Jan. 17. Olduvai gorge

Today we started out early to see the large herds in the Ngorongoro Conservation area. There were grazing animals as far as the eye could see! We managed to happen upon a large group of vultures feasting on a zebra carcass. Rather gruesome but a very unique experience.

Olduvai gorge was an interesting stop for me as I taught about the Leaky's and their hominid discoveries in Grade 12 Biology, the human evolution unit. Above the vista of this gorge is a museum that has much info on the area and a plaster cast of the footprints discovered proving that 'Lucy', Austrolopithicus africansis walked upright. They also discovered three different hominid species - Boise, habilis, and erectus, in this valley of 55 km.

Our last stop today was at a Maasai village. We have seen many Maasai people and various huts and villages since we arrived. They live a basic life as herdsmen. They wear primarily red and purple clothing. They eat milk and blood and only eat meat for a celebration. Their tradition way of life is difficult to maintain; today some tribes profit off of tourism by charging tourists to visit. It was a bit depressing to see their subsistence and our intrusion into their lives, even though it was very informative.