Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Shortly after we left the Serengeti, we entered the NCA. It began to rain heavily. We could hardly see out the windows. It didn't last long and soon after we entered came to a very dry area. It had not rained here for a while. We began seeing more Maasai and their goats and cows. Wildlife roams freely around the whole NCA area and we saw a few giraffes very close to the road. Isaac noticed up on a hill in the distance was an eland. The eland is the largest of the antelopes, weighing up to 1500kgs. I have been wanting to see an eland for a while. Isaac said there are many in the crater but they are shy. This might be the only time I see one, so I ask him to stop so I can take a photo of it. We reach our campsite on the rim of the crater around 5.30. It's raining lightly but very sunny and there is a huge rainbow. I set up my tent under a huge tree on a grassy area with a bunch of other tents. This 4 day northern park safari circuit is a popular one and I am recognizing people that were camping near us in the Serengeti.
This campsite is called basic but it's anything but. It had covered eating areas, electricity and to my amazement, hot showers! I shower and then join the Norwiegans already eating our pre dinner popcorn. After dinner, Isaac explains our program for tomorrow and then excuses himself. I never hang around long after I've finished eating. The Norweigans can all speak fluent English but they don't. They only speak English when they are talking directly to me. With the exception of Chris, the other 3 only speak to me when they want to know what animals we saw that day. They're not mean about it, they just don't speak to me. Most people I spend time with who don't speak English as a first language but can speak it very well, are considerate enough and make the effort to speak English, even when talking amongst themselves, but not the Norwiegans. They spoke English on safari and at the dining table, effectively leaving me out of any conversation, so there was no point to hang around and listen to them speak. I would hang out in my tent and read or look at the days photos.
I woke up in the middle of the night to relieve myself and could hear loud chewing. I stepped out of my tent, but not far. I could see 3 buffalos in close by and when I shined my light on them they did nothing, I took care of my business and went back to bed. Last night at our Serengeti campsite, Isaac told us to bring our shoes inside the tent for safe keeping. Hyaenas sometimes take away left out shoes but I didn't think there was that much of a threat on the crater rim campsite, so I left my sandals outside but close to my tent. I was woken up by the ruffling of my ground tarp. I shook my tent to scare away whatever it was and brought my sandals inside. A few minutes later, I heard the same ruffling followed by the snorting and sniffing of a warthog's snout. I guess he was checking me out but I had nothing he wanted. I wasn't woken up again.