In Absentia – Day Five

We’ll be back at the hotel in Mombasa by the time you read this having visited both the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru game reserves. I’m not sure which I’m looking forward to much out of these two, each having their own unique selling points.

Certainly the thought of seeing over one million flamingos at Lake Nakuru sounds like the highlight of any trip but then again.. the Masai Mara, do I have to say more? All the websites that refer to the Mara mention seeing the Big Five (was this first incarnation of Enid Blyton‘s series of novels?), this term first coined by hunters visiting Africa consisting of Lion, African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino. My idea of hunting isn’t a million miles away from these earlier pioneers but instead of using a gun to shoot the animals, I’ll be using my camera (don’t worry, no animals will be hurt through my photography, though they may feel a little let down when they see the photos I’ve taken). My definitions of the Big Five though differs to the previous list; I want to see Cheetah, Rhino’s, Elephants,Lions, Leopards in that order (if they could line up in an orderly queue in preparation please).

Looking on Google Maps, the camp is surrounded by trees, and as such my hopes are high for what else I’m hoping to see, Birds and Snakes (where one is, the other will certainly be present). There is some pressure to see one specific bird, an African Ground Hornbill, as my boy wants me to take a photograph of one for him – us having seen these at numerous zoos. I’d love to get a close up of this birds eye, encircled with red skin and with long black eyelashes it could make for a stunning photo.

After the driving around for days looking for wildlife, the hotel pool where we’re staying in Mombasa will be a very welcoming contrast. I am hoping that by now the bouncing and shaking sensation of being in a 4×4 over rough ground will have subsided or I’ll be spilling more beer than I’ll be drinking!

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