DAY EIGHTEEN Linda, Ian and I got up at 5:30AM, had a hot drink, then set out to find the gorillas. We walked the 1½ km up to the end of the road then followed the track up to the ranger station and lodge at the top of the hill. While we were waiting for the ranger to get ready, a Canadian woman told us to wear long pants as the ants were pretty bad. I didn’t have any so I utilized my footie jersey as pants & tied them up with a bit of string.
The guide led us into the jungle along with 2 German guys, and, amazingly, we found the gorillas after only 5 minutes!
What amazing and beautiful creatures they are. There were about 20 in the group, the Silverback male, huge, amazingly powerful, with an ever-watchful eye on his family; several juvenile males; several females, smaller by half than the male but strong as well; and youngsters ranging in size from small babies to young juveniles. The silverback spends his time eating and keeping an eye on things, the females sit and eat as well as playing with the youngsters, and the little ones put on a hilarious display of tumbling, wrestling and swinging on branches and vines.
We spent an hour and a half watching them as they moved slowly through the jungle, then left them and walked down the hill, stopping for lunch ½ way down.
Later in the afternoon, Ian, Craig, Skip & I killed & plucked the chooks which we roasted in the 44 gallon oven along with spuds and onions. Yum!!
CurseOfTheTraveller 