We are on safari again today. We are bringing a bag lunch that we each created from the offerings of the Kitchen. They are simple and easy to eat on the fly.

The lake is off in the distance shinning brightly.

The flamingos stand out in the shimmering water on one leg looking for brine shrimp. The red shrimp turn the flamingos pink.

The wind is blowing just enough to keep the temperature comfortable. It is hotter today in California than it is here. The nights are cool.

The horizon here in Africa is wide and the sunrise and the sunsets are wonderful, filled with every color imaginable.

Tarangire National Park is home to the largest concentration of breeding bird species in the world. The baobab tree or “The tree of life” is one of the longest living trees on earth. Those around us are over two thousand years old. Lately they are under pressure as animals eat the fruit and the trees are not being replaced through natural means due to a drought. There are programs for man to do the work now and bring them back.

Droughts are a part of nature as are fires, floods and misery. Such is life in the wild.

I ate the juice and the fruit of the baobab tree. The juice has the feel of fruit nectar, not juice, and tastes like pear juice. The fruit is wrapped in a green colored thick hide and the inside looks like a styrofoam texture but tastes nice as well. Every part of the tree is useful to man and beast. They provide food and shelter to man and animals alike. You can sleep or live in the hollowed out trunk quite easily.

We are surrounded by cape buffalo and most every animal that comes to mind when thinking of Africa. We are in the middle of the migration which takes place between Kenya and Tanzania. The river nourishes the land and the animals when the rains have stopped and the drought sets in.

We will find a spot for lunch with tables and restrooms near by. Attendants stand in them to serve up paper towels and keep the restrooms clean.

But watch out for the wild animals. They are all around us.

Small rats or large mice cavort among our feet eating the scant droppings from our midday meal. We wife is not thrilled with that.

The lions are invisible in the bush. It is amazing when you finally spot one. They sit motionless and watch for the right moment to pounce. There fur has a hint of green or so it seems.

We have seen thousands of elephants, antelope, lions and baboons. They are everywhere you look.

We are in the middle of the migration. The animals are eating tons of grass each day and each other as well, along the way.

Where the fires have passed over the earth, cape buffalo horns can be seen as reminders of animals eaten by the lions. We saw an entire skeleton of a giraffe lying on the ground near our camp a few days ago.

You must be careful at night not to leave your tent. Lions and other animals wander through at night looking for a snack.

Remember that some of my videos and photos are on Facebook and instagram at R.C. Hand.

There is still much more to come.