Kenya - Friday 18 October 2013

It's my birthday! And we were woken up by the sound of hippos - I had a look out of the tent and could see a couple wallowing in the water. We didn't have any electricity first thing so I opened my cards by torchlight!

After breakfast we had a 4 hour game drive - it was quite chilly first thing so we were wrapped up in our fleeces and had our trousers on.

We're ready for my birthday safari!

As soon as we drove out of the camp we were met by wildebeest and zebra as far as the eye could see. I was really hoping to see a lion with a mane on my birthday but we didn't see one.......we saw 3 altogether!!!!! First of all they were all asleep under a tree but we waited, along with about 6 other vans, and we got some great photos - with one of the lions walking right passed us - he was so close you could have touched him (if you wanted your arm chewed off!).

There were loads of wildebeest & zebra in the Masai Mara

We waited a while and eventually they started to wake up!

'I am sure all these people weren't here when I went to sleep'

As we drove around we suddenly started hearing a hissing noise, and it turned out we had a flat tyre......right near some more sleeping lions! Luckily we had a couple of vans nearby who parked up between us and the lions so that, if they did wake up, they wouldn't spot Ahmed out of his van changing the tyre and come and eat him.

We saw a herd of elephants crossing a river, including some tiny babies, a hyena having a bath in a puddle, a group of giraffe with a baby, and the 3 lions from earlier also made another appearance, asleep again to begin with - when they woke up they must have thought not them again! Later in the day we relaxed on our balcony overlooking the Hippo filled river - it was nice to have some down time.

Elephant crossing the river

Hyena cooling itself in a puddle - a rare sight during the day

Return of the sleeping lions!

Baby giraffe - so sweet!

During dinner some Masai Warriors came in and were dancing around all the tables, and doing the jumping thing that they do - it was amazing to see. I took some video but, because the dining room is quite dark, it didn't come out very well!

Dancing Masai warriors!

It was our last dinner together with our fellow travellers, and we had drinks together in the lounge afterwards all saying what a good trip it had been, although we all agreed it had been pretty full on but we did see a lot during that time.

 

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Kenya - Thursday 17 October

We had a bit of a lie in today and didn't have to get up until 6am! We had to be ready with our bags packed by 7am as we were off to have a 'bush breakfast'. We were taken to an elevated section of the plains about a 10 min drive from the lodge where a table for 7 had been set, as our driver was also joining us, and we had a starter of fruit, followed by cereal and then a cooked breakfast! We were all stuffed by the end of it.

View of the Sleeping Warrior crater from our balcony

With our fellow travellers for a bush breakfast

The view from our table

After breakfast we drove to Lake Navisha for a boat ride - this was an additional extra as it was one of the things that Jane in our group wanted to do and we were all up for it. However, when we arrived we were in for a bit of a shock at the cost - it was £25 each, which was a lot for what it was, but especially at Kenya prices. It also wiped out half of the remaining cash we had left in Kenyan shillings. However we did enjoy it and saw our first sighting of wildebeest and hippos there! We also met John and Peter the pelicans!!

John & Peter the pelicans!

The hippos eyeing us up - better not get too close!

After the lake visit it was the long drive to the Masai Mara. Most of the road was Tarmac but the last 60km wasn't...... It was of the most bumpiest and dustiest journeys we have ever taken! I had brown trousers on but you could see the dust on them.

Once inside the Masai Mara game reserve we had another game drive and Ahmed got a call over the radio to say there was a leopard devouring a deer so he bombed across to where it was, and we arrived with about 4 other vans. First of all we couldn't see very clearly as he was hiding in the bushes whilst eating his kill but then he moved to a clearer spot and we had a great view of him.

Leopard relaxing after his kill

It was also the first time we had seen wildebeest in their masses, mixed in with the zebra who apparently follow the wildebeest around as they don't have good eyesight! We also saw two lions dozing.

Quite literally a zebra crossing!

Snoozing lions

Not long after seeing the lions our van got stuck for a 2nd time, and this time there were no vans close by to help. So we all got out to try and get the van moving again - first of all we rocked the van from side to side hoping we could dislodge it but that didn't work, then we tried pushing it and it wasn't budging. Ahmed was calling around to see if anyone could help but no one was near so we were going to have to wait. It was hot, we were all covered in dust, and we were being head bombed by flies (Masai Mara is the only place where we have been pestered by flies) and to top it all Ahmed said 'this is not a good place to get stuck, there are a lot of lions around'. From then on we all kept looking nervously over our shoulders until help arrived 30 mins later!

By this time the sun was going down and we still had another 20km to go before we got to our camp, so Ahmed bombed along to get us there just before dark - you do not want to be out on those little tracks through the plains at night! However, it did mean we saw a beautiful sunset.

We arrived at camp and, because we were one of the last groups to arrive, we were given tents that were the furthest away from the main area - which was a 10 min walk. It may not sound much, but it seems very far when you are walking in a thunderstorm (yes that evening it was pouring, with thunder and lightning, and blowing a gale) or in the blazing sun.

The tents are quite nice, and look over a river full of hippo - although you hear them more than you see them!

 

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Kenya - Wednesday 16 October

We were woken up very early by natures alarm clock - there was something making a very loud 'boing' noise - it was some sort of creature but I don't know what but it must have been right outside our tent - which was then followed by a loud squawking noise of a bird. I think the 'boing' creature must have freaked out the bird. I asked the others if they heard it which they did so we were all woken up early. Not that it mattered as it was another early start as we had quite a distance to cover as were travelling to Lake Nakuru.

It was a 3 hour drive, sometimes along very bumpy roads to get to our first stop, Thompson Waterfalls. It was nice to see but we were harassed a bit when we arrived. First of all by a man who put mini iguanas on Peters jumper, and moved them on to my bare arms! I screamed as they were really prickly and had weird protruding eyes - we then had to pay for the privilege as the man wanted a tip (this is quite typical but Peter said he even had the amount written on his arm of how much). Then we were hassled by some people dressed as Zulu warriors asking if we wanted a picture taken with them (no we don't!) and then a lady was begging me to look in her shop - I was glad to get back in to the van. To top it all off when I got in to the van my iguana covered arm came out in an itchy rash and swelled up a bit!

Yes I was as thrilled as I look with the iguanas on my arm - the waterfall is behind me!

It was then another couple of hours to Lake Nakuru game reserve. We had a short game drive, and then stopped for lunch at one of the lodges. After that we had another game drive where we saw rhinos out in the wild for the first time, along with lots of zebra, waterbuck and deer. Also, on the lake we saw lots of flamingos. Towards the end of the game drive we saw two lions sleeping under a tree. We observed them for quite a while but they were sound asleep and no matter what our driver Ahmed did, such as shouting, beeping his horn and revving his engine, they did not even stir!

Close up to a waterbuck and zebra

Loads of flamingo at Lake Nakuru

Peter viewing the flamingo from our van

There was lots of rhino at Lake Nakuru

After the game drive we drove to our next stop for the night - a lodge called sleeping warrior. Now to say it was in the middle of nowhere was an understatement - we first drove off the main road on to a bumpy track for a while, and then turned off on to a dirt track through the plains until we got to a mountain and then went up the mountain. When we got there we found we were the only visitors to the lodge and were shown to our rooms, which were separate cottages scattered through out the grounds! Ours had a terrace looking over the sleeping warrior crater.

Outside our cottage at Sleeping Warrior Lodge

Inside our cottage

In the evening we met for drinks and dinner in the main building where we met the owner who told us that the lodge took 5 years to build due to its remote location. We think it is one of the best places we have stayed in - shame it was only for one night!

 

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Kenya - Tuesday 15 October

This morning we were up at 5:15am in time to get packed, have breakfast and leave by 7am. As we were up so early we opened up our tent so that we could watch the sunrise.

As we were up so early we watched the sunrise

We first of all had our final game drive in Samburu before we moved to the Sweetwaters camp in Aberdares, which was about a 3.5 hour drive. After two days of good games drives it seems that the animals were still in bed and we spent a lot of time just driving looking out for things. We did see an elephant very close up which was lovely - he was having a good old munch on a plant and wasn't bothered about us being a few feet away!

He is behind you Peter!

We saw a number of deer, and several birds, along with a massive crocodile!

We then drove on to Sweetwaters tented camp for a very nice lunch and a rest before we were off out again. The tents are, shall we say, rustic compared to the last camp with the toilet only separated from the rest of the tent by a shower curtain, and one that doesn't pull fully across which is not pleasant (I don't want Peter peering out at me whilst he is on the toilet).

Peter relaxing in our tent

This afternoon we visited a chimp sanctuary where they look after abandoned chimps, one of which was very naughty as he rushed off to get things to throw at us, and when we were all laughing at a mum chimp swinging her baby round by his arms the naughty chimp got in a huff with his arms crossed! We then went on to see a blind rhino which was in captivity because he would not be able to fend for himself in the wild. We were able to feed him and stroke him (in a slightly nervous fashion of course) and the guide told us all about rhinos in general which was interesting.

One is posing and the other is camera shy!

This rhino would do anything for food - even pose for a photo!

Peter feeding the rhino - I am pleased to say he still has his right hand!

After that, we went on another game drive and saw, amongst other animals, a herd of buffalo and got really close to some zebras. Right at the end, we came across a number of vans looking at something and when we got closer we realised it was a female lion trying to have a snooze in the long grass.

A pregnant zebra

After a nice dinner with our fellow travellers we were off to bed for another early start. The temperature is a lot cooler than in Samburu at night so when we returned to our tents they had put hot water bottles in our bed!

 

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Kenya - Monday 14 October 2013

We were so tired from yesterday's long journey and game drive that we were in bed by 10pm! We were up at 5:30 this morning to get ready for our morning game drive at 6:30am. When I went to the loo first thing there was a lizard running around the bathroom - I was desperate for a wee so I shouted for it to stay away which it did - I think it was more scared of me then I was of it!

We had another good game drive this morning - we saw a herd of elephants, although we were not as close as yesterday, we saw a number of deer/antelope and some very colourful birds but the best part was seeing some lions! Peter saw the first one in the distance and our driver zoomed over to where it was - and I mean right where it was - I thought it was going to freak out as we were only feet away, but it just looked at us disdainfully and walked round the van. The driver told us it was a young male lion which is very unusual to see. Further along it was my turn to spot the lion, this time a female, having a snooze under a tree.

Peter hanging on for dear life during our game drive

Young male lion slinking past our van

Female lion having a snooze

Elephants in the distance

After a 2 hour game drive we were back at the camp having breakfast and then, after an hours rest we were off to see the Samburu cultural village. On the way to village we saw some ostrich and several giraffe drinking from the river. On arrival at the cultural village they first adorned us with some necklaces (aka Samburu bling!) and then the men did a warrior dance, and then a love dance of which the guide asked if I wanted to join in! Err no thanks.........we then met the ladies of the village who weren't all that friendly but who can blame them when they had some tourists come along to gawp at them!!

Giraffes going for a drink

Samburu warriors

The ladies of village are not impressed!

Wearing a Samburu necklace

Peter being a Samburu medallion man!

We then met some of the children who was being taught by one of the warriors and they were so cute, they sang the alphabet to us and we were asked to donate some money to help their schooling and who could say no, it tugged on your heart strings a bit even though one of the kids didn't have any pants on!!!

Sweet kiddies in the Samburu cultural village

Next stop on our cultural visit was a look in to one of their houses, which were tiny and made out of sticks and cow poo. He told us their main diet was meat and blood which they sometimes drank straight from the cow! One of our group asked if they ate vegetables and he pretty much said not if they can help it although they had just gone through a drought and that is what they had to eat.

Tiny huts mad of cow poo that they live in!

On the way back to camp we saw a number of baboons and an elephant crossing over the river. The water was so shallow that he looked like he was walking on water. When we got back, we sat down for lunch and was joined by another elephant! He later walked past our tent!

Elephant walking on water (not really!)

Look who has arrived at the camp for lunch!

And whilst relaxing in our tent who should walk past ( We are being stalked!)

During our afternoon drive it rained on and off which was quite refreshing as the weather all day had been hot and humid (a bit too hot for our liking!) but we still managed to see a number of animals including crocodile, warthogs, loads of giraffe, camels and even some vultures!

Vultures up a tree

More giraffe!

Stork at dusk

This croc was just a baby

 

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