Day 4 Safari TseTse Flies

Not to be confused with the Greek tzatziki fly, the African tsetse fly is the real deal.

Our game drive starts early so it's cooler and the tse tse flies are plentiful and persistent, a moving car no challenge to their ability to be a bloody nuisance. They have a red hot go at mauling us as we drive through the greener shrubs. These buggers will bite through clothes, socks and hurt like a Mofo. Industrial strength insect repellent provides little resistance, if anything, add to their challenge. These buggers are the size of house flies and along with the mozzies carry malaria thus testing our gold plated malaria medication. 

Did we mention we have been wearing the same clothes for four days now and no amount of showering gets rid of the dusty feeling. We are sparing with our clothes this week as we could only bring one soft bag, no more than 15kgs on safari. 

Today is our last game drive through the  Serengeti plains, this afternoon we head for the Ngorongoro Crater. Well hasn't this morning started with a bang! We understand now what a safari is all about.  No sooner had we left our lodge that the chatter on the two-way radio told that there were two leopards lounging in a tree not far from our lodge. Hussan was quick with the U-turn because on safari you follow the animals movements. Within minutes a swarm of 4wds descend on the location to watch nature at play, or in this case doing not much at all! One leopard was perched high in the tree, the other low, but still with great vantage points. It's amazing how animals in their habitat can hold in wonder humans attention.

Leopards tick, next more Cheetah action! We came across four Cheetah walking through the long grass wondering where their next meal was coming from. Well we think they new as a herd of Gazelle were close by. They casually ambled through the grass, nothing to see here people, just Cheetah out for a stroll! What they were doing was positioning themselves for a kill. We were told they were a mother and young adults. So many mouths to feed, so much to do. The younger ones separated from mum, mum disappeared in a flash and before we knew It she caught a young gazelle. WTF how did that happen, it was a blink and miss it moment! 

Mum dragged the prey under a cool tree but the kids had lost sight of her. Some 15 minutes later they all reconnected under the tree and started to eat. It's guts went this way and that way!