Tanzania and Masai Mara!

Hello!

I just got back from a fantastic weekend in Masai Mara, Kenya's largest (and best) game reserve- where we saw...::pause for dramatic effect:: elephants! lions! more zebras than there are lakes in MN, ostriches, cheetahs, hippos and more. We were in vans with pop tops so we could easily watch for game, though our driver was much better at spotting animals- especially when we found what our driver calls "bush lions" meaning bushes that look like lions from far off. We left Friday and took a private matatu van up to the park. We arrived pretty late, as the other van we traveled with broke down like 3 times, but nothing a fan belt from a stranger wouldn't fix. We had two person tents, that were all set up for us and had beds with mosquito nets and that were also covered with little tin roof carports, so they were great!

Saturday we got up early, had Kenyan "pancakes"- really crepes, but they were good- and left for the day. We were in the park all day and saw lots of the animals listed above. We took a walk down by the river, saw hippos and crocodiles up close and we got to pet them! (no I'm kidding, don't worry, I'm not petting wild animals on game reserves- ;) )

We had a picnic lunch, and continued on our way. It rained on and off all day, but it was nice because it stayed cool. In the afternoon though it got rather sunny, so hot in fact, that we were able to catch lions napping on the savanna- photos to come soon I promise. We were on the game drive all day, and went back to camp at about 6:30.
-In Kenya, it is illegal for vehicles carrying tourists to be driving after 6:30. My host dad is a tour guide, and told me this was to protect tourists and the industry- sounds like a good plan to me.
The camp we stayed at was guarded by Masai watchmen, they stay up all night and guard the tents from any unwanted visitors.
This morning we got up for an early game drive, had a lion walk literally 5 feet in front of our van- awesome! and drove around for a bit before another round of pancakes and then headed home. The drive home was exciting- no breakdowns this time, but sometimes in Kenya, drivers decide there should be three lanes on the highway when there are only two. So as described, that makes for some exciting/terrifying moments.
All in all the trip was great!

Last week was fine, classes as usual- and last weekend I went to Tanzania!

A group of 13 of us took a shuttle to Arusha, Tanzania. (same crazy roads but I dont think I need to say anymore). Arusha is a smaller city about 2 hours from the border. Speaking of the border, when we got there we learned visas were not $50, but $100. So that was a fun scramble trying to make sure everyone could pay and cross. (They charge Americans $100 because we charge them $100 to come to America- fair trade I figure).
We stayed in the Meru House Inn, it was a great hostel- clean, the beds were comfortable, and only $7 a night. We went out both nights to the Masai Camp- a now restaurant/bar that used to be a camp where tourists came to stay and watch/learn about the Masai. They had great music and one night a preview to the Mama Africa show- which included amazing gymnastics and very flexible people- very entertaining.
Arusha was awesome, the atmosphere was a lot different than Nairobi- much calmer, the people were very nice. I bought a lot of fabric which I'm having made into skirts here! My house help, Eda, went to the tailor for me so that I wouldn't get the muzungo (white traveler) price- so that was really nice of her. And I should get them this week.

The rains have started to come now, they are short and infrequent but hopefully they will start up in full soon. We didn't have running water all of last week- because of the drought+ my host mom said the local fair was using lots of water.
Hopefully we have water today-- I'm heading home now- I do all of my blogging from a cyber cafe because I didn't bring my computer here. But the cyber cafes are great, and its nice to not have to worry about a computer.

I'll write soon!