Serengeti & Ngorongoro

We got up early to head to the Serengeti. Our big truck was left behind and we got in to 4 wheel drive jeeps. In our jeep it's Mo, Kylie, two Irish guys - Brian and John, another American - Sherilll, an English girl - Kate and our guide Leteele (later we kicked Leteele out in favour of our friend Chantal). Our driver is Herry. We went through the Ngorongoro crater first where there is a large Masai presence. They like to ask you to take a photo and then demand money. Luckily I already have my Masai photos and didn't get sucked in to that trap! We stopped for a photo at the crater view point. 

A bird decided to embellish the sign...

Grand gazelles fighting 

Leopard #2 of the day!

Ridiculous lense.

We had dinner with pumpkin soup, sausage curry and rice. Afterward we played cards and settled in to our tents. We aren't permitted to use the toilets at night without first checking for animals and then taking an entourage to the toilet with you! Luckily I slept until 5am and only had to wait until 6!

We piled back in the keep for day 2..

And happened upon a leopard (and at least 50 other jeeps) walking down the road.

In all we saw 38 lions. We took bets the first day. I was way off! I guessed 12.

This lion decided to rock up under a broken car that had 3 flat tires. Unfortunately there was one girl and a driver in the car... They couldn't see the lion and as there were 12 lions around there I'm sure they were going to be there for several hours!

Cubs!!! 

This was the closest we got the second day to seeing a live kill. 4 lionesses (and their 4 cubs) stalked a group of zebra, but walked too far away for us to see!

But that's ok. The third day as we left the Serengeti we saw our best find! Fresh leopard kill in a tree. Gross (but amazing!!) photos follow!

We then did our game drive through the Ngorongoro crater. We stopped for a toilet break as we entered the crater and managed to get rear ended by a jeep whose breaks failed (probably not a good thing as the descent into the crater is 600+ metres).

During our three day adventure we learned most people in the truck can put their toes in their mouth. One of our jeep mates who shall remain unnamed asked... Can you fly to Ireland or do you have to take a boat there? Another confirmed for us (though binocs) that we were in fact looking at a piece of wood..then the piece of wood moved. Not wood, lion. However, the tree the lion was lying under WAS in fact made of wood. We may or may not have been travelling with Miss Fitness. Some people be hurtin. People say crazy things before 8am. And I will never look at a spatula the same again. Great 3 day safari!