oldbutnotout: now on the Rim of the Ngorongoro Crater

We were up and away by 0700. driving through very difficult roads due to the heavy rain from the night before. Our four wheel drive had to engage the wheels and the lower gear shift as we slithered through32kms of road before getting onto the main gravel hway.

the road stops being a park but. not before we saw herds of elephants and two magnificent male lions

more and more wildebeast on the move, We stopped to the cries of Rosemary , a bird, a bird. to see a bustead ..the heaviest flying bird inAfrica.

We then turned down sandy black road to the Conservation Area via Olduvai Gorge. there is a small museum and display area soon to be much larger. The display was of Mary Leakey and her husbands work. since the early sixties. stone age tools ..and the in late 80 s the walkway of humanoid foot prints of 6000 years ago...this was an extremely important find. People from all over the world come to dig during the months of June July August..just after the rainy season.

The valley is 55. kms across and about 45 wide...there are several intersecting valleys.

there are five obvious geological layers.. lava and basalt, the volcanic ash. then bed three did not support life Bed four where many fossils are found and homo erectus...about 100000 years ago They call this the soure of life.

The name of the Gorge was spelt incorrectly by some German Entomologist...when he asked the name

he did not hear Oldupai gorge which is thname of a very useful plant...one that looks like a sort of cactus but provides water and food to many animals, especially during the dry season. the Masai called the gorge after this plant.

We then went to a Masai Village. The villagers have been given money from the tour company and the villagers greeted us warmly.

We were greeted. by a well spoken young man,,clear english, who said he would take us to the school and the to see a house. We were encouraged to ask questions....any and all.

When we visited the kindergarten class ,apparently all the off spring of the chief who has 14 wives, they sang a song for usand went to the chalk boardandcounted out numbers in english. We then sang them a song. If you're Happy and you know it Clap Your Hands ...we stomped our feet and did the turn around...... they seemed to like it,