Out at 6 again this morning to help with a wildlife count. We drove through a section of public land set aside for wildlife. Shivani and her team do a weekly count of mammals in the area. As she was showing us an elephant on the river our guide yelled out “wild dogs” and we quickly turned around to follow them. There were 10 wild dogs on a hunt. You would not believe how fast they run, quietly, in a straight line. Wild dogs are the 2nd most endangered animal in Africa and it is unusual to see them. So we were off racing to follow the dogs. Of course they went where the 4×4 could not go, so we stopped. We could hear them calling the pack together. They sound like an owl. Or guide is good and he found them. We watched them com to a resting spot and settle in. We stayed about 30 mins. It was so cool.
Then we found a breakfast spot. Today we were really out in the bush. We were not on a National Reserve but really out in the wild country. We will be going back this evening.
Now as we sit and wait for lunch on our patio. We spotted from here an elephant, 3 camels and a monkey.
I want to describe northern Kenya. It is remote. They go four hours to get food and two to get fuel for the car. There is no mail service here. Internet is only at the tourist lodges. We are completely away from everything. The local people walk everywhere. There is very little water, only one shallow river. Shivani and her team use a total of 10 gallons of water per day. 7 people–10 gallons for washing and drinking. Everything a mammal does is for survival and it is not an easy life. This is high desert, and I find deserts strangely beautiful.
This afternoon we helped make paper lions and animal paw print stamps they will use for World Lion Day Sunday. Then a camel ride! Up to Sundowner rock – a rock overlooking the entire valley from which you can see the sunset. In a few minutes our final dinner here with Shivani.
I am very sad to leave here – though we are going to where there are a whole lot of lions! I knew I’d find this adventure amazing but I didn’t expect to make a new friend – and I have.
We leave at 6 am for a new camp, and we will not have Internet access there. I’ll be silent for awhile.
Looking Out Seeing Within 