African Safari Misadventures – the Prelude
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Have you ever gone on an African Safari? That’s a silly question to ask most people since there is only a small percentage of people that have had the great adventure of such a safari. So let’s put it another way. Have you ever had a great time doing anything, but in the process there were little things that seemed to creep up and maybe annoy you or threaten to ruin things at the time? Sure, we all have at one time or another.
Well that’s exactly what happened to us, little things seemed to creep up that we had no control over for our great African Safari. Incidents we’d rather not experience, and some annoying little inconveniences. It was a first for Safari Kay where a confluence of all sorts of unforeseen circumstances seemed to intervene to make our safari one we might regret. But that’s not what happened. In fact it was the opposite. It’s too long to detail all the wonderful experiences we had, but take a look at the websites mentioned here and you can get an idea of what an African Safari is.
These incidents detailed here are not the normal things that happen, but an aberration that probably would occur once in a lifetime, if at all. In fact, I went on a similar safari in 2008 and not one of these incidents or anything like it occurred. We had no problems there or here in the U.S. This 2010 reunion safari in which the annoyances indicated here occurred was also a first for all of us, all of which had been on safaris before except for one person. So here you are getting an inside look at incidents you will not see on other travel sites. Not too many would dare publicize these events if it happened to them. In fact, it’s quite likely I will get chewed out by Safari Kay for publishing this article. So if this long series of articles combined into one and any related articles are suddenly removed you’ll know why.
In spite of such once in a lifetime mishaps we had to go through, this safari turned out to be the best one Kay, myself, and the others in our group have ever experienced. My wife, who was making her first African Safari, just loved it. She finally saw the adorable elephants she so admired and even picked up the nickname Mama Tembo, tembo meaning elephant in Swahili, the native language there. It seemed like all the little troubles we seemed to have heightened the real safari adventure.
Destined To Travel African Safari Adventure
On this safari several incidents happened to us that surprised everyone because not only do they rarely happen, if ever, but all of them were out of our control. In spite of everything it was a great African Safari adventure. Several of us had already been on an African safari with Safari Kay of SafariKay.com who heads her Destined To Travel agency. There she arranges and accompanies small intimate groups of safari travelers to one of the African countries where safaris are allowed. Those are the safe countries in Africa where there are no wars or war lords ruling over their carved out territories. Where Kay does her safaris there are no famines and people fleeing the country like you hear every so often on TV.
Planning our Tanzania Africa Safari
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa: Click image for credit
Africa Safari Planning Experience
Kay has done this dozens of times, not only for her safari groups she escorts there, but for herself and other travel agents she sometimes travels with. When she goes with other travel agents it is usually with a FAM (familiarization) group that goes with the purpose of getting familiar with accommodations, the various camps and tours available, and other necessary arrangements, including the very important safari guides if they are necessary.
In many, but not all cases, the different camps and safaris have their own guides, but in some cases they don’t or you might want to use a guide that you have worked with before or for other reasons. All this and many other details have to be planned and coordinated to mesh seamlessly together. The casual safari goer probably doesn’t have a clue to all the legwork that has to be done for one to go on a week or two safari. It’s a lot, and because so much of it has to be done in advance sometimes there are unintended changes that need to be made.
Arranging and Planning Flights
One of the most important, if not the most important is arranging for the plane flight over there. As most of you are aware of, plane fares change almost daily. So to know the costs of several flights that have to be synchronized with each other a year or so in advance is difficult. Because of such advance planning/ exact plane fares are not known until closer to the actual flight time.
Departing for Los Angeles Airport (LAX)
Away to Africa
Easy Shuttle Trip to LAX
All we needed to do was take the shuttle, which had been arranged a week or two in advance, to the airport. It seemed so easy and all of us had taken the shuttle several times in the past for various trips that required us flying from LAX (Los Angeles Airport) instead of Ontario Airport which was just a few minutes away. In almost all cases except international flights we would take flights from Ontario as it was so easy, far less traffic, easier parking, and often cheaper than leaving from LAX.
It was easy. Tomorrow we were leaving. Just meet the shuttle at Kay’s front door at 5:15 in the morning and away we go. We slept overnight at Kay’s house so there would be no unforeseen problem of us getting there so early in the morning. No morning hour rush traffic which would have already started even earlier than we were leaving.
The Misadventure begins
But it was not to be. The easy shuttle trip we were to take to LAX ended after we all boarded the shuttle van and the driver said he had one more passenger to pick up. We were supposed to be the only ones in the shuttle and it had been confirmed many days in advance.
That’s when the great African Safari misadventure began.
Continued … see #1 Airport Shuttle
(OOPS! I forgot the Airport Shuttle episode …resolved, see below)
African Safari Misadventures – #1 Los Angeles Airport Shuttle
We were highly anticipating our upcoming African Safari back to Tanzania, Africa. It was essentially going to be a reunion safari, going back to And Beyond’s Camp 1 in the Serengeti. They setup mobile luxury tented camps near the famous wildebeest/zebra migration from Tanzania to Kenya and back.
Wilderbeest in the Serengeti in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania Africa 2008
All of us were veterans of African Safaris, except my wife, who was making this her first safari. Personally, myself, I had never had any inclinations to visit Africa, having always thought safaris were for the wealthy. But I was convinced two years ago by Safari Kay and now this was to be my second African Safari. Surprisingly, the cost of our safari, although not really cheap, was no more than some of the trips often seen on TV game shows. Some of those trips, even in the USA or nearby, were more expensive than our safari trip to Africa.
Generally that huge wildebeest/zebra migration occurs every year, the wildebeest following the water. It’s an amazing sight to see – hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras spread out across the land, sometimes as far as you can see.
We had to get to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by 7:00 am so to be sure we made it with no mishaps Safari Kay had arranged for a Los Angeles airport shuttle to pick us up at 5:15 am. It’s about 90 minutes to the airport from Kay’s home in Eastvale, a new city at the far north of Corona, near Ontario, California.
Safari Kay, taking care of all the bases, had made sure we would be getting a shuttle that would take us directly to the airport instead of picking up other passengers.
Los Angeles Airport Shuttle - a necessity if you live in the Inland Empire like I do.
The shuttle was there promptly at the designated time and we loaded our luggage. I was there with my wife Laureta and all three of us were to meet the rest of the group at the airport. They all lived in different locations in Southern California closer to the airport than us.
Finally – heading for the airport
We left, heading for the freeway to take us to the airport. However, the LAX airport shuttle driver said he had to swing by Downey, some 30 miles away to pick up two other passengers. That couldn’t be – we had specified a direct route, non-stop, to the airport. The driver said he had to pick up these passengers so he headed there. Now it would be a real tight schedule and we might be late. There was nothing we could do but hope we made it in time. It was too late to make other arrangements.
Los Angeles airport shuttle unscheduled stop
We arrived at the house in Downey California and the driver went up to the door and rang the bell. Nothing happened. He rang again and again. Still nothing happened. He went around the back to another house in the rear and knocked there. There was nothing, no response, no noise, no activity.
Typical Los Angeles freeway traffic on Sunday morning, taken in 2004
We were really upset because we could be late and that’s a disaster when we had several planes on our agenda to reach Tanzania Africa. The Los Angeles airport shuttle driver called his dispatch and told them of the situation. He was instructed to wait some 25 minutes more as that was the time he was to pick them up, 6:30 AM. He told them we had to be at the airport at 7:00, but that didn’t change his instructions.
Now we were really scared we would be late. We all waited and waited, with the LAX shuttle driver again trying both houses with no results. Ten minutes went by. Twenty minutes went by and we were all very upset and in a near panic. Only a minute or two to go until the deadline was reached when the driver could leave since the supposed passengers were nowhere to be seen.
Saved in the nick of time
The Los Angeles airport shuttle driver started up the engine of the van and turned around to see if it was clear to backup. When he did, he noticed a car flying down the street toward us. The street was a dead end and we were at the very end where it was blocked off. The car quickly swerved in the driveway of the house we were at. Two people quickly got out and said they just made it in time.
Apparently there had been some mix-up in the time and that couple had not verified to the shuttle company they were still going. But that company policy forced the driver to wait regardless. It turned out the couple didn’t even live there, but it was the house of the man’s parents who were out of town. Now it was only a half an hour to go before we had to be at the airport. It was fully rush-hour traffic and relatively close to Los Angeles where we would probably feel the full force of the freeways being a huge parking lot with nothing but stop and go traffic.
We made it to LAX in time!
To the airport we go
The shuttle driver sped away, headed to the airport. We were very lucky it was early Sunday morning and there was virtually no traffic. We were very surprised at the light traffic so close to Los Angeles. It seemed like for us further away from Los Angeles the freeways are always crowded, even on weekends. I remember a time long ago when only a few freeways were very crowded, but now I doubt any of the freeways in Southern California are spared the onslaught of cars most of the time even on weekends.
This was a first for me seeing such a light amount of traffic in recent years, even on a Sunday. It was clear sailing almost a straight shot to the airport. The man who had just gotten in was very familiar with the area, having been raised there, and told our driver a quick way to get to the 105 Freeway.
Arriving at LAX like clockwork
The Los Angeles airport shuttle driver took our new passenger’s advice and amazingly we arrived at the airport at two minutes to seven. We were all very relieved, including the driver, and we quickly departed into the airport after getting our luggage and tipping. We realized the driver had no choice but to follow his instructions, even though he had wanted to leave when no one showed up. Had he done so against his orders he probably would have lost his job.
We were lucky we made it on time in spite of that big scare. We would be on our way soon …at least we thought so. But this was only the first of a whole series of misadventures of our African Safari.
Continued … see #2 Passport Issues
African Safari Misadventures – #2 U.S. Passport Issues
Our shuttle driver seemed to be driving casually while we were all sweating, hoping against hope that we would make it to the airport by 7 am when we had to check in. It was now rush hour when the freeways are usually jammed and going is unusually slow and stop-and-go is the byword instead of the non-rush-hour traffic of 60 + mph.
LAX-International-checkin: Click image for larger view
Arriving at LAX
Amazingly we arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in time, at about a couple of minutes to seven. Once there we met up with the rest of the group. Safari Kay, being the world traveler that she is, went to a special counter for VIP’s or some such other special class of people. The rest of us waited in line, a long line.
Long lines are common at LAX
One of those in our group, Cynthia, had arrived early and had already checked in. She was one of the few in the group who had been on other African safaris with Safari Kay and knew exactly what to do. The rest of us waited a few minutes until Kay checked in and came to guide us to the right place for us to check in. One of us in the group tried to use the self-check-in device, but it wouldn’t accept them. Another tried the same thing and that didn’t work for them either.
U.S Passport Issues
Kay called an assistant and she tried to check us in. The assistant had no luck either. All the while many other people came, checked in, and left while we waited for the assistant to do her magic. Well this time her magic did not work and only two of our group of eight was able to check-in. Kay went to another check-in counter to see if they could determine what the problem was.
US Passport issues - this is the culprit
One clerk at the counter tried to check us in, but was having problems. Somehow the computer system would not accept our passports. The last thing we needed was U.S. Passport issues as we were late for the plane. She conferred with another clerk at that counter and they both seemed baffled, then calls were made to someone by one of the counter clerks to find out what the problem was. We waited, and waited. No results.
Others came and went, but not us
Other travelers came and went with no problem. We were unable to find out exactly what the problem was that kept our group from checking in. After waiting for about twenty minutes we were moved to a more experienced counter clerk who seemed to know more how the system worked. Soon both the former clerk and the one handling our tickets were trying all sorts of things to get the system to accept us.
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Kay tried to solve the problem
During this time Kay was trying to get to talk to the supervisor of the check-in clerks or at least have them contact them to resolve the problem. After waiting well over a half hour we were told our U.S. Passports had issues and were on some sort of list. We never found out what kind of list we were on, but whatever it was even the attendants who were still trying to get us accepted didn’t know either.
Passengers were already boarding the plane
It was getting late, real late, passengers were boarding and we still were waiting, way over an hour for the computer system to accept us. None of us had any passport problems that we knew of and all of us had had valid passports, most of us for dozens of years. I had renewed my passport over two years previously right before a previous Tanzania African safari I had gone on in 2008 with Safari Kay. I had no U.S. Passport issues then and neither had any of those in our group back then and some were on this flight with us.
The computer kept rejecting us
No one seemed to know what the problem was, why the system wouldn’t accept our tickets and reservations. Apparently the attendants could not get permission to let us on the plane and we were told there was nothing they could do. Safari Kay complained again, but it seemed to no avail. No one she was able to talk to seemed to be able to help us. We were now almost sure to miss the plane.
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We might be “up the proverbial creek”
Missing this flight would cause havoc with catching the rest of the flights, which we would certainly miss and ruin our tight safari schedule. Only Kay and Cynthia of our group of eight were able to check in with no problems. They couldn’t leave without us because we’d be stranded and only Kay knew the complete detailed instructions and all the little intricacies that had to be coordinated to make the entire safari adventure work as planned. We’d be “up the proverbial creek without a paddle.”
All of us were on one reservation, but each had their own ticket. It would never work if just the two left and we couldn’t go. What to do! Their computer system was not accepting us at the check-in counter. No one knew what the problem was. One of the clerks tried to override something in the system to allow us to be accepted, but that didn’t work. Everything they tried to get the system to accept us was a failure, a total and complete failure, after maybe an hour of trying to coax the computer system to accept us.
We might miss our flight
We couldn’t believe this was happening. We had all made reservations and paid for our tickets months in advance of our flight. There had been no problems we were aware of, yet the system would not accept us. Safari Kay had done exactly the same thing with several safari groups of travelers before, including the previous one I had been on in spring of 2008.
We were dreading the final call for passengers of Delta Airlines flight 1606, our flight, as final boarding time was quickly arriving. We were sure to miss our flight and the safari.
What a fickle set of computers ...or is it the computer program?
Finally their computers gave us approval
Then it seemed like a miracle happened when suddenly; after all the finessing trying to get the system to accept us, one of us was finally accepted into the system. Whatever the U.S. Passport issues were they apparently evaporated just in time. Even the clerks were amazed and didn’t know why, but that was a really good sign for us that even one person was accepted. Little by little over the next 20 minutes or so the system started to accept the remaining handful of us.
We didn’t find out why now we were suddenly being accepted after being rejected before. The clerks inputting the information didn’t know why either, but we were all very relieved. But by now we may have been too late for the flight; however we kept our fingers crossed. After all of us had been accepted into the system by the computer and gotten our boarding passes we sighed a big relief.
Running to catch the plane
We all ran down the long concourse to get on the plane. The attendants at the x-ray machines let us in the line and we waited, like what seemed like forever, while the attendants checked all our carry-on luggage. After passing the x-ray machine scans we started running to the boarding gate, which was a long way away. We finally reached the gate. There was no line of passengers waiting to board the plane. The entire area was empty save one lone counter clerk. It seemed either the plane had left or everyone had already boarded. The attendant there told us to hurry and board the plane.
Struggling with carry-on bags
We did, being the last of the passengers to board the plane. As soon as were all on board they immediately shut the door. Our carry-on luggage was a problem; just about all the overhead space was taken. I had my camera and two heavy bulky laptop computers with me in my carry-on bag and struggled to stuff them under the seat ahead of me. Others had similar problems, but had no expensive electronics with them like I did.
Actually the laptops I had were to be gifts to one of our safari guides and a camp manager who had been so kind and gracious to us on our 2008 safari. In the part of Africa we were going to it was extremely rare for most people to have a laptop or any computer, since that was a pure luxury very few could afford, let alone get and pay for an internet connection. But in spite of that, technology somehow finds a way to creep in no matter where.
U.S. Passport Issues resolved mysteriously - away we go
One of the laptops was going to one of the men who worked at the luxury tented camp on the Serengeti where we would again spend a few nights out there with the wild animals. They had generators and solar power used to supply electricity for the camp. And being out in the middle of the Serengeti with no cities or population around, except lots of wild creatures, there was no normal internet connection. But amazingly they had a big satellite dish and were using it to connect to the internet for communication and other purposes.
Away we go
Almost as soon as we were buckled in our seats the pilot announced we would be taking off shortly. We all breathed a big sigh of relief. The plane took off shortly thereafter and headed for Detroit, our first stop before heading to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
We never found out what the problem was that kept us from getting into the system. We also didn’t know how it was we finally did get accepted. No one could tell us. It seems no one knew. Maybe it was because of all the phone conversations the various check-in clerks had that helped. But for whatever transpired that finally allowed us to be accepted into the system and ultimately on to the plane we were all thankful. We felt lucky everything turned out ok. We were now on our way on the first leg of our trip to an exciting African Safari.
Continued … see #3 Messy Monkey Business
African Safari Misadventures – #3 Messy Monkey Business
We were enjoying our safari, having seen some of the wild animals that were often hard to spot. There were several locations slated for us to visit during the almost two week safari adventure. We had just arrived at our next stop where we were to spend the next few days. The group settled into our tents which were partly like cabins, partly a huge tent. The ceilings were wood with grass covering on top reminiscent of tropical huts. The half-tents were canvas that blended in well with the natural scenery of the area. The bathrooms were brick with concrete floors and there was one tall stone wall in the tent-room.
Arriving at a new camp
Each of the one room and separate bath quarters were raised up several feet from the ground and in general seemed rather a safe and solid home for a few days. When we went out of the tent-like rooms we were instructed to lock the zippers of the canvas tent doors. There was a little baby-size padlock they gave us that we were to use to secure the tent when we were out of it. That sounded strange since the locks were very small and insignificant, but that were their instructions – to be sure to lock the door flap zippers when we left the tent.
On safari with a lion approaching our other vehicle
The tent we were staying in was about 50 feet from another tent in which two of the ladies in our group were staying. It too was similar to ours and had a big tree next to it same as ours, but much bigger and the branches were just about lying on the grass roof. We didn’t think much about it, but I was thinking it might keep the tent cooler in the daytime since it shaded practically the whole tent from the hot sun. So far, on our safari, the temperature was similar to Southern California in the spring. Just about right – not too hot and definitely not cold. However in the higher elevations it does get rather nippy or cold late at night and early in the morning.
It was getting close to dinner when we heard a lot of chatter from a tent close to ours. It was hard to tell exactly where the noise was coming from, but there were several groups of safari goers in the camp in addition to our group and some of their tents were interspersed with the few tents we had. The clatter was rather loud but we couldn’t figure out exactly what it was or what was causing it. It seemed to get louder and sometimes it sounded like it was really close to us. It baffled us what the commotion was. The clatter got louder and eventually we heard people talking. I told my wife to just ignore it that it was probably people just enjoying themselves. Maybe they were celebrating something.
Maasai women with Kay in the middle
Maasai Warriors
I figured that it was another safari group just having fun since I could think of no explanation for all the clatter way out here in an area with wild animals all around. The camp was surrounded on all sides with wilderness which is where all the animals live. There are no houses, no people, except safari goers, the staff at the camp, and the Maasai Warriors who acted as guides at this particular camp.
Two Maasai Warriors escorts came to our tent to alert us that dinner was ready and we assumed to escort us down to the eating area. By now it was getting dark and when dark guests at the camp need escorts to accompany them to dinner or elsewhere on the grounds. As we exited out tent and I padlocked the door flaps on out tent-like structure I still wondered what that commotion was that had now stopped.
We walked down the stairs of the porch attached to out tent, yes it had a large porch, complete with chairs and a table. It was a nice touch, especially since we had a very nice view of most of the area below us, probably a 120 degree view. All the tents had similar porches, but we had one of the best views of all the tents we had seen.
I just spoke to Safari Kay asking a couple of questions about that experience and was told that the monkeys that I thought had ransacked the tent next to ours were not monkeys, but in fact baboons. I thought for sure they had told us monkeys and even my wife agreed with me, but Kay is the expert and assured me they had told us baboons. So in the interest of not having to rewrite this article I am not changing the title and/or the reference to monkeys. But know that I am speaking of baboons, probably the Olive Baboon species. We had seen baboons on this and the previous safari I had gone on, but we never actually saw any baboons at this particular camp.
Note: Baboons actually belong to the Old World monkeys family.
Charles – Nov 16, 2011
Messy Monkey Business
At the bottom of the porch stairs the other tent close to us came into view. There were several people milling around the tent where the two ladies were staying. There was some commotion there and we were wondering what was going on. As we walked down the pathway near that tent we were met by the camp’s assistant manager. She informed us that some monkeys had gotten into the tent and messed it up.
The olive baboon (Papio anubis), also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys).: Click image for credits
The assistant camp manager accompanied us down to the large eating area several hundred feet away. She mentioned she was surprised at the monkey incident. But the way she was talking was like it was no big deal to her. But we knew it would be a big deal to the two ladies, depending on exactly what the messy monkey or monkeys did. We went into the restaurant-like dining area and found our group sitting at a large table. We seated ourselves and waited a few minutes as the rest of our group arrived shortly thereafter.
We all started talking about the monkey business that had occurred and wondered just how bad it was. How did the monkeys even get in there if they locked the tent? Monkeys aren’t violent so certainly they would not rip the tent apart to get inside. The canvas on the tents was very thick and sturdy so it would be unlikely the monkeys could rip or tear it, and what would be the purpose for them to go wild and rip apart a tent?
Apparently the two ladies had gone to their tent earlier and noticed bits and pieces of their belongings scattered on the walkway leading up to their tent. When they got up to the tent the canvas flap door was unzipped. They had wondered if someone had broken into their tent while they were gone. That would be most unlikely since the only people around were safari goers and the camp staff. There were a few Maasai Warriors around who not only were there to escort the guests, but also acted also as guards. Any regular people definitely didn’t live there since we were probably 100 miles or further away from any little village or town. Besides this was in Serengeti National Park and people were not allowed to live there, except maybe the Maasai, who owned a lot of the surrounding land. They make their living off the land and raise cows and other animals as their way of life, unfettered by the way everyone else lives with modern conveniences.
No, in reality there was nothing but wild animals all around us outside the camp. So those thoughts of someone breaking into their tent quickly disappeared when the ladies had looked inside their tent. Their things were scattered around everywhere. Their cloths were scattered all around the tent. The luggage was open and the contents were strewn around the room-like tent.
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Who likes candy and cookies?
There had been bags of candy and other snacks in their baggage and it was all gone. However, a few candy wrappers were lying on the floor. All their goodies were gone. That wouldn’t be so bad, but here we were way out in the boonies with no such candy and snack replacements for probably a hundred miles or more. Their cosmetics had been gone through and tossed around. This was real messy monkey business at its finest. I’m saying that now, right here, but back then (I’m writing this over a year after it happened) the ladies were wondering who or what would do such a thing?
To top it off and make matters worse their medicine had been gone through and some strong medication was missing. If someone took those pills they would be in real trouble. The icing on the cake was the scribbling on the on the large dresser mirror in their lipstick.
After panicking, then reporting the problem to the camp management, that’s when they found out that monkeys had been the culprits. They had managed to unzip the tent door flap and go inside. Apparently the ladies had not padlocked the two zippers when they left their tent. The padlocking a tent was the first time any of us, including Safari Kay, had ever heard of anyone having to do that until we came to this camp.
The tents need to be locked
Apparently they must have had such a problem before which made it mandatory to lock the tents. If that was the case they should have warned us when we had the briefing. Of course that might have upset some people knowing that monkeys roamed throughout the camp. Needless to say that monkey business put a damper on things for the rest of our stay at the camp.
We learned of all the details at dinner from the two ladies. When dinner was over we talked a while, but it was getting late and we had to get up early in the morning for another safari outing. The two ladies were given a temporary cabin that night to replace their tent which had to be cleaned up. We all went back to our tents to get some sleep since it was early to rise the next morning about 4:45 am.
Well that was the end of that… or was it?
After settling down in our tent my wife took a shower and went to bed. I wasn’t sleepy so I stayed up about an hour or so and after I took a bath I got ready to get in bed. That’s when I heard what sounded like footsteps on the roof of our tent. Actually it was more like the pitter patter of little kids playing. It was very disturbing. Initially it was sporadic, but after a short while it became louder and somewhat scary. My wife woke up due to the noise and we both figured it was probably monkeys.
I didn’t want to wake up everyone
Air Horn was supplied for emergencies
At our initial briefing when we first arrived at this camp we were given an air horn to use in the case of trouble and we needed help. We needed help, but I was reluctant to use the air horn because it was so late and our group and probably the others at the camp were sleep because safaris start very early in the morning. I didn’t want to wake the whole camp just because I heard those threatening noises outside our tent. I felt sure they were monkeys and after all how dangerous were monkeys? Now if I had thought it was elephants or lions or some really threatening wild animal then the air horn would be an indispensable tool.
Since we were right next to the tent they had raided earlier in the day what better thing for them to do than try it again. After all they had succeeded once, and it was next to the tent where the other goodies had been found and ransacked, so maybe they thought their chances of more fun were good. Of course I cannot read any monkey’s mind so I am just speculating.
The footstep like noise now sounded like it was not just a couple of monkeys, but a whole group of them. We got scared and wondered what to do. We made sure the tent door flaps were locked on the inside so if it were really monkeys they couldn’t get in, at least not without a big problem. As the minutes passed we heard what sounded like light banging on the tent windows, which were really probably fiberglass screening. It was not very solid and had zippers on it so one could unzip the windows and let the fresh air in.
Well fresh air was not the only thing that could get in as it seemed like a whole bunch of monkeys wanted to get in too. I was afraid some smart monkey would figure out a way to get to the zipper on one of the four windows of the tent and get in. It was getting pretty scary now. We weren’t sure what to do. There were no phones in the tent. It was dark and we didn’t want to chance it going out, especially if there were monkeys all around us as it surely seemed. At the time I distinctly remembered seeing the tree overhanging our tent and thinking that it would be easy and tempting for any monkey to jump unto our roof and eventually get into the tent if it wasn’t sealed tightly.
Now would be the test. Well the noisy patter lasted probably an hour with the last fifteen minutes or so hearing tampering with the windows, which surely must have been the monkeys trying hard to get inside. Apparently they weren’t scared of us, but we were sure scared of them. Imagine being stormed by a bunch of wild monkeys. It isn’t a pretty thought and one we weren’t prepared to entertain that night.
The noisy patter and footstep sounds eventually died down and there was silence once again. It was about midnight by now and we had to get up in a few hours. My wife had fallen back asleep by now and I was trying to forget all we had been through. I finally fell asleep, but it seemed like just a few minutes later I was awakened by one of the Maasai Warriors outside telling us it was time to get up.
We never saw any monkeys at the camp, even that day the monkey or monkeys did their messy monkey business. But we sure were scared that night when it seemed we were attacked by monkeys that never quite managed to break into our tent, thankfully. The next three days, however, we were on the lookout for monkeys and hoped there would be no more messy monkey business. There wasn’t, and that ended the messy monkey incident, but not the talk about it. We had a great time at the camp and experienced some great safari outings thus relegating the monkey incident to a passing annoyance at best.
Continued … see #4 (pending)
Copyright © 2011 Travellistics.com
About the Author
Charles is interested in Lucky Numbers. He is now researching Ayurveda for health.
