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A (Very Full) Wild Lion Cub
Check out the stomach on this guy.
All I really wanted to do was get out and play with it, but the others wouldn't let me.
There was a large pride near by that had killed a giraffe and TWO buffaloWe had arranged a two night trip to Tsavo East and West National Parks. Every one was excited about seeing African wildlife. I just wanted too see the place where the man eating lions went on their killing spree from the film The Ghost And The Darkness.
We had a bit of a hiccup on the first morning. Even though everything was booked for the weekend the way we wanted it, the contact at the tour company thought it was the following day that we started.
We quickly made alternative transport arrangements and off we went…
8 Hours Later we entered Tsavo East National Park already for a safari. At first every one did the classic ‘Oh look every one! There’s an elephant.” Pointing to a spot on the horizon and “What’s that? It’s an impala” That lasted for about the usual hour, after which no one was really interested unless it was standing right next to the road.
The Tsavo terrain was very different to the terrain in South Africa. Firstly the trees were not as high, nor were they as dense as in South Africa. Secondly it was no where near as hilly. And lastly
On The Way In...
Some of decide to have a lads photo next to the entrance. Others disagreed the grass was nowhere near as tall. All this meant for different animals, and more of them.
The difference was also increased by the way the safaris are carried out. In south Africa we used a Land Rover that had the top cut off and seats all the way up, so you can see all the way round with out having to stand up. In Kenya they use minibuses which have hatches in the roof that comes up and you can stand and move around. Also the guides don’t know there stuff as much as they do in South Africa, and they don’t use trackers to help them find the animals.
But I enjoyed any way, after all what was going to do? Fashion a trackers seat and hop on?
The scenery was classic Africa, and that alone was enjoyable…
We made it to the lodge just after night fall and were assigned our tents. Oh my good God! These tents were absolutely brilliant. Two Four poster double beds, bathroom with shower in the back and electricity in them! About as good as any lodge would be…
At night we had a camp fire talk
A Baboon
It was giving us an evil stare on the way in on the Maasia culture and their family arrangement, and then after a busy day, bed.
Next morning saw us awake at 6 am to go out on Safari. This is when we drove past the area that the lions from the film did their business. I closed my eyes and listened carefully, I could almost hear the roar of the lions and the screams of terror of the railway workers as they were stalked in their sleep. Mmmmm sleep.
Actually I could almost hear any of that. I ad done the thing I usually do on safari, when we’re not seeing any thing. Fall asleep!
The thing with wildlife is that thee s always something new too see. Seen a lion? Great have you seen it run? Has it walked past the vehicle? Have you seen it hunt and kill prey? You get the picture…
Next up was back to the lodge, breakfast and then move to Tsavo West Nation Park. This is where I went too sleep.
We arrived a couple of hours later and after a brief stop at the entrance, in we went. This time the initial idea was too go to
I've forgotten what these are called
but its sort of like a short giraffe Ingula Lodge first and put our possessions away and then go out.
The Lodge was even better than the last one. It had an amazing view over the park from half way up a mountain! It was absolutely spectacular. This time they had plush huts that we lived in. They even managed hot water!
Next up a trip to the black rhino sanctuary. There aren’t many black rhino left in the world as they have been poached to near extinction (I’ve been told that the number is less than 400), so these guys were in a protected sanctuary in the middle of the national park, with armed guard!
We spent two hours driving around that sanctuary looking really hard. Did we see a black rhino? Apparently there are 35 of them in there. Did I see one? I think we all know the answer to that question.
In the fading light on the way back the disappointment was offset by seeing a brown spotted hyena. It walked past the lead vehicle and then behind the last vehicle. It was stood next to the road in the near darkness looking at us before deciding that we were
A Dazzle Of Zebra
I find their social structure fascinating, ask me when I get back... nothing to be concerned about and then disappeared into the grass.
The next day We were up and roaming the park on the look out. We also did a side trip to a small spring where they had an under water chamber. You could actually view the hippo, fish and crocodiles.
Then it was time too pack and leave for Shimoni and my first experience of the road leading into Mombassa. It was very bumpy and you couldn’t sleep on it.
On the way back we started too play 20 questions out of desperation for something to do and as a distraction from the hunger we were feeling.
We arrived back late in the evening and after a quick dinner it was off to the tents (not the luxury just the normal camping kind) before forest work and a lot of panga-ing the next day.
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Brendan
non-member comment
Awesome
Awesome photo's mate - either you have a very good zoom on your camera or you got bloody close - looking forward to hearing about your travels when you get back