Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

I really should read my own blog.

T R E 4 5 O N

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Museums are not America’s attic for its racist shit.

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

He really is that stupid.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

When I was faster i was always behind.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

This really is a full service blog.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

You are here: Home / Photo Blogging / On The Road / On The Road – way2blue – TSAVO NAT’L PARKS, KENYA IN JULY [7 of 8]

On The Road – way2blue – TSAVO NAT’L PARKS, KENYA IN JULY [7 of 8]

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way2blue

[Another OTR submission of a 10-day trek along the Tsavo & Galana Rivers in southern Kenya.]

Our final camp under palm trees was one that was reserved for the safari outfit.  Very windy.  Various predators would come around each of the camps during the night.  So when a fellow hiker asked the chances of surviving the night if they slept outside their tent—the answer was 50%.  We were instructed to keep our tents zipped up a night to prevent lions from entering.  And to look around first—if we needed to go out of the tent to ‘relieve’ ourselves in the night.  A bit spooky… 

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OUR TENT / EIPYA CHAPEYU CAMP.

With its view of the river.

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REST STOP.

Spotter, Lajori, wearing his dress shoes seated next to the head rifleman, Chui.  Both taking a break.  (The sandy landscape shows damage by cattle grazing.)

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LIONESS KILL.

We’d just finished our morning hike and were heading to the river bank to drop down & cross to where Simon was waiting to drive us back to camp.  And spooked a lioness who was dozing in the scrub conifers after hiding her kill—a young giraffe—in the brush.  She spooked us.  We spooked her.  She let out a growl, twisted and bounded away.  Maybe 10 feet away from me.  Maybe 15.  No more…  With me pivoting toward the closest rifleman—to stand behind him—our instruction in such situations.  Across the river our driver, Simon, watched the whole drama unfold and wondering how things would turn out…

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DURUSIRKALE CAMP.

Kitchen set up at our last camp was more structured since the safari outfit reserved this camp for their exclusive use.  Chef Kahui with his shovel…

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CAMP KITCHEN / DURUSIRKALE.

Another photo of the kitchen crew.

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DURUSIRKALE CAMP.

Early morning view of our last camp from across the river.  Our tent is on the far right, then the dining tent, then tents for the rest of the trekkers & guide…

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LOOKING DOWNSTREAM. 

Another early morning view of camp from across the river with long shadows.  In the evening, a bull elephant wandered into camp to eat palm ‘dates’ next to our tent.  One of the riflemen, Ekutan, stood by till the elephant moved on and we could safely join ‘happy hour’…

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CHUI.

Lead rifleman—although in this photo one of the spotters (with his spear) is ahead of him…

Reader Interactions

9Comments

  2. 2.

    J R in WV

    I would not want to ever surprise any lion, ever!

    But it all has made for fabulous adventures and memories of your trip.

  4. 4.

    Miss Bianca

    I appreciate the fauna and scenery photos, of course, but I really appreciate the photos of your crew. That really gives me the “you are there” feels.

  6. 6.

    way2blue

    The crew was wonderful.

    As I might have mentioned earlier—our guide, in his mid-70s, has been leading these walking safaris for ~40 years and two knee replacements (after he become bored with leading trips up Mt Kenya & Kiliminjaro).  On one of his first trips, the cook became ill with dysentary and the guide worried that they’d have to abort the season.  But Kahui, who at the time was one of the guys who broke down camp, stepped up and said he could cook.  That he’d been watching the cook work.  And here we are…

  7. 7.

    Kifaru1

    I grew up in Keny from 1979 to 1990. Curious as to why the lead rifleman is named after a leopard in Swahili. Did he have to kill one at some point? Also, I would never do a safari on foot….almost got pounced on by a lioness hiding in long grass while I was sitting on the roof of an ope-topped combi. That was close enough for me. You are brave to go out walking in the bush on purpose….

  8. 8.

    Kifaru1

    @Yutsano: it is terrifying. Rhinos false-charging your vehicle or elephants getting annoyed when you are stuck in the middle of a herd (in a vehicle): Not fun and unforgettable at the same time.

  9. 9.

    way2blue

    @Kifaru1:

     

    @Kifaru1: I did figure out his nickname was ‘leopard’, but never asked why.  Let’s see if I can find out…  The walking crew was hyper attentive when we traversed dense brush.  But you’re riight.  You can easily become prey.

    In fact, years ago I was working on the Hearst Ranch in San Simeon and my field partner watched as a mountain lion followed me down a high ridge.  I had no idea and, other than a rock hammer, no defense.

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