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A wild old time: a green season visit to Kenya October/November 2014


CaroleE

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michael-ibk

A great trip and a great report, Carol. Really enjoy your writing, it´s like being right there with you, thank you! LWC is pretty much a given for me now after reading so many favourable reports (DOGS!) for my next Kenya trip. :)

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So glad your patience paid off in spades with the dogs! I can't believe the helicopter essentially forced you away - but clearly your sighting only got better and better, and I can only assume that the animals must be accustomed to the occasional noise.

This has been a great thread to read. I hope there will be many more!

 

Thanks for the kind words about this trip report. My first one so I didn't know what to expect re feedback but everyone has been very positive. The dogs were fantastic and I was so happy to see them at last. Especially when they started hunting. The exercises/training only happen during a very short period I have now been told so I expect that the animals are not disturbed too much!

 

Many more trip reports? I hope so as that would mean more great trips for me. I may dig out a few photos from previous trips in the next few months. I don't think they will be this detailed a report though! Then of course there is the upcoming trip to Zambia. Having mentioned it already I have a feeling that I won't get away without writing a trip report :)

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Having mentioned it already I have a feeling that I won't get away without writing a trip report :)

 

 

Quite right. :)

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A great trip and a great report, Carol. Really enjoy your writing, it´s like being right there with you, thank you! LWC is pretty much a given for me now after reading so many favourable reports (DOGS!) for my next Kenya trip. :)

 

There really have been some very positive reports on here about LWC! I loved it there and having Steve there with his knowledge of the dogs increased the chances of seeing them at least 10 fold! It is by no means a one man band, the other guides and trackers are excellent. If I wanted to go to Kenya specifically to see dogs I would say go to LWC. Also a good chance to see other stuff as well. Thanks for the nice words about this trip report. Good to be getting so much positive feedback for my first :)

 

Really enjoying your return to the Aberdares trip. Has given me more places to add to the 'to visit' list!

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Having mentioned it already I have a feeling that I won't get away without writing a trip report :)

 

 

Quite right. :)

 

 

I was afraid of that :) I will add several spare pens to the packing list..........

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@@CaroleE

Thank you for a realy enjoyable trip report with some great sightings. It is good you will be packing pens for your next trip :)

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@@CaroleE

Thank you for a realy enjoyable trip report with some great sightings. It is good you will be packing pens for your next trip :)

 

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. It was a top trip!

Pens & notebook always go with me but this time I will take extra to ensure enough notes are made for the next TR :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know that feeling when the tarmac ends; it is one of exciting possibilities!

 

Dogs 1 Carole 0. For that "round," there was a third party to the match and that was the striped hyena. How wonderful to see that. And the leopard kill of the impala. And the wild dogs with the dik dik. At least some of the wild dog pups survived, but you can't help but feel sad when baby animals you spent time with don't make it.

 

I believe Prince William has trained at that camp you mentioned. I too had heard about it, but other than vehicles on the highways, I never saw evidence of the British Army. Wonder what all the animals think of it.

 

Was the weather typical? Was rain a problem at all?

 

In the end, Carole racked up a lot of points!

 

I assume you are back working now, but with designs of travel in your future. Thanks for this exciting report.

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Fabulous TR. wonderful writing to go along with those sightings.

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Alexander33

@@CaroleE

 

Thank you for this, your first trip report. I did my first trip report earlier this year, so I know the trepidation one feels. But, in the end, it's all about sharing information, and that is the kindness that enriches all of us.

 

I enjoy seeing everything, but the special moments for me seem always to center on more mundane or obscure things. Case in point: a highlight for me in your report was the leopard.....tortoise, that is. 60-70 years old. How amazing. A creature that was around at a time when the main reason to have a camera on an African safari was to photograph yourself with the trophies you'd killed. Most worthy of our utmost respect, in my opinion.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

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I know that feeling when the tarmac ends; it is one of exciting possibilities!

 

Dogs 1 Carole 0. For that "round," there was a third party to the match and that was the striped hyena. How wonderful to see that. And the leopard kill of the impala. And the wild dogs with the dik dik. At least some of the wild dog pups survived, but you can't help but feel sad when baby animals you spent time with don't make it.

 

I believe Prince William has trained at that camp you mentioned. I too had heard about it, but other than vehicles on the highways, I never saw evidence of the British Army. Wonder what all the animals think of it.

 

Was the weather typical? Was rain a problem at all?

 

In the end, Carole racked up a lot of points!

 

I assume you are back working now, but with designs of travel in your future. Thanks for this exciting report.

 

Good to hear you enjoyed the trip report.

 

I was very happy to see the striped hyena!

 

Weather wise, there was quite a lot of rain at the beginning of my trip. Luckily this was mainly overnight and whilst travelling back to Nairobi so it didn't disrupt game drives. In Samburu only one very short localised shower and in Laikipia only one game drive with a very quick but heavy shower. Apart from that it was dry. With the usual cool mornings and evenings. During the day it was hot and sunny; definitely hat and sunscreen weather! Samburu I found to be very hot (I have no idea if that is usual as it was my first visit there.)

 

I racked up more than a few points in the end. It really was a great trip. Yes, I am now back at work, dreaming of Africa, the next trip (and the one after that) and getting by by reading other people's trip reports! Next trip is booked: Zambia at the end of October.

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Fabulous TR. wonderful writing to go along with those sightings.

 

Thank you for your kind words about the trip report. Glad you enjoyed it!

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@@CaroleE

 

Thank you for this, your first trip report. I did my first trip report earlier this year, so I know the trepidation one feels. But, in the end, it's all about sharing information, and that is the kindness that enriches all of us.

 

I enjoy seeing everything, but the special moments for me seem always to center on more mundane or obscure things. Case in point: a highlight for me in your report was the leopard.....tortoise, that is. 60-70 years old. How amazing. A creature that was around at a time when the main reason to have a camera on an African safari was to photograph yourself with the trophies you'd killed. Most worthy of our utmost respect, in my opinion.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

Trepidation is a good description of what one feels when starting your first trip report. But I felt it had to be done as so many people are kind enough to spend the time and energy to share their travels with us.

 

I had a similar response to the leopard tortoise. At that age what had he/she seen and experienced. So many changes in the world in it's lifetime. You make a very good point about photography in years gone by.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Maybe your next trip will be a fishing expedition based on your beginner's luck!

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Great night-time excitement and plenty during the day too. Two really spectacular sightings. Shame about the army exercises, and especially the helicopter, but through this time you had some great game viewing too. And great luck with the weather. Really enjoyed reading this last part. Thanks.

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@@pault

 

Thanks for the nice comments. Glad you enjoyed reading this. I definitely had some great sightings. Overall my best safari 'til now, the sightings just got better and better :)

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Maybe your next trip will be a fishing expedition based on your beginner's luck!

 

I think this will be where the fishing started and stopped. It was great fun but not sure a fishing expedition is for me!

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This was an outstanding trip report and I can't wait to go to Meru, Samburu and especially Laikipia Wilderness Camp this year.

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This was an outstanding trip report and I can't wait to go to Meru, Samburu and especially Laikipia Wilderness Camp this year.

 

Many thanks for that great compliment. I am glad you enjoyed the trip report.

Meru, Samburu and Laikipia sounds like a great trip. I still haven't visited Meru therefore I am looking forward to your trip report to read all about it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the TR @@CaroleE

I enjoyed it, now that I've finally caught up with it.

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Thanks for the TR @@CaroleE

I enjoyed it, now that I've finally caught up with it.

Many thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. (Thanks for all the 'likes' as well!)

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I really enjoyed the report as well - just read it for the second time actually!

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I really enjoyed the report as well - just read it for the second time actually!

Haha thank you!

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