Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 August 2007 12:42:02
The two Dutch volunteers and myself took a couple of days off from the orphanage and headed up to the Mole National Park. We spent one full day there and we are now heading back but sheltering from the rain at Tamale in an internet cafe while we wait for our bus.
The road to the Mole National Park is really something to behold. I think even 4WD vehicles would have difficulties in some places. After explaining through the window of the leaving bus that we were told we could stand (all the seats were booked), the conductor let us on the one and only daily bus that goes to Mole from Tamale. That meant that there were 5 of us wedged between the front seats and the stairs. I had the whole bottom step to myself (lucky me!) and so I was wedged between the door and an African man who was on the next step. I was desperately praying that the door would remain closed otherwise I would have been flung out onto the road. I have a few bruises to show for my mammoth effort of being incased in that confined space for 3 hours. People then got off and we managed to have a seat for the last hour (mind you, most of that was on the motor box so I had a somewhat burned bottom). Can't really complain though because the next day made up for it by a long way.
We woke up at 5.30am in preparation for the 6.30am safari tour. We opened our front door and we were greeted by a warthog that was standing about 5 metres away (I couldn't get Hakuna Matata out of my head for the rest of the day....). We first saw baboons, then antelope, waterbuck and as we turned a corner, there was a herd of about 7 elephants. There is something really special about seeing wild animals in their natural environments. We were allowed to go within about 100 metres of them and looking back at my photos, it looks like I have been superimposed on the images when I had my photo taken with the elephants. The walk lasted about an hour and a half and included alot of wading through muddy swamps.
It was terribly hot so I went for a shower when we got back and read my book by the pool which overlooks two of the main waterholes in the park. I then saw some elephants coming to have a drink. I witnessed this same event from my bedroom window later on the day.
We decided that we would probably never get an opportunity like this again so we chose to go on a second safari walk at 3.30pm. We saw much of the same animals (plus a few extra species of monkeys) but this time we got within about 20 or so metres from some elephants. We were all crouched in the bushes watching while they ate their afternoon meal, listening to the crack of the branches breaking as they tore them off. It was an amazing experience.
Chose to get an early night (about 9pm) because we had a 4am bus to catch (the one and only going back the other way). We were up at 3.30am and waiting by the bus at 4am. The driver showed up around 4.30am and the bus wouldn't start. I wanted to go back to bed. After much playing around with the motor, me holding my breath and saying a few prayers, and we were on the road by 5am. Can't say I got much sleep on that bumpy road. It was well worth it though and we should be back at the orphanage later tonight.