Final day in Tarangire National Park (have I said yet that it is my favorite?!) and we see a cheetah waking. She looks around a bit, then moves on to roll in some tall grass. Completely relaxed and supple in her movements. Singular cheetahs are usually females, while multiples are mostly brothers sticking together for life.
Elephant family meets Lion family
Often we have amazing daily experiences and our first entry to
Tarangire National Park was such a treat! After stopping to admire the
Buffalo Weavers and Superb Starlings, we saw a pride of 12 satisfied
sleeping lions. Within minutes, Bobbi pipes up excitedly from the back
seat, "look in front of us!" Off in the distance, there was an
elephant family calmly grazing. After driving and watching them for a
bit, I noticed that their direction of travel, combined with a
crosswind, would likely create an unexpected meeting between the two
tribes.
We softly took our exit to position and wait for the potential
connection to come. The lions slept, the elephants contentedly grazed,
the wind blew diagonally between them and the lookout lion first
sighted the grey Tembo. She calmly waited and watched as the first
small group passed just on the far side of the meter high hillock they
lounged on. The grass hid their black tipped ears. Then as the second
ele' family approached on a collision course, the breezes swirled,
mixing lion scent with the smells of the earthy elephants. All parties
went on guard immediately checking the danger and possible exits for
their respective families.
As nature knows, harmony is preferred to fighting and conflict...
After a few minutes of posturing: mama elephants circling the youngest
babes, lions crouching to make a run for it and teenageelephant
males ('false') charging, both saw the way free of each other. Led by
a young newly maned lion, the eleven followed him in a line through
the largest gap in the action. As they left, the momma elephants took
the other direction, babes still tightly encircled, all moving as one.
Only once they were sure danger was past, did they relax their
protective body blocking and allow the herd to disperse and walk more
calmly.
The silence engulfing our 4x4 erupted into smiles of joy, reflecting
the almost unbelievable experience of such a spectacle unfolding right
beside us. Karibu (well come) Tarangire!
Shanga (Bead)
As my safari guests will attest, Shanga is one of my favorite places. They employ disabled people (very rare in a place with an approximate 50% unemployment rate) and they are the only place in the country to recycle. Beautiful products come out of here and you may order on their website if you wish. We had a wonderful lunch followed by a short tour of the different artisans.
Safari Guest Blog
"People come to East Africa for many reasons. Yet at our core, I believe we come because we long to have our souls touched deeply and our spirits open widely in a manner not possible in the routines of our daily lives.
This is what we are all seeking, whether we know it or not; to experience and expand a part of ourselves that we don't quite know how to get to and yet, when the expansions happens, we are never the same. A permeate shift that has us be more respectful of each other as well as more joyful in our hearts.
When I began this trip, I wondered how long before I would feel my heart beating with Africa's heartbeat, falling deeply in love with the people and her land. The answer: just a day for her magnificence is breathtaking.
The Tanzanian people believe it is their obligation to save their wild life. The diversity and richness of their land, the pride of and commitment for their country, culture and animals has changed me forever. I am humbled and grateful." Merle McKinley
Subnote: Merle had a lovely experience connecting with a young bull elephant. He stopped, listened to her and moved on a few steps, then stopped once again and acknowledged her. It was a really special moment for all of us.
Arusha Seamstress
We began the morning with a short stroll through town, searching for the colorful cloth that is so popular here. Along the way, we admired the incredible balance, strength and grace of the local people.
After searching through a multicolored variety that was a feast to the eyes, two of our group chose a vivid purple and yellow patterned fabric, while the others purchased blues and reds. While we are on safari, some will be made into table covers and napkins, dresses and another a shirt. Here our friend Agnessis measuring Galen for the correct shirt measurements.