It was pure serendipity that we went on an African safari, but we are forever grateful that we did. We combined a visit with my brother and sister-in-law, a doctor and nurse volunteering at a hospital in Uganda with a safari to Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.<br><br>Enjoy reading about what it was like to volunteer at a hospital in a small town in southwestern Uganda and the excitement and adventure of trekking mountain gorillas in Rwanda, camel rides in the rugged northern frontier of Kenya, safaris in the magical "Green Hills" of Africa in southeast Kenya, the lost world of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, the mysterious shifting sands of Tanzania, close encounters with wild animals on the Serengeti Plain and the iconic Great Wildebeest Migration.<br><br>Meet the many different and interesting people we encountered on safari and learn about the fabulous eco-lodges we stayed at. Travel with us across East Africa in small planes and safari cars for the many wonderful experiences that made this the trip-of-a-lifetime for us and our friends.
Оглавление
Thomas Walsh. African Safari Adventures
CHAPTER 1. GUHONDA
CHAPTER 2. CHUCK THE SAFARI PLANNER
CHAPTER 3. INTO AFRICA
CHAPTER 4. BILL AND KATE
CHAPTER 5. RWANDA
CHAPTER 6. THE HIRWA GROUP
CHAPTER 7. THE GENOCIDE MEMORIAL
CHAPTER 8. KENYA
CHAPTER 9. SABUK
CHAPTER 10. CAMPI YA KANZI
CHAPTER 11. TANZANIA
CHAPTER 12. NGORONGORO FARMHOUSE
CHAPTER 13. NGORONGORO CRATER
CHAPTER 14. BUSHMEN
CHAPTER 15. OLDUVAI GORGE
CHAPTER 16. THE SHIFTING SANDS OF TANZANIA
CHAPTER 17. THE SERENGETI
CHAPTER 18. SERENGETI SAFARI
CHAPTER 19. THE LIONS AND THE KOPJE
CHAPTER 20. THE WILDEBEEST MIGRATION
CHAPTER 21. THE RETURN TRIP
PERMISSIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Guhonda woke lazily from a mid-morning nap. He slowly sat up in a position like a Buddha. Being the leader and protector of the Sabyinyo Group of mountain gorillas he instinctively moved his massive head from side-to-side looking around the camp to make sure all the members of his group were present and safe. The other gorillas were still sleeping or just starting to rouse. The group had spent the first part of the morning, when the mist was still thick on the volcano, munching on the tender shoots of the bamboo growing beside their camp. It was never ending work finding and eating 40 to 60 pounds of vegetation a day so the gorillas were happy to nap whenever Guhonda decided he wanted to rest.
The Sabyinyo Group, named after the volcano that was their home, had 12 members. Guhonda, the patriarch is the largest of the silverback mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. He weighs almost 500 lbs. and stands six feet tall as a biped. He is a gentle giant with a broad swath of grey fur down his back. But if the group is threatened he can become a ferocious ape ready to fight to the death to protect his family. The other members of the Sabyinyo Group included a second, younger silverback, adult females, male blackbacks and some children.
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Paul said the gorillas loved to eat bamboo shoots as they are sweet and moist. The natural sugar in the shoots ferments in the cane and gives the gorillas a mild alcohol high lending to their already mellow disposition. Trackers dedicated to the Sabyinyo Group had left earlier in the morning and already located the gorilla family. Paul had a walkie talkie radio which he used to stay in touch with the trackers. He told the group that the trackers carried high powered rifles for protection against poachers and Cape buffalo. The Cape buffalo, which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, is very aggressive and highly dangerous to humans. Paul said the Cape buffalo is considered the most dangerous animal in the wild, because they are so aggressive, more so than lions or elephants.
We slowly climbed higher into the forest. As we ascended the foliage became dense and was covered in moisture. Leaves slid under our feet on the slippery mountainside, which had become like a tropical rain forest. Paul had to use a machete to open the trail. We brought along leather gloves to wear on the trek because they were on the recommended equipment list. We were glad we did. Some of the plants you have to grab climbing the mountainside have nettles that can become imbedded in your skin and give burning sensations for hours. The plants with nettles were fearsome and plentiful along the trail.
