Halfway through the Northern Serengeti

Our trip extension to the far north is so different than where we have traveled thus far.  Our group of six, now halved: Jackie, Justin, me.  

At this moment we are in the middle of a wildebeest migration, near Migration Camp. Just as incredible as the zebra migration 4 days ago near the Seronera River. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed as this is one of the reasons we extended the trip, hoping to encounter these tens of thousands of wildebeest as they move north toward the famous Mara River.  Dense masses of wildebeest as far as the eye can see in all directions.  The eerie grunting calls of the leaders, generals, resonating loudly as they command the herd forward.

We leave the migration and head north on the "main" road. A lonely lane of bumpy washboard, red dirt, boulders, small streams, mud.  Only a few side circuits jetting out, their terrain worse, at times even impassable. Second gear, third gear, back to second, first, never engaging fourth. Poly poly, slow.  "Bumping" Justin often calls out in his sing songy voice from the driver's seat. "Hold on and close the windows" as we drive through muddy streams.  "Floor it" Jackie and I cry out in unison as we cross a small river bed, strategizing how to get up the bank.

The  tsetse flies we have for the most part avoided are out in full force. Flying teeth.  There is no weapon known to fight them off, only soothing your bloody battle scars at the end of the day.

A comfortable silence is sharply contrasted by the noise of the road.  An occasional calling out of a sighting: warthog,  impala, topi, ostrich, klipspringer, zebra, water buck. A squeal of delight and immediate command of "stop" from Jackie, aka Mama Tembo,  when we encounter elephant. 

The Serengeti plains seem to go on forever. Light green mark the plains, dark green the trees. Tall grasses grow along the sides of the road, not yet consumed by the impending migration. 

My dream of seeing the wildebeest cross the crocodile infested Mara River into Kenya is soon to become reality.