| Farewell Serengeti, hello Masai Mara. Instead of driving, however, we
flew. Luckily there wasn't a parking problem at Serengeti International
Airport. We drove right up to the airport terminal; we call it a shack
back home. A pack of hyenas watched us leave. We played musical airplanes,
taking short flights, switching aircraft, and stopping off in Arusha and
Nairobi before going to the Masai Mara. In Nairobi we had lunch in a restaurant
called Carnivore that served all kinds of game meat. We discovered that
zebra is too tough, crocodile is a white meat that tastes like a cross
between fish and turkey, and eland is a touch gamey but very good. Our
bellies full, we were ready for our trip's last leg (no pun intended).
Landing in the Masai Mara was another adventure. The pilot buzzed the
airstrip to clear away the wildebeest and zebra. When we actually touched
down, we almost clipped a zebra with our wing. The annual migration of
wildebeest and zebra herds were here (2 million animals strong) and these
beasts covered the plains -- an incredible sight. The animals made a terrific
racket, bleating and grunting as they moved along. We drove through the
animal hordes in awe. The game viewing was equally exciting at night.
We explored the night in an open vehicle with a driver, searchlight, and
shotgun. In the powerful searchlight's beam, thousands of wildebeest eyes
stared back at us. Their eyes twinkled in the light and looked like a
sea of stars around us. We also met a male lion who roared and walked
off. We followed him as he patroled his territory and roared a lot more
-- what a grouch! |
