A rip in my soul…

It was time to leave. For such a small camp in the middle of the Serengeti, they made Mama Carol feel like a queen. My tent was called Ngiri, which someone said meant wardrobe but I found out later it meant warthog!! I loved those little families of horned and toothy pigs. It was great seeing them kneeling on their front little legs to scavenge for grass. When they run, which they do frequently, they stick their tails up vertically in the air…..?

Whatever time of early morning it was there was always a tray brought to me with a flask of hot coffee and little heart biscuits. At the camp fire each night, all drinks were free. My shower that cleaned me of half the Serengeti dust was outside and faced an empty plain. Whatever solar power does the water was scorchingly hot and the chef was truly amazing and his food was something to write home about.  And then there was my hot water bottle every night and bottles of fresh mineral water whenever I needed it. Some guests were fascinating too, like the Dutch man and his wife and 2 teenage girls. He used to play football for Brighton North Albion?

I felt the rip as I signed the visitors book with my customary little girl cartoon. Sketched with an expression of wonder and binoculars in hand, it said more than I could write. Diana ( second camp manager) came by and said,

“but that is not me!! I only have hair on one side of my head”. This was true, half her head tumbled in luscious tiny long black plaits whilst the other half was bald  So I drew another little girl like her. They came to wave me off with the staff and I couldn’t help filling up and crying. I couldn’t keep the tears in and Elisse tried to make me feel better. He said that it was time for the next chapter. I blubbered that I didn’t want the next chapter, I could skip it and stay longer and leave only to see my son.

He treated the journey to the airstrip like a game drive. Typical of him. But the airstrip was something else. We stood on the landing strip as at least 3 planes  landed next to us,kicking up dust and turning on a sixpence. When mine did arrive, Elisse looked thrilled .  He said that it was the fastest one!!  ?

It looked like a tiny red mosquito to me, it seated 9 people only and the pilot chatted to us while the co pilot plopped all our lugged behind me at the back seat. But leaving my guide was the worst wrench. He had been with me for a week. I could only hug him and whisper that I had no words. Through the little window  I could see him waving by the car. After me he had a week off and would go home. A piece of me stays there, and with those wonderful smiling people.

Hakuna Matata they alway say….. no worries. X