Last update: 04. January 2004
Heia Safari
or
Where are the lions
In the morning around 6 is waking. This time we do not have to sign. Above on our accommodation this long-tailed monkey does gymnastics around.
The coffee with the breakfast is surprisingly well, like also the rest of the breakfast.
The coffee is served genuine in old style kettles from aluminum to be seen in the picture right.
Also the rolls and the jam are OK.
At noon we are not in a Lodge to eat, we have received Lunchboxes, in order to be able to make lunch if it fits.
Up to the departure still something time remains to have a view over the Galana River.
Where yesterday evening the crocodiles were there are today today Warans, birds have built their nests in the reed.
And it already goes also again into the Tsavo East national park. By the early morning hour we, finally hope also to seecats in the form of lions, leopards or gepards. Those are still missing in our collection of impressions. Our Guide is already nervous, because obviously no Guide saw lions yesterday.
It is not to be understood, what is there into Kisuaheli over the bush radio, but it is probably like that that Guides mutually informed about the search for the lions. But for the time being we had to be happy with the other animals of the park. A small selection is here:
But all that becomes uninteresting. What is a Safari without lions? Ever the Guide continues to drive, always on the search for the lions. Not only he alone, the bush radio constantly is sending messages. In all places, where the lions normally are, nothing.
One notices, the Guide becomes nervous. Scratches somehow at his honour. There, the releasing message: Lions! The guide drove like hell to the place and we found already two other busses there. Below two bushes are the Lionesses. No male.
We are satisfied. Finally the long time awaited lions. On gepards and leopards the Guide already took us all hopes. Those changed into the northern part and this is closed for visitors. There are by the way also those last approximately 100 Rhinos.
According to these pictures we can easily have lunch. At the Voi gate we state that also apes are thirsty.
We leave the park and drive into an nearby village, where we ate our lunch boxes in a kind of beer garden. Chicken, Sandwiches and fruits.
Dealers sit in the "beer garden" of course, like everywhere in the world, who want to sell us their work. This time there are elephants from wood and carved Masaifigures.
His offer is an elephant of approx. 30 cm height for 3.500 Schilling, 35 - 40 euro, and a Mamamasai for 1.000 Schilling, approx. 12 Euro. I explain to him that I do not need an elephant. He relents not and praises his Mamamasai on.
Sometime I will become loose softly and I make him an offer, an elephant and a Mamamasai together for 20 Euro. He wants to sell, but much too expensively. I explain to him, that this is an offer, he can accept it or not.
When we started to go back to the park and he recognizes that I do not have interest in its wood carvings, he agreed to 20 Euro.
I saw then the same elephants in Mombasa for 5.700 Schilling, approx. 60 - 65 euro, and in the departure hall of the airport in Mombasa for unbelievable 300 US$ later.
After this is also settled, we can dedicate ourselves again to the Safari. By the Voi gate we again the park and during the Guide fills his water bottle I can take fast a picture of these multicolored saurian and the pertinent female.
Since we were at the Voi gate and Tanjas "foster elephant" Solango is accommodated directly in the proximity in an orphanage for elephants, we looked whether we can visit it. Unfortunately it was with the other elephants in the shrubs on the way. Preparation for the later wildlife.
During the further jouney our Guide continued at shrubs, in which he assumed lions. Correctly! The lioness had gone with its booty so deeply into the shrubs that she is to be recognized only with difficulty. Who himself looks at the 4th Picture above, where is there the lion?
It continues to go back to the lions. Here a game of the special kind is offered to us. A herd of buffalos draws directly at the lions by and a young lion frightens them and shooes them up.
The following pictures show, how some the lions driven out by the buffalos apparently, while the remaining lions encircle them.
Those slowly furiously becoming buffalos produced then nevertheless some doubts with our Guide and we drove on. Further to the Lugard falls, where we had again a little break. The Lugard Falls, they are not so spectacular as it sounds like. With us one would call it cataract.
Slowly it is also time to drive back to the Camp. Normally we should have been back already at four o'clock and now it is already after five. On the way back we see still another rainbow over the northern part of the Tsavo East, a Hyaene in the bushes at the roadside, a few river horses and a beautiful sunset.
In the last light of the dawn we see then still another lioness with her only few days old lion baby. Also quick a photo of a giraffe out of the driving bus made and then it is already dark. Still approximately one hour up to the Camp. The Guide drives a hell speed. If an elephant would cross the track behind a curve, ... We arrive however nevertheless highly punctual for showering before the Dinner in the Camp.
After the meal quick still another view of the crocodile feeding, a beer and again to bed. Tomorrow early waking is announced.
© Ulrich Hoffmann 2004
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