March 31, 2010
In the morning I discover that one of my fears has come true. A reptile has indeed tried to get into my tent but discovering its inability to, has gone to sleep outside it. I call out to Reuben and before he arrives, the snake slowly slithers away.
What is it about Africa that is so relaxed?
Mattew is assisting Reuben with breakfast but I already know what we are going to eat. Bread and bananas and boiled eggs and coffee made of powder milk. At this point I don’t care because my thoughts are elsewhere. Did Hemingway feel the way I am feeling right now? Or reversely, am I feeling what Hemingway immortalized? I am in the company of two men, both unknown but bound together by a common purpose.
They are bent over the portable stove making breakfast for us.
For me.
Somewhere to our right a waterfall of clouds spills over the crater wall, making for a spectacular view. Immediately out of nowhere tens of Maasai women flock around us. They are out of luck because they won’t be able to sell their goods to Mattew or to me. However they are pretty aggressive and it takes Reuben a considerable amount of time to convince them they are wasting their time.
Time to greet the Big Five!
We descended into the Ngorongoro Crater for our first real adventure that will hopefully involve the big cats. As soon as we descend, we run into an impenetrable wall of zebra and wildebeest.
“We wait for them to pass,” announces Reuben with a grin. “They will move slowly. You cannot make them to move faster.”
So Mathew and I take turns with the binoculars and are duly rewarded. At the edge of the water far away, we spot a cheetah, a tiny speck, but even through the lens, he looked majestic, powerful! A wonderful morning it is to be out here in the crater from which no animals can escape.
“There is a kind of hawk here that can nose-dive to steal your food from your hands. Sometimes it can even take your finger with it. Also if you are lucky, you will see the rhino.”
“Ah.”
Slowly we drive past the animal wall and run into ostriches and a lone tusker. Reuben brakes suddenly.
“Look there – it is the black rhino. Please be silent. Do not move. We will watch.”
The rhino is coming straight for us! Reuben stiffens, but Mathew and I, with no past knowledge of dangers involving charging rhinos, click away. The big black beast thunders his way through grass, passing few meters in front of us, unmindful of our presence and our attention intent only marking his territory. There is a small bird on its back but the rhino knows nothing about it. He snorts and thunders on ahead with only one intention. It is an unforgettable sight.
In the distance pink legged flamingo flock to the water’s edge turning it into a sheet of pink, but wildlife experts can tell you that water’s edge is the most dangerous place to be. It is the hunting ground for predators.
“All animals come to drink water. Then the big animals attack them.”
If I take a frame out of this moment, it will seem as though I am in a peaceful animal paradise. But this is the real, breathing wild that I have only seen in movies. Outside the car is danger.
We haven’t seen the Big Cat although tuskers, rhino and buffalo and other species are easy to find. Something feels amiss. We are aware and Reuben drives home this truth on every given occasion that we cannot predict animal behavior or guarantee animal sighting, but one tends to wish for the King to appear, nevertheless.
No game drive was complete without them. We continue to drive till suddenly we come upon six cars parked close together. That could only mean one thing. The King has made an appearance. In the jungle, no other occasion can invite such bold curiosity.
The Crater falls silent.
Few meters away, the royal couple is engaged in a private moment. The King, his man glowing in the morning sun is letting out satisfied roars. Around him animals graze fearlessly. We watch the lioness roll in the grass and the lion playful paws his girl. Sometime during this affair is taking place, we have stopped breathing.
‘It’s lucky to see a mating lion; you will get married soon.”
Hakuna Matata. It’s a good ideology to live for.
Evening is creeping upon us and we have some distance to cover before turning in for the night at Serengeti. Getting out of the crater requires all of Reuben’s focus because the tracks are muddy but we make it through the steep incline unharmed. It is easy to see why the animals inside the crater can never leave this habitat.
“Guys, I am not sure I want to another animal today, but lions, yes. I want to see more of them. They are something else. Say, what’s with seeing lions that fill you with so much emotion that everything else fails to compare? Do you feel that way? Is it only me?”
“You see many tomorrow,” Reuben says with confidence. “Serengeti is famous for its lions. Many lions there.”
Mattew in a surprise outburst of conversation tells Reuben he is right.
“Legends say that watching a lion mate brings good luck. I sure can do with some luck. For example, I hope it doesn’t rain again.”
“I never heard of that.”
“It’s an old saying. Maybe you have something similar in your country too. You have many animals there.”
“I’ve never seen a lion in India – except in a zoo. This is my first time in the wild.”
“Then you are lucky. You will see.”
Rain clouds are forming and the crater suddenly looks like a gloomy place to be in. Did the animals ever feel trapped?
The drive to Serengeti takes a couple of hours. A sudden rain comes down heavily making progress slow but as we reach Serengeti, the landscape changes to dry and arid. Our camp for the night is Wild Palm Camp which clearly owes its names to the few dry palms sticking out of the arid earth around it. There are a lot of cows around the camp but it has its convenience. I need a shower. The kitchen and the eating facilities have a roof over it and the beer is cold. Interestingly there is a fresh bowl of matunda, Swahili for fruits, and I am glad for it. I am surprised that at last fruits appeal to me. Or perhaps it is the Swahili name for fruits that is appealing. Matunda.
