We're at a true luxury tent camp. This is the place with tents with mahagony bathrooms. We placed a 5:30 wakeup call and sure enough we heard footsteps approach at 5:30 with our coffee and hot cocoa pre breakfast. Why were we up at 5:30 I hear you ask?
Things that go bump in the night - or more accurately, Things that go sniff in the night Those things also kept knocking into the tent. My explanation of an airplane didn't fly this time. (actually he claimed they were birds).

Water buffalo was the probably cause. Anyway up we got up and dressed and called for our escort. We're standing on the porch waiting and suddenly Melanie cries out "something is biting me". She starts slapping her legs and back and legs and then I join the dance. The hell with waiting for the escort - we take off down the path. He meets us halfway to the lodge and we're still slapping ourselves silly. As we walk through the dining hall the manager asks how were and we told him. Perhaps ants? He suggests.

Bingo- off to the restrooms where I pull up my pantslegs and nab the suckers. I'm taking off my shirt when Melanie calls out from the woman's room that she could use help. Off I go bare chested to the rescue! We pull off/up/down her clothes and find quite a collection ants crawling around. Apparantly we had been standing in an ant trail and rather than go around us they just climbed up. We got rid of them and She starts to dress and I button my shirt as I walk towards the exit. The woman I met at the door inside the woman's room looked a bit surprised- well quite a bit. I said " don't mind me, I just had to pick some ants off my wife."

We were feeling a lot better by the time we got to John and the jeep although we had phantom bites for awhile. Why a 6 am game drive? More animal activity than mid day. Again the sky seemed to lighten all at once. About 70 degrees slight overcast the light created an almost impressionistic cast to the scenery as we came off the mountain. We said good morning to some zebras and giraffes took a left and started to cross a stream. Also cape buffalo i asked them to stay away from our tent but they just looked as if they intended to do as they pleased. First thing Melanie saw off to the left was a huge croc. Off to the right were a dozen or more hippos. By off to the right I mean maybe 20 feet. They all just starred at us, snorting on occasion. Really looking right at us.
I saw movement up ahead and saw a late returning hippo tiptoeing home. Yes it really looks like tiptoeing. Once he noticed us he picked up the pace till he got to the bank. Then all grace went out the window and I'll share the photos at a later post.

Next on to the savannah to see a cheetah. David got a good picture of him yawning that well share. We watched him watching gazelles for a long time. Fascinating. Also saw many hyenas. Not pretty animals. Also a mother lion in a bush with some cubs. 15 feet away but she didn't mind and I'm getting less nuts.

We're relaxing at the pool and Michael, who works here is talking to us. He's getting married in September and must give his wife's family a dowery of 5 cows,1 goat, barrel of tobacco and 2 new dresses. David got away easy. Michael also talked about his, what i call an engagement party but he called a fund raiser. This is where people come and give them money towards their wedding. 150 people are invited. Im pretty sure he invited us. Michael also taught us the word mizungo which basically means honkey. Off to lunch now. The waitstaff is wonderful. They all want to know our names. Unfortunately one of the women calls me Melon. I'm going to regret telling you this.

Lastly Disney didn't make this up. People here keep saying una metata - no problem.



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