1/27/14: SAFARI DAY 2: BIRDWALK & IRAQW VILLAGE WALK
We slept fairly well, except that I woke up with my nose running and eyes burning in the middle of the night, but went back to sleep to wake up at 6:15 am for a bird walk. Here's a list of the brilliantly colorful birds for the two early morning walks taken with Henry Kasaine, a self taught ornithologist, who was very sensitive and knowledgeable about all the local birds. The grounds are gorgeous, with many flowers and trees that attract a myriad of colorful birds. Yehudah made a list, which we will include here. We didn't take photos but rather focused on seeing with our small binoculars:
Amethyst, bronze, variable, scolding and collared sunbird
Bagalafitch weaverbird
African pied wagtail
Yellow vented bull
Tropical boubou
House & rufous sparrow
Speckled mousebird
African paradise flycatcher
Black throated wattles eye
Zebra wax bill
Wire tailed swallow
Blue and white ?
Marsh eagle *
Red billed fire finch
Thick billed seedeater
Purple grenadier
Cape robin-chat*
Yellow backed oriole
Grey backed cameloptara
Scolding asarbird
Holubus weaverbird
* - heard but not seen
He also pointed out many plants in the gorgeous gardens surrounding Endoro Lodge, including a purple camel's foot plant. I recognized lavender and many of the herbs and vegetables.
After breakfast we set out via car to meet Paolo, a man who is keeping the traditional dances and songs alive and who has been chosen to be the next chief of a large village called Iraqw, pronouncing the w as a gutteral "choo" like the Hebrew chai. He knew about Hebrew pronunciation, is studying French and is self-taught, having been an orphan in his youth. He was pretty amusing.
Women are called by their husband's name, so Mama Yehudah and Mama John were our names for the day. He taught us some basic Iraqw words for greeting.
And off we went with his eldest son.
We took a walk to the former deceased chief's house quite a walk away, on red dirt paths. We visited with his widow, age 64, dressed in a torn tee shirt and simple material around her waist, with her cows, many goats and sheep. The goats live in a gated part of her house, which is quite dark, with her fire for cooking, her traditional simple bed and the bed of her deceased husband. I shared that she and I are both 64 years old, which seemed to delight her. The second house was for all the children and some of the grandchildren. She has many of each.
We then walked to the Njiapanda Primary school, visited with the Headmistress, Agnes, and one classroom of older kids. They sang a welcome song to us and then another which they danced to. We introduced ourselves, I taught them Happiness, then Che Che Kule, better for a group of 90 students in a crowded classroom. They asked us many questions and we asked them questions. Maasai Wanderings supports this school in many ways and we were pleased that we were on a combines cultural and animal safari as we were in turn able to help the school and others in a small way.
We met Paolo at a lunch place with a place to eat our boxed lunches, then walked to see a brick making demonstration, then wound up at his house for a taste of ugali with some simple veggies. Ugali is the same as poshe in Uganda, a corn meal based staple you eat with your fingers scooping up the vegetables.
His wife dressed us two women up in traditional outfits, plus the men donned traditional cloth. We then took turns dancing with him playing a traditional stringed instrument and his wife and daughter dancing with us. That was great fun.
Muba got us in the car and took us to see a group of woodcarvers sitting and carving ebony. We were given a short talk about the process then wandered around to pick a few items to buy, then told we were welcome to bargain. Both couples did quite well and bought beautiful items.
It poured as soon as we got in the car, with thunder and lightening. We are right on the edge of the Ngorogoro Crater and Conservation Area. We made use of the bathtub in our luxurious digs. Then Yehudah went swimming in the little pool. There he saw wire-tail swallows dipping down to grab insects in the evening light and a rainbow in the distance. He twisted his ankle rushing for the bus in Nairobi and the walk made it act up. Later, he got some ice for it and was glad that the next few days will involve just sitting in the vehicle. I am laying on the bed trying to catch up with our journal. Dinner is in 15 minutes. I feel a bit sick from so much exertion on such a hot day, so want to rest.
Tomorrow we leave for the major part of our animal watching.
Unfortunately, the walk was very long, it was in the afternoon and very hot and I think I got heat exhaustion, because in the evening I wound up feeling miserable, puking and having diarrhea all night long. It was awful. No one else was affected by the food or anything, but something got me. BRAT diet was my friend in the morning and afternoon the next day. What was good was that it was only throughout the night and I was fine, although tired, the next day, for the game drive in SERENGETI.
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