July 23- We awoke before dawn for a morning game drive. Luckily, the thirsty ground had slurped up most of the rainwater overnight, leaving navigable pools throughout our campsite. The sky was moody and the trees were shrouded in mist. For the first hour of our drive we were “maybe very unlucky” according to Mutiso, for we saw no animals other than several sleepy-eyed cape buffalo and the occasional waterbuck. The rough roads rocked us from side to side, almost violently at times, as Chris skillfully maneuvered our massive truck through the dirt roads of the park. Just when it seemed as though the drive had been pointless we happened upon a white rhino family, with a darling, perky-eared baby! We watched, in awe, as these massive creatures moved over the land, nibbling on the freshly grown grass. Several minutes after leaving this first rhino family we happened upon another, also with a precious, perky-eared infant. Needless to say, our camera shutters never stopped clicking! Also alongside the lake we found a larger and rosier group of flamingos than the previous day- a small victory!
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Flamingos
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Cape Buffalo
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Ibis
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Plains’ Zebras
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It’s a unihorn!
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Impala bachelor heard
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African Fish Eagle
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White Rhino Family #1
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Lake Nakuru
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White Rhino Family #2
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Rhino with his little egret friend… these little white birds follow alongside the rhinos to gobble up insects displaced by the rhino’s movements.
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Rothschild Giraffes
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As we headed back towards our campsite we encountered a troop of baboons alongside the road, and one had literally just given birth. The exhausted mama was perched atop a rock, cradling her new, still wet baby, as another adult groomed her tired head and shoulders. It was such a sweet and intimate moment to experience.
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Baboons
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Just before camp we encountered a heard of zebra and several were right next to the road, enthusiastically chowing down on a patch of tender grass. Their interest in their meal outweighed their concern for us, and so, there they remained happily munching, as we reveled in our close proximity, and snapped photos like crazy.
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Pumbas
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Guinea Fowl
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Cormorant
Once back at camp we ate a quick bite and packed up. Before long we were bouncing down the road. We made a quick stop in the town of Nakuru for provisions. The bustling town was dingy, and the air was thick with exhaust. Still, there was lively, upbeat energy to the place.
A quick photo-op at the Equator was a must as well! The owner of a nearby curios shop treated us to a fun experiment. When draining water just north of the equator the water swirled clockwise, and when south of the equator the water swirled counter clockwise. When placed directly on the equator the water fell straight down without swirling at all.
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Back on the bus we moved forward and upward, towards the town of Eldoret. Most Kenyan runners come from Eldoret, as they have spent their lives training in the thin air. The roads, often rough and in various states of repair and disrepair, caused our mammoth truck to jostle from side to side, like a boat tossing about in rough waves. I passed the time reading Out of Africa and watching the Kenyan countryside whir past my window… children squealing with delight, boasting bright happy smiles, waving exuberantly… rusty, ramshackle corrugated tin shacks… fences, crudely constructed of branches and wire… lush hillsides, patchworks of tiny farms…chunky stone walls of unfinished buildings… the occasional donkey, grazing lazily along the roadside…verdent rows of corn… countless men, either sitting alongside the road or ambling along, with shoulders hunched and hands shoved into their pockets. This area, Mutiso informed us, was a great agricultural area and provided the corn for most of the country.
We arrived at our campground, Naiberi, at sunset and quickly set up our tents on the thin green lawn. The air was chilly, given our increase in elevation. A number of our travel mates raced to the ablution blocks that boasted much-anticipated hot showers. As dinner was prepared, we made our way to the bar for a drink and to charge our computer. The restaurant, bar and pool section of the campsite was wonderfully eccentric! Following signs to the bar led us down through a long, winding stone tunnel, with thatched roof. It emptied into a massive cave of a room. It’s uneven stone walls and floor flowed together organically. From an undulating thatched ceiling hung large rattan lamps, which cast a warm glow throughout the dim cavern. Small creeks ran through the room beneath charming arched foot bridges. The back wall was composed entirely of glass and allowed light to stream in on a staggered retaining wall of tropical plants. Whimsical statues were tucked into dark corners and a towering fireplace stretched to the ceiling. Opposite the glass wall was entirely wall-less and paths led downwards through a tropical garden to a glittering aqua pool. It was truly a sight to behold!
After dinner we grabbed quick showers, thankful for the steamy water, and then returned to the bar to finish charging our electronics and enjoy happy conversation with a group of our lovely travel mates before retiring to our musty tents.
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