2026 Diary (Page 68)

2026 Diary - Page 68

13 March

Friday the 13th and things didn't go to plan.

We were supposed to leave Karen Blixen Camp and head over to Encounter Mara. However, the torrential storm last night (lasted about 3 hours solid) meant that the Mara River had visibly risen overnight and wasn't passable on the way to our new camp.

The decision was finally made that we would stay at KBC for at least one more night. They upgraded our tent and sorted out game drives for us for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning then let's see.

This is what we woke up to and it showed no signs of subsiding during the day so, although it's very frustrating, I think the right decision was made.

Rather than just sit around, I explored the camp - very pretty but not very big but at least my walk meant I knew where tent 4 was (other side of the camp to tent 11 where we were before).

We had lunch at camp - the first time I'd had lunch in the mess tent since we got here - very tasty Red Snapper for me.

Tent 4 is slightly up river from tent 11 and much closer to the river, which was just as "busy".

We went on an afternoon safari drive. We spent quite a bit of time with the Lion cubs and I thought that would be the highlight of the drive but we saw a Leopard when it was almost time to come home.

It was lovely to see some Hartebeest today - there was a small group of them as we drove into the conservancy.

The Leopard was really special. They are naturally shy and very well camouflaged so we were lucky to see him. Apparently his mum was somewhere in the vicinity but she takes shyness to a new level so we definitely didn't spot her.

We spent so long with the Leopard that the sun was setting when we started our drive back to camp.

sunset

There was thunder and lightning on the way back so we went straight in for dinner to try and avoid any possible rain. The rain was just starting as we walked back to our new tent and turned torrential from about 9 p.m. No idea what time it stopped because I was fast asleep.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

14 March

The river was about 2 ft higher this morning than yesterday but it was starting to recede by the time we got back from our early game drive.

There was yet another beautiful sunrise as we headed into the conservancy and plenty to see.

dikdik

We were really pleased to be able to photograph this Dik dik.

lions

These were two new Lions - even Francis hadn't seen them before. Clearly the lure of a dead hippo (natural causes) had enticed them to the pond.

There seemed to be a lot more giraffe around today.

giraffe

The "special' animal we encountered on this drive was Fred. He is about 53 years old - a real tusker.

As we were leaving Fred, the truck got stuck in the mud (it wouldn't be a real safari if we didn't get stuck at least once). Thankfully, another safari truck was able to push us out backwards so we could go on our way.

We were told earlier in the week that Cerval Cats were very shy, hard to spot etc. This female proved all those points wrong as she wandered around, posing nicely for photographs etc.

sunset

Once again, we were so caught up with big cats that it was getting dark by the time we left the conservancy. The sunset was quite stunning as we drove home.

15 March

I used my torch to check the river levels this morning (not light when we get up for safari) and, to my delight, I saw a Genet. Obviously too dark (and too slow on my part) to photograph it but it was a lovely surprise!

It was quite misty when we set off but the sun came up before long.

Our next animal encounter was a male Cheetah. He was on the prowl, looking for something to eat but all the antelope and other animals around were fully aware of him so he wasn't having any luck.

Back at camp with plenty of time to go through our photos, relax, enjoy the sunshine and marvel at how much the river had gone down.

The view from our tent was pretty in the sunshine.

The Hippos across the river seemed to have a lot to say for themselves - perhaps a bit happier now the river is calmer.

The sunshine lasted all day - it looks so much better when that happens!

That said, it was quite quiet around the conservancy when we first got there for the afternoon drive - I think the animals were all looking for shade. The reappeared as the heat of the day subsided.

I wasn't sure what the Jackal was intending to do with the feather but it was very proud of its find.

We watched the male Cheetah for a while - he was stalking a gazelle. Unfortunately, for him (but not for the gazelle) he didn't catch it. He'll be hungry for a while longer.

We finally saw a Giraffe eating high leaves from a tree. I was wondering if we would spot one so was pleased when we did.

These three Elephants are a lot drier than when we saw them before!

We saw a Hyena den and plenty of Hyenas hanging around. They are so chilled (unless there's food in the offing).

16 March

Another dry day but, unfortunately, our last full day in Kenya.

We went on an early morning safari drive. It was pretty quiet as far as animals go but the morning light was beautiful.

The sunrise is as fast as the sunset - blink and you'll miss it!

The Hyena family were home as we drove by today. The pups were really cute! Francis told us the dark one is about 2 months old - just starting to get rid of its black baby colouring.

Another surprise was to find a Mongoose in a tree. I just don't know how the guides see some of these animals - they are so hard to spot.

Photos are on the Kenya page.

warthog

Mr. Warthog was getting the cold shoulder from Mrs Warthog - she really wasn't interested.

The Giraffe were stalking their territory, one was very heavily pregnant but it didn't stop her having a good look at us from the middle of the road.

We arrived at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nairobi Airport in time to get a snack for tea (apple pie and ice cream, that was more like apple strudel pie - very tasty) then an early night ready for a very early start tomorrow.

The hotel has lots and lots of beautiful roses around as well as quite a lot of African linked art work. It also has a gym and pool but we didn't have time to use those.

17 March

Up and out early to catch the flight back to London. The airport process was thorough but relatively smooth and the lounge comfortable.

We flew over different kinds of terrain - Sahara Desert, Pyrenees in Andorra, the Med and the Channel, the green of England, the busyness of London and various coastlines.

The only thing I watched on the flight TV was a programme about elephants!

North African coast

North African Coastline

I came home to these lovely birthday cakes and a mixed planter from the Flamingos, presents from Carole and Pauline, lots of birthday cards and heaps of post relating to Mum and Dad that will wait until tomorrow.

Everything was unpacked, the first two loads of washing were done, a quick TV watch then it was time for bed.

18 March

True to form, my body decided it was time to get up at 5.15 a.m. Africa time. Unfortunately that was 2.15 a.m. in the UK so it definitely was not time to get up. I managed to get back to sleep for a few hours after a short read so not too bad.

I went to the gym (it was really busy) then came home and ploughed my way through the paper work that arrived while we were away. I'm all up straight again, for now at least.

I popped down to the flower shop to pay for today's delivery and order some flowers for Jenny and Peter as a thank you for looking after Oli.

I did some gardening after dinner - it's really come on while we've been away. I'm looking forward to rhubarb crumble! The cross is now cut back into the grass but the edges still need to be done.

2026 Diary - Page 68
13 March Friday the 13th and things didn't go to plan. We were supposed to leave Karen Blixen Camp and head over to Encounter Mara. However, the torrential storm last night (lasted about 3 hours solid) meant that the Mara River had visibly risen overnight and wasn't passable on the way to our new camp. The decision was finally made that we would stay at KBC for at least one more night. They upgraded our tent and sorted out game drives for us for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning then let's see.		This is what we woke up to and it showed no signs of subsiding during the day so, although it's very frustrating, I think the right decision was made. Rather than just sit around, I explored the camp - very pretty but not very big but at least my walk meant I knew where tent 4 was (other side of the camp to tent 11 where we were before). We had lunch at camp - the first time I'd had lunch in the mess tent since we got here - very tasty Red Snapper for me.


		Tent 4 is slightly up river from tent 11 and much closer to the river, which was just as "busy". We went on an afternoon safari drive. We spent quite a bit of time with the Lion cubs and I thought that would be the highlight of the drive but we saw a Leopard when it was almost time to come home.

People often ask how close do we get to the animals. Sometimes, we can be parked up and they decide to come a lot closer to us than we would naturally get to them. This Lioness was a case in point - she decided to have a drink about 2 ft away from us. Very special.


		It was lovely to see some Hartebeest today - there was a small group of them as we drove into the conservancy. The Leopard was really special. They are naturally shy and very well camouflaged so we were lucky to see him. Apparently his mum was somewhere in the vicinity but she takes shyness to a new level so we definitely didn't spot her. We spent so long with the Leopard that the sun was setting when we started our drive back to camp.

There was thunder and lightning on the way back so we went straight in for dinner to try and avoid any possible rain. The rain was just starting as we walked back to our new tent and turned torrential from about 9 p.m. No idea what time it stopped because I was fast asleep. Let's see what tomorrow brings.
14 March The river was about 2 ft higher this morning than yesterday but it was starting to recede by the time we got back from our early game drive. There was yet another beautiful sunrise as we headed into the conservancy and plenty to see.

We were really pleased to be able to photograph this Dik dik.	These were two new Lions - even Francis hadn't seen them before. Clearly the lure of a dead hippo (natural causes) had enticed them to the pond.

There seemed to be a lot more giraffe around today. The "special' animal we encountered on this drive was Fred. He is about 53 years old - a real tusker. As we were leaving Fred, the truck got stuck in the mud (it wouldn't be a real safari if we didn't get stuck at least once). Thankfully, another safari truck was able to push us out backwards so we could go on our way.

We got back to camp where Moses showed us some photos of the crossings to the new camp - both the usual route and a possible alternative. Neither were passable. A bit later, we heard form Audley and, after a few emails to and fro, it was agreed that we should stay at Karen Blixen Camp for the last couple of days of our holiday and we'd be collected from there and taken to Nairobi airport after a game drive and breakfast on Monday. At least we now knew what were doing and could unpack etc. We set off for our afternoon game drive and, before long, the heavens opened. This time I accepted the offer of a poncho to try and stay reasonably dry. Jack put down one side of the plastic windows and we both sat at that side, looking out of the other, camera at the ready in Jonathon's case. When the rain stopped, the light was quite special.
	We visited a breeding herd of Elephants. I really like young Elephants - so cute, not quite knowing what to do with their trunk but trying to copy the adults.

On our way to look for a Cheetah, Jonathon had the shock of his life. A big, male Warthog suddenly shot out of his burrow, shouting and swearing for all he was worth - right next to the safari truck where Jonathon was seated. I think he saw the funny side of it when he recovered from the shock.
		We were told earlier in the week that Cerval Cats were very shy, hard to spot etc. This female proved all those points wrong as she wandered around, posing nicely for photographs etc.
Once again, we were so caught up with big cats that it was getting dark by the time we left the conservancy. The sunset was quite stunning as we drove home.
15 March I used my torch to check the river levels this morning (not light when we get up for safari) and, to my delight, I saw a Genet. Obviously too dark (and too slow on my part) to photograph it but it was a lovely surprise! It was quite misty when we set off but the sun came up before long.
		We saw a lot of Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope on the way but it was too dark to photograph them. These two Eland were wandering about just about when the sun rose.
	First stop was to check on what was left of the Hippo and see if there was any Lion activity. Two Lionesses (one at a time) decided to have a munch. The second one dragged the carcass to the edge of the pond so she didn't have to stand in so much water. The other Lions were not far away, sleeping under a bushy canopy and the cubs were well hidden. There was a Hyena not far away, sniffing the air - possibly trying to work out when it would be safe for him to scavenge.
		Our next animal encounter was a male Cheetah. He was on the prowl, looking for something to eat but all the antelope and other animals around were fully aware of him so he wasn't having any luck.

	Apparently this is a mushroom. Francis explained that Maasai don't eat mushrooms (I'd fit in well). It was enormous - would fall off the edge of a dinner plate. A treat today was breakfast on the hill. The views were stunning.


	This is our lovely Solomon, who seemed to be everywhere that food was involved. He looked after us very well all week, even serving us some special, traditional Kenyan food for dinner last night as we'd been in camp so long! The Giraffe were easier to photograph on the way back in the light.
Back at camp with plenty of time to go through our photos, relax, enjoy the sunshine and marvel at how much the river had gone down. The view from our tent was pretty in the sunshine. The Hippos across the river seemed to have a lot to say for themselves - perhaps a bit happier now the river is calmer.
	The sunshine lasted all day - it looks so much better when that happens! That said, it was quite quiet around the conservancy when we first got there for the afternoon drive - I think the animals were all looking for shade. The reappeared as the heat of the day subsided. I wasn't sure what the Jackal was intending to do with the feather but it was very proud of its find.
This Buffalo was taking a mud pack to a completely new level. The mud hole was just the right size for a huge male to wallow about in and he took full advantage, having to scramble out when he thought he was done. Then he decided that his face wasn't covered in enough mud so he rub his face in it. Yuck!

We visited some different parts of the conservancy on our afternoon drive - ancient rocks and mature trees. Apparently there was a Rock Hyrax in the rocks but I couldn't see it. Jonathon has probably got a photo of it for the Kenya page.
		I could definitely see the creature in this area - the Crocodile was enormous.
We watched the male Cheetah for a while - he was stalking a gazelle. Unfortunately, for him (but not for the gazelle) he didn't catch it. He'll be hungry for a while longer. We finally saw a Giraffe eating high leaves from a tree. I was wondering if we would spot one so was pleased when we did.
	These three Elephants are a lot drier than when we saw them before! We saw a Hyena den and plenty of Hyenas hanging around. They are so chilled (unless there's food in the offing).
Dusk doesn't happen in this part of Kenya (too close to the Equator). Instead, the sun starts setting and before you know it, it's dark, just like someone switched the light off.

	We got back to camp and had a yummy dinner. The camp fire was lit but, unfortunately, we had to pack our bags for real because we were heading off to Nairobi for the long journey home tomorrow (after one last game drive and breakfast).
16 March Another dry day but, unfortunately, our last full day in Kenya. We went on an early morning safari drive. It was pretty quiet as far as animals go but the morning light was beautiful. The sunrise is as fast as the sunset - blink and you'll miss it!

		We did, of course, see quite a few animals along the way. Lots of Zebra, a group of Eland, a few Wildebeest etc. and plenty of Topi.

The Hyena family were home as we drove by today. The pups were really cute! Francis told us the dark one is about 2 months old - just starting to get rid of its black baby colouring. Another surprise was to find a Mongoose in a tree. I just don't know how the guides see some of these animals - they are so hard to spot. Photos are on the Kenya page.		Mr. Warthog was getting the cold shoulder from Mrs Warthog - she really wasn't interested.
	The sun was really strong as we drove around and cast long shadows. Sadly, we didn't stay out long because we had to get back for breakfast and our transfer back to Nairobi.
		Mum and Calf Elephant were enjoying a morning stroll. The baby was trying so hard to copy mum ripping up grass.
The Giraffe were stalking their territory, one was very heavily pregnant but it didn't stop her having a good look at us from the middle of the road.		Boyd collected us from camp for the long drive back to Nairobi. The heavy rain then hot sunshine had done nothing to improve the state of the roads. I think we counted four vehicles stuck in this quagmire. One of the local people asked if we could help pull out the wagon (Boyd's vehicle is a Toyota Landcruiser). He might have managed the van but no chance of the lorry so he politely declined and we went on our way.

	It amazes me how cattle roam around freely. These had a stockman with them but there were others sauntering down the main road in Narok with drivers going around them. We stopped at ArtCaffe in Norok for lunch (same place as we stopped on the way out). The food was lovely and the pineapple lemonade scrumptious.
We arrived at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nairobi Airport in time to get a snack for tea (apple pie and ice cream, that was more like apple strudel pie - very tasty) then an early night ready for a very early start tomorrow. The hotel has lots and lots of beautiful roses around as well as quite a lot of African linked art work. It also has a gym and pool but we didn't have time to use those.

17 March Up and out early to catch the flight back to London. The airport process was thorough but relatively smooth and the lounge comfortable. We flew over different kinds of terrain - Sahara Desert, Pyrenees in Andorra, the Med and the Channel, the green of England, the busyness of London and various coastlines. The only thing I watched on the flight TV was a programme about elephants!		Sahara Desert
North African Coastline	Spanish Coastline	Andorran Pyrenees
English Coastline	London	London
The flight was on time, smooth and easy. We got through Heathrow the quickest we've ever done it and then we were home.		I came home to these lovely birthday cakes and a mixed planter from the Flamingos, presents from Carole and Pauline, lots of birthday cards and heaps of post relating to Mum and Dad that will wait until tomorrow. Everything was unpacked, the first two loads of washing were done, a quick TV watch then it was time for bed.
18 March True to form, my body decided it was time to get up at 5.15 a.m. Africa time. Unfortunately that was 2.15 a.m. in the UK so it definitely was not time to get up. I managed to get back to sleep for a few hours after a short read so not too bad. I went to the gym (it was really busy) then came home and ploughed my way through the paper work that arrived while we were away. I'm all up straight again, for now at least. I popped down to the flower shop to pay for today's delivery and order some flowers for Jenny and Peter as a thank you for looking after Oli. I did some gardening after dinner - it's really come on while we've been away. I'm looking forward to rhubarb crumble! The cross is now cut back into the grass but the edges still need to be done.





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