Thank-you Deena Alessi-Bowden for encouraging us to do the hot air balloon ride across the Serengeti! We were questioning the price, but the experience and the gourmet champagne breakfast became one of many highlights on this trip.
The early morning start showed that the Serengeti never sleeps. Lions and Lionessess highlighted by the jeeps headlight are a good reminder to not walk around in the dark. our company was Sergengetti Balloon Safaris and 6 loads took off from this location. Then the sun rose in a splash of brilliant orange and red. I won’t lie–I bowed my head and prayed that we wouldn’t land in a sharp-thorned tree or in the middle of a lion pride.
We’d already been on twice a day safari rides, but this was so different from the air. First, I noticed the animal tracks where grass had been beaten down. Lions flanked the zebras to the left and hyenas flanked on the right. We rose up to get a higher view and then drifted down just above the treetops to look at animals closely. There was a hippo in the pool below, but I missed the shot.
The migrating animals form long lines. This zebras seemed never-ending below us. Thousands of Buffalo followed in their hoof prints. A lion scaned animals 360 degrees around from the top of a termite mound.
Too quickly, it’s time to land.
a pefect landing. The clients are squatting inside the basket holding onto support lines. time for champagne. This is a tradition in ballooning since the very first ride was in France, 1783. gourmet breakfast with mimosas and a choice of 3 entrees all freshly cooked.
Before i move on from the Serengeti to our last days in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, let me show you a few of the 105 birds we checked off a list.
There’s only one way in and the same way out on a dusty road. And it’s worth it–even if you have to wear a buff or mask to get to Serengetti National Park. We started driving up the Rift Valley towards the world’s largest crater ( 12 mile diameter and elevation of 7,500′). Ngorongoro Convervation Area is jungle-like and bathed in fog. Animals seem to drift like ghosts along the roadside and then disappear as if they were never there at all.
jungle zone at the craterBam! Crest the top and there’s an instant change to flora and fauna
At the highest point we begin our decent into the grasslands that border the park. Masai villages dot the area with round mud-baked homes and colorfully dressed people roaming through the grasslands pushing livestock onwards. Alongside the road, local people sell whatever they have grown, harvested or made. The dust from fast driving vehicles rises like the fog did earlier in the day. Even with air conditioning on and windows rolled up– dust coats everything.
Masai villagetraditional herders
After we enter the Serengeti National Park, we immediately see herds of Zebra, Gazelles, Impalas and circling hyenas looking for opportunity. We don’t stop often or for long. Our mission today is to get to the Overseas Adventure Tent Camp where we will live for the next 4 days.
side stripped jackal and a Thompson GazelleKori Bustard Grants Gazellewho you lookin’ at?large confusion of Wildebeestsnapping lioness Cokes Hartebeest2 more lioness ( same tree so they hunt togetherTopi
We were in Serengeti camp 1 ( there are 4 run by Overseas Adventure Travel) Our camp had 10 traveler tents with attached bucket hot shower rooms, a flush toilet room and a sink with running water partioned off from the two twin beds. Nights were cool in July, but extra heat wasn’t necessary. The dining tent was in the middle of the compound, and the cook tent and staff tents were located a little behind our sleeping tents.
zebra eating grass next to the tentBob in the dining tent elephants by staff tent
The first night we heard the “whoop-whoop” of hyenas and the bark of zebras all around the area.
Next up: Serengeti safari drives and more night visitors.
My first dreams of Egypt began at my grandmother’s home where my monthly ritual of reading National Geographic Magazine began. There I was–a seven-year-old curled up in an overstuffed chair with my bobby socked feet curled under my Catholic school uniform as I learned about chasing the sun to grasp eternal life. Although the thought of having my brains picked out of my nose during the mummy process gave me pause.
Now older and not necessarily wiser, I searched the risks verses rewards which included negative perceptions in the States about Egypt. My clock keeps ticking and I was done waiting for the perfect time to see these mystic wonders and astounding artifacts. All of us live in an imperfect world. Holding my breath, I clicked the purchase this trip button with Overseas Adventure Travel. Then I went to a book store to purchaseThe Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany.(amazing look at Egyptian culture and the revolution.)
Since we flew in a day early, Bonnye and I booked a driver through the concierge service to take us to the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid at the royal necropolis of Dahshur and to the burial city of Saqqara. It was a fascinating drive, even though our driver got lost and we passed military carrying AK-47’s. Luckily, none of them saw Bonnye taking this picture or else we might still be in jail. ( I highly recommend NOT taking pictures of military anywhere in the world)
Bent Pyramid
This early transitional pyramid is bent because good ol’ Pharaoh Sneferu couldn’t quite figure out the geometry in his quest for a smooth limestone tomb. See the bend half way up? Before the fourth dynasty, all pyramids were step-shaped. This was Sneferu’s second attempt for a geometric tomb after the disaster of the sinking Black Pyramid that is also in Dahshur. The change in angle might also have happened if the building started to become unstable.
It was a kick to walk (and crawl) through the steep shaft down to the two large corbelled chambers built 4,600 years ago. Let me add that there were few people visiting that day, which was great. Imagine being inside the belly of a pyramid with people moving in both directions. It would be impossible with crowds. The added benefit was being able to feel like a real archeologist discovering an empty tomb. The Bent was closed for 50 years because of a nearby army camp so it was an honor to be able to explore.
*** on a side note–if ticket takers offer to take your picture, you are expected to pay them!!!***
Red Pyramid
It took Sneferu three times to figure out the right angle for his tomb in Dahshur. The Red limestone pyramid is the first success as well as the third largest such edifice in Egypt. (His son went on to build the largest–more on that later). It was covered in white Tura limestone but people in Cairo took the blocks for their own buildings. It’s thought that the man known as “the good pharaoh” was buried in the three chambered Red Pyramid. A mummy was found there but it disappeared. Keep an eye out for it on ebay.
There have been recent finds from a queen’s tomb nearby and there are at least 11 other tombs that haven’t been explored yet.
Saggara Necropolis
Nearby the Dashur pyramids is the city of the dead for royalty and merchants from the ancient city of Memphis. It covers an area of 4.3 miles by 0.9 and was surrounded by a 32 foot wall. There are some burials from the second dynasty but It all went crazy with the third dynasty step-pyramid (of Djoser). Everyone wanted to spend eternity with the rock-star king’s so it expanded with an entry courtyard, a court of 40 columns, open courtyards and many smaller tombs called mastabas. Rituals and burials happened here for 3,000 years.
I found several tombs to be very interesting. Idut was the daughter of King Teti (6th dynasty, circa 2,360 B.C.) Her tomb shows every day life with hunters, fishermen, and even a relief of herself carved on the wall. Head west to Inefert’s tomb. He was the prince Vizier and on the walls is a carving of them entering a bedroom with two beds that servants are preparing. The other tomb we tripped on by accident as it’s away from the main complex. Maya, the treasurer of Tutankhamun has beautiful carved walls.
***Be prepared—there are men at the main entrance who act like they’re going to show you around. At first I thought it was included in the entry to the UNESCO World Heritage site. But I quickly figured out that they wanted to be paid. I stopped the man rushing us down the entry hallway and said, “I don’t want a guide. I won’t pay you!” He continued to follow and tried to show us things. I told him at least 3 more times that I wouldn’t pay him before he got snippy and made comments about “you’re rich from America.” I had to raise my voice to get him to leave us alone. It happened again at Maya’s tomb. I again warned the man who ended up cursing me. We were so frustrated we didn’t finish looking at the tombs in that direction. I’m certain that if we had a man with us this would have been handled quickly and quietly.***
Adventure Quest 