We've actually had a lie in this morning; we didn't have to get up until 0600!!!
As we were all packed and ready well before breakfast I persuaded Ian to do the 1km walk around the property just after it got light. This is the view from our deck - there is a fenced off shrubby bit beyond our grass and the track is the other side of that, then another fence before the water.
Whistling Thorn Acacias produce swollen hollow thorns known as domatia which are then colonised by ants as shelter/nesting spaces and glands near the base of the tree's leaves secrete a carbohydrate-rich nectar which the ants then feed on. This symbiotic relationship benefits the tree as the ants defend the tree from large herbivores by attacking elephant, giraffe etc when the graze on the tree.
If you tap the domatia the ants immediately come rushing out
This lovely man has the thankless task of cleaning the vehicles between game drives and no matter how muddy they are when we leave them, they are always spotless the next time we get in. I made him laugh by telling him the first thing Peter does every time he drives us out of camp is to find the muddiest, deepest puddle just as soon as he can.
I'm very pleased to say our accommodation is considerably more attractive and I dare say more comfortable, than the staff quarters.
Hopefully a washing line gets used when it's guests' clothing. The laundries at all the camps we've stayed in do an amazing job with very little facilities; often just a bath tub.
I'm not in the habit of photographing my plate but this just to show the Tree Tomato which I'd tried for the first time at the Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi. It's the red thing top right and tastes nothing like a tomato but is quite bitter with tough flesh.
No animals at the waterhole yet but not a bad view for breakfast.
The delightful, but very slightly bonkers, Louise.
I must quickly mention Splodge, her Jack Russell, who only has 3 legs. Louise has a house in Nanyuki where she has several other dogs and about a year ago Splodge and one of the other dogs started fighting. Her gardener decided to try and separate the dogs by thrashing around with a machete (!!!) and he actually severed one of Splodge's front legs which then had to be completed amputated at the elbow joint. More drama was to follow a few months later when Louise was in camp and came face to face with a leopard who had Splodge firmly gripped in its jaws. Someone she managed to get the leopard to drop the dog and they both escaped but Splodge had severe wounds to his chest which necessitated numerous operations. Consequently he is rather nervous and doesn't like to let Louise out of his sight and he also needs a bit of help climbing on chairs etc.
The Nanyuki runway is still unfinished and only lighter planes can currently use it and as our flight was going to be full (12 pax), we had to make use of the longer, tarmac runway at the Mount Kenya private airport, which meant another half hour drive up into the hills on the other side of town.
A couple of snaps as we drove back through town; it's hard to believe it's one of the most desirable places in Kenya to live at the moment, most of what we saw seemed to be very basic subsistence living.
Having rushed to get to Mount Kenya airfield, we then had almost an hour's wait for the plane to arrive and poor Peter stayed with us to make sure we weren't left stranded. When it finally arrived there were already 3 onboard, one of which had to get off to go to the loo and delayed us even more, and another 5 people got on with us. So all told, 10 people and 3 stops before ours - luckily Ian is more than comfortable in small aircraft these days.
These next photos are taken through the plane's window hence the odd colouring. This is something we've not seen at any airstrip before, whether the ladies are Masai or not, I don't know.
Safarilink seem to like making people hang around waiting for them (as opposed to them waiting for the passengers).
I agree about keeping the Masai Mara plastic free but I'm not too sure about the gun!
This looks like a huge bloat of hippo (what a great term)
Ol Kiombo Airstrip with our truck waiting for us.
A surprisingly portly Masai guide was waiting for us but as he was a new addition to Kicheche he was only entrusted with the transfers to/from the airstrip. What was lovely to hear was that it had been his "ambition to get a job at Kicheche Bush Camp as it's the best camp on the Mara". We certainly think so and if its constant full up status and repeat bookings are anything to go by, then so do many people. And having looked at their live booking system I fully expect us to be sharing a truck for the whole time we are here.
The drive to camp was uneventful and as we were late arriving I think Dickson (yes, another one) had probably been told to hurry up and not stop for any sightings, as everyone would be waiting for us to arrive before lunch could be served. So a couple of wobbly shots from a moving vehicle.
The grass definitely had a yellowish tinge to it, far less like Ian's Salisbury Plain of 2018. I like to think that these zebra blocking the track was our official welcoming party.
Topi - first sighting this year, they seem very localised.
The final few 100 meters into camp felt so very familiar, a real sense of "coming home" and Darren and Emma were waiting to greet us (not entirely sure if they remembered us or not, they are the consummate professionals). Also there to greet us with the customary cold drink and flannel was Abraham who I think did remember Ian. The welcome chat was considerably shortened as we already knew the drill from previously and besides lunch was ready. The big table was set up on the lawn for everyone but if we'd preferred we could have had an individual table to ourselves. Everyone has been triple jabbed, there have been no cases whatsoever in camp and besides we were in the open air so we said we were happy to join the table.
We quickly nipped to our tent, unfortunately the furthest away to the right and so a long walk. We knew exactly what to expect and apart from redecoration the only change was the bucket shower is no more and there is now a piped supply.
This fabulous canvas is on the (canvas) wall of the tent - I'd be more than happy with heavy rain if it meant I could take a shot like this.
Just outside the loo for the general area is an enormous patch of mushrooms and Emma explained that they are actually farmed by ants.
Over a delicious lunch we were introduced to the other guests, 3 of whom are leaving tomorrow, and seated next to Chris and Susie who we'll be sharing the truck with.
We then had a couple of hours to unpack before the afternoon drive.