Quieter day today, holed up in a new camp down at the bottom of the eastern slope of Suswa. Thick bush and well out of the way of most visitors. A remnant of this beautiful dry African country with tall acacia and hardly a bush cut down. Listening to the gentle banter of the boys, the bells of the grazing camels, great birds singing away and the ubiquitous African doves calling all around. Only slightly upset by the ominous thunderclaps further up the Rift.
Obviously, what is really missing is game of any description which once upon a time would have been very numerous. It was however nice yesterday to see that bull eland sitting 100 ft below us on the crater edge and then gently get up and disappear behind the larva outcrops.
Apparently they had three lion here last year two males and a lioness but after feasting on some cattle beasts and a few eland they “returned to the Mara” or maybe to their happy hunting ground in the sky. It is very difficult for man and wildlife to live together but it would be so nice if we could have some more ebb and flow. Easy for me to say when my cows are sitting in a field at home, and the last wolf near us was shot in 1776.
Regarding the weather forecasts for the next couple of months I have a chum at Gogar farm who tells me it’s all about the position of the dipole in the Indian Ocean and which way it swings. Apparently last time he looked it was still there which was a relief all round but he was going to let me know if there was any change. Will keep you updated.
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