15th February 2013
Next stop Saadani National Park where, according to the marketing speak, the Bush Meets the Sea. It has not been a park for very long and before that the main occupation of the locals was poaching so the few animals which remain are understandably very shy.
The rangers at the park entrance gate were very welcoming, I don't think they get many visitors, especially driving a British registered car. Once in the park we saw an elephant, a few giraffe and some bush buck, not much else. We got to the campsite – it is great, the first thing is it is empty, it is right on a huge sandy beach and the loos are clean, what more could you want.
Actually we could have done with less wind as whilst warm and sunny it was blowing a gale so we had to pitch our tent in the lee of the cooking house (a sort of large bus shelter with a tap, sink and food prep area.
We booked for a game walk next morning and then had a bit of a drive round – didn't see much. I collected wood from the beach and Gill cooked another good meal on the open fire.
Whilst sitting in the dark by the fire a warthog hurried by and a small cat which might have been a civet.