Lions, Leopards and the Lipault Ladies

[KathBC]

"I think it would be great if @graceland started a packing thread! *hint, hint*

 

I second that hint!

[graceland]

"I think it would be great if @graceland started a packing thread! *hint, hint*

 

I second that hint!

Oh the pressure is on....

 

Here is a start:

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13254-kenya-luggage-restriction/?hl=packing#entry138221

Edited March 11, 2015 by graceland

[Girlsnstilettos]

 

"I think it would be great if @graceland started a packing thread! *hint, hint*

 

I second that hint!

Oh the pressure is on....

 

Haha, no pressure! Only do it if you want to, and if you decide you do, do it at your leisure. I'm sure other people could put their 2 cents in as well!

[pault]

I'm going to be quiet about this mythical L'il pault. Sometimes whatever you say it won't come out right.

 

This is a very warm and slightly chaotic trip report with many amusing tangents. I have a feeling Daniel earned his pay that week.

[Kitsafari]

bringing a bit of order back into the chaos, let me continue to wind my way into Mara North.

 

It wasn't just the large animals we saw. Other animals we saw on my list during the first two days in Mara North (some of which may have been mentioned before) –

- 3 dik diks that didn’t run away and one with a fabulous hairstyle

- Batelur

- Topis

- Hippos

- Impala

- Elands

- Southern ground hornbill

- Zebras

- Jackals

- Agama lizards

- Hyrax

- Dwarf and bandied mongoose

- Thomson gazelles

- Wildebeests

- Lots of warthogs

- Lots of buffaloes

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2015 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

seems I couldn't load too many pix in one post. could be a bandwidth problem at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

an agama that provided much entertainment while watching the leopard cub in Leopard Gorge. I admired those muscles!

 

[Kitsafari]

 

we saw lots of herds of buffaloes. this group was enjoying a mud spa.

 

 

possibly a juvenile western banded snake eagle (thanks to @@armchair bushman), posing in front of my tent at serian main camp

[Kitsafari]

a jackal cub

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

we came across a large wake (?) of vultures crowding a carcass and it soon became apparent that there was a creature that didn't quite belong to the birds.

 

 

 

can you spot it?

 

Valiantly protecting his carcass

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Plenty of hyenas roamed the land as well. James brought us to a hyena den on the second night in Mara North and it was a delight to watch the Dynasty at work. the juniors were skulking around one of which were hassling a couple of older ones which gave way to her/him. So she was probably the scion of the hyena queen. A skull looking much like a giraffe’s was at the centre of attraction, providing much gnawing practice for the younger members. The young urns were curious about us and came close to the car to try to sniff us.

 

I don't have many great pix of the hyenas but I'm sure @@SafariChick and @@graceland had a few.

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Just a couple of thoughts on the Serian main camp. There are 7 tents and when we were there, Richard (Alex walker's partner) and his family were there as well. Roisin and Adrian and Wifi their one year old dog are the capable managers for the camp. They were ably aided by Emily and Fraser and their 6 month old and adorable Sadi who brightened my days along with wifi at camp. Emily also managed the mobile camp Nkorombo in the reserve when we were there. @@graceland had a video of the camp in an earlier post.

 

Mine was the last tent and it was a long rocky path to the tent. walk carefully in the night or you'll trip and hurt your ankles. make the askari walk slower and with you and point the torch for you to see. the bathrooms are not connected to the tent and mine was about 12-15 steps (short legs like mine) apart and on lower ground.

James was an excellent professional guide through and through. He didn't rush in at sightings like other guides and while he positioned us for better photos he was also mindful of the wildlife, careful to give space to the animals or cats as they hunted . As other cars rushed forward, he held back and that gave us more unusual sightings shared by few or none. He was visibly angry once when cars surged forward, potentially harming a cheetah’s hunt. But by staying put where we were, it gave us the best sightings, after all the other cars had moved off, as you will see in further in the trip. he would also either switch off the engine and let the car roll forward to a sighting or slow down and brake gently, and that allowed me to position the camera ahead of a full stop. I didn't appreciate that until I was at Mara Plains, where I did swear (under my breath) at the driver a couple of times (because he would speed up to the animal and brake suddenly and the camera will knock into my forehead and of course I would then miss the photo op).

 

Edited March 12, 2015 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

If you have noticed, I've been short on details (though i suspect no less rambling!) than before in my trip portion. I have acute IBS and my sensitive gastrointestinal system reacts immediately to any little attack. We had a dinner in the bush on our second night in Mara North – my first - and I was most excited and thrilled by it. But by the time we started the night drive after that dinner, I started to feel nauseous and giddy, and threw up by the end of the drive. That night and the most of the following day, I was laid low by an acute attack of gastrointestinal infection.

 

 

 

 

dinner in the bush, serenaded by the hyenas around us

 

 

a nightjar, or a hallucination in my nauseous, giddy state?

[Kitsafari]

So, as I lie flat on the cool floor of my tent (very glad and relieved that I had such a beautiful room to rest in), surviving on a dried slice of bread and a banana, I shall now pass the baton to my compatriots to continue the journey.

 

 

such a lovely room to have a much needed respite in

Edited March 12, 2015 by Kitsafari

[graceland]

I'm going to be quiet about this mythical L'il pault. Sometimes whatever you say it won't come out right.

 

This is a very warm and slightly chaotic trip report with many amusing tangents. I have a feeling Daniel earned his pay that week.

@@pault, you are a smart one with that reasoning

 

I hope Daniel earned some pay; but James, our guide was thoroughly entertained, as well as paid. He put us with the Ladies for six nights..and was smiling quite a bit.

 

My life is chaotic; so are my trip reports. I did warn the Ladies of such Not a real rule follower.

 

I believe @@SafariChick is up next for her thoughts on our last days of Mara North; I'll post my comments and photos after she begins.

 

Then we move onto Nkorombo in the Mara Reserve.

 

 

 

@@Kitsafari was a real trooper through her stomach ordeal. Only missed one day; never complained; and was trying to smile when I would visit her tent... we were all VERY worried, but she pulled through in time to move camps.

 

I think Safarichick got some great shots of our encounters on our last game drives.

I may have a few.

 

I'll post my thoughts on the two different styles of guiding we experienced --later on so as not to be too discombobulated.

[pault]

Oops! James.... Bond and Craig... That's my excuse.... Errr

[pault]

Sorry to hear you got a bad tummy @@Kitsafari but you seemed to recover quickly, which is good. I like the jackal spot - no I didn't see it at first and the nightjar definitely wasn't a hallucination. Love the tortoise too - you're having a great time I can see.

 

Your third dik-dik certainly does have an unusual haircut and it fooled that Impala didn't it. Sneaky!

 

Sorry.... I am ashamed, but I couldn't resist it.

 

bringing a bit of order back into the chaos, let me continue to wind my way into Mara North.

 

It wasn't just the large animals we saw. Other animals we saw on my list during the first two days in Mara North (some of which may have been mentioned before) –

- 3 dik diks that didn’t run away and one with a fabulous hairstyle

- Batelur

- Topis

- Hippos

- Impala

- Elands

- Southern ground hornbill

- Zebras

- Jackals

- Agama lizards

- Hyrax

- Dwarf and bandied mongoose

- Thomson gazelles

- Wildebeests

- Lots of warthogs

- Lots of buffaloes

 

 

 

[graceland]

Oops! James.... Bond and Craig... That's my excuse.... Errr

If only...... -

 

I would be volunteering at Serian NOW.

 

James did have a great smile though, and a sense of humor. Always a plus for me.

Ask for him; he is a gem. Silver going for Gold as well.

 

Here he is Bush Dinner Night -

.

 

Edited March 12, 2015 by graceland

[SafariChick]

ooh I love that last photo of James @@graceland ! I think the skull the hyenas were playing with was a zebra skull if I recall correctly, but I will check my notes. I think I have video actually and took a bunch of pictures, so I will probably start with that when I get back to posting. There are so many wonderful memories here and do you all realize, dear readers, I think this has only been two days of our safari so far?? I will start up with the next day as soon as I can get a few real life things organized, so sit tight! Oh and by the way, in case it wasn't clear, Sadi (Pronounced like "Side-ey") was also a dog along with Wifi - not a 6-month-old baby - though I am sure Emily and Frasier would have a gorgeous baby as they are both as good looking as models - and in fact, Emily was a model earlier in life. (not that she's old - she's still very young). Ok I am really rambling. I will be back ASAP!

Edited March 12, 2015 by SafariChick

[Kitsafari]

,! Oh and by the way, in case it wasn't clear, Sadi (Pronounced like "Side-ey") was also a dog along with Wifi - not a 6-month-old baby - though I am sure Emily and Frasier would have a gorgeous baby as they are both as good looking as models - and in fact, Emily was a model earlier in life. (not that she's old - she's still very young). Ok I am really rambling. I will be back ASAP!

I didn't even notice that I left the Baby dog out! I love Sadi. She is a lovely pup. Love her to bits.

[SafariChick]

 

,! Oh and by the way, in case it wasn't clear, Sadi (Pronounced like "Side-ey") was also a dog along with Wifi - not a 6-month-old baby - though I am sure Emily and Frasier would have a gorgeous baby as they are both as good looking as models - and in fact, Emily was a model earlier in life. (not that she's old - she's still very young). Ok I am really rambling. I will be back ASAP!

I didn't even notice that I left the Baby dog out! I love Sadi. She is a lovely pup. Love her to bits.

 

Ha ha well you mentioned their 6-month old and adorable Sadi, but not her species, so I just wanted to clarify that!

[graceland]

]Yes, it was so gamed filled; I remember saying after the two days...if I had to leave now, I'd be happy

 

 

But we still had SIX more nights!

 

My one contribution from the den....

 

Here's Looking At You, Kid

..

 

[TonyQ]

I love the jackal pictures, and the dik dik. And a great picture of the tortoise - how big was it. I also like hyenas so would love to see young ones.

I think the 3 way report is working well!

[graceland]

I love the jackal pictures, and the dik dik. And a great picture of the tortoise - how big was it. I also like hyenas so would love to see young ones.

I think the 3 way report is working well!

 

Thanks @@TonyQ - we are trying to work this out sequentially- West Coast, East Coast and Singapore. Three time zones!!

 

 

And for you; just happen to have two.....

 

Right by the my door...

 

 

 

And two ....in the hole. or trying might as they can.

 

[ice]

Mara North is pregnant with game. The density is ridiculous.

Lions were around every corner, although not as large prides. They were dripping everywhere in small groups often with Cubs.

 

 

 

interesting - I was there less than a week before and we would see a pride consisiting of 5 females and 10 cubs on a daily basis

[Kitsafari]

Sorry to hear you got a bad tummy @@Kitsafari but you seemed to recover quickly, which is good. I like the jackal spot - no I didn't see it at first and the nightjar definitely wasn't a hallucination. Love the tortoise too - you're having a great time I can see.

 

Your third dik-dik certainly does have an unusual haircut and it fooled that Impala didn't it. Sneaky!

 

Sorry.... I am ashamed, but I couldn't resist it.

 

bringing a bit of order back into the chaos, let me continue to wind my way into Mara North.

 

It wasn't just the large animals we saw. Other animals we saw on my list during the first two days in Mara North (some of which may have been mentioned before) –

- 3 dik diks that didn’t run away and one with a fabulous hairstyle

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOL @@pault that's really funny! i didn't notice that juxtaposition! trust you to ferret that out.

 

the 3rd dik dik was not as photo-friendly as its pals, and was hiding behind the shrubs the entire time before fleeting away. here's a pix of it through the bushes: