Our entire group of volunteers decided to get together and go on a weekend safari, which was one of the coolest things I've ever done ever. We went with a tour agency that took us camping for 3 days and took us to visit the Masai tribe and to visit the Tangire and Ngorongoro national parks. That weekend was a really incredible bonding experience for our group of volunteers. We all stayed up late around the dinner table or camp fire, sharing stories and telling jokes. This group of people left for home yesterday, so I'm getting all sentimental thinking back on our safari. I freaking love them. I have loved getting to know each of them and becoming one big family. I miss them so much already! Ok well anyways, back to the safari haha.
Day 1 we visited the Masai tribe. In the area of Kilimanjaro there are a few prominent tribes- one being the Masai. They are often used as symbols to represent Tanzania, or Africa in general. Like even when I just visited the Portland Zoo I saw a bunch of stuff on the Masai in the Africa exhibits. They are known for being very tall and thin, and for jumping up and down with long sticks haha. When we arrived they greeted us with a song and dance, and then allowed us to join in. I definitely can't jump as high as them. It was only somewhat embarrassing. Then they showed us their houses, which are just one room mud huts. The men in the tribe can have several wives (depending on how many cows he has) so each wife gets their own hut for them and their children. The husband then rotates around to the different huts to be with each different wife. They also eat blood. So that was an interesting conversation. I felt strange being a tourist in their village. It almost felt like their culture was being used as a prop. It made me feel weird and sad. They honestly didn't seem to mind because they kept wanting us to take more pictures and stay longer, but I minded. However knowing me and my hypocritical self...I took pictures anyways.
Day 2 we spent the day in Tangire National Park, which is inside a massive crater. In order to get into the crater you have to drive up really high before dipping back down into the valley. We were so high up that we were inside clouds, so everything was just white. It was kinda freaky haha. At this park it looks like a typical savanna. Tall grass, not many trees, and small little ponds. We saw a lot of lions, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, rhinos, warthogs, hippos, and hyenas. It was super pretty. The whole time we just couldn't believe we were in Africa. We also couldn't stop singing The Lion King and calling the animals by their character names in the movie haha. The best moment was when we came within a couple yards of a mama lion nursing her little cubs. It was a really beautiful experience.
Day 2 we went to the other national park, Ngorongoro. The park was very different looking than the other one. It was very hilly and had a ton of those super cool trees that you see in movies and stuff haha. There were a ton of giraffes and elephants in this one. We kept coming across herds of elephants crossing the roads, so we would stop for them to pass right by our cars. I was within a yard of massive elephants. It was the most surreal thing ever. We would just sit and watch them for hours. I started counting the amount of elephants in one of the herds and lost track at 42. There were so dang many.
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