On To Oliver's...

One of the reasons that David wanted to start us in Tarangire rather than go immediately to the Serengeti was that he wanted to train us to spot and identify game. It seems the part of our brain called the amygdala is hardwired for this activity, but we use it so little in the modern world that the ability atrophies. Getting the most out of a safari requires that the ability be exercised, and Tarangire, with its varied terrain and large game population, is ideal for that.

After we left Tarangire lodge, we had another 20 or so miles to cover before we arrived at our final destination, Oliver's Camp. There was plenty of game to see on the way, too - many of the same animals already seen, but also gazelles and a variety of birds including::

ostrich, instantly identifiable in the distance as a black dot hovering above the ground (this is a male - the females are more drably colored.

the brilliant lilac breasted roller (note the long double tail),

bee eaters, constantly on the move

fish eagles, this juvenile will become a powerful raptor the size of a North American bald eagle with similar coloration (but more white on th e neck and breast),

maribu storks, who always seem to be supervising vultures,

pelicans, efficient fishermen, cooperating when they can, and

vultures (better pictures later, but I liked this one because it was so foreboding).













Once we reached the Silale Swamp, however, we started to see some amazing things.

It is kind of hard to see in the tiny picture in the blog, but if you click on the image for a larger view and look carefully you will see a line of tiny dots in the distance. The lack of visual references makes it hard to determine how far away they are, but each of these dots is an elephant:

There are literally hundreds of them visible. We were soon to see them much closer,

with one family group in particular crossing a deep muddy area right near the road.

A couple of the little ones had some difficult negotiating the muck. This scene would come back to haunt us in a couple of days.

About this time we heard through the grapevine (the safari trucks stop and pass along information when they meet) that there were leopard near a picnic area up ahead. This prompted us to be extra vigilant and we were lucky enough to see two different leopards during our drive in to camp.

Leopard sightings are uncommon, and two in one day are rare. These guys were just laying up in trees waiting out the heat of the day. Leopards are stealth hunters active mostly at night, and while it would have been nice to get better pictures from closer, we're quite happy with these. Leopards are scary - much more so than even lions. I wouldn't turn my back on either, but leopards from a distance are just fine with me, thankyouverymuch.

The swamp gave us our first good look at a (very dirty) hyena, as well.














The star attractions here were the elephants and leopards, though. After a while it was time to move on, still aiming for camp before sunset. After we left the swamp the terrain was was covered with a lot of scrub acacia, so game spotting was more difficult. We finally rolled into camp about 5 pm, dusty, tired, and happy.

Calling Oliver's Camp a "camp" is kind of like calling a cruise ship a boat. Technically correct, but a considerable understatement. Oliver's, now permanent, was established by Paul Oliver as a seasonal camp some 20 years ago. After being sold to Asilia in 2004,, the camp was moved to its present location and made permanent. It is in a location in which both walking safaris and night game drives are allowed; activities not usually undertaken in the Tanzanian bush.

The accomodations at Oliver's, while technically tents (the walls can be unzipped and left open, if you are so inclined), are actually much more.

Our tent had a private outdoor hot shower (heated by a solar collector), as well as an indoor flush toilet and sink.

The decor was wonderful, the bed comfortable and netted, and the views exceptional. As this was Catherine's first camping experience of any kind, this was fine with her. She is a city girl, and her idea of camping is more "room service with a view" than "sleeping on the ground and cooking in a single pot". I think it is going to be hard to get her to go out on a real camping trip now, though...

The first thing that happens when you arrive at any camp is that you are given a briefing. Mealtimes, camp culture (happy hour around the fire pit, for example), and camp safety. It is strictly forbidden to leave the tent after dusk without an escort. There are no fences, and it is not at all uncommon to hear animals walking around your tent at night. Elephants, big cats, even a startled gazelle could do serious damage. If you need something, a radio is provided and always monitored. If there is a true emergency (an elephant decided to push over the tent, for example) an airhorn is provided to bring the cavalry running. The odds of something like this happening are remote, but best to be prepared.

We settled into our tent, had a shower, and wandered back up to the lounge area (we were the last tent to the north, about 150 yards away) to meet David for a drink. This gave us a chance to talk about the day and confirm our plans for the next day - a walking safari in the morning and a night game drive in the evening. Lots of anticipation in those activities. After meeting some of the other guests around the fire, dinner was convened about 8. I don't remember what was served, but all of the evening food in the camps was wonderful. After eating our fill, we were escorted back to our tent where we went to bed full, happy, and hardly believing that we were in Africa, let alone the things that we had seen so far.