party time

Saturday was a going away party for our neighbours. It started at 8. So we made our plans to go to the gym, have lunch, stroll home by 5. Then josey could bake a cake and we could go to the party. It was at 8 Tanzanian time. And that doesn't mean 8:30, 9:00 because appointment times are just rough guidelines (which they are). It meant 2pm. Here is why: the traditional clock in Tanzania is to have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. So, at 7am you would say, 1 morning. 6 would be noon or midnight. So, we, and the cake, missed the start of the party by a few hours.

While we were at the party we heard many raucous stories. Not the least of which is about an elephant that charged this man's Land Rover. Back in 2006, he had been in Tanzania for 4 months when he and his wife drove to Mikumi National Park. They drove along and saw a herd of elephants 200 yards away on their right. Safely away they kept going, came around a corner and an elephant that had been hidden behind a tree was their. Full trumpet, ears out, trunk high (these are apparently what we would call *warning signs* with !!!). Car goes in to reverse, backs up 15 yards. And they are being charged from the side by another elephant. Car goes into a forward gear and just as they take off they get hit in the rear quarter panel (I think this is roughly akin to the elephant fouling off a pitch). The back end is demo'ed but they can still drive. And drive they do off to safety.

Once they were safely home they got to deal with the insurance which apparently was quite fun. Sketches on maps of herds and arrows, was the other party injured? unlikely.

Now, something like this happened to J, our host, when he encountered a mama elephant with her calf (which is likely what happened here). They came around the corner and found a very unhappy mama. They killed the engine and didn't make a sound. The mother made three fake charges at them, by which time the rest of the herd had gathered around the vehicle to suss it out. "Now unfortunately it ruined the entire trip to Africa of my sister but me? I was just busy switching to the wide-angle."

So, there was some positing that what the original story-teller should have done was not moved (backed up the 15 yards) because it was just a warning. A fake charge might follow but not a real charge. Then J suggested when they had backed up they inadvertently charged the original herd and then the gloves were off.

Interjection by pompous Englishman (who was pompous and not because he was English; ie. the Americans were cringing at his brash arrogance): "everybody knows that there is a fake charge, just stay still and get it over with, all the experts say it's a classic display, blah blah blah"

Rebuttal: "Yes, but _____ ________ (leading elephant researcher in the world) says, there are so many dead elephant researchers because even the elephant doesn't know what he is going to do next."