Our exploration around Ndutu area started at 7:30 in the morning. Because this area is the only place where we can drive off Road, we decided to enjoy off-road adventure. However, the surface was so muddy due to recent heavy rain fall that we could not pull over, because the car would be stuck and not be able to escape once it stopped moving. We might have missed some important species during that move. We were relieved when we found ourselves out of the muddy area and our search for Cheetahs begun.
All of a sudden, we felt a big shock. Although Geitan did his job very well in terms of getting out of the wet muddy swamp, we were trapped by a hidden pitfall on the ground covered with grasses. Right side rear tire fell into the hole. Anthony and Geitan asked us if we were OK. Yasuko and I were all right, but we wondered if we could get out. We might need a tow away rescue. I was worried if there were no rescue coming to help us. Would we become special dinner for big cats tonight? But both guys looked like they kept calm. Geitan started to talk to somebody over the radio transmitter. I did not exactly how long we waited, but 5 or 10 minutes later there came another safari car. The driver of the car joined our team and they connected both cars with a steel wire. But when I glanced at the wire, I saw it heavily rusted. The driver of the rescue car started the engine and the engine roared. The first trial, however, failed because the rusted wire was broken away. I was very much concerned, what if we could not get out of here. Do we have to be starved this night? Do we have to be awakened all night here to watch out for predators?
The second trial begun with the wire tighten by their hands. The engine roared again. After a couple of minutes pulling, our car moved and eventually was pulled out from the big hole, thanks to the rescue driver. The solidarity is always important to accomplish some tough jobs.
We resumed our search for Cheetahs and eventually we could find people watching at something.
A Cheetah family was there, mother and two cubs. They move, then we follow them, they move we follow. We got hundreds of photos of them. That was real fun.
In the afternoon, we then encountered a flock of young lions. A female lion tried to vamp males but in vain. Males were yawning and appeared not interested in young attractive females, probably because they were exhausted after all night long walking through their territories.
We had another night visitor at the restaurant while having dinner. Can you guess what it was? Dreadfully enough, I found a scorpion on the floor of the restaurant. That was my first time to see such a dreadful creature in my life. Luckily, no harm, though.