Arusha - Malindi

Going to have to rush through this as we are going for dinner soon, but basically it's been another incredible week! This is our third night in Malindi, Kenya, after a hellish bus journey from Arusha, Tanzania, which lasted 11 hours and then we got a matatu from Mombasa for 2 hours. It was the bumpiest ride I have ever had, was sweltering hot, and then I had someone sitting on my armrest with their ass in my face for a couple of hours. Stopped for a loo break in the middle of nowhere and got tangled in a spiky bush. Classy. Apparently it was a national park. So I've weed in a bush in a national park. :) Glad there were no lions about!!!

Our safari in Tarangire national park, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater was absolutely amazing! We didn't book it until late the night before we wanted to go, and got it for considerably less money than a lot of people there who had booked months in advance online from wherever they're from! Nice work, team. :) I could go into so much detail if I had time, but in Tarangire we got so close to lionesses and lion cubs, thought we were about to see lions attack the zebra and watched for ages, and over the whole safari we saw all of the big 5 except rhino, which we'd seen at Lake Nakuru. :)

The Serengeti was amazing! We got up before sunrise, after camping in the national park with no fence or anything; we were told not to venture further than just outside the tent to go to the loo at night, just in case. Exciting times! We saw male lions right up close too, and the sunrise was beautiful. :) We also saw a caracel, a smaller cat which is rarely seen, a few hyenas, leaopards, and were so incredibly close to a cheetah! =D I could go on, but the photos speak for themselves I have so many! We spent the final morning at Ngorongo Crater, and were almost the only ones there for the first few hours.

I've probably missed out so much as it was such a brilliant few days! Kate did a balloon safari in the Serengeti. We're now in Malindi, and 'Italian beach resort' in Kenya. It's quite funny that all the kids yell 'ciao!' at us, haha. Yesterday we indulged ourselves by spending the afternoon at the gorgeous Lawford's Hotel. Our guesthouse costs 2.50 a night each, and we paid a tenner each to spend the afternoon at this place. But it was lush, gorgeous. Kate and I went snorkelling in the Indian Ocean this morning and then we went to the beach this afternoon, after amazing ice cream, om nom nom.

I know I've rushed the last few days; there's too much to write in such little time, and I need to go back for a shower and get ready for pizza times! =D Happy birthday Dad. :)