Rain, sun and lions

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Up early for the plane to the Masai Mara this morning. It’s being throwing it down all night and the morning brought more of the same. Terry drove us through the deluge to Wilson airport.

We made a dash across the tarmac to the 8 seater Cesna that would whisk us off to the Mara. The flight was only 45 minutes and despite the poor weather, it wasn’t too rough.

By the time we landed the rain had stopped and the sun was even threatening to make an appearance. Our guide and driver, Simon, was there at the airstrip to meet us and transport us to Governors Il Moran camp. The camp itself is very small, only ten tents. It’s separate to the other Governors camps and each of the tents overlooks the Mara river.

We were welcomed with a cocktail and cold towel and then shown to our tent (number 10). It had probably the best location of all the tents, overlooking a bend in the river. Across the far side of the river was a sandbank with a couple of lazy looking hippos lay on it.

We had a very nice lunch before retiring to the tent to relax until the evening game drive. Oh, and when I say “tent”, I mean it in the loosest possible terms. These tents have furniture hand made from local trees, a huge king size bed, rain shower, flushing toilet and even a Victorian bath large enough for two.

About an hour before we were due to go out, the heavens opened. It was a deluge of biblical proportions and at one point I was afraid our tent was going to be washed into the river. It hadn’t stopped by the time the game drive was due to start, so we trudged our way through camp to the land rover.

Now I must admit that I was a little downhearted about the rain and thought that the game drive would be a waste of time. Boy was I wrong. We left camp, sliding left and right along tracks made slick by the rain. After 15 minutes, we came across the marsh pride - stars of BBC’s Big Cat Diary.

We sat there for about an hour, watching the sort of drama unfold that you don’t often see outside of Eastenders. It was amazing to watch a female lion with two cubs fighting with the marsh pride to protect the kill she’d made.

After that we saw another first for us, two lions going at it like there’s no tomorrow. In truth, it was quick and loud - something I’m sure we can all relate to at one time or another. Two minutes eh? If it’s good enough for the king of the beasts . . .

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Photos

Not a good day to fly
The heavans open at Wilson airport

Our tent
The tent at Governors

When lions attack!
The marsh pride comes in to steal a kill from a lone feamale with two cubs