From what I've heard, safari means adventure.
When we entered Tanzania at the beginning of last month, we had heard that Tanzania has the best safaris in all of Africa. Then we also heard that the best safari in Tanzania is the Ngorongoro crater safari.
After some talk, seven of the 14 girls in our house decided to go.
Yes, we signed up for an adventure, but we got more of an adventure than we bargained for!
We expected our journey to consist of a 3 hour drive to the park, one hour into the crater, a few hours inside of the crater, then a four trip home. However, our journey took a turn for the worst and resulted in our safari turning into two long days!
Here's a look at our crazy journey – but God's hand was all over us – divine appointments, rainbows, and more:
Wednesday, February 20:
5:00 Wake up
6:00 Get a call from Moses, our driver, asking for directions to our house
6:40 Moses calls back – he's at the primary school nearby – where we don't live – wondering where we are. We tell him we will walk there to meet him.
6:45 We begin walking to the school. As soon as we step out of our compound, Kirby slips on the sand and cuts her knee! Monica claims this is NOT prophetic of our day – Andrea and Shelli quickly tend to Kirby by cleaning her wound and bandaging it. Then we set off for the school.
7:00 Arrive at the school, meet Moses, load up into the truck and set off on our "adventure"!
7:15 Begin playing African music, for example, the Lion King
9:45 Stop for breakfast
10:50 Return to the truck after breakfast – we discover the hood up and a man underneath working on the engine…
11:10 Begin our journey again
11:37 Pull off the road due to the engine overheating
12:30 Stop in town at a garage to fix the fan – we walk around to kill time – we were told it would take 1-5 hours!
12:45 Liz meets and then leads Jonathan to Christ
13:08 Find a cool little restaurant to hang out in until Moses is down fixing the truck
14:45 Find Internet
15:35 Walk back to the shop to find Moses
15:55 Meet Moses – he informs us we won't be able to go on the safari today because of the time, we'll have to stay over night in a lodge and go early in the morning. We say staying overnight is not an option, we need to return to Arusha and come back tomorrow. Moses calls his boss to see what can be done.
16:15 Moses returns and again says we need to stay the night – we again refuse. Moses leaves to call his boss again – he drives away in the truck – panic sweeps through us and we fear he won't return.
16:40 Moses returns! Andrea talks to him then she talks to his boss. We are going home and coming back tomorrow!
17:05 Walk to the truck – It's not ready – it's getting the alignment fixed and tires replaced
17:20 Back in the truck heading home
18:20 See a beautiful rainbow – God's promise!
18:24 Moses spots a giraffe, immediately stopping the truck on the side of the road!
20:20 It starts to rain
20:21 We discover a leaky roof!
21:00 Home sweet home! Except for the fact that Moses gets the truck stuck in the mud right outside our compound!
21:03 Attempt to push the truck out of the muddy hole
21:05 The truck is out!
21:30 Dinner!
22:00 Bed!
Thursday, February 21:
5:15 Wake up!
5:25 Read Jesus Calling, the first line says, "trust and thankfulness will lead you safely through this day…"
5:55 Moses arrived
5:57 Walk to the truck
6:00 Pray over the day. Upon the completion of the prayer, Moses puts the truck in gear and heads out
6:01 Start the day with worship music
8:22 Stop for breakfast – same place, different day
9:38 Leave the restaurant – next stop, ZEBRAS
10:21 Avoid hitting a herd of goats!
10:35 We random stop along side the road – the engine is overheating!
10:45 Leave gas station and push on towards the safari
10:50 Swerve to avoid hitting sheep!
11:30 Arrive at the entrance of Ngorongoro Conservatory! After over 12 hours in the truck, we're excited to finally be here!
11:45 Enter Ngorongoro – see TONS of baboons!
12:08 Stop to see the view and take pictures
13:08 Final bathroom stop …
13:30 Enter the crater. We see: zebras, wildebeest, warthogs, hyenas, elephants, rhinos, flamingos, gazelles, ducks, birds, one lion
15:50 Leave the crater – if the truck makes it, that is!
17:30 Exit the park
18:10 Stop at the same garage as yesterday – this time it's only for water
18:34 Back on the road again!
19:10 Stop due to the truck overheating again!
20:00 back on the road – hoping the next stop is home
20:44 Stop at a security checkpoint – they say we shouldn't be out this late due to thieves!
21:00 Andrea receives a text from Pastor – he's worried about us and wants updates every 10 minutes!
21:11 Pull off road into a vacant lot, in the pouring rain and lightening – Moses fills the engine with more water – we pray for God's protects against the thieves!
21:20 The windows become fogged – Monica becomes the defroster!
22:22 Reach another security checkpoint – apparently we are breaking a rule/law by traveling in a safari truck this late!
23:04 Stop for gas
23:15 Finally arrive home!
23:20 Discover the chapati that was awaiting us is locked inside of Pastor's house!
23:50 Lay down for bed without eating dinner 🙁
Although the safari wasn't quite what we expected and we seemed to experience problem after problem, we all had a great time! We encouraged each other to maintain positive attitudes – we followed what Jesus Calling instructed us to do – trust and thankfulness will lead you safely through this day – and it certainly led us safely they the day!
