Hakuna Matata: SAFARI TIME!

   

SAFARI DAY! This past weekend, we went on safari. On Friday morning, we woke up at 3:30am so that we could leave our house by 4:30 to get to the game park. The game park is a protected area where animals are, but it is not fenced in. It was about a 2 hour drive and we drove through many rural parts of Rwanda. These parts were much more of what I expected Rwanda to be like. The houses huts, motor vehicles rarely passed through, and many children didn't go to school. As we drove by in our legit safari vans, children would come out screaming, Mzungu Mzungu (which means foreigner). Every child that came running had a big smile on their face.

On our way through the rural parts of Rwanda, our vans shook as we went over bumpy dirt roads. As we are driving along, Freddie, my van's driver, flies over a huge bump and our heads go bouncing up the the ceiling. We drive for about 15 seconds before we come to a stop. Flat tire. Each vehicle comes with 2 extra tires, so we all got out while our driver put the new tire on. Many kids were on their way to school, but when they saw a bunch of Mzungus hanging out in the street, they stopped and watched. Many of the children would smile and wave and occasionally some would ask us in a very formulaic way, "What is your name?" As time went by, Jordan showed the children his watch and asked, "School, time?" Immediately, all the children go sprinting off to school, waving as they turn around to look at us. 

We eventually made it to Akagera park where we saw animals of all sorts. We saw several packs of zebras, as well as giraffes, baboons, hippos, cobs,  water buffalo and a few others. Each pack of animals was sure to have a baby in it. The pack of giraffes we saw was absolutely incredible. We went off the dirt road into the field to try and get as close as possible to the pack of 13 giraffes. Seeing all of these animals in the peacefulness and beauty of God's creation was incredible! We drove around the park until around 3:30 in the afternoon and then we headed to our camp sight which was on the top of a mountain. When we got to the top, we unpacked our cars, pitched our tents and just hung out  in a gazebo until we were ready to start to make dinner. Within minutes of being there, we noticed an alpha male baboon circling our gazebo. Cautiously, we watched it as it got closer and closer to us. Eventually, it got close enough that it jumped up onto the three foot wall of the gazebo. Jordon, our leader ran because he had told us that they were very vicious animals and we didn't want to mess with them. 

This is the baboon that ate our food!

We all slowly backed away as we continued to watch what it was going to do. Almost as if it were a human being, it walked over to our food, picked up peanuts in one hand, and took some cookies in the other hand. He then proceeded to go sit under a tree that was 15 yards away and we watched him eat. The next day, we woke up at 7, made oatmeal over the fire, and headed out around 8:30am. From about 8:30 to 1 we went on search for elephants, but we were unsuccessful. We saw poop and foot prints, but no elephants! On our way back, Ryan and I rode on top of the car, in the front through all the villages. Kids would again, come running out, waving and screaming, "Mzungu, Mzungu!" People of all ages would smile and wave. Traveling through those villages was such an eye opener. Kigali is nothing like the rest of Rwanda. My heart broke  for those people, but in reality. they may be living the best life, with caring communities and loving on Christ. Not many people can say that they have been on an African Safari. It was an incredible trip.

All of the giraffe pictures are for Nanny!

Children from rural villages in Rwanda

Weirdest looking animals!