Lions, Giraffes and Gorillas Oh My

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We had missed breakfast by this time and it was very hot, but our vehicle had a good roof and Jeremiah had plenty of snacks, so we decided to follow the elephants, as they looked like they were going to the dam.

 

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Elephants are very cute in the water, particularly the young ones who refuse to get back out. We stayed there until midday watching them

 

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I had had a few minor dizzy fits since coming to Tanzania and the high temperatures.

It finally caught up at lunch time. I had a lovely lunch and lots of water to drink, but by the time dessert arrived, I was feeling very dizzy. I looked at the beautiful Pineapple Mille fleur and told Mr FM I couldn't eat it. He helped me into the room at the back, as he thought it would be cooler, but it wasn't. I told him I was going to throw up, so he went racing off for help, but not in time.

By this time I had staff all around, the manager Bronwen had phoned the paramedic and on his advice they brought me apple juice and ice cloths. Couldn't drink the apple juice, but the ice cloths helped enough, so I could walk to the golf cart and get back to our cottage.

Singeta Grumeti keep a full medical facility and Bronwen said Francis soon arrived in an ambulance with flashing lights and they sent him and his offsider to me with a full array of gadgets.

Francis did a very thorough check, including taking a blood sample to check blood sugar. He was a bit worried about my pulse rate, but after I reassured him it was normally high 40s to low 50s he gave me the all clear. I was banned from a game drive in the afternoon and had to rest and keep cool. I really appreciated the care, even though I suspect it was just getting overheated and maybe fluctuating blood pressure. I noticed last year my blood pressure really fell in he summer to 95 over 69 and my doctor took me off medication. Next time I will take my monitor with me!

I still wasn't feeling great, so happy to rest and read all afternoon and sent Mr FM off for a game drive with strict instructions not to find any cheetah. He promised me faithfully he wouldn't.

 

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Of course he lied, as they found a lovely Mum and baby at a kill Mother Cheetahs are beautiful and really put their cubs first, unlike lions.

 

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The next morning was cooler and I was feeling terrific so off we went looking for Mama and baby. And looked and looked and looked......

Then we heard a leopard couple were hunting wildebeest, so we gave up on Cheetah and went to see.

The older male had had one try and missed and was hiding in the drainage ditch. The wildebeest looked like they hadn't a care in the world. This was never going to end well for them.

 

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And it didn"t

 

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We hoped to see him take it up a tree, but he dragged it back into the drainage ditch. Jeremiah said it was too heavy and they would need to eat some first.

In the afternoon we heard he had killed another full sized willdebeest. We went to have look and he was lying looking quite exhausted. His mate who seemed to do nothing except look pretty in a tree was tucking in.

 

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Not everything is death and mayhem - there are beautiful babies around

 

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ans some more

 

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We saw some interesting action with a hyena, two jackals and some vultures. Normally they wouldn't tackle a hyena, but he had an injured leg. The female jackal lay down at a distance, but the male jackal was pretty feisty and nipped at the hyena. He couldn't fend off the vultures but was there in the midst of them having a feed.

 

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Afternoon tea at Sasakwa before setting off on a game drive.

 

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Sasakwa consists of a central "manor house, with all sorts of pretty spaces and where meals are served.

 

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some more

 

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There is room for 34 guest in very private cottages set in the grounds. We had the standard 1 bedroom, but there are two, three and even a four bedroom cottage.

 

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Good bathroom and dressing room

 

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Best of all the plunge pool with monkeys and baboons that came frequently to drink

 

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I didn't try to challenge them for occupation - just lay on my day bed outside and watched.

 

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Our final day arrived and I told Jeremiah he had to find the Mama Cheetah for me, so he did

 

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Did I mention I loved Cheetahs?

 

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Just a few more....