Tails Of Africa!
(Another in the continuing ser
ies describing a group of Tryon
residents' recent visit to Africa.)
After the hair-raising
encounter at Lake Manyara there
was a tendency to think the next
destination might be tame by
comparison — and in a way it
was. To leave it at that, however,
ignores the unique character of
the Ngorongoro crater and its
several distinctive eco-systems.
Located 50 miles south of Lake
Manyara in the Highland Forest
Country, this is one of the worlds
largest craters — or more
accurately, calderas — with a
nine mile diameter.
The setting of the Ngorongoro
Lodge is not unlike that at Lake
Manyara in that it too perches
high above the crater floor at an
elevation of 8000 ft. providing
awesome vistas of the Tananian
landscape. Typical of the tribe’s
Modus Operandi, the members
skulked into this new camp hot.
dusty, and somewhat roadweary,
but these afflictions were easily
cured by food, drink, and
showers, leaving everyone ready
for the hunt. As a descent into the
crater bowl requires special
vehicles and a full day, the
afternoon was at leisure followed
by an evening of shared
reflections and anticipation
Even in Africa dawn at 8000
feet is invigoratingly chilly, so
when the tribe gathered the next
morning awaiting word t0 ^
the 4-wheel drive rovers, all the
shivering was not from
excitment. The first rays of
sunlight creeping over the
horizon warmed both the body
and the spirit through and the
little caravan snaked out of the
compound towards the crater
^Thesteep. serpentine route into
thlerater is, itself, an experience
tests vour trust in
whl a h ^ners and manufacturers
the designers j nu tems
of aUtO, 7 p O or so of r 8 oad drops
f«t from a saddle on
ab0U rim to the floor, and
the crater m sev( , ra| sw itch-
any one o di aslero us for a
backs «ou!d be is miles
vehicle travel! ng ove dnvc . f
per 110 Ms ever gone over the
an ? one d he'll just laugh, shake
side and he I J ^ wa
his Tis probably swahiin for
which is P‘”„.
I’ll never te ' ' ,„ the crater
safely were treated to the
noor "uv to photograph some
°PP° rtUn ' t Ue herders Well -
Masai cattle
actually we were allowed to
PURCHASE the opportunity to
photograph some Masai men who
said they were there to herd their
cows. But there weren't any
cows No but they’re coming. By
themselves? No some women and
children were bringing them.
Then the women and children
were herding the cows? Yeah.
Then what are you guys doing
here? Pictures! But we can’t be
here unless we got cows and
they’re coming. You wanna take
pictures? So we paid our money
— not very much as I recall —
and took our pictures. As far as I
know the cows are still coming.
The road system within the
crater is not as extensive as those
of other parks and reserves so
close encounters of any kind are
left somewhat to change. After
viewing a large herd of cape
buffalo — the thin black line on
the horizon — a trio of rhino at
about a half mile and assorted
other area residents at distances
ranging from medium to far the
crater was in danger of losing its
luster. As this rush to judgment
was barely in its infancy out of
the grass strode simba the black
maned lion for which the crater is
famous. As though briefed by the
local tourist board he sauntered
directly towards us and beyond to
a near by waterhole where he
lapped a short drink before
yawning and curling up for a
siesta and looking for all the
world like Dorothy’s cowardly
lion. A roll of film or so later we
were on our way with spirits and
expectations renewed.
Though the day unfolded into a
nearly continuous succession of
wildlife sightings some near
some far one would have to say
that the place itself is the event.
The tortuous trial into the crater
the apparant tranquility of the
ever so gently rolling plains the
lake fringed with flamingos the
wide variety of bird and mammal
species... all these are
components of a truly unique
natural tapestry.
In the waning atternoon we
began our grinding ascent of the
even more precipitous exit route
from the crater and headed
home. Later when the dust of the
way had been washed away we
sat on the crater rim watching
the grey curtain of dusk slowly
decend upon the land. He
remembered and felt grateful for
being in this place. — Reporter,
Joe Hamlin
R^ad The Bulletin
l or Local News