More Safari Stuff
Day 2 of safari - Lake Manyara National Park. In the morning we did a tour of a local village which is part of an economic development project. It was really interesting, we walked around all the back streets, through the fields, met some people. Also gave some children a swing. Lake Manyara is a massive lake, pink with flamingoes, but we couldn't get close enough to see them. The park is famous for the tree climbing lions, but we didn't spot them either. However, had some great sightings of elephant families and baboon antics. You drive through jungle up to the plains before the lake.

Higlights:

1. Swinging the children on the village tour.
2. Lunch in the village pub - next to us was a masai man having a Coke.
3. Storks nesting, elephants, baboons and hippos at Lake Manyara

Observations:

Plenty of close encounters

1. Most tourists seem to be French and German, with a few Japanese and Amerricans.
2. Had a converstion with a moronic English girl (probably Gap year?) - Viewing the hippos, wildebeest and a mass of storks from a distance via binoculars. Her: "If those are buffalo, why are they so small?" Me: "Because they're wildebeest." Her: "What's a wildebeest? Is it, like, an antelope?" Me: "Yes, it looks like a really ugly cow." "Oh... I don't like cows...What are those white things?" Me: "Storks." Her: "What's a stork? Is it, like, a bird?" Me: "Yeah." She then compared her safari experience with her "Lion King" watching experience. I am becoming very intolerant as I get older. Why the hell is she on safari?

Zebra Crossing

For Michael - Dik dik, the smallest antelope, about knee high. Yes, they are adorable.

Village boys

New friends

Dubai by night

When the sun goes down, the old town of Dubai comes alive. We emerged from the hotel to check out the old souks, or markets. After checking out the Bastakiya, the heritage area, we caught the abra, the traditional boats which serve as public transport, over the Dubai Creek to Deira to see the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. Apparently, the gold in the Deira souk is the best quality and cheapest in the world. Pity I don’t like gold. Geoff sighs with relief.

Highlights

1.       The boat ride over the “creek”. Really a  river.

2.       The beautiful old timber covered souks.

3.       The Bastakiya, beautiful old buildings with traditional wind towers, which catch the breeze and direct it down into the house.

4.       Call to prayer broadcast from the mosques.

New Dubai

We checked out the amazing architecture of new Dubai. This really lends new meaning to the word oasis. It’s a totally artificial environment. It’s like living on another planet in a bubble. It feels very science fictionish. And some of the women look like aliens too in their black gowns and weird headscarves. The buildings are otherworldly – amazing feats of architecture.

Highlights

1.       Seeing Dubai from the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It was called “At the Top”. Geoff said it should have been called “ Three quarters of the way up”, because there was another 100 metres above us. Amazing to see sci fi city meet the desert. Star Wars (the aliens) meets Dune.

2.       The aquarium wall in the Dubai mall. A massive wall of fish, sharks, rays etc., while you shop!

3.       The Dubai metro. What a wonderful system. It’s mostly on elevated railways, adds to the sci fi look.

Observations

1.       Some of the young Dubai women who wear the burkah wear jeans and runners underneath. Who knew?

2.       Women in burkahs talking on mobiles. I wonder if it muffles their voice?

3.       City of shopping malls. Chadstone x 100 gone mad and taken over the city.

On Safari

This safari is totally amazing. On day one today we have seen an estimated 100 elephants, 500 zebra, 12 giraffes, 300 wildebeest, 100 impala, 20 baboons, 10 vervet monkeys, 5 waterbuck, 5 warthogs, 20 rock hyrax, one mongoose, one squirrel, bats, a fishing eagle, 5 ostriches, vultures, hornbills, kingfishers and a heap of other birds. The Tarangire Safari Lodge is the most fantastic place. We have a safari tent (with en suite).. On the walk from the tent to the pool I saw baboons and impala, and on the way back I saw dik diks and a mongoose as well as all of the above. I heard lions roaring through the night. A hotel porter has to accompany you back to your tent at night. The view here over the river is fabulous, you can see the animals coming down to drink.

Africa 2012

Well, let's try again, shall we? Gmail deactivated my last account, and as the blog is linked to gmail, it went with it.