Day 3 – Safari (Moru Kopjes & Gong Rock)

Breakfast at the camp this morning before leaving at 7:30. We are heading South today in search of the Black Rhino. It was quite the drive so Ally drove with a purpose today so we could get there, search then begin the long drive back. Driving with a purpose here has a whole new meaning for me…lol!

There is a Black Rhino project here where the monitor the species to help from extension. Poaching here is still a huge problem so there are rangers in this area who live on top of the cliffs to help protect them. We learned that often poachers are just killed here because too many have been arrested but go back to poaching when they get out so it’s easier to just eliminate them. Something to be said for repeat offenders of violent crimes in the states. Visited the Rhino information center to learn about their history. A great guide full of knowledge and passion for these animals. You would have to love it to live way out here. You sure can’t just run down the street for milk if you forgot it on your way home.

No luck in spotting a Rhino today though. Since there are only 23 monitored animals on these planes, and they mostly graze alone, there was no telling where they were. The trip however gave us the opportunity to see the Kopjes, which are forms of rocks like none I have ever seen. There are many difference Kopjes, named for the tribe that lived there many centuries ago. This is Massai country. When in Arusha, we saw many of the Massai tribe which are easy to spot as the men still wear the red draped clothes as their daily attire. Would have been something to see these people still living upon on these rocks. There was one particular area where steps have been built so that you can climb to the top. Ally said he normally would not allow us to climb there unless there were other vehicles around because it has been known to have lions up there. But we all agreed we were game to try it. I know…wreckless right? Ally led the way making lots of noise to scare anything that might have been visiting the area. A few remnants of lions were present but no lions to be found. Let me say how glad we are we made that decision. What an amazing site from up there.

Back in the jeep and off to a lunch spot for a packed lunches. Arrived a favorite spot by many and were told we couldn’t be here because the President of Germany and the President of Tanzania would be visiting there soon. They were already setting up a huge spread for them by the Zebra refreshment company…lol! So we left in search of a new lunch spot.

Now for the excitement of the day. On our way to find a new spot we ran across a pride of lions laying in the shade of a huge tree not far from the road. It was an amazing site. 10 juvenile cubs in all and 7 lionesses (we never did see the males) however it was the same pride we saw yesterday, noted by one with a monitoring collar and one with a huge gash in her nose. Within a few minutes, one of the females raised her head and they all looked in one direction towards a herd of zebras who were making their way across the road into the area of the lions. In a split second 5 of the lionesses each rose and moved with grace to do their particular job. Can you believe this? A kill is just about to happen right in front of us. I didn’t think I wanted to see this at all until I watched how these amazing animals worked together with patience and purpose to feed their family. In a matter of maybe 15 minutes, they had completely formed a parameter around the herd and were waiting for their opportunity. In a split second one lioness made a move and the herd scattered, charged, ran…you name it. One of the lioness had to lay down in the road to keep from getting trampled. In that split second their opportunity was lost…they got away! We have a video of the whole thing and believe it or not it was sad. I hate to see the zebra loose it’s life but it was such an amazing thing to watch. Ally put it well, the lion laid down because no one wanted to die that day. They all made it back to the tree with the cubs to rest from their big chase.

We needed to make a trip back to the airstrip anyway (I’ll mention in a future post why) so decided to just have lunch at the airport. Now, keep in mind, without thinking, when were going to the same airstrip where both Presidents were expected in shortly. A guard at the entrance just let us on in, we parked and walked to the small building with our lunch boxes. We laughed because you can’t even get within 5 miles of the airports at home when our president is flying in. Tons of safari vehicles lined up to meet their arrival. A few armed guards and mostly people like us standing around with cameras. There was no concern to be standing along the strip for a photo op so I took it. Now, I have no idea who the president of Germany even is but figured it would be a great moment for Ally to have photos of “his” president. Planes landed and I snapped pictures of anyone coming off the plan. Ended up with great pictures of the German president but the Tanzania president was not there. Only the Interior ministers were there to meet him. Fun adventure to this trip, even though our original trip to the airstrip was not a success 🙁

Before heading back to camp we saw another Leopard in a tree. It’s so funny to see how they just chill and are so uninterested in us.

Back at camp at 4:30. Showers again at 6. Dinner at 7. Tonight we were joined by all the staff of the camp, except the chef. We had asked them all to join us when we first got there and they said they would on the last night. It was a great meal and a lot of fun. This crew has over exceeded our expectations. It will be hard to top it at the next camp. During our dinner, we were joined by a Hyena, just beside the tent. That just sort of cracks me up. I watched JJ leave the dining tent and walk to the kitchen tent, in the dark, with the Hyena sitting right there. He said, He knows me! They also shared that a few weeks ago a pride brought down a buffalo right in the camp area and stayed there for a solid week. JJ said they had approached him carrying the buckets of water to the tents to get a drink. He just dropped the buckets of water, walked away, let them get their drink and then picked up his buckets and carried on. OMG!!!! I guess there is something to be said for living in this country and feeling comfortable.

Back to the tent to be zipped in at 8:30. We packed, well Rich packed, played a few hands of gin and I caught up on my blog posts. Heard several lions throughout the night. I don’t think I will ever get tired of this. We leave for 2nd camp location tomorrow.
20150205_014827

20150205_072127

Posted on

114,557 thoughts on “Day 3 – Safari (Moru Kopjes & Gong Rock)”

  1. Hello there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Looking at this article reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he’ll have a good read. I appreciate you for sharing!

  3. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in reality was a entertainment account it. Glance complex to far introduced agreeable from you! However, how could we be in contact?

  6. naturally like your website but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts.
    Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth on the other hand I will certainly come again again.

  7. I honestly never believed that my marriage would end this way.
    For a long time I built my career, believing that we were building
    a future together. Then one day I discovered that my
    wife was involved with someone else. What hurt the most was that he was a rich businessman. My world fell apart.

    The breakup hit me hard. I spent countless nights awake.
    At first I blamed myself. I worried about starting over.

    But eventually I realized something important: life was not over.

    Rather than staying bitter, I became focused on improving my
    finances. I learned about digital assets. Hour after hour I learned about risk management, blockchain technology, and personal finance.

    One of the most useful tools I discovered was Paybis.
    What impressed me first was the straightforward interface.
    Handling transactions became surprisingly efficient.

    I regularly use Paybis for converting digital assets
    into traditional currency. Everything is easy to follow.
    I can monitor my transfers while maintaining control over my assets.

    I became passionate about modern financial systems.
    Understanding digital payments gave me greater confidence.
    I analyzed trends. Gradually I became more strategic with my
    decisions.
    What happened next shocked me. As my confidence returned, I realized that
    money had never been the real issue. The real issue was attitude.
    No amount of money can fix that.
    Sometimes life surprises you. A new relationship entered my life.

    She brought fresh energy into my life. The best part was that she was encouraging and respectful.

    Now I am happier than I have been in years. The difficult chapter is
    over. I regained confidence, expanded my knowledge, and found a new beginning.

    In hindsight, I no longer feel anger. I respect the journey.
    The setback became an opportunity. And every time I complete a transaction on Paybis, I remember how far I’ve
    come. The sense of freedom is hard to describe—relief, excitement, confidence, and gratitude all at once.

  8. Hi there very nice web site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds also? I am glad to find a lot of useful info right here in the publish, we’d like work out extra strategies in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

  9. Wonderful blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News.
    Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo
    News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem
    to get there! Many thanks

  10. I will right away seize your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail
    subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any?
    Kindly allow me recognise in order that I may just subscribe.
    Thanks.

  12. Hello my loved one! I want to say that this article is amazing, nice written and include almost all significant infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this .

  13. You really make it seem really easy along with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I believe
    I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complex and extremely
    extensive for me. I am having a look forward on your next post,
    I’ll try to get the grasp of it!

  18. whoah this blog is excellent i love reading your posts. Keep up the good work! You understand, lots of people are looking round for this info, you could help them greatly.

  20. Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website.
    It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to
    get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and appearance.
    I must say you’ve done a superb job with this.
    In addition, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Chrome.
    Excellent Blog!

  25. That is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and stay up for seeking more of your great post. Additionally, I have shared your site in my social networks

  26. I’m not sure why but this web site is loading very slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.

  27. What i don’t understood is actually how you are now not
    actually a lot more smartly-appreciated than you may be now.
    You’re very intelligent. You realize thus significantly in relation to this subject,
    produced me in my opinion consider it from numerous numerous angles.
    Its like men and women don’t seem to be involved unless it’s
    something to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your individual
    stuffs great. All the time care for it up!

  28. Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice at the same time
    as you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a weblog
    web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal.
    I were tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered vivid clear idea

  30. It is the best time to make a few plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.
    I’ve read this put up and if I may just I desire to suggest you few
    fascinating things or advice. Maybe you could write subsequent articles regarding this article.
    I desire to read even more issues approximately it!

  31. I never imagined that my relationship would collapse.
    For years I built my career, assuming that everything was fine.
    Then one day I discovered that my wife had been seeing another man.
    What hurt the most was that the guy was wealthy. I felt betrayed.

    The breakup hit me hard. Many evenings felt endless.
    At first I blamed myself. I worried about starting over. But eventually I learned a valuable lesson: life
    was not over.
    Instead of living in the past, I became focused on improving my finances.
    I explored modern fintech solutions. Hour after hour I learned about
    risk management, crypto markets, and personal finance.
    One of the most useful tools I discovered was Paybis. What impressed
    me first was the straightforward interface. Buying crypto
    became much easier.
    These days I rely on Paybis for crypto-to-fiat transactions.
    Everything is easy to follow. I can monitor my transfers while maintaining a clear overview of my finances.

    What really interested me was the technology. Learning about
    blockchain settlements gave me greater confidence. I followed industry developments.
    Over time I became more disciplined with my decisions.

    The biggest surprise came later. As my confidence returned, I realized that wealth
    was not what determined happiness. The real issue was attitude.
    Financial success cannot replace character.
    Life has a funny way of rewarding persistence. I found a wonderful woman. She
    brought fresh energy into my life. The best part was that she was kind, supportive,
    and genuine.
    Now I am happier than I have been in years. That period of my life is finished.
    I regained confidence, expanded my knowledge,
    and found peace of mind.
    Looking back, I no longer feel anger. I value what
    I learned. What felt like the end became a new beginning.
    My financial journey reminds me how much I have grown. The emotions are incredible—a mix of happiness and accomplishment.

  33. I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive,
    your authored material stylish. nonetheless,
    you command get bought an nervousness over that you wish be delivering
    the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly very
    often inside case you shield this hike.

  34. What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads.
    I am hoping to give a contribution & assist different
    users like its aided me. Great job.

  36. Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous
    to and you’re just extremely magnificent. I really like what
    you have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it.

    You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it wise.
    I can not wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great
    site.

  44. I have been surfing on-line greater than three hours as of late,
    but I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours.
    It’s lovely worth sufficient for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content as you probably did, the internet shall
    be a lot more helpful than ever before.

  47. Magnificent goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely wonderful. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it smart. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is really a tremendous website.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *