On the Rim of the Ngorongoro Crater

After an eventful morning game drive, we began the assent to the very top of the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. It was very cold and rainy, but the view was amazing.

We were greeted with a warm towel and a glass of juice as we checked it. All we wanted to do was go to sleep, but we went to dinner and were met with another buffet. With a sour stomach, I was only able to enjoy vicariously through Hailey and John.

We were up for breakfast at 6:30 and out by 7:00ish. I was nervous about the descent into the crater, so as we left, I popped a piece of my stress gum and readied myself. We started out, turned off and, all of a sudden, we were in the bottom of the crater. I have no idea how that happened when we were just at the very top. It made no sense, but I wasn't about to question it. We spent four hours searching. We watched a rhinoceros, the only animal we hadn't seen, from a distance. We parked and watched it for about 45 minutes. Elias told us the president of China was there and he was allowed to drive wherever he wanted and he really wanted to see a rhino. He believed the Chinese entourage would drive toward the rhinoceros, scaring it toward us. That didn't happen, so we settled for our distant view and zoomed in pictures. We saw sleeping lions, who woke up when we turned on the engine, zebras, wildebeests, elephants, and giraffes. We bid out goodbyes, left the crater, on a paved road, I might add, and headed back to Arusha. We flew back to Addis, went to a late dinner and prepared our bags to be ready to fly to Lalibela early the net morning.  

A safari is an incredible experience. One that can't be described in words. To be able to become part of this self contained ecosystem is a privilege I feel lucky to have been able to experience.