East Africa Part 7

East Africa Journal: Days 7-11

Day 7 –June 5
Today brought both a practical tip and a quirky surprise. First, a travel truth: gas stations in East Africa are unexpectedly wonderful pit stops. Clean bathrooms and all. Second, our safari guide, Witress Emmanuel Nassary, revealed his nickname “Watercress.”

It’s a curious moniker for someone so grounded and knowledgeable, but fitting perhaps – besides taking folks on safaris, he’s also a farmer. Witress holds a degree in Tourism and a master’s in Natural Resource Assessment and Management, and he was born and raised near Kilimanjaro. I tried to look up the origin of his name online, but every search turned into “waitress.” I wish I’d asked him directly if it held a special meaning.

Witress introduced us to Angel Deus, a proud member of the Changa tribe. She welcomed us to her village, Mwaba, and guided us through lush rice fields. Lunch was a hands-on adventure in an open-air kitchen, where we prepared our own meal: a fresh salad with tomatoes, onions, spinach, garlic, cucumbers – and yes, watercress. We dined on beef chapatis, cooked bananas, rice and avocado, and sipped ginger beer, banana beer, and some banana wine.

We also had our first ride in a tuk-tuk – a tiny, three-wheeled motor taxi that zips through places larger vehicles can’t reach.
Angel talked to us about her village. She explained that public schools teach only Swahili, while private schools offer both Swahili and English. Before formal schooling, children speak their tribal language – one of over 100 across Tanzania and Kenya.

Later, we browsed a bustling market filled with wood carvings, banana leaf paintings, jewelry, clothing, spices, and food – though no pork, out of respect for the Muslim community. Pork and alcohol are sold elsewhere.

We ended the day at Tloma Lodge in Karatu, nestled beside a coffee plantation.

I also learned that kale isn’t exactly a favorite food here. Locals call it “push week” – a nickname that means your stretching your food supply and eating kale until better options are available. So, if someone offers you “push week,” and you’re not a fan of kale, consider yourself warned.

If you’re from the American South and love “push week” like I do, you can ignore the warning and enjoy.

We spent the day exploring the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which is technically a caldera, like Yellowstone, but they call it a crater.

Wildlife sightings included a Kori Bustard (the world’s heaviest non-flying bird), a close encounter with an elephant, Thompson Gazelles (nicknamed “Tommies”), Grant’s Gazelles, Wildebeest, Crown Cranes, and a stunning Serval Cat that we watched hunt and devour a mouse.

Day 9 – June 7
We were up early – breakfast at 5:30 after a night filled with barking dogs (guarding homes from hyenas) and a lively birthday party hosted by French tourists. At dawn, the call to worship from a nearby mosque added a serene note to the morning.

Our visits today took us to the Hadzabe and Dtoga tribes. The Hadzabe, numbering only about 1,300, speak a click language that defies written transcription. They’ve preserved their way of life for over a thousand years and move frequently. Witress had sent a guide ahead by motorcycle the night before to locate them for our visit. Their hunting routines vary by time of day – larger game like gazelles in the morning, smaller animals like mongoose, dik dik, and baboons in the evening. Our Hadzabe guide gave a theatrical demonstration of their eight types of arrows, keeping us laughing throughout. We even learned a few phrases in their click language – an unforgettable experience.

The Dtoga tribe specialize in metalwork, crafting blades, knives, arrowheads, and jewelry. The Hadzabe source their arrowheads from them.

Back at the lodge, we toured the coffee plantation. Phillipe, the owner, proudly shared that Starbucks buys his coffee beans.

Coffee trees live about 60 years, starting as seedlings, then moving to pots, and finally being planted in the grove after 1 ½ years.
We took turns roasting beans and learned that even a few seconds of neglect can burn and ruin the batch. You have to keep turning – no stopping to rest.

We also learned about the local honeybees – tiny and stingless. At first, they seemed like a dream alternative to stinging bees, but it turns out they’re fiercely territorial. If introduced elsewhere, they’d destroy native bee populations by tearing off the wings of intruders.

Day 10 – June 8
Breakfast was a treat. French toast, eggs, ground beef with cinnamon, tree tomato chutney, and local honey. We learned about a peculiar fly that can land on you and remain motionless for hours – appearing dead but very much alive. Sort of like those movies where the scary villain keeps popping up.

After a long drive to our Serengeti camp, we were greeted with warm washcloths and vegetable samosas before settling into our tents.

A hippo lingered near the fence line, reminding us why resorts provide escorts after dark and before light in the morning. I felt safe, but that night I had a vivid nightmare – likely a side effect of the malaria medication, Malarone. I dreamt that an animal was attacking me, and my roommate struggled to wake me. Frightening, but it never happened again, and better than risking malaria.

Day 11 – June 9
Our safari drive through the Serengeti was filled with wildlife, but we were especially eager to spot a leopard – the elusive Chui. You scan the trees for a dangling tail. The highlight though came when we witnessed something our guide, Witress, had never seen in his 25 years’ experience.

We drove approximately fifteen miles and saw nothing but mile after mile after mile of wildebeest in every direction. Since the land is very flat -you can see very far in the distance. Witress explained that what we were seeing was well over one million, maybe even two million wildebeest, stretching in every direction. The wildebeest, also known as the gnu. A sea of gnus! Truly indescribable.

Something I never gnu I’d ever experience!

Tamela is a proofreader and book editor; she hosts paint parties for adults, art and drama camp for kids, and is the art teacher at May River Montessori. www.tamelamaxim.com www.artposseproductions.com