sure they weren’t going to add us to the hippo death toll, a herd of elephants strolled up to the river to get some water and cool off. I’m not joking when I say the lighting was PERFECT. I don’t run and I was hauling ass to get to a better spot to get my shot.

Hungry Hungry hippos.

Totally out of breath and I’m literally across the river from the elephants. I’m watching them. They’re watching me. And the camera is clicking away. I’m still in shock with how the photos turned out. They are unbelievable and completely untouched. Literally a point and click shot. It was a good day for pictures.

Elephants.

Went back to the Banda after we were sick of taking elephant pictures and cleaned up before dinner. Headed over to the smaller dinner lodge and acquired a Masai guide for the next day. Dinner was very tasty. They serve a family style dinner. Had a few after dinner drinks and then went back to the lodge to sleep.

And sleep we did. Until, Mr. & Mrs. Lion decided to wander around our Banda all night talking to each other. At one point, I woke Liam up and said, “Is that a lion?” He responded, “Nope. It’s a hippo. Now, go back to sleep.” Somebody was tired.

Next morning at breakfast, the lead guide confirmed my suspisicons that lions had been wandering all over camp all night making low growling noises. Very cool in preparation for our first safari.

Went back up to the Reception area and picked up Mereso. Last year he couldn’t speak English. Now, he’s guiding us around Ruaha speaking perfect English, teaching us about all of the animals, and teaching us Kiswahili. When I meet people like him here, it really makes me angry to think about all of the losers in America who have nothing but opportunities and don’t take them. This is someone I wish I could stick on a plane and watch him thrive. He’s really bright.

By the end of hour one I was sick of elephants, giraffes, impalas, and zebras. They were EVERYWHERE. But, Liam wanted to see lions. So, lion hunting we went. And we found one. Waiting so patiently to pounce on her prey she was watching. So, here we are taking a gazillion pictures of her and are getting ready to drive away – when – OMG – WE ARE STUCK IN THE SAND FIVE FEET AWAY FROM A HUNGRY LIONESS. OH SHIT. Oh and 4WD wouldn’t kick in. So, here we are asking another car to push us from behind. Didn’t work. Finally, Mrs. Lion walks away and the people in the other two cars around us jump out and start digging at the tires. Liam gets out to help push and I jump in the driver seat. Somehow I get the 4WD to engage and drove right out. But, in that moment - It was a little freaky. As we drive away, we spot Mrs. Lion hiding in the bushes watching us. I guess she wasn’t THAT hungry.

Please don't eat me.

Drove around a small portion of the park – because it’s huge. We were on a full day safari and saw pretty much everything in the park. Missing a cheetah and a leopard but we have a whole year and lots of safaris to do. Can’t get it all accomplished in one trip.

Back to the lodge and rested a little bit. Went down to dinner and relaxed until bedtime. Fell fast asleep. Until. Mr. and all of his Mrs. Lions decided to have a calling session. He was on the opposite side of the river calling to the seven lionesses who were walking back and forth through camp all night. All right lions. One night cool. Two nights (third night of no sleep – stupid mosque) and you could at least turn the stinking volume down. Of course, I couldn’t sleep because Liam told me before we went to bed if I heard lions I should get up and take a picture. Well, they were never close enough to the “safe” areas I would take a picture from. They were actually walking back and forth right behind our Banda. We found the paw prints the next morning.

Sadly, we must leave this place. Headed to reception, paid the bill, and grabbed our lunch. But, there’s no question, I’m heading back to the Ruaha River Lodge as soon as possible.