Weekends: Safaris + Pics

Our weekends here have been just as busy and enjoyable as the weekdays. And I'm still passed out by 10pm and up with the roosters. Who am I and what happened to Jessica??

Last weekend we headed out on a safari (the word safari actually just means trip). We first stopped and met the Maasai tribe. Meeting them felt like I was inside a National Geographic report. Maasai society is strongly patriarchal in nature. They practice polygomy so each "village" often has one husband, 6 wives, and all the children. I can't fathom the dynamics and jealousy. They are nomadic in nature and build huts made of cow dung and sticks to live in.

We were fascinated learning about how boys become men. When they are 13 or so boys are sent (literally) into the 'bush' for circumcision without an anesthetic. The ritual is performed by the elders in the tribe with a machete. The boy is not allowed to cry or he is not considered a man. Until the healing is complete (a 3-4 month period) they wear black and stay in the bush (wild) to show they are warriors that are coming of age. We saw many of these boys alongside the road with their faces painted showing that they are participating in this rite. Young women also undergo genital mutilation as a rite of passage. Makes our years in puberty seem   pretty harmless.

Maasai

The meeting of the tribe was incredibly interesting. We tried not to stare at the elongated earlobes with earrings you've probably seen in pictures, or the flies that land on their face that just sit there because they don't bother them. I was amazed they never swat those annoying flies off! They are so used to it they don't even feel them anymore. For about the 10,000th time that week I felt like the paranoid American. Nothing seems to bother people in Tanzania. Nothing at all, they are always happy. We can learn a lot from this attitude on life.

The Massai women each welcomed us and we sang and danced which is tradition. This involved a lot of jumping. Apparently I am an excellent jumper and they were thrilled with the air that I could get. See below for reference.

The next two days were spent with our amazing guides from Pristine Trails Epi and Luis. We headed to Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara where we pretty much saw everything you could have imagined. 4 of the big 5 were spotted before lunch!

A teenage lion according to Declan and Mac based on the length of his mane

The zebras are stunning in person

Kaylee, Michelle and I. You will see this outfit in all 700 photos I've taken.

Me, driving the safari car (dream!) pointing out the giraffe.

Epi and Musa, our guides from Pristine Trails let me drive the Safari car in Arusha National Park yesterday. I haven't driven a stick shift in more than 10 years but it was quite a thrill to be driving the land-rover. I only stalled a few times, (when I of course couldn't move the car for one trying to get by) so we had a quick Chinese fire-drill to get off the path. 

The biggest thrill was when we were coming over the hill and right in front of us were a handful of giraffes crossing the road. Bananas! I was nervous for a minute I would hit them but all was fine. Don't worry mom, this is all completely safe :) I haven't seen a stoplight in this country yet and figure my odds are more likely to be hit by a cab in NY while crossing the street then hitting a giraffe with a car. For the walking portion of the day we had a bad-ass (female!) Ranger with us that had a gun. Just wait for more pics. It is just like Jurassic Park, except this is a much safer version of that story and no one dies. 

On Saturday we  took a day hike up Kilimanjaro, also known as "Her Majesty"  or "The Roof of Africa." We did 9 miles and it poured rain the entire time. The jungle is beautiful though and the monkeys were swinging right over our heads. It was amazing to see and feel the climate change just from those few miles, the vegetation already began to adjust to the higher altitude and coolness. I CANNOT believe I have signed up for 6 days of this! With no shower! Good thing I packed approximately 1,436 wipes. I'm saving all of my daily Swahili prayers for safety and success on this adventure. I'm already telling myself it's the journey not the destination. Musa assures me that I'll make it to the summit as long as I take it "polepole", which means "very slowly." Everyone says it takes mental determination and he promises he will take care of me and get me down the mountain if I get altitude sickness. I made him repeat the warning signs so Elena, we are all set.

I'm in a groove at school and will send updates on the kiddies later this week. Emmanuel and I now "carpool" for our muddy walk home. We each talk to each other in a totally different language but so far, it's the best part of my day.