Three scorpions under Bev’s tent this morning…one was the fattest we’ve seen so far. It had small pinchers and a big tail…would’ve packed a punch!
We had a feeling that we were going to see an abundance of animals today, and our intuition was correct. Within ten minutes, we saw two female giraffes strolling along. They noticed us too, with their curious glances, staring at us as we came closer. From the trees on the left ran a very large male (much darker in colour) who appeared to be upset that we were so near his family. This is the first time we saw any signs of anxiousness or agitation from a giraffe. They walked in front of us for some time, somehow guiding us, until they veered off course and disappeared into the trees. Barabara explained that they switched courses because they must’ve sensed something ahead.
We continued towards Lions Rock, which we quickly decided was worth climbing. The camels continued along the road, and eight of us started our ascent. The view on top, overlooking the Serengeti Plains, was 360 degrees of breathtaking views. Halfway down, Matura (our devoted safari dog) stopped and started sniffing, Marefu (our devoted local Maasai guide) showed us paw prints in the dirt, and Barabara pointed out a den, which he said the lion was there, inside!
After that, we passed many more paw prints in the sandy soil. Then, rather suddenly, our keen guide Karasha noticed three lions walking just in the distance. We broke off and walked slowly towards them, and Bev was able to photograph the lioness, but the male and the cub escaped her lens. We knew they were there, as we could see them running in the low bushes. What a thrill…to be walking so close to the King of the Savannah and his family!
We are now at camp, with our tents placed around where the camels will be hobbled for the night. This is much-needed protection for them, as they are the ones the lions are interested in, not us. We will protect them, as they are family now.
