Day 32 - Maasai Mara National Park and 4wd Commentary

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Into the park today for a whole day expedition. Our aim is to get to the Mara river (where the wilderbeest cross in the National Geographic shows -and get eaten by the crocs and lions).

Day started off ok, but not long after we leave, my patience is tested by the experts again - why o 4wd, no low gear, etc. I hold my tongue and eventually we get to where we are meant to be, safely, if not slipperyly - is that a real word - it is now.....

Long day so sit down, belt up, shut up......

The park has lots of animals, we start with the standard Impala, gazelle, zebra and wilderbeest. Then we see lions eating a kill. Turns out the kill is only a Maasai cow, but this female lion is having a feast. She ignores us as she rips this cow apart. We sat for a while then leave. More to see.

NFI where we are, just driving in circles maybe... Find a toilet stop at a another lodge in the park - they share facilities which is a nice touch. Then back to the grind, animal spotting.

Quiet for a while, then the radis crackles, we sit quietly trying to translate Swahili to English. No hope yet, too early for 17 wines for me to translate...... Finally we are told to sit down,as we are going fast. Sure enough, we cross paths with our sister truck into the off road part of the park - not meant to go there.

Message obviously didn’t go to out to others either. Crazy things happening with trucks, etc. We get close and see 5 male cheetah feasting on a kill (Impala who didn’t get out of the way quickly enough). Simon says (..) we have to get quick pics then leave. If he gets caught off the track he gets fined.... Wham bam, thank you mam, we are done and out. Not like others who linger longer waiting for the rangers to get their number plate pics and fines. Thanks Simon, nice almost honest work....

We start to head home as the clouds are threatening. Another cheetah sighting, more sighing from the back rows. This time a mother cheetah with 3 cubs. Cute and worth the stop. More sighs and off we go - read starting to piss us off with attitude. Getting to the stage of shut the @**$ up and sit down. Patience prevails.

Eventually off and homeward bound, almost. Radio says a leopard is near. Off we go - can’t miss an opportunity..... Lots of trucks all jostling for position to see nothing music at the moment. Muttering from behind, ignored by some then we spot the leopard bing chased by baboons. Off Into the bush. We are told in no uncertain manner that we shouldn’t be wasting our time here. Ok, off we go towards home again, being chased by the incoming rain storm.

Rain is threatening and thunder is rolling. Simon asks if we want the sides down. No, just drive is one comment, then a few minutes later, put the sides down. Hmm. More patience required. Sides down, rain down so hard it is almost impossible to see. All of a sudden the road and the fields are the one colour, water. We keep going with regular commentary. Then we find the other truck stuck in a rut. Pull up and they get the chain out again we pull them back out of the mud, chain off and away we go. At one stage another comment was about to squeak out, but a hand went up and there was silence. Yay.

Finally get back. The rain hasn’t been so bad at the camp. Showered and to dinner where the moods have mellowed a bit. After food and some drinks and a few laughs about the trip, all is good in the world again. Now for another day tomorrow. Balloon flight day. Off to bed early.

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