Lions, Leopards and the Lipault Ladies

[graceland]

I love the elies holding their own bottles! The children watching, learning and observing as well. No wonder the keepers are covered; I imagine they get quite muddy as well.

 

@kistafari thought she was mud-ridden when she showed up a Eka, but I as so happy to finally see her I never noticed!

[Marks]

Still playing catchup (this thread moves so quickly!), on page 14 at the moment, but just wanted to say how much I loved the cheetahs playing with the bean bag.

[graceland]

Still playing catchup (this thread moves so quickly!), on page 14 at the moment, but just wanted to say how much I loved the cheetahs playing with the bean bag.

@@Marks, that was one fun and unexpected sighting. All of us used our video feature, as it was so worthy - @@SafariChick showed the day's activities with the cheetah cubs perfectly! And with a steady hand!

 

Having seen them under the tree, we first thought the bean bag was a rock...then they began pulling, chewing, tossing. Quite a sight. Every time I see some of my pictures, I still smile. Toys bring out such playfulness.

 

One thing I noted in February as opposed to September was the amount of activity in lieu of sleeping. Perhaps because they were so young and energetic - and Mum had to hunt to feed her brood.

 

Our guides said it was the perfect time to be in the Mara. I tend to agree

[Marks]

Having seen them under the tree, we first thought the bean bag was a rock...then they began pulling, chewing, tossing. Quite a sight. Every time I see some of my pictures, I still smile. Toys bring out such playfulness.

 

One thing I noted in February as opposed to September was the amount of activity in lieu of sleeping. Perhaps because they were so young and energetic - and Mum had to hunt to feed her brood.

Yes I'm definitely appreciating how active they appear to have been, even when they didn't have their toy! Also glad to see that the cheetah action didn't let up on the subsequent pages (up to 16 now!)

 

@@SafariChick I really like the first photo in post #279. Quintessential "I'm a cheetah in Africa" photo.

[SafariChick]

@@Marks thank you so much! Well, it is time for me to wrap up at least my portion of this report. On the way back to Emakoko from Sheldrick's I was hoping against hope that we might see a leopard, but it wasn't looking good. We had gone a good part of the way back to Emakoko when James suddenly gets a call from Anton, manager of Emakoko. He's spotted ... a leopard! He was driving through the park having been on his way somewhere and spotted it but didn't have his camera with him. He wanted to photograph it so much that he drove all the way back to Emakoko to get it - I think maybe a half hour each way, although when I saw how he drove, I thought perhaps he managed it more quickly!

 

He tried to describe to James where the leopard was, and it was in an area we'd already driven through looking for one, and he said it was in a tree. So we went back there and drove slowly through, peering at every branch in every tree but we could not see a leopard at all. James then talked to Anton again and Anton was almost back to the park with his camera by this time so we agreed to look for his vehicle. When we saw him, he was at a tree that we had passed by a couple of times by now but just didn't see the leopard. That's how well hidden they are - we could be passing by them all the time and not know!

 

I will just post a few photos. The first two show what I captured before editing and then the third is one after zooming in and lightening it up. You can see in the first two what I was able to get with my maximum zoom - 24x.

 

Can you spot the leopard here?

 

 

How about now?

 

 

Ok, this is a little better:

 

 

and here is one of Anton's photos of the leopard

 

https://www.facebook.com/202406913125896/photos/a.225114530855134.67082.202406913125896/940299682669945/?type=1&theater

 

Happy to have had this sighting, we headed back to camp. We passed these two on the way:

 

 

and here's a view of the Emakoko as we approached it from the park:

 

 

I decided to just have a quiet afternoon in camp after lunch rather than trying to go out on a drive again, since I had a long travel ahead of me starting that evening. While I was in the shower, I was visited by a little creature that walked in from my balcony, followed by it's little friend - a rock hyrax! They were so cute and I would have taken a photo but I was soaking wet at the time! By the time I got out, they were gone, but I did manage to get some little videos of them playing and eating outside my room.

 

 

 

 

James asked me if, instead of another game drive, I'd like to go and look for the impala that Emakoko had raised since it was an orphan. I had mentioned that I was curious to meet it when @@Sangeeta reminded me of it and hadn't seen it the whole time I was there. James said it usually hung out up near where the staff lived, which was up several hundred stairs! It was safer for it there. I wasn't sure if I could manage all the stairs but I resolved to give it a go. James was very patient with me as we climbed slowly up and I needed to take a few breaks along the way. It was interesting seeing the staff lodging and they have a lovely view up there! There are also two cats who live on the property and hang around up there, and I met one of them. After walking around for a bit we located the impala, whose name, appropriately enough, is Pala. He was friendly but he did push me a little with his chest and I was amazed how strong he was! He did let me pet him but I am not happy with the photos of myself petting him, so I will post one of James petting him. You can see the cat in the photo too. You might see on his antlers there are some rubbery tubes - Anton and James said they had to put them on because he had gotten a little too pushy with them - though as I say, the pushing with his chest was rather vigorous too! I think James said he tends to do it more to female humans than to male. Anyway, he was a cutie and I enjoyed meeting him!

 

 

Oh, and I just found this on the Emakoko Facebook page - this is the cocktail that I was raving about - they call it DAWA but I can't remember what that stands for!

 

https://www.facebook.com/202406913125896/photos/a.225114530855134.67082.202406913125896/959801090719804/?type=1&theater

 

That night, James drove me to the airport and, as planned, we met up with the representative from Bush and Beyond outside the airport. It was a bit hectic figuring out exactly where to meet him and we stopped in a place that wasn't really meant to stop so the officials kept giving James a hard time about it. But at last we found the rep, or rather he found us, and I said a fond farewell to James and went with the rep into the airport, happy to be once again in possession of my very own passport.

 

And thus ends my portion of the trip report, though my traveling companions may have their own thoughts to add. All in all, an extremely full and enjoyable trip - @@Kitsafari I am so glad you allowed me to jump on board along with you for this journey, one that I might not have ever taken if you hadn't started the ball rolling and certainly more fun with ST buddies along! Thanks for sticking with us through this rather long (and long-winded?) report - it's been lots of fun reliving the trip!

[graceland]

It was great to return to the Mara with two experienced Safari goers for their first time visiting this iconic park and the conservancies, Mara North and Olare Motorogi.

 

Terrific guides, James, from Alex Walkers Serian Camps and Dan from Mara Plains.

 

The hosts, staff and other guests were extraordinary. Amazing camps and locations.

 

Thank you to @@Sangeeta for getting me on board so last minute!! Brilliant.

 

Game viewing was outstanding as @@Kitsafari and @@SafariChick so beautifully captured and shared here on the trip report.

 

So happy Safarichick found her leopard on her last day at Emokoko...that was a particular passion for her on this adventure

 

An the sun sets on yet another trip report.

 

 

 

 

 

[AKR1]

@@SafariChick

Good to see the impala is doing well and has grown from when I saw him at Emakoko 2 years ago. Anton had then said it was unlikely it would survive in the wild and even there, they were worried a predator would get it at night. I guess they keep the impala indoors at night?

 

Great report ladies. I miss the Mara. Kenya is the news again this morning in an unfortunate way with the university attack.

[SafariChick]

@@SafariChick

Good to see the impala is doing well and has grown from when I saw him at Emakoko 2 years ago. Anton had then said it was unlikely it would survive in the wild and even there, they were worried a predator would get it at night. I guess they keep the impala indoors at night?

 

Great report ladies. I miss the Mara. Kenya is the news again this morning in an unfortunate way with the university attack.

 

I'm not sure if they do keep it indoors at night, but they said it hangs out up by the staff quarters and it is safer there. I suppose a predator could make its way all the way up there but probably less likely since they have plenty of prey at 'ground level' so to speak right in the park?

 

@@CDL111 I forgot to answer your question about poaching. I asked James about that and I am trying to recall what he said. I think he said that they have had some but maybe not recently? I should ask him again so I can respond properly as my memory is fuzzy on that.

[Kitsafari]

@@SafariChick

 

Great report ladies. I miss the Mara. Kenya is the news again this morning in an unfortunate way with the university attack.

 

Thank you @@AKR1, and thanks to everyone for being so patient in following this joint report, and for all the kind and generous comments!

 

and You are most welcome @@SafariChick, I'm glad you and @@graceland were there to keep me company, and that made the safari even more of a blast!

 

Just before the trip began, I thought this trip would give me an opportunity to discover why there there was this relentless need to keep returning to Africa. Sure, it is to see the beautiful wildlife living as they should be in the bush. and yes, it's about those beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and those big open natural spaces that are so rare in a fast developing world with humans pushing their reach and decimating all those wild areas.And yes i feel this urgency to see all of it before they vanish within my lifetime.

 

This trip was not as earth shattering as my last but as with every safari, it had been very pleasant and hugely enjoyable. But I didn't find the answer to my question at the end of the trip.

 

Perhaps there is no tangible or quantitative or empirical answer. Perhaps the answer lies in a quote used by Alan Rabinowitz in his "Beyond the Last Village":

 

"What makes a place special is the way it buries itself inside the heart,not whether it's flat or rugged, rich or austere, wet or arid, gentle or harsh, warm or cold, wild or tame." - Richard Nelson.

 

[Marks]

Just finishing up now. What a beautiful report it's been. I certainly didn't expect a harrowing passport ordeal so close to the end. Glad everything worked out @@graceland (also hope you and your family are well).

[michael-ibk]

Just loved all of this, this trip report has been so much fun to read, with astounding gameviewing and great photos. Fantastic lion viewing, and your cheetah sightings are just incredible. Awesome to see Malaika again on these pages, and glad that her four remaining cubs seem to be going strong. It certainly seems you all really enjoyed this trip - and each other´s company. Oh my, that passport would have made a bundle of nerves out of anybody, really makes one wonder about airport security too - so are they all just pretending to look at those photos?

 

Thanks for sharing this very special "Safaritalk All-Star Experience", it really was a delight returning to this topic. Asante sana!

[CDL111]

Ladies, I too must add our thanks for such an enjoyable report and wonderful pics. Its a location that we had never thought of going to until now. @@SafariChick, I am sure there must be some poaching. @ graceland, I hope that your brother makes a speedy recovery.

[Kitsafari]

Ladies, I too must add our thanks for such an enjoyable report and wonderful pics. Its a location that we had never thought of going to until now. @@SafariChick, I am sure there must be some poaching. @ graceland, I hope that your brother makes a speedy recovery.

@@CDL111 I'm glad you've enjoyed the report and it has pushed the location to your travel list! Kenya needs all the support it can get from us, more so now than ever.

[Tom Kellie]

 

@@Kitsafari I'm glad you've enjoyed the report and it has pushed the location to your travel list! Kenya needs all the support it can get from us, more so now than ever.

 

 

~ @@Kitsafari:

 

Amen to that!

Kenya's safari and general tourism industry is reeling from a series of body blows.

Families depending on slender paychecks and often meager gratuities are doing without, leading to understandable social pressures.

Returning to Kenya or visiting for the first time is a positive response to the malicious actions of a few.

How often one reads on building walls or in newspaper comments “God bless Kenya!”. A safari there is a blessing for all involved.

Thanks for your timely comment, @@Kitsafari.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

 

~ @@graceland, @@Kitsafari, @SafariChick:

 

After a Saturday morning class a number of students lingered in the classroom to discuss writing field reports of ecological observations.

Several had Internet connected laptops, so we visited your joint ‘Lipault Ladies’ trip report. The purpose was to show several timid female students that adventure in the great outdoors wasn't limited to brawny alpha males or doddering older professors.

Naturally they oohed and ahed over the wildlife photos, for which there isn't really any counterpart in their lives.

Yet what stood out was the safari kickoff portrait above — everyone, male and female — loved it!

The three distinctive faces, the three similar yet different Lipault cases, the easygoing confidence — the portrait has an appeal even to mainland Chinese teenagers.

There's an “all for one, one for all” quality about the image which speaks across generations, gender, and geography.

Seeing @@Kitsafari, they were surprised to see an Asian lady off into the wilds of Kenya.

Using your trip report, dear ‘Lipault Ladies’, was the next best alternative to having the three of you in the classroom to kindle dreams in minds overly accustomed to shackled hopes.

Writing my own Kenya trip report these days, I much more fully appreciate the work and time that each of you put into preparing your highly enjoyable trip report.

@SafariChick:

 

The Sheldrick Center has a winner in that lovely image. My students loved it, with a gifted life science major saying: “She looks like such a fun lady”.

Amen to that! If there was a way to nudge the publicity staff at the Sheldrick Center, that's a poster to win hearts.

With Appreciation to All Three ‘Lipault Ladies’,

Tom K.

[graceland]

Ladies, I too must add our thanks for such an enjoyable report and wonderful pics. Its a location that we had never thought of going to until now. @@SafariChick, I am sure there must be some poaching. @ graceland, I hope that your brother makes a speedy recovery.

Thank you CDL, for your support. I am also a Kenya fan and have a group of ladies whom I just met this year when moving from city to river life; all want me to take them to the Mara next year after reading our report. No one has been to Africa; and I was thrilled this group saw beyond the news and troubles reported and insisted the Mara be the adventure. Not sure if my DH wants me jetting off on yet another, but we will work on it!

[graceland]

@@Tom Kellie, Well I can't speak for all the Lipault Ladies, but it is delightful that you found our report to be worthy of a class discussion. We definitely were not brawny nor doddering! Amazing place to visit.

 

I think it was easier for us as we all had prior safari experience, knew what to expect, felt safe within Africa, and had a great team working for us, @@Sangeeta and her partners at Chalo Africa (giving a plug for an exceptional job) When one fell ill, she was in touch with everyone home and in Africa. When I found I had @Safarchick's passport @@Kitsafari had all the numbers Sangeeta had provided (well i did to but was too frenzied to find) so we could call for a bit of assistance. All the camps knew her as she personally corresponds so we were invited in as special guests.

 

Everyone we met were quite taken with the fact three women who did not know each other previously but through our mutual admiration of SafariTalk would take the chance and travel together to Kenya. We all felt it quite natural.

 

NOW, back to reading your excellent report!

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie, Well I can't speak for all the Lipault Ladies, but it is delightful that you found our report to be worthy of a class discussion. We definitely were not brawny nor doddering! Amazing place to visit.

 

I think it was easier for us as we all had prior safari experience, knew what to expect, felt safe within Africa, and had a great team working for us, @@Sangeeta and her partners at Chalo Africa (giving a plug for an exceptional job) When one fell ill, she was in touch with everyone home and in Africa. When I found I had @Safarchick's passport @@Kitsafari had all the numbers Sangeeta had provided (well i did to but was too frenzied to find) so we could call for a bit of assistance. All the camps knew her as she personally corresponds so we were invited in as special guests.

 

Everyone we met were quite taken with the fact three women who did not know each other previously but through our mutual admiration of SafariTalk would take the chance and travel together to Kenya. We all felt it quite natural.

 

NOW, back to reading your excellent report!

 

~ @graceland:

 

With the example of you three, I'll have to keep my nose to the grindstone and get through Tsavo West.

All of you brought your safari ALIVE!

What more could anyone want?

Tom K.

[amybatt]

Just back from my "not a safari this year" trip and catching up...what a fabulous report! Re: Malaika and her cubs on the vehicle, a work colleague of mine went to the Mara in January and went with my favorite Porini guide, Jackson. She reported back the second she returned that when watching Malaika's cubs for an extended period, one "disappeared" and turns out it had jumped into their very back seat and was asleep! Jackson noticed one had gone missing and stomped on the floor of the vehicle first to disrupt it if it was underneath, then started the vehicle, which is when the cub jumped out! They had no idea!

 

Great reporting, ladies...I've been anxious to get back to this now that I'm home again.

[Tom Kellie]

Just back from my "not a safari this year" trip and catching up...what a fabulous report! Re: Malaika and her cubs on the vehicle, a work colleague of mine went to the Mara in January and went with my favorite Porini guide, Jackson. She reported back the second she returned that when watching Malaika's cubs for an extended period, one "disappeared" and turns out it had jumped into their very back seat and was asleep! Jackson noticed one had gone missing and stomped on the floor of the vehicle first to disrupt it if it was underneath, then started the vehicle, which is when the cub jumped out! They had no idea!

 

Great reporting, ladies...I've been anxious to get back to this now that I'm home again.

 

~ @amybatt:

 

It was in their vehicle!?!?

It's great for animals to feel at home in their habitat, but chilling out in a safari vehicle?

What will they do next? Walk into a tented camp and ask for a sundowner?

Thanks for the amusing update.

Tom K.

[graceland]

Just back from my "not a safari this year" trip and catching up...what a fabulous report! Re: Malaika and her cubs on the vehicle, a work colleague of mine went to the Mara in January and went with my favorite Porini guide, Jackson. She reported back the second she returned that when watching Malaika's cubs for an extended period, one "disappeared" and turns out it had jumped into their very back seat and was asleep! Jackson noticed one had gone missing and stomped on the floor of the vehicle first to disrupt it if it was underneath, then started the vehicle, which is when the cub jumped out! They had no idea!

 

Great reporting, ladies...I've been anxious to get back to this now that I'm home again.

Something to get you excited for the upcoming adventures. I followed your "not a safari this year" trip...too bad of the delay; I would have tried to spend a few more days, JUST BECAUSE.

 

But do hope the Ladies' report gets you all revved for your own

[Kitsafari]

 

20150218_113642.jpg

 

~ @@graceland, @@Kitsafari, @SafariChick:

 

After a Saturday morning class a number of students lingered in the classroom to discuss writing field reports of ecological observations.

Several had Internet connected laptops, so we visited your joint ‘Lipault Ladies’ trip report. The purpose was to show several timid female students that adventure in the great outdoors wasn't limited to brawny alpha males or doddering older professors.

Naturally they oohed and ahed over the wildlife photos, for which there isn't really any counterpart in their lives.

Yet what stood out was the safari kickoff portrait above — everyone, male and female — loved it!

The three distinctive faces, the three similar yet different Lipault cases, the easygoing confidence — the portrait has an appeal even to mainland Chinese teenagers.

There's an “all for one, one for all” quality about the image which speaks across generations, gender, and geography.

Seeing @@Kitsafari, they were surprised to see an Asian lady off into the wilds of Kenya.

Using your trip report, dear ‘Lipault Ladies’, was the next best alternative to having the three of you in the classroom to kindle dreams in minds overly accustomed to shackled hopes.

Tom K.

 

 

 

@@Tom Kellie how amazing is that? using our trip as a classroom topic! when I was studying english literature, our late creative and infectious teacher (bless his heart) used lyrics from Simon and Garfunkel as material for our classes, and that expanded my world so much as one of the main lessons I learned then was that a subject can't be confined to a category, that there are no limits or borders. That is what you teach in your class as well, Tom. I'm so honoured that you picked our TR. Thank you!

 

your students' response to my travels is not surprising. Having lived in Asia for so long, you can appreciate how difficult it is for a single Asian lady to travel on her own into unknown territories! we live such sheltered lives over here. But I had years of training as I've been travelling on my own for over 30 years into countries I've never been. the sense of excitement about what I would discover (with a streetsmart approach thrown in) definitely helped,

[Kitsafari]

@@amybatt wow! she got into the vehicle so stealthily and so relaxed with humans! what an amazing story to share at campfires.

 

@@graceland alluded to your "not a safari trip" but I can't seem to see it on the threads. I must have missed it.

[graceland]

@@amybatt wow! she got into the vehicle so stealthily and so relaxed with humans! what an amazing story to share at campfires.

 

@@graceland alluded to your "not a safari trip" but I can't seem to see it on the threads. I must have missed it.

It was on another forum

Edited April 10, 2015 by graceland

[amybatt]

The "not a safari this year" trip was Italy. But I was thinking of the Mara the whole time... I've booked the next safari (which I should update in the 2016 planning thread) so I'll be back there in due time. This TR covers some of the same ground, so I'm thrilled the ladies shared so openly! It'll keep me going.

 

@@Tom Kellie, I'd gladly have a cheetah in for a sundowner or two!!

 

I meant to say YIKES about the whole passport debacle. That is troubling that you got so far into the airport before it was noticed. UGH.