Baboon Wake-Up Call

21 December, Tuesday; Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. We set our alarm to wake us up this morning in time to get breakfast and meet our guide at 8:30. Little did we know that we would not actually need an alarm. Apparently, the baboons that live around our hotel feel that it’s their duty to wake up all of the guests each morning. No, not by making baboon noises, but by running around on the roof and trying to break into your room. We were startled awake by a large baboon jumping onto our balcony, positioning himself on the chair and reaching over to open our sliding glass door. Our hotel doesn’t have A/C, so we were contemplating keeping the door ajar last night, knowing that one of us would have to get up in the middle of the night to close and lock the door. Luckily, we decided against it and Ben closed (and locked!) the door last night. Once we were awake, Ben went out onto the porch to take some photos of the baboons harassing, er, waking up, the neighbors. A few minutes later, another cheeky monkey tried the same thing. Just as it approached the window, I was wondering if we’d relocked the door. Luckily, again, Ben had locked it. Thank goodness! We spoke with a family at breakfast that had been visited by a baboon who apparently has an affinity for hair clips. Must have been a teenage girl baboon.


Beautiful grounds in the morning light	Checking out his possible loot, he can see us in plain sight	And yet he still goes for it

The bar. Feels so luxurious compared to a camping safari.	The unheated pool. Unheated = we didn’t go for a dip.	View down onto Lake Manyara

This morning, we drove through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and got a peek at the crater area where we’ll be visiting on our way back.

A panoramic stitch of 15 photos of the Ngorongoro Crater

A 15 photo panoramic stitch of the Ngorongoro Crater and it still doesn’t do the view justice

We passed many Masai along the way, but didn’t dare take close up photos, for they discourage you from doing this unless you are visiting them in a village. Apparently, this is to keep the Masai from sitting along the road and begging. This way, the money from tourists is shared amongst all of the Masai. Despite this Ben still took a few photos!


A Masai	A Masai village

The roads today were nearly all unpaved. Although this isn’t nice on my tush, it’s for the sake of the animals to allow them to migrate where they like. Bumpy roads are also not nice to vehicles, as evidenced by our flat tire this morning. Thanks to our speedy and skilled driver/guide, Moses, we were on our way again quickly. Ben helped a bit when the truck slipped off the jack. While waiting, I was approached by a young Masai herdsman, but I didn’t ask to take his photo. He was looking for food and I felt bad that I could (nor should) offer him any.

After a box lunch at the main gate to Serengeti National Park, we are on our way into the park.

We can’t believe the number of zebras and wildebeest that heavily dot the horizon. We can really understand why the migration is so exciting. There are a ridiculous number of them surrounding us.