WE WERE COLLECTED IN ARUSHA, AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO, BY THIS GO-ANYWHERE DO-ANYTHING TOYOTA LANDCRUISER.
OUR FIRST LOCATION WAS LAKE MANYARA - OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE SWIMMING POOL OF OUR LODGE, BUT IT OVER-LOOKED THE LAKE!
AROUND OUR LODGE WERE NESTING PELICANS - THEY EACH HAD PROPER HAIR STYLES.
IN THE GROUNDS OF OUR LODGE WERE THINGS LIKE GREEN-BACON BEETLES, HUGE DRAGONFLIES AND RED-HEADED AGAMA LIZARDS.
AND AT NIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY DISTANT THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STORMS SWARMED THESE EPAULETTED FRUIT BATS.
WE HAD A 2-DAY SAFARI AT LAKE MANYARA, WHERE WE SAW BABOONS.
AND THIS PREHISTORIC LOOKING SILVERY-CHEEKED HORNBILL.
THIS GREY-HEADED KINGFISHER POSED VERY KINDLY FOR ME FOR A FULL 5 MINUTES WHILE I SNAPPED AWAY. IT EVEN TURNED AROUND WHEN I ASKED IT TO!
ONCE OUT OF THE LUSH, GREEN FORESTS AND ONTO THE MORE SAVANNA-LIKE GRASSY BANKS OF THE LAKE WE SAW THIS LONG-CRESTED EAGLE.
AND WE WERE CHARGED BY OUR FIRST YOUNG BULL ELEPHANT WHICH SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH!
AND THIS HIPPO WAS INTERESTED IN US AS WE DROVE PAST.
AND GIRAFFE WERE WANDERING THE SHORES.
FROM OUR LODGE THE LAKE LOOKED LIKE IT HAD A PINK HAZE - ONLY WHEN WE GOT TO THE SHORE DID WE REALISE THEY WERE THOUSANDS OF PINK FLAMINGOES. I LOVE THIS SHOT OF A GIRAFFE WADING IN THE SALTY LAKE, WATCHING THE FLAMINGOS.
ME BEING OF THE INCLINATION THAT INSECTS ARE AMAZING CREATURES, I ALWAYS MANAGE TO SPOT WEIRD AND WONDERFUL ONES! HERE I MANAGED TO FIND A HUGE RED, HAIRY TICK - ABOUT THE SIZE OF A 5 PENCE PIECE.
AND THEN WE CAME UPON THE BIGGEST FULL-GROWN BULL ELEPHANT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. OUR LANDCRUISERS WERE PROBABLY 8 FEET TALL AND IT TOWERED ABOVE THE JEEPS. IT WOULDN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY SO WE HAD TO LINE 3 LANDCRUISERS UP AND CHARGE IT. IT EVENTUALLY SAUNTERED BACK INTO THE JUNGLE.
DURING A STOP I GOT INTO TROUBLE FOR RUNNING OFF, CHASING THIS GIANT AFRICAN ROBBER-FLY, WHICH ITSELF WAS CHASING A HERD/FLOCK/PLUME OF WHITE BUTTERFLIES. IT CAUGHT ONE, KILLID IT AND ATE IT IN FRONT OF ME...
AND AT THE END OF OUR STAY AT LAKE MANYARA WE WERE TREATED TO THE BREATH-TAKING BEAUTY OF A CROWNED CRANE.
WE THEN DROVE 120 MILES WEST TO MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD - THE NGORONGORO CRATER - THE WORLDS LARGEST UNBROKEN CALDERA - 100 SQUARE MILES AND WITHIN WHICH DWELL LIONS, LEOPARDS, RHINO, HIPPO, ELEPHANT ETC.
THIS WAS OUR LODGE - PERCHED ON THE RIM OF THE CRATER - WITH AMAZING VIEWS.
MOTHER AND BABY - DANGEROUS.
OUR FIRST SIGNS THAT LIONS WERE ABOUT - WE ALSO FOUND A DESEMBOWLED BUFFALO THAT WAS THE SMELLIEST THING I HAVE EVER SMELLED.
A SPANIEL-SIZED ZEBRA.
THEN THE LIONS SHOWED UP - A PRIDE OF MAYBE EIGHT WITH THREE CUBS. THEY CAME CLOSE TO THE JEEPS.
THEY CAME SO CLOSE THAT TYSON PUT HIS HAND OUT AND SCRATCHED ITS BACK. THIS WAS A WILD LION. NOT TAME IN THE SLIGHTLEST. IT COULD HAVE RIPPED HIS ARM OFF. TYSON GOT SEVERELY TOLD OFF AFTER THIS BY MATTHEW THE HEAD GUIDE WHO SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS SAYING VERY RUDE THINGS IN SWAHILI.
