Mikumi National Park

as a reward for getting halfway through training (hard to believe that that has already happened), the training staff let us plan a mini one night weekend safari to mikumi national park which is 2 hours by bus away from morogoro. so this last weekend we crammed 31 of us into a mid size bus (known here as coasters) which should probably only hold about 25 people max, and took off to see some sweet wildlife.

our hotel was on the opposite side of the park boundaries from where we were coming so we were able to see giraffes, zebras, gazelles, and a few elephants through some trees, and tried to snap some photos but the best photos would come later...

after a few hours on our own (where i had my first bite of raw sugar cane), we took off for an afternoon safari. we each paid 20 USD to get in through the park's main gate and we got a guide to tell us a little about the animals. on that trip we saw more buffalo (which ran at the bus before stopping short), giraffes, a couple families of elephants (some of which were right next to the road we were on as we were leaving), zebras, gazelles, a jackal, baboons, warthogs and giraffes. we were also treated to an incredible sunset over the savannah. the savannah itself was incredibly beautiful and majestic. i was awestruck at how much beauty was in the simplicity of open plains dotted with puffy clouds and sporadic trees that give shade from the heat. and the trees themselves, like the beobab tree, are unlike any you've ever seen...

that night to celebrate being halfway done and having finished language exams (both written and oral), we went out for rice, beans, and a healthy helping of beer and card games. needless to say, we had a good time and stayed out late enough to make getting up at 5:30 the next morning pretty difficult...

we got up so early sunday so that we might see some lions (which supposedly come out early). we were all excited to see them, and fantasized about seeing them hunt down a gazelle or something. unfortunately, we didn't see them, but we did get to see a pool filled with a family of hippos as well as crocodiles. we were actually allowed out of the bus at that point, at which point i was a little frightened i would lose a limb, and got to see a croc make a move at some large geese, but apparently was scared off by their honking because it promptly turned around. we also saw a wildebeast and some guinea foul, along with the same animals we saw the day before. the family of elephants we saw in the morning had a really little baby elephant which was cool to see. it was really great to bee out on the savannah once again and experiencing a landscape unlike any other i have ever been to. now i kind of understand why some people love the great plains of america so much. so all in all, my first safari in africa was incredible and i look forward to one in the future, though next time hopefully some predators and a rhino will pop their heads out...