Simba Rock!

No rest for the weary!  Although we had no safaris planned, David did have plans for us.  Off we went in search of Baobab trees and....Simba Rock!!!!

We drove off into the hinterlands, survived a stop by the police (that's a whole other story, and requires a great deal of wine to tell!!!!!), went off-road, hopped out, and..... found one!

 The Baobab trees are huge and very unusual.  They look like they are upside down - roots reaching for the sky.  

Of course, I was taken by all the flora and fauna all around us ~

Our view as we hiked up ~
 

Made it to the top!

 

Okay, so the angle of the photo isn't great, but if you tilt your head you can probably hear me, errr, Mufasa claiming all the lands before him for his son....  Well, that was the motivation ~

A good friend love's you regardless of your craziness!

 Now for the decent ~

  


Uh-oh - There seems to be a HUGE termite hill in the way!!!

The Chaga People and a Waterfall

When we were on safari in Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, we saw lots of Maasai.  They are a local tribe that has actually been given special permission to continue living in the area of the Ngorongoro Crater (which is why it is a conservation area as opposed to a national park). You see them everywhere carrying sticks and herding goats.  David lives in Moshi, which is Chagga territory, but they share a rather violent history with the Maasai.  We learned this from David and a guide at the Chagga Caves, caves in which the Chagga people would hide from the Maasai during raids.  Then we had the opportunity to look through some examples of the traditional homes of the Chagga.  Pretty sparse, of course, but warm and cozy!

 Down in the caves, making sure we aren't going to get bopped on the head!

 




 A banana tree!!!




























Traditional Chagga huts: 

 

And inside the homes ~

 

The bizarre pineapple plant!

We even saw some long-horned cows on our way to the waterfall!! 










We had quite a little hike up to the waterfall.  It wasn't particularly steep or far, but it was very slippery!!!!!  The views along the way were great, thank goodness!!

 Of course, as slippery as this trail was for us, the locals had no trouble at all!!!!  *sigh* 

We had fun, though!!! :)

Well, except for when we found this slug!  

 Checking out the lower "falls" ~

Totally cool horned lizard!!!

Made it!

The slippery walk was worth it. Coming from the Northwest where waterfalls are plentiful and beautiful, I am sort of a waterfall snob, but this one was truly lovely ~