Ian's Tanzania Blog: Cradle of Man and The Shifting Sands

On our way back now from the Serengeti to the Ngorogoro Crater for 2 nights stay. We had our first flat. each vehicle carries two spares and as we learned after having a flat and being a pre down ... your vehicle is up front of the caravan. You will notice the giraffe behind in the background. The drivers were very nervous that we were out of the car. Any stop they keep people in check and safe. The danger of being attacked and dragged of is unlike anywhere else in the world.

We came across this guy lying on the side of the road. He eventually got up and wandered away. They are pretty mangy but always aware and watching you carefully .. kinda sneaky looking like expected.

The animals after a couple of good rains seemed to be gathering. At all times there were hundreds dotting the horizon. Here a large group of zebra. One of my favorites below as two zebra assume a position that is both social and safe using their tails to keep insects of each others backs while scanning for predators in all directions. These guys were right by the road and we often slow for thompson gazelles, zebra, wildebeest or others as they show an intention to cross.

We stopped for lunch at the park entrance and saw two thing new to me. One an amazing circular rainbow straight overhead and around the sun. I laid on my back for this shot. Also finally saw a lizard David Sawe has been speaking about. This fellow is called the Agama Lizard who is know by the guides as the one that moves .. does a few push-ups ... then moves again. This is fitting given Shaun and my exercise regiment to get what little exercise we can. No runs down the road for sure around here!

Next stop the olduvai Gorge, the archaeological site also known as "The Cradle of Mankind”. You may remember Lucy in national Geographic .. this is where she was found along with 27 meters of some of the earliest footprints ever found. It is in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania. It is 48 km and 45 km from the Laetoli archaeological site. The name is a misspelling of Oldupai, based was originally missheard .. then correctly adopted as the official name in 2005. Oldupai is the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant which grows in the gorge. Olduvai Gorge is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world and has been instrumental in furthering the understanding of early human evelution. The site was occupied by homo habilis approximately 1.9 million years ago, Paranthropus boisei 1.8 million years ago, and homo erectus 1.2 million years ago. Homo sapiens are dated to have occupied the site 17,000 years ago.

This site is also significant in showing increased developmental and social complexities in hominins. Evidence of this is shown in the production and use of stone tools, which indicates the increase in cognitive capacities and social interaction.

These colorful guys kept us occupied as we heard the talk and ate lunch.

Next stop Shifting Sands .. a crazy drive up the Gorge and across Maasai cattle land. I was not too interested in but went with the group and found it one of the highlights. A huge drifing and moving pile of magnetic sand that travels 17-25 meters annually. It originated hundreds of thousands of years ago when a mountain with a footprint bigger than Kilimingaro blew sky high. ever since this pile has been shifting ... seen as spiritual to the Maasai. You can see a marker from 1985 below with the sand some 500 meters off in the distance... truly amazing how this thing is marching across the earth.

You see very small numbers of Massai throughout the countryside. One was tending his cattle close to the sand. Before long we had 10 or so with us. I offered juice bos in exchange for a photo and they passed it around not knowing what it was. Eventually one of them put his machete into the top of it. (They also carry a spear and a club) The crecent shaped 6 meter high mount of sand is spiritual to them. We had obtained permission to visit.

I befriended this fellow with 500 Tsch and the mango juice. He and his buddy later asked if I had a pencil and I gave them two Canada pencils and sharpeners that I showed them how to work. Very amazing interaction.