With the first part of our trip, the Gorilla loop, over we had to say goodbye to some of our truck buddies. It was a sad moment but one with a silver lining as 13 new people jumped on board to start the journey south. I felt sorry for the new people as the first day they joined was the biggest drive day yet. We crossed the border into Tanzania arriving late at night to the snake park campsite. The campsite ran a Masaai snake bite clinic and had a snake sanctuary full of all the most deadly and dangerous snakes, very frightening to see how easy they are camouflaged in leaves and trees. From the campsite we jumped into the coolest open top Land cruisers and started a three day safari covering Lake Manyana, Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti national parks.
Lake Manyana was amazing. What it lacked in animal numbers it made up for in stunning beauty. We spotted our first elephants which were pretty close to the truck. It isn't until you get close that you realise just how big and powerful they are. The highlight however had to be a pool of hippos which were fighting each other while zebras jumped around between them.
Lake Manyana was amazing. What it lacked in animal numbers it made up for in stunning beauty. We spotted our first elephants which were pretty close to the truck. It isn't until you get close that you realise just how big and powerful they are. The highlight however had to be a pool of hippos which were fighting each other while zebras jumped around between them.
We stayed overnight in a campsite and had dinner cooked for us which is a nice change from truck life. We even had Milo and popcorn mmm mmm! At about four in the morning we started our trip into the Ngororgoro Crater. I had seen a documentary narrated by David Attenborough about the crater so had an idea of what to expect. I was not at all let down. It is like a lost world with thousands of animals trapped in a huge volcanic crater with plentiful water and food.
As we descended into the crater we were lucky enough to see a serval which is a rare medium sized cat having a poo on the road in front of us. Not even the guide had spotted one before. The crater was full of lions, zebra, buffalo, wilderbeast, hippos, heaps of birds, black rhino and so much more. We were lucky enough to see a lioness just after killing a wilderbeast which despite what the discovery channel might portray is a rare thing to see.
We headed out of the crater on our way to fenceless bush camp in the middle of the Serengeti. I found the experience amazing, like filling a childhood dream. At night we could hear hyenna's laughing around the campsite and in the morning found hoof prints and monkey hand prints all over the place. Scary but in all the right ways!
The Serengeti did not bring us the elusive Leopard as we had hoped but we did see Cheetahs, lions ambushing some food and well the list goes on. Our prized photo of the day was capturing the rare feat of a giraffe licking its own butt, wildlife photography gold. The place is huge and full of animals and well just totally blew us both away. We both feel so lucky to have been able to see such amazing places.
I didn't want to leave the safari and was sad to have to leave behind my real life wildlife documentary. It wasn't all bad though as we headed straight for Dar Es Salam an onto a ferry across to Zanzibar Island. On the way we saw flying fish and dolphins. Zanzibar was a pretty much a break from the relentless driving, sight seeing and activities. Like a holiday within a holiday. We had beds for the first time in months and were also staying for four nights rather than the usual one or two. The Island is beautiful with white sand beaches and crystal blue water. 
We went snorkeling around an island which we sailed to on a traditional boat. After the snorkeling we had a whole tuna cooked over the coals. We only ate seafood while on the island and it was great. They had it all and it was fresh and cheap. Before we left our daily swims and sunset cocktails behind we had one more night in Stone town. We went on a spice tour which was very educational. I had no idea some of the spices you use everyday grew on trees or vines or under ground. We also visited the old slave markets where East African slaved were bought and sold then shipped around the world. It was a horrible place. We cheered ourselves up by visiting the night food market for our last gorge on seafood before we had to go back to truck life again.
Back on the mainland we stayed one more night coast side enjoying the luke warm Indian Ocean. The next two days however were spent driving and camping in the bush on the side of road. I really enjoy the bush camps as I always assume the position of chief fire starter. The fires are always massive and most of the time we have marshmallows. 
Our last day in Tanzania lead us through Mikumi National Park. We saw some empala and some giraffes but all in all it was pretty bad animal watching. The scenery was still amazing though, as was the scenery in pretty much all of Tanzania, which for me is my number one African Country to date.
Another boarder another country. This time Malawi which is pretty much taken up by a massive lake. Malawi is famous for its wooden crafts of which Julie and I rushed for. We did some hard bargaining and scored some pretty good deals. In Malawi they will take anything as payment from your dirty socks to a packet of half eaten biscuits . We headed to a local bar that night and watched some crazy local dancing which was a mix between elvis and forest gump before he could walk.
We drove on the next day still following the lake to another beach campsite with more wooden crafts. This was pig day which started of with me and a couple of others going of to choose a pig then watching as it was killed and prepared in a tiny village with cute children stuck to arms and legs waiting to eat the blood and organ meats. I had some heart which was fried just after the pig was killed. It was tender and yummy. We brought the pig back to the camp and started the spit roast. Before it was cooked we played beach olympics in fancy dress. I lucked out and had to wear a yellow leotard. Not a pretty sight. The next day Julie went on a painting lesson which she really enjoyed. I have to say that her final products was easily as good as the locals.
We have now finished the second part of the trip and are again saying good bye to some great friends who we have got to know very closely. We will spent the next few days in the capital Lilongwe and then continue our mission south.
As we descended into the crater we were lucky enough to see a serval which is a rare medium sized cat having a poo on the road in front of us. Not even the guide had spotted one before. The crater was full of lions, zebra, buffalo, wilderbeast, hippos, heaps of birds, black rhino and so much more. We were lucky enough to see a lioness just after killing a wilderbeast which despite what the discovery channel might portray is a rare thing to see. 
We headed out of the crater on our way to fenceless bush camp in the middle of the Serengeti. I found the experience amazing, like filling a childhood dream. At night we could hear hyenna's laughing around the campsite and in the morning found hoof prints and monkey hand prints all over the place. Scary but in all the right ways! The Serengeti did not bring us the elusive Leopard as we had hoped but we did see Cheetahs, lions ambushing some food and well the list goes on. Our prized photo of the day was capturing the rare feat of a giraffe licking its own butt, wildlife photography gold. The place is huge and full of animals and well just totally blew us both away. We both feel so lucky to have been able to see such amazing places.I didn't want to leave the safari and was sad to have to leave behind my real life wildlife documentary. It wasn't all bad though as we headed straight for Dar Es Salam an onto a ferry across to Zanzibar Island. On the way we saw flying fish and dolphins. Zanzibar was a pretty much a break from the relentless driving, sight seeing and activities. Like a holiday within a holiday. We had beds for the first time in months and were also staying for four nights rather than the usual one or two. The Island is beautiful with white sand beaches and crystal blue water. 
We went snorkeling around an island which we sailed to on a traditional boat. After the snorkeling we had a whole tuna cooked over the coals. We only ate seafood while on the island and it was great. They had it all and it was fresh and cheap. Before we left our daily swims and sunset cocktails behind we had one more night in Stone town. We went on a spice tour which was very educational. I had no idea some of the spices you use everyday grew on trees or vines or under ground. We also visited the old slave markets where East African slaved were bought and sold then shipped around the world. It was a horrible place. We cheered ourselves up by visiting the night food market for our last gorge on seafood before we had to go back to truck life again.
Back on the mainland we stayed one more night coast side enjoying the luke warm Indian Ocean. The next two days however were spent driving and camping in the bush on the side of road. I really enjoy the bush camps as I always assume the position of chief fire starter. The fires are always massive and most of the time we have marshmallows.
Our last day in Tanzania lead us through Mikumi National Park. We saw some empala and some giraffes but all in all it was pretty bad animal watching. The scenery was still amazing though, as was the scenery in pretty much all of Tanzania, which for me is my number one African Country to date. Another boarder another country. This time Malawi which is pretty much taken up by a massive lake. Malawi is famous for its wooden crafts of which Julie and I rushed for. We did some hard bargaining and scored some pretty good deals. In Malawi they will take anything as payment from your dirty socks to a packet of half eaten biscuits . We headed to a local bar that night and watched some crazy local dancing which was a mix between elvis and forest gump before he could walk.
We drove on the next day still following the lake to another beach campsite with more wooden crafts. This was pig day which started of with me and a couple of others going of to choose a pig then watching as it was killed and prepared in a tiny village with cute children stuck to arms and legs waiting to eat the blood and organ meats. I had some heart which was fried just after the pig was killed. It was tender and yummy. We brought the pig back to the camp and started the spit roast. Before it was cooked we played beach olympics in fancy dress. I lucked out and had to wear a yellow leotard. Not a pretty sight. The next day Julie went on a painting lesson which she really enjoyed. I have to say that her final products was easily as good as the locals.
We have now finished the second part of the trip and are again saying good bye to some great friends who we have got to know very closely. We will spent the next few days in the capital Lilongwe and then continue our mission south. 
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