R&R in Ruaha

[pault]

@@Soukous... I saw no evidence of this but I heard that some take down giraffe and some even take down elephants.I heard that the giraffe killing was more likely to happen when the buffaloes were away. But all this is guide talk and not based on anything I saw.. I happen to know that some have been doing giraffes since at least the mid 2000s anyway but it sounds like it is more frequent now. Couldn't say it is a specialisation, but Ruaha lions are big, filthy beasts and look like they'd take down anything.

 

Edit: Oh, I wasn;'t quite truthful. I saw two giraffes without tails. That could be taken as evidence!!

Edited December 9, 2014 by pault

[Bush dog]

@@pault

 

I have a lot of pleasure to read this TR and also to discover your outstanding illustrations. I love the composition of the giraffe and oxpeckers and "half the story told". The elephant's lashes are beautiful. I also like those images where a or several "small on the picture" animal(s) is(are) giving a particular dimension to it, that will probably be ordinary without it or them. The perfect example of this is, for me, the elephants in front of the Gonarezhou cliffs on .... TR.

 

I saw very shy roans, near Little Serengeti, 17 years ago. Regarding vultures, I saw one lappet-faced, but that was in the western part, and also those, I mentioned in my TR, where I saw my first leopard and where I supposed there was a kill. This leads me to

 

@Soukous question

 

In my TR, I have forgotten to mention that the next day, my guide told me that he learned that there was, indeed, a giraffe killed by lions, probably by the big pride of 26.

[Treepol]

@@Soukous we saw lions on a giraffe kill in Ruaha in July 2008 with the well fed snoozy cats nearby. Here's another shot taken the next day of the remains. I have a vague memory of a second giraffe carcass, but can't find the photos now. There was also a buffalo kill along the river made by a different pride through whose territory the buffalo had to pass in order to reach the river.

 

Maybe the Ruaha lions do turn to giraffe when the buffalo aren't around, they certainly have a taste for them.

[africaaddict]

I'm really enjoying this TR @@pault

A question for you.... one of the things which has made trips to Ruaha interesting is that some of the lions there have started specialising in giraffe as their chosen prey.

Did you see any evidence of this?

Hi Martin

 

On my 2nd last trip to Kwihala/Ruaha (10 nights), in OCT last year we came upon 4 predation scenes of lion on giraffe, none of the actual takedown, but all within a few hours of the events.

This with Buffalo quite prevalent.

 

Sorry for the intrusion Pault, love your TR & images so far!

[SafariChick]

So enjoying this @@pault - as I always do all your reports - and wondering what is to come! Your description of Ruaha as a park where you don't know what you're going to see and some drives being totally quiet and then others something extraordinary happens is how @@KafueTyrone also described the Kafue to Sangeeta and I. Looking forward to hearing what comes next!

[pault]

 

I'm really enjoying this TR @@pault

A question for you.... one of the things which has made trips to Ruaha interesting is that some of the lions there have started specialising in giraffe as their chosen prey.

Did you see any evidence of this?

Hi Martin

 

On my 2nd last trip to Kwihala/Ruaha (10 nights), in OCT last year we came upon 4 predation scenes of lion on giraffe, none of the actual takedown, but all within a few hours of the events.

This with Buffalo quite prevalent.

 

Sorry for the intrusion Pault, love your TR & images so far!

 

 

@@africaaddict Intrusions most welcome!

[Soukous]

@@pault I'm enjoying the laid back TR and the photos but I'm still eagerly awaiting the denouement you alluded to in your first post. So far, like a good cliffhanger (unless I've missed it), you haven't mentioned the car companions you couldn't handle or why???

Edited December 9, 2014 by Soukous

[twaffle]

I just love the leopard in the tree, especially the way you've presented it in such a complimentary way. Would be very happy to have that one in my files.

 

But, of course, like I've often said, your photos are always brilliant, although I get a sense of lower energy with your descriptions of the place to date. Perhaps that's accounted for by some things happening in the background, which you alluded to early on.

[pault]

@@twaffle You are correct. The energy was sucked out of me. I guess I will have to tell soon! @@Soukous It is deliberate that I haven't mentioned it, but if my lack on energy is so obvious maybe I should get it over with. I just wanted to give some context (see what I experienced even so, sort of thing). But it wasn't that bad. I didn't really want to build up suspense too much. One more laid back post and then we'll get to it all.

[pault]

Three mornings things were just what they should be here. Nothing really special but beautiful experiences with permanent expectation that we might get even more. For this post I will switch to classic "what we saw" mode.

 

The first of these mornings was the day of the leopards, lions and baobab tree. Also the day of the lions chasing each other. We'd also had nice hyrax and kudu sightings, and some early morning elephants.

 

Then there was this little Scops Owl, taking a nap but eyeing us just in case.

 

 

There was time after the leopards to admire the big Baobab at the picnic site, where we had breakfast.

 

 

Time too to stop for an agama

 

 

And although this Giant Eagle Owl was not willing to face the now very bright sun (so that's why the photos look a little washed out) it did feed unconcerned on a bird while we watched.

 

 

I hope it wasn't a rare one.

 

 

It was much more shy about its grooming

 

 

But did present its mate to us.afterwards

 

 

We watched a baby baboon being taken on a fast ride through the trees. It's hold on its mother seemed precarious at times to us, but the young baboon itself was unconcerned enough to suckle on the move.

 

 

I wasn't getting many good photos anymore, in the harsher light, but that didn't spoil the pleasure of watching a Pied Kingfisher tenderise its prey on a branch.

 

 

We were driving along above the Great Ruaha River now. No access for vehicles around here, but lots to spot through the binoculars or super telephoto lens, in addition to the lions.

 

 

Sometimes the clouds covered the sun.thickly enough to create some usable, if slightly flat, light.

 

 

 

And even back at camp that afternoon, a woodpecker worked next to our tent and was kind enough to let me find it without flying away - even if there was a bit of foliage between us.

 

 

 

The third of these idyllic mornings was when we went to the main game drive circuit along the Great Ruaha River and found the buffalo herd.That was very nice indeed and I'll show and tell you later, but what seemed like the best morning of all was our third to last one in Ruaha.

 

We left camp at 6.30 as the sun was just rising, and about two minutes out came face to face with a leopard coming over the brow of a hill, walking right along the road. I was unfortunately about to try to shoot a tree with the sun rising behind it, and so my first pictures had to be "artisitic".

 

 

Just before it got to us it turned off the road and climbed a baobab (that is the tinted leopard picture in the previous post). That was just as well because otherwise we would not have seen any more of it in the extremely long grass, We were having a lucky start to the day.

 

It looked for some prey first and we wondered if we might have to return to camp to see it hunt along the river bed next to which the camp was built.

 

 

But there was nothing else around at that time and so it rested for a while before descending and disappearing into the long grass, unfortunately before the sun really got high enough to illuminate it.

 

 

When the sun did get up it was a lovely, sunny day although a bit hazy, and we didn't have to travel far to find some lions enjoying the morning sun. They were flat but awake and looked a bit hungry. This was the first time we felt we had a chance of seeing some hunting activity, although it would have to be soon, as it was getting hot quickly.

 

No, we are not prey...

 

 

Then one of them rose fast and froze, staring hard, and another slithered over to a bush. They had seen something.

 

 

Three were in position now and we could see what they were seeing, a small group of kudu which had yet to notice them. If the male came the way it was looking, we would have some action.

 

 

 

But the kudu didn't come and when the upright lion tried to move in closer they spotted it and bolted. At that moment the second vehicle from the camp arrived, and then another from elsewhere. We had a relative crowd for this area, but the lions were heading for the underside of a thick bush. It was very warm indeed now.

 

Next we found the hyrax were up and active on the small kopje we would often pass on game drives, and they had some company too.

 

 

 

The hyraxes were not so happy to have company and hissed a bit, but dwarf mongoose didn't care. It was the first time I had seen a hyrax getting aggressive (well, relatively) with another species.

 

 

When the Dwart Mongooses disappeared into some longer grass to forage, we left the kopje and drove down to the Mwagusi River. We jsut stopped on the river bed for a while in some shade and watched the comings and goings. There were some baboons and a few elephants digging in the shade, but more interesting to us this time were the Dik-dik and Greater Kudu.

 

 

 

 

The elephant eyelashes above were shot as we came up the bank.

 

 

A hornbill danced for us

 

 

And a giraffe was unconcerned when we stopped next to it, since there was a small mound between us.

 

 

We stopped for breakfast and then drove on and checked out a couple of areas we hadn't seen before, but there wasn't really anything going on. Some impalas, more elephants, some birds. Another kudu. Eventually we found some Yellow Baboons eating the fruit of the sausage tree and decided to watch them for a while. I didn't know they could do this, but they can, Biting through the hard skin at the stalk, and then tearing off enough skin with their teeth to get inside.

 

 

There was a male impala too, who would wait for the baboon to get the fruit open and then chase it off so it could feed on the open fruit.

 

 

The baboons were very active and we ended up staying an hour watching them.It was so hot by now out of the shade that there was little animal movement anyway,

 

 

There was some baby stealing and screaming and we weren't sure whether this male was saving the little one from falling or stealing him.

 

 

Two males were providing entertainment with a 15 minute standoff in a tree. A young male was being chased by an older one and was smart enough to get out on a thin branch that was too fragile for the big male, where he processed to scream and wail.

 

 

However, the big male eventually got sick of the shouting and the young one found out he wasn't quite as secure as he thought. Screaming murder and excavation of bowels followed (you can do without seeing that I am sure).

 

 

And the older worked out that if he came out on the branch just a little bit, it put the young male in a very precarious situation, which the young male in turn eventually realised meant he was close enough to the ground to jump. End of game, and time to head back towards camp.

 

[pault]

I have mentioned before that my wife has developed a bit of a fear of elephants since our trip in 2009, when we were lucky to get away from serious charges twice. Obviously, seeing as Ruaha remains one of her favorite parks too, it isn't a phobia, but she does not like getting close and becomes quite tense when elephants display any warnings near to us - like she is prey. Basically she is fine unless a guide deliberately agitates an elephant or turns around to explain why it is perfectly safe instead of keeping his hands close to the ignition key.Even then, if we are with others, she can usually suffer in silence. We always inform the camps and guides now, and tell them not to worry but just to please keep it in mind (some guides do like to show off a bit, and I am sure many guests enjoy harmless warning displays by elephants - they are very impressive).

 

Despite our adventures while chimp trekking, since the elephants in this part of the park were remarkably an obviously calm, she was quite enjoying them, even though the elephant eyelashes experience had tested her a little bit. She was even handling our friends in camp quite casually - even when one of the two camp elephants was 10 meters away from us when we were having our camp briefing,

 

The route to our tent - turn left at the stones if you dare!

 

 

Without any askari to keep tabs on them, the fairly friendly resident bulls were actually making getting around in camp a little bit difficult, as of course they used our paths and the bush to either side is so thick in places that you really can't see them. We had to be quite careful not to startle one (I don't think they would have startled that easily but it's best to be cautious when you spend two weeks in the bush a year and the rest of the time in the city). But it was all okay until they decided to feed near our tent. The conversation as my wife was settling for an afternoon nap went something like this...

 

Paul. What's that noise? I think it's the elephants nearby.

 

No, it's only the guinea fowl again.

 

Are you sure? I think it's the elephants.

 

No. Go to sleep.I'll go and look if you want.

 

No you will not. I don't want the stress of getting your body repatriated.And what am i going to tell your mother?

 

Okay, okay. But I am not going to get trampled by guinea fowl.

 

It isn't guinea fowl.

 

Well even it it were elephants, they aren't going to come here, so get some sleep.

 

... ten minutes later....

 

Paul! It's the elephants.

 

No it's not.

 

Yes it is.

 

Where? I don't hear anything.

 

That's because you're deaf in one ear. Use your good one. It is the elephants.

 

No, I don't think so. Anyway they aren't coming in. go to sleep.

 

..... 30 seconds later....

 

Oh!

 

 

 

Well they won't come any closer. If you're scared just stay quiet and still. What are you doing?

 

Getting under the bed. Damn I can't fit.

 

 

 

Note how the angle in this one is lower as I am ordered to hide behind the bed too.

 

 

Whispering now...

 

Stop taking pictures. You'll startle him and he'll knock down the tent pole.

 

No he won't. They are very agile.

 

He just bumped into it!!!!!!

 

It's okay if he does knock it down. it'd only take a quarter of the tent down with it. Where we are are has separate poles. He's feeding now and so he's probably going to be here a while. I think you'd better go and sit in the bathroom where you can't see him. You'll feel better.

 

 

And I managed to get her in there and she did feel better, because she knew they weren't going to actually knock the tent down, although he was a bit clumsy. And he stayed feeding in the area right next to our tent until 15 minutes before the evening drive was due to start.

 

 

So we arrived late for afternoon tea and she was a bit shaken and talking rapidly to anyone who would listen, but really quite okay.

 

One person who wasn't listening was our guide though. When we came across a group of elephants in the road, feeding on a tree they had pushed down he decided I really needed a shot of this. I knew what he was thinking and told him not to stop and to go around, but his mind was on getting me some "good shots" as we had had a relatively unsuccessful drive in good light, now fading rapidly.I'd taken few pictures. So assuring me they were calm and not hearing my first "stop now" he drove in closer. He heard the second "stop now" and turned around to see my wife's face. Then he got it, stopped reversed and drove around, but it was too late. It was the last straw. Silly man - he paid for that lapse of concentration. Ouch! I felt really sorry for him.

 

The elephants. I felt so sorry for him I took a couple of shots as he was reversing.

 

 

And all the dross that I had got before that, making him so keen to get me a "good shot". the reason I had taken so few pictures that evening was partially because the light was good and my subjects were static, so a couple of shots was all I needed to be confident I had what I wanted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But don't worry, we were all BFF again next day. Kissed and made up and had a really good drive once he realised he wasn't in the dog house for good.

Edited December 10, 2014 by pault

[michael-ibk]

Well, that one really did come close to the tent. Understandable your wife became nervous. But you´re way too cryptic ...

 

 

 

Silly man - he paid for that lapse of concentration. Ouch! I felt really sorry for him.

 

Ouch?!? What did you wife do, slap him?

[pault]

If anyone read it before I did this, I made a couple of changes to the previous post as I had mis-remembered something - and to add some pictures to cheer it up - and as evidence of guide's "state of mind" in his defence. Nothing important.

 

 

@@michael-ibk You must be a bachelor! If not, use your imagination. Silence, over-politeness and then a short, sudden tongue lashing just when he thought he might have got away with it. And he must have had to pay for what the poor manager had to listen to that evening too! Remember it comes on the back of the soon-to-be-told vehicle mates issues. Manager was in "apologetic mode" already.

Edited December 10, 2014 by pault

[Soukous]

@@pault did you or your wife style that lion's hair?

[twaffle]

What sublime story telling. My mother and your wife have a lot in common as far as elephants are concerned. After some near misses with charges when we were little, my mother never regained her savoir faire when confronted by them.

[pault]

@@twaffle My wife will be glad to hear she is not alone.

 

Warning.... more than you ever wanted to know is coming. Likely a few typos too,

 

So, the depressing part of our visit now.. The following is something with which some of you will disagree, but we each have our own ways I think.

 

First, before we booked (or rather before Chalo Africa booked for us) we did some research into the camp, as we always do. We don't mind sharing a vehicle for game drives, but we do like to know what that means. To us, everything is reliant on the camp and guide taking a firm line on what should and shouldn't be happening and on the camp having a certain philosophy i.e. guests are told "This is what we do unless everyone agrees to do otherwise." Of course everyone should be catered for to the extent possible, but for me camps that don't have a set position are not usually going to work for us. And I need to know what that position is in order to decide if this is a camp that will suit us. We're flexible but there are limits for us. Any camp that thinks meals are a priority (any kind of prioriry) or that afternoon naps are a wonderful part of the safari experience are generally out. Of course we make exceptions, but we go in with our eyes open then and its fine. For example, Meno a Kwena in Botswana is (was? I don't have recent information) a camp where guests are encouraged to stay in camp, relax and watch the river. The camp is set up for this. Game drives and walks are an add-on. And we enjoyed that between mobile camping - it was perfect for us then. At Elsa's Kopje you may have to travel sedately some days as they get the Conde Nast reading, retiree, first time safari-goer crowd there (well, okay to be honest they probably don't read Conde Nast, but it is a convenient pigeonhole and you lilkely know what I mean). But they really look after people there and when we say we don't want breakfast in camp at all, and that we want to go down to Adamson's Falls, both times the managers note it and get planning to make it happen. I still couldn't tell you how breakfast is at Elsa's Kopje. Of course we don't ask for any more than that - it's unrealistic if you are not booking a private vehicle.

 

Anyway, all of that may actually be irrelevant to our story. Only Nomad can tell you that, and their response to hearing our story was to give us 4 free bed nights at any of their camps. I could cynically conclude that this is a stock response to any significant complaint but I perfer to think that actually it is because Nomad see things the same as I do and are genuinely sorry a couple of days were a bit spoiled. I imagine our vehicle mates will have received the same compensation if they complained. I think it was a perfect storm of circumstances, although perhaps combined with a bit of a lapse not to see it coming.

 

Enough preamble.

 

When we artrived for afternoon coffee before our first game drive we learned we would be going out in a six for that evening only. Then we would be in a four (with two of the others from this evening) and the last two days we would be alone. Sounded okay. However, listening to the oher four preparing for the game drive I knew it was not going to be okay and so I told Musa (the current camp manager, and "yes, that Musa" if you are a Nomad regualr). Not as a complaint but as a friendly warning. They had been discussing what they were going to be doing on the evening drive. They were going to play bird identification games and the guide was only allowed to confirm or dispute an ID. There was also some talk of playing some bird calls and other stuff that hadn't always been front of mind for me on game drives in the past. And I this strange feeling (call it a gut instinct) that the games were not going to go very well this evening. They seemed so cheerful about it that I did feel bad about this premonition. Obviously they had had a very enjoyable morning together, although they were two separate couples from different countries. From Musa's eyes I knew (1) he had feared this (2) there was no plan B and he was really, really hoping he had been wrong.

 

In the car the dominant couple, who were a very nice retired couple from South Africa who had been on many safri trips, sounded me out subtly about my level of interest in birds. Since I knew where we were going I had to be frank. I was interested in birds but I was actually more interested in mammals, and with birds I was much more interested in behaviour than in identification. As for my wife, well she likes the brightly coloured ones, and the active ones. Not all that interested in their names though to be honest - she knows better than me when we see one for the first time and when we saw one before, but she doiesn't really worry too much about what it is called in English. Oh dear. Spoilsports on board. Of course they were much too nice to say any such thing and may not have even thought it. I added that we were flexible because we needed to find a middle way.

 

Anyway, the drive went on almost as if we hadn't joined. We did stop for some mating lions but we also stopped to ID various birds - although I knew most of them since they were common to East Africa I refrained from saying so, half to let them enjoy the game and, I confess, half not to offer too much encouragement. We got as far as the Mwagusi River and had seen almost no mammals except for some elephants. In fact we hadn't seen many birds either, but I noticed our guide slipped past a few birds when our four companions were all looking at the bird guide and listening to the bird calls on an iPad. matters weren't helped by some of the ground being burnt and therefore fairly empty of anything. It was the most depressing game drive I have had.

 

Things got worse. We would be leaving at 7 the next morning because everyone else wanted to have breakfast in camp. In fact our vehicle mates wanted breakfast in camp every morning since there was no brunch here. And they wanted to get back by brunch time anyway as they didn't want to be bumping around too long - it was uncomfortable. Breakfast out was not for them either. So, we wanted to leave at different times, drive at a different pace, talk about different things, do different things and eat at different places. If we did what we wanted they would be miserable (actually they just wouldn't come on drives - they were that nice!!). But if we did what would make them happy (and they were one the border of not being happy with things as they were anyway) we would be miserable. We both knew this and I guess we all tried to find common ground. We just didn't even bother asking them to leave early or to go too far and in return we would look at mammals more often and birds a bit less (if they had seen them before). Some times I was less patient than I should have been, like when they were displeased at leaving a bird before they had found it on the iPad in order to see a leopard, which they had "seen yesterday". I said something then, I admit. However, oine "result" from all this was that i took a lot of pictures of giraffes one day, which enabled them to scour the dozens of accompanying oxpeckers for red-billed ones and time to look up both types on the iPad and note differences.. Win-win!! I got some interesting giraffe pictures as a result, I have to admit. They liked walking but the only walk available was along the Ruaha River and it needed someone to take them there. While the other guide was busy they couldn't go. On reflection we should have offered to drop them there every morning, since the walk requires that you leave at 6.15 am.

 

If they had been impolite or arrogant or even just very self-centered I would have been happier. But they were really nice and it just made me sad.

 

To be fair, the manager put us on our own when he could, and did a couple of other things to mitigate problems. I think he did what he felt he could do inthe circumstances. He was due to be guiding in a few days (@@Safaridude's Benson S actually) and so he had to do certain things in the meantime that he would not have time to do when he was guiding. The camp was newly open and they really thought two guides and a manager-guide would be enough. It wasn;t. Plus, they are in a strange situation since they are the sister camp of Sand Rivers, which is set up to relax. Many of the guests were going to Sand Rivers afterwards and would have been happier with it I imagine. Not us - Kigelia Camp was just what we wanted but then it wasn't itself while we were there, if thatr makes sense. In the end all we have to say is that they tried but we only got breakfast out three times and we never did get an all day drive. The strangest thing was that they weren't doing sundowners or other more genteel stuff except on request 9my wife actually requested it because she - correctly - thought our South African vehicle mates would really enhoy that) so they seemed to be set that "no frills" way... but then it's a full English breakfast before you can get out on the road and back in time for a shower before lunch? Huh?. Split personality. Probably teething problems and slowly changing from the pre-Nomad style to whatever it will be as a Nomad camp. Don't be too judgmental, but I can only tell you what is and not what could be,

 

The camp itself and the guides were very good indeed. It's a six tent bush camp built along a sand river. Basic but very comfortable - exactly what you would expect. Lots of wildlife in the area and stuff walking trhough camp (I watched two lionesses stroll by whlle brushing my teeth one morning). Vehicles are super comforatble, although I personally think they are too comfortable for photography. It's like sitting in an arm chair, so support tends to roll off a bit and evertything is arranged for comfort rather than supporting camer equipment. Food is very goood and sometimes excellent - again what you would expect. Staff are excellent and really take care of you in an unobtrusive way. It would be one of our favorite camps ever if it wasn't for the (I have to say unlucky) experience we had and the lack of askaris. If you saw the terrain I think you would agree with me that it would be wise to have someone there to keep an eye out for animals and to respond to calls - using radios just doesn't work for me). And there were just no other vehicles on game drives. Around camp none anyway, and by the time we got down to where Mwagusi Camp is, their vehciles seemed to have moved on to somewhere else. We didn't realise anyone else was in the park until 10 am on the second day! Barely saw 20 in six nights there (although I have to say we might have seen a few more if we had been traveleing fiurther as we wanted).

 

 

The "oxpecker pictures" featuring giraffes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now please identify the type of oxpecker without looking at your books or asking the guide.

Edited December 11, 2014 by pault

[Soukous]

I know exactly how you must have felt @@pault and they are yellow billed oxpeckers

[Safaridude]

LOVE the giraffe/oxpecker sequence. Also the elephant from tent.

 

Sorry you had to deal with issues with other guests.

[twaffle]

Super giraffe, oxpecker photos. It sounds like you did your best under the circumstances. With the benefit of hindsight, is there anything you could have done to change things? I'm sure that it is a situation most people would fear, but few ever seem to experience. I hope someone else visits the camp next year and can report on any improvements to what sounds like a promising place.

[graceland]

As above I love the oxpeckers on the giraffes; I have never had the opportunity to observe so closely. So at least you have one admirer here of your day...and the pics are all terrific. The elie by the tent..scary but to me a bit of the adventure of the bush! However, if it had indeed torn down the tent after some of your hidden stash of peanuts, what would the camp do if no askari's about?

 

Know exactly how you feel about the VERY nice, but opposite mentality of the other guests in your vehicle. One reason we try to go private; too far to travel to just accept a mediocre day or two. Happened to us in Botswana, but fortunately the very experienced Manager pulled in a private guide/vehicle for us from a sister camp. In Ruaha that would not be much of an option.

 

Try Moli and company next time you go to Ruaha! (If you go back!)

You can do game drives all day long: walk, sit, stay, come and go, and then go again. He is non-stop.

 

I have avoided corporate camps in the couple past trips because of their stringent and non flexible time lines for the day. Rebellious folks unite.

 

Hopefully someone there picks up on it.

[TonyQ]

@@pault

I think your wife is very courageous going on game drives despite the fear of the elephants.

 

Your giraffe pictures are good. Having to share with people with such different priorities is tough - it appears you were more flexible than them?

[pault]

@@TonyQ. I think they tried to be flexible but they had such definite ideas that it was pretty ineffective.

 

@@graceland. It was a freakish event but it hasn't changed my mind. I will simply be even more diligent in preparation. However, my wife is leaning your way. I told her if she pays the supplements it's fine. For some reason she now seems to think Serian and the Nomad mobile camps, where there is no such supplement, sound great..

[twaffle]

@@pault, I'll meet you and your wife at Serian!

[michael-ibk]

Sorry to hear that you and your vehicle mates were so different. Maybe I could have dealt with the birding thing, although I probably wouldn´t have managed to stay calm to "But we have seen a leopard yesterday".The breakfast/brunch timing would have mad me terribly frustrated as well. What exactly is "brunch time" in camp, 10:30? And how long were your afternoon drives?

[Kitsafari]

@@pault, once again your wry and positive ways of looking at things have made me smile in what is a difficult time for me. Love all the photos, especially all of the leopards, the closeup shot of the elephant's eyelashes and how the giraffe is chewing away with all the attentive oxpeckers.

 

so sorry that your wife had to experience that ellie at the camp,and she must love you so much to bear with such courage each time the vehicle stops for an elephant. well, the guide sure learned his lesson fast!

 

I had a similar experience with vehicle mates at Lmombo earlier this year. they were really very nice and kind vehicle mates but they just didn't have the same level of interest in wildlife and they wanted to have a late game drive (at 7am!) in the morning! the manager was quick to resolve it - i would leave earlier and they would leave later and we would pick them at a halfway point. it worked for both of us. perhaps the manager at the camp could have compromised that way, but if there were only two vehicles for 6 tents, then that would have been tough.or the manager could have driven them in the normal car to meet you guys halfway. but it sure is something the camp will need to work out.

 

not wanting to see a leopard which you had seen yesterday - wonder why they are on safari?