Chronicle-1995

It was a memorable day in which all the stresses of modem life became irrelevant, and time seemed not to exist. Back at the campsite we had a fairly late night playing campsite games and in the moming Mr de Villiers and P Button,A Gait,B Proctor,G Wood and T O'Sullivan split off for their excursion to Serengeti. The large group set off on the trip back to Amsha via Lake Mnyara where we spent a short but fascinating visit driving through the superb forest which grows there, and looking for the famed Mnyara tree lions, which we didn't see. From there we drove back to Amsha,where we spent the night at the"Last Outpost", a tourist hostel, and next moming we set out at 5.30 a.m. for Kilimanjaro Airport and then home, via Jan Smuts. However,in Africa always expect the unexpected, and five of the group spent an extra 24 hours owing to the plane being overbooked.But that's another story which you can read about in Boothway,Emanuel and Goldie's forthcoming book"A Pictorial Guide to Central African Airports" which will be coming out soon. On behalf ofthe group as a whole I would like to thank Mr Roderick de Villiers and Debbie de Villiers for all their hard work in organising a really superb trip whicb none of us will ever forget. Thanks Rod and Debbie - it was an epic joumey! John McMichael Tanzanian Safari - Serengeti On Friday the 14th of July the group split up and five boys accompanied by Mr. De Villiers headed for the renowned Serengeti. The Group consisted of T. O'Sullivan, B. Proctor, A.Gait,G.Wood and P.Button. The trip was hot and dusty and at Lunch time we stopped at the ancient Olduvai Gorge. This was extemely interesting as there were remnants and foot prints of man dating back to 3 and a half million years ago.After a brieflunch and lecture we were taken down into the Gorge and wenton to the Shifting Sands.These sands consist of Titanium Oxide and are slowly migrating across the Tanzanian Plains. We then made ■K2y ■\,4 % 9. way for the Serengeti Plains and reached the gate an hour later. There was an immediate change in the animal life because as we gazed across the short grass plains, they were littered with thousands of Thompson's and Grant's Gazelles, Kori Bustards and the odd zebra. We were lucky enough to drive right next to a male lion during that aftemoon. The beauty of the Serengeti is that you don't have to stick to the roads as you can drive on the plains and get as close as you want to the animals. We arrived at Seronera Camp just in time to watch the sun setting and to have our daily wash in a basin of water. The hot and dusty drive had taken its toll and after supper we tumed in for the night.. We fell asleep to the true sound of Africa - a herd of about a thousand Blue Wildebeest were grazing less tbatn one hundred metres from our tents and our sleep was often intermpted by a pride of lions making their noctumal grunting. The following moming, Onisma (our driver) woke us up and we were off on an early moming game drive. The first part was pretty uneventful yet the next two hours were the highlight of our trip! We watched two lionesses hunting and successfully killing three Thomson's Gazelles. We were amazed by the communication, speed and agility of the king of the beasts. With our spirits up we went back to a much enjoyed breakfast. That day was the greatest day of game viewingIhave ever had in my entire life! We then saw a leopard lying in a "sausage tree" on the side of the road. We eouldn't believe our luck and Onisma then asked us what we would like to see next. Of 76 Kearsney Chronicle 1995

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