Dr Butt is still alive!!!!!! Hey,thanks for the good comments about Cottage hospital,am proud to be associated with the Hospital. I joined the hospital on 4th July 2007 as anesthetist and found Dr. Butt and he is still the Doctor in-charge as late as today the 25th sep. 2012. He is still strong even went up Mt. Kenya last year up to the summit. He likes his job and has worked in Cottage for over 25years and still going.
I liked your story coz it reminded me of Esther the nurse, i joined as she was on her way out to the states, and for sure she was so excited about that no wonder she needed a friend to identify with of American origin, she was no doubt a good person but had her own way of looking at things.
Please be free to visit Cottage again and enjoy not only the good environment - natural tress and bushes,sounds of birds and flowing river nearby but also good services in the slopes of Mt. Kenya.The best center for the management of high altitude sickness and snake bites in addition to other medical services in the region.
It has grown and it is still growing,join us in our good course in making if even a better place for all.
Enock
resident anesthetist
Nanyuki Cottage Hospital
Thank you! So glad to hear that Dr. Butt is alive and well and that the Cottage Hospital is going strong! Thank you for your comments and updates - it makes me most happy to hear that all is well at The Cottage :)
Thanks for the anecdote! Thanks for the anecdote, Graham! Glad you also had a good experience there. One of a million wild and wonderful memories I brought home with me after my 6 months in Kenya. Very sad to hear that Dr. Baht passed away if that is indeed true.
All the best,
Tyler
Me too! I also ended up in Nanyuki Cottage Hospital in 2001, when I came down with what turned out to be a nasty bout of food poisoning while visiting Meru.. Like Tyler I was convincinced I had Malaria, but thank goodness It wasn't. I think I was seen by the same doctor, though I think his name was Baht, not Butt - I may be wrong about that. I've heard from friends in Nanyuki that he died recently. As Tyler says, the rooms at the hospital are suprisingly good ( I even got a DVD player and some films provided) and I found the treatment of very good quality. If you're taken ill in this area, this is the place to head for!
Ant-lion not dragonfly Hi
Your picture shows an adult Antlion. They are not very closely related to "normal" dragonflies but have a similar appearance. The young antlion digs a small crater shaped hollow in loose sand or soil. Sits patiently well hidden at the bottom waiting for an ant to slip into the crater, it cant get up and then the antlion grabs it. Dragonflies never have antennae.
Regards
Katarina
from Sweden
I think you writing is extremely good, Tyler, and you are right to say that there is co-existence between humans and wildlife in Kenya - ot only in Laikipia but in many other parts of the country To deny this is possibly to deny a vital part of Kenya's future, since the development of this partnership is the only way to maintain agriculture and tourism together And it is through understanding our environment that we achieve dignity What are you thinking, Jennni? You shld be proud of this aspect of your country!
Nyoka Isn't she a beeeaaauuuttty? These WERE taken with a telephoto lens, I hope! I do like snakes, but I hope I never get that close to a Puff Adder. Quite a journey from the baby rattle snack we saw in California.
Beware birds in the bush! Nice write-up, Ty.
Those 'inherently promiscuous females' can be such a bother!
I am fascinated by your wee transmitter devices. It is a clever switch you describe that actuates the gadget by simply removing a magnet.
Is the transmitter enclosure totally sealed . . . as in molded around the circuitry and battery? Or can you open it up to replace the battery?
What's the signal range using that antenna you're holding up?
Puff adders ever eat starlings? I trust you're being cautious grubbing about in the brush after these things?
Nice Snake! It's good to know that there is at least one other person that shares my love of snakes. While I was in Africa I found a tiny puff adder as well as a horned viper, a horned adder, a mole snake and a fleeting glimpse of a black mamba. In nearly every case I was the only one excited and, on one occasion, I was chastised by the group I had been traveling with for "potentially ruining their trip" - It seems that people all think of snakes as evil creatures bent on murder and mayhem. I managed to find a pair of rattlesnakes this past weekend.
Job? I wish! Actually, I don't have a job. I'm only a year out of my undergraduate degree and decided that six months as a field biologist in Africa would be a good opportunity to gain some valuable field (and life) skills before applying to grad school. I wish I was getting paid to work in the African bush!
Backpack Safety That's a good question! As I mentioned, we tested the backpack transmitters on starlings that we released in an aviary. We observed them for several days before recapturing them and removing the transmitters (and subsequently releasing them). The birds were unhindered by the transmitters and showed no signs of chafing or bunched feathers, suggesting that the elastic bands cause no harm and that the birds are able to preen around them. The added weight of the transmitters is also less than the seasonal fluctuation in body weight.
Hope that puts minds at ease!
There exist too many experiences to be had in this world - too many places to see and people to meet - for me to stay put. World travel is my passion; it brings me pleasure in ways few things can. And, to me, part of the joy in world travel is sharing the experience with whoever cares to listen . . .
How I caught "the bug"
Some other travel blogs you'll be glad you checked out:
Who Packed the Map?
Scatter... full info
D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Amazing
We attended this dinner and loved it! It is one of our fondest memories.