Kenya - Lake Nakuru

Saturday, September 28'th

The next morning we start out late (it was a tough night, Raj Shah can't have made much of a profit since he gave most of the drinks away). Just outside the "Overland Stop" gate the exit was blocked by an official looking man with a warning signal for us, not to drive out onto to the road. A Kenyan race was in progress, the athletes was running fast. I got some of it on my 8mm substandard and then we could continue. Some of these runners are probably gonna participate in the next Olympics.

Heading for Nakuru and the Lake Nakuru National Park, we stopped at the city to buy supplies for the rest of the trip.

We have some lunch just inside the park entrance together with the baboons that are very interested in our sandwiches. The fee for the hole team is 300$US but Steve only have British £, and they won't accept Travellers cheque for £. I put up the 300$US and receive 200£ from Steve (#1), at good deal for me at the time.

After lunch we head straight for the soda-lake to get some flamingo photos before the rain. We drive out onto the dried-out part of the lake and jump out of the truck, right into the mud, the acrid smell of the soda-lake is apparent, it is like a mix of moisty-boots and eggs gone bad.

We go up to the Pavilion in the Baboon Cliffs to enjoy the view of park. This scenery has been used in the Out of Africa movie. Remember the scene where Robert Redford is flying over vast flocks of Flamingo, the rumor goes that it is shot here at Nakuru.

The weather has cleared a bit, from the Pavilion there is a good view

The Rhino encounter has brightened the atmosphere after the rain. It is now afternoon and the light is getting dim. We go south to the campsite on the premises. On the way there we cause a traffic jam. Two male Lions are having a nap, right next to the road. Only one Jeep is there when we arrive but quickly the rumor goes and we are in the center of angry tourists that can't get their right shot. Whenever we move the truck, the Lions follow. They like to stay in the shade of our tarpaulin.

After have been with the Lions for half an hour the atmosphere between us and the other Jeeps are tense. They are quite aggressive to get in a good photo position and we see some dangerous maneuvers to overtake our position. We start the engine and drive off, having enough Lion shots and are fed up with the other drivers.

We camp in the southern part of the park, there is a waterfall close by, that is all I know of the place. An other group are already there, and we are having chicken today (some skinny ones, but varied from the normal beef). That night Ian is going out the take a leak and tries his flash-light pointing it at the perimeter of the camp, but he get a shock by seeing the reflection of eyes all over. He quickly return to the tent.

Sunday, September 29'th

The next morning we drive off at 6.15AM (15 minutes to clear the camp and have breakfast). Today we are determined to see some prey/predator fights and we do see/hear a Cheetah rustle in the high grass. Further out on the plain we spot a flock of Rhino.

Rhino is only met in a flock if there are newborn Rhinos along and we catch a glimpse of two babies. The group are moving from the lake towards the forest to get some shade and we stop the truck right in their path and wait for them to surround us. We had to be quiet in order to avoid scarring them off. We all get some good photos.

We have two hours left until we have to leave Nakuru and we drive pointless along the shores of the lake, there are pink flamingo everywhere. This has been some pretty intense 24 hours and by now we have seen enough.

Well out of the National park we head into Nakuru to buy snacks before driving down to Naivasha to spend our last couple of days relaxing, this was a holiday for us all. At Fisherman's Camp you will find a good and well-visited site. We make camp and raise our tents, rinse and slice the vegetables and head for the bar while Freddy is struggling with dinner, Ahhh - Nice cool beer

That night we hear the hippopotamus, a bit frightening but we we are told the story that before the trench down by the lake were dug, the hippos would come

Monday, September 30'th

The next day I am the last to get up (10AM). Nearby is the Joy Adamson estate, Elsamere just a couple of miles down the road. I don't know anything about Joy other than what the Loney Planet writes. This must be a British thing unheard of outside England, maybe just like our own Danish writer Karen Blixen and her coffee-farm at Ngong outside Nairobi. Joy is a British writer that was murdered in 1980 at mysterious circumstances. When Hollywood hear about her story we'll all know her by heart before you can say "Dian Fossey - Gorillas in the mist". I stay at the camp, Ian, Alison and Sheila head for the estate. They open at 3PM and serve afternoon tea at the lawn. They close at 6PM.

Freddy had talked about all the things he can make on a campfire and Ian had dared (made a bet) with Freddy, that he can't make doughnuts out in the wilderness. That afternoon Freddy made a mountain of doughnuts and Ian had to 'eat' his own words, there was enough for breakfast the next day. Those of us that fly with Kenya Ariways are just in time to re-confirm our flights but the price to use the phone at Fisherman's Camp are high 150 Ksh for a one-minute call.

Tuesday, October 1'st

The drive back to Nairobi was uneventful, and on the last stretch back we stoped (at 11AM) at a viewpoint to have a look at the nearby mountain I was under the impression that it was Mt. Kenya but it is far to the North-East of where we were, most likely it was Mt. Longonot. Some souvenir-merchants

Before checking in at Sirona Hotel, we had a last dinner at Carnivore, a restaurant outside the city. Here you can taste what Zebra, Ostrich, Crocodile and all the non threatened species of exotic animals taste like. A high quality steak house where they keep offer you meat until you ask them to stop, the price is fixed, around 1000 Ksh for the meal plus tips and drinks. This concept is also known in Brazil as Churrascaria restaurants

Back at Sirona I fall fast asleep.