We had to get up at 3:30 AM to effect this little adventure. And we'd do it again! Jan and I were the only ones in our group that had signed up for this optional activity. The lodge manager had a nice coffee and tea service set out for us in the reception area when we got up there at 4:30. A driver from the balloon folks picked us up at the lodge, and drove us over two hours to the balloon site. It was still dark, and we enjoyed the drive and the driver, Jamal, who chatted amiably and pointed out various nocturnal wildlife.
Just hot air, you say?
Jamal assured us all would be ok...
Our pilot, Johnnie. Johnnie, from the UK, also pilots balloons in Myanmar. A capable, fun, and interesting fellow.
Okay, let's do this...
What a sunrise!
There were 2 balloons, so the photos of the balloon are of the other balloon, from our balloon.
We saw quite a bit of wildlife from our birds-eye view...
Apparently there was an area here called, appropriately, Hyena Gorge.
Cape Buffalo
Lots of Hippos
Even a Cheetah!
Our shadow in the early morning light only added to the wonder...
Also shadowing us were our safari vehicles...
But wait, there's more!
Johnnie nailed the landing, and then we were treated to a champagne toast at this impromptu tableau on the Serengeti Plain. This gent told the story of a couple of enterprising French men, who decided to learn if it was safe for man to go up in a balloon (balloon flight was actually Man's first flying experience). They first sent up animals. These balloons would sometimes drift over farmers' fields, causing alarm that someone was trying to ruin their crops, so the farmers would try to run the balloons off. So, once they were going up in the balloons themselves they always took a bottle of champagne to share with any irate farmers. I guess whatever it takes to justify a champagne toast at 8:00 AM!
Jan allowed as how it was an ok day...
But wait, there's more!
And to top it off, we were served a fancy breakfast... under an acacia tree... on the Serengeti Plain... surrounded by exotic animals...
A Bustard, saved from ignominy, they say, by the fortunate placement of a vowel...
Gazelles
Already a good day by most any measure, but it was only 10:00 AM when we finished our breakfast and rejoined the rest of the group for some ground-level animal viewing. Move over, Marines!
So we were forced to spend the rest of the day watching animals from ground level... sigh...
We saw both rock hyrax and tree hyrax on this trip. A hyrax looks like a rodent, but is most closely related to elephants and manatees. Who knew?!! We saw Rock Hyrax on our first trip to Africa in Hermanus,
South Africa while watching whales from shore.
The Candelabra Tree
Jumanne and the drivers were amazing at spotting animals.
This lion charged at our vehicle. They don't usually even seem to notice us. We had the top up, and windows open. Yes, we were scared there for a few seconds! The lion had a bad foot, and was there with a female so there were possibly young ones nearby as well. Our guide said this rarely happens.
