Of Old Friends and New: Kenya Revisited - February 2016

[Safaridude]

@@offshorebirder

 

Thank you.

 

Great to hear that there were zebras around when you were there.

 

I think we only saw desert warthogs at Samburu.

[offshorebirder]

Thanks @@Safaridude. That is similar to our recent experience at Samburu - Desert Warthogs greatly outnumbered Common Warthog.

[twaffle]

Absolutely delicious light in so many of these photos, especially the leopards and gerenuks.

 

Nice to hear that Elephant Bedroom was a good choice as that's were I'm scheduled to go on my next Northern Kenyan safari with Squack.

 

I think you've been taking lessons from some of the more popular thriller authors, giving us these cliff hangers at the end of your posts. I'm hooked.

[Safaridude]

@@twaffle

 

I thought Elephant Bedroom was perfect for what it is. As I said, quite good for both self-drivers and full game-package guests. We used Squack's vehicle, so we were essentially self-drivers. The staff seemed very switched on.

 

I liked Saruni Samburu as well when I stayed there in 2010. It is an entirely different experience… in the conservancy away from the park. A 45-minute ride to the game-rich part of the Reserve, but I wasn't put off by that.

[Safaridude]

That's the closest I have gotten to a dwarf mongoose. For whatever reason, it was very tame. I, for one, could watch mongooses and ground squirrels for hours.

[Caracal]

Loving this absorbing trip report.

 

Beautiful photos throughout - great to see a klipspringer (my one and only sighting was in Shaba years back) and for me that monochrome portrait of the conservancy ranger in #3 speaks of Africa.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@Safaridude - that Leopard silhouette is a peach!!!

[Safaridude]

 @@Caracal and others who appreciate the "small things"...

 

More dwarf mongoose

 

Klipspringers near Koitogor

[dlo]

@@Safaridude

 

My first safaridude trip report since I joined safaritalk and wow you're photos are fantastic! I loved some of the shots of Sarara, it brought back fond memories of Ngwesi for me. And yes the dwarf mongoose is great.

[optig]

@@Safaridude

 

I particularly love the photos of the dwarf mongooses, but those are great photos there. You are bringing back my own fabulous memories of going to Samburu October last year.

[Safaridude]

@@optig

 

I heard I just missed you at Sarara by a few days. I hope you had a great time.

[Alexander33]

I love the gerenuks. Great idea on switching to the wide angle lens on the elephants. Gorgeous leopard silhouette, and I would be remiss if I didn't express appreciation for that shot of the red-and-yellow barbet.

 

Thanks for reporting about an area of which I really know very little.

[Sangeeta]

Okay dokey, 'nuff said! When are you getting to the exciting stuff??

[dinkdunk]

Those guineafowl are amazing. I have never even heard of them. Love!

[Safaridude]

February 23, Part I: My “Afghan Girl” Moment

 

 

 

 

I took this photo of the striking Samburu woman back in 1991 during a visit to a Samburu village. Though the photo was taken in less than ideal conditions (mid-day, harsh shadows, etc.), it has always been one of my favorites, as there is this haunting quality about her.

 

In 2010, I was at Saruni Samburu, about 25 km from where I had photographed her. On a hunch one day while killing time between game activities, I contacted my office to have someone email me the photo of the Samburu woman. When I showed the photo to a couple of camp staff at Saruni Samburu, one of them said he knew her and that her name was "Spit" (so ironic, given her beauty). That was the beginning of my "Nat Geo Afghan Girl" moment. Though I didn’t get to meet her again, I was satisfied that she was still alive and well.

 

I hadn’t at all thought of Spit heading into this trip. But on my last full day at Elephant Bedroom Camp, on a hunch again, I showed some camp staff her photo (now residing on my iPhone). Nobody at camp recognized her… that is, until I showed the photo to a ranger. Ranger Robert cracked a smile, exhaled a “ha” and then exclaimed, “I show you Spit tomorrow.” And indeed, he worked his mobile phone and arranged a meeting place and time for us the following morning.

 

Spit was around 16-years-old when I took that photo in 1991. In the intervening 25 years, she married and mothered five children. She and her family moved from her old village to a different one about 30 km away near Archer’s Post, and her family still lives a traditional Samburu way of life. The Samburu can be extremely nomadic, so it is a minor miracle that I am able to locate her.

 

Strange… why am I so nervous? What will her reaction be? How different will she look? Well, what if it’s not her at all? As we drive into her family’s manyatta at the scheduled hour, several children run out to greet us and a few adult figures begin to stir from the dark shade of a tree. Before I even have the chance to get out of the vehicle, I see Spit approaching me with a very curious look, her haunting beauty still completely intact. No words are exchanged, but her stoic expression eases with a brief smile as I show her the image of a younger her on my iPhone. One by one, every inhabitant of the manyatta comes and investigates the image, letting out smiles and guffaws of approval.

 

A short photo session followed – 25 years after the first one. The photos speak for themselves. There is one photo I won’t post here (taken by Squack) – one that I will keep private. It captures the moment of Spit presenting me a Samburu necklace and bracelet as a thank you. I am sure she has given those out to other tourists a few times in her life, but silly me… I welled up… you can see it in the photo. This was indeed my “Nat Geo Afghan Girl” moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

terrific TR @safaridude

great that you got to meet Spit again.

 

Samburu remains one of my favourite reserves, despite it being on a well worn safari trail.

 

Love the photos too - my favourite is the red & yellow barbet. Out of curiosity, what lens were you using?

[AfricaFanCT]

The story of the Samburu woman is truly remarkable. Thank you for sharing Safaridude!

[twaffle]

Amazing story, love it.

[offshorebirder]

I am speechless in awe - thanks so much for sharing.

Edited March 17, 2016 by offshorebirder

[Kitsafari]

such a touching story. thanks for sharing something so personal. she's beautiful.

[Game Warden]

Such a great story.

[Caracal]

A truly memorable story and occasion - beatifully told.

[pault]

The nice Bastards and a girl called Spit. You're making this up aren't you?

 

I'm supposed to be working and I knew it was a hook, but I just couldn't resist the first paragraph, especially knowing where you had been. Great report to date, full of nourishing tidbits as usual, and beautiful photos. Love the wide angle elephants and the oryx group.... and so much of the rest. Spit is a very cool story too. Okay, I really better get back to work now.

[Safaridude]

@@Soukous

 

Thank you. The red-and-yellow barbet was photographed using a Canon EF 500mm f/4 IS II. 200 ISO/5.0 aperture/1250 shutter speed.

[Safaridude]

@@pault

 

Haha… nobody calls them that… everybody always says "Piers and Hilary".

 

I believe spitting is a form of blessing in the Maasai culture. With the Samburu being closely related to the Maasai, I wonder if that is also the case. It may be that her name, Spit, is a reflection of that. I should have asked… darn!