9 Ruaha, here we come!

Tuesday, October 10

   We woke up early again to take a hike to the falls.  Packed up our suitcases and took them down with us so they can get loaded in the van by 10 while we are hiking.  We met up to start our hike. Russ informed us that Mary1 had slipped on the wet sidewalk and hurt her knee.  She wouldn't be going with us.  Deb2 chose not to go also.  Our guide, James, asked if we wanted to go on the shorter easier route that would take us 40 minutes and or the longer one.  Since we were pressed for time and we weren't feeling too confident, it was unanimous for the shorter one.  Good choice because it was a tough climb for us.  Our knees and thighs got sore. They gave us walking sticks to use on our hike and for good reason. We didn't go to the very top of the waterfall, but just to a good viewpoint.  We did have to climb a few rocks to get there, but the security guard who followed us helped me.  We had to cross a scary bridge, too.  For some reason it just terrified me and I couldn't even take the first step.  Our guide had to come back and help me across.  The falls weren't that spectacular and we didn't see any of the black monkeys that Edward was raving about.

Udzungwa Falls

     I scraped my arm on a branch squeezing between 2 trees.  I washed it real well when I showered for the 2nd time when we got back.   We were all dripping with sweat.  We had some breakfast at the same table we sat at last night. I just had bread and fruit. We gathered at the reception area and saw that Mary1 was hurting a lot more than we thought.  She couldn't put any weight on her leg.  They finally got a wheelchair and some ice for her.  That at least helped her get to the Rover.  Set her up in the backseat with pillows and her ice bag.  We had a long trip ahead of us to our next stop-Ruaha National Park, about 6 hours away.  We worried about Mary and her knee especially over the first bumpy road we had to go over.  The plan was to stop at Iringa and have her checked out at a hospital.
     We left Udzungwa at 10:00 (right on schedule).  Stopped three different places for gas until we found one that had some.  They even had restrooms there (although the hole in the ground kind). Another 100 km to Iringa and when we got there we stopped at Sai Villa, the hotel we had stayed there while working at the school.  There was a conference going on in the main room, but they were nice enough to let use use a bathroom in one of the rooms (the one I stayed in).   Mary1, Russ, Deb1 and Edward were going to stay there and take Mary to the hospital.  Our vehicle with Michael as our guide went on to Ruaha Game Park - another 2 1/2 hours on gravel roads. Ugh!

The check in spot for Ruaha

     When we got to Ruaha National Park, the sun was going down (more gorgeous photos).  We just beat the 6:00 deadline.  If you don't get to the park before 6, they won't let you in.  Michael helped us with the check-in.

Sunset over Ruaha

     Then we drove another hour through the park to the camp, Mgwasi Safari Camp.  By then it was dark and they greeted us warmly.  While Alex, our hostess and the camp manager, was talking to us, an elephant walked by.  Alex told us if we were out walking in the camp and and saw an elephant coming close that we should back up and go back into our banda.  She told us we had a whistle in our banda for medical emergencies.  She also said hearing a lion or elephant outside our tent is not an emergency.  It was completely dark by this time so we were led to our bandas by flashlight.  We had no idea what the place looked like, just followed the leader. We had about 20 minutes to freshen up and they came back to take us to dinner.  We were led down sand paths and down a hill into a wide open area surrounded with rocks and lanterns.  It was the dry river bed we learned later.  So cool!   

Photo from website of the camp.  The river was dry now.

     We were first seated in a semi-circle around a bonfire and we could order drinks of any kind.  They also offered us some chips as an appetizer.  We met a British couple from London, Chris and Rebecca.  He took a lot of teasing from us and gave it right back.  After our drinks, we were led to a table for our "starter": spinach won ton and grated carrots.  It was actually much better than it sounds-very good.  We were then led to a buffet of many different dishes. Alex explained that all of their food is prepared over a wood fire. The meat was pork so I didn't have any but I tried everything else: potatoes, ratatouille, baked spinach, cauliflower and carrots.  The carrots were the best.  While we were eating, Alex excused herself and said that our other vehicle had arrived and she was going to welcome them.  We all mentally cheered because we knew that Mary1 must be somewhat ok if she was able to travel.  (They had the influence of Asia, the DC, helping them get in after the 6:00 deadline since it was a medical emergency.  It pays to have friends in high places!)  Alex came back and said they weren't going to join us at dinner and would eat in their bandas.  With Mary1's knee injury it would have been hard to get her down to this dining area.   After dinner, we just sat around the table and asked questions about each other's countries.  They came with coffee and tea next.  I thought the salt was sugar (it was in a bowl with a spoon) and put it in my tea.  I had to ask for a new one.  When Alex saw we were tired she called our "taxis" (staff members with flashlights) to lead us back to our bandas.

Outside of our banda

    We had a little time to look around our bandas finally.  It is a tent within a permanent structure made of sticks and stones.  They try to use all natural material.  What little electricity there is (about 4 dim lights) is solar powered and we were told would last all night.  We turned ours off, though, when we went to bed.  The bedroom was enclosed in a large tent that zipped closed in the front and the back. We were told to put any food we brought with us into a trunk and close it tight if we didn't want "visitors".   On the back side was our huge bathroom.  It had a dressing area, which included a basket where we could put dirty clothes and they would take them in the morning to wash them (all except underwear).  There was a flush toilet around one curve and a shower with solar heated water around the other side.  A sink and mirror and towel racks made from driftwood were in the middle.  It was gorgeous.  Made our bandas at the last place, Mikumi, look like the slums.

Looking into the banda from the front veranda.

The bathroom.

The shower area.

Bathroom sink.  

     I washed out some underwear and socks enough to last until I got home, I hoped.  While I was hanging clothes up, I thought I heard a car but then realized it was a lion's roar.  (Alex told me in the morning it was more likely an elephant roar but it sure sounded like a lion to me.)   I could hear other creatures outside in the bushes.  I hoped I could sleep with all the critters, no air conditioning and no CPAP machine.