After a teeth-chattering drive in the 4x4, we arrive in Ngorongoro crater.
A natural wonder, Ngorongoro is the largest caldera not filled by water.
Our lodge sits on the crater rim and provides a magnificent view, but
the action is 2,000 feet below. We descended into the crater. Ten miles
wide, the crater floor is a perfect haven for animals; we even saw a rhinoceros
here. We ate lunch outside among the animals. After eating, we strolled
along tall grass and marsh that bordered our picnic area. The shock came
when we almost stepped on a hippo! Hippos are African man-killers. Even
though they're vegetarians, they literally bite people in half that get
too close. This hippo lay submerged in a marsh, well hidden among tall
reeds. We were twenty feet away when someone said, "that mud over there
just moved." Male hippos weigh 6,000 lbs and can run faster than horses.
This guy could have caught us easily. Dying by hippo misadventure is unique
if you're interested in that sort of thing. |