Sumbaru, Saruni Lodge, and Mara Plains tented camp

 Well, I have some catching up to do since I had no wifi at the last camp, Saruni Lodge in Sumbaru..  I will start with two days ago.  I have wifi at our current lodge (Mara Plains) but we are having rain storms and the clouds affect the wifi so not sure how much I can upload tonight.  

Saruni Lodge is built on top of a large rocky hill.   The drive to get up there takes your breath away the first time.  You are driving up the mountain on smooth rocks.  In daylight  it was tough, but I'm not sure how our driver, Chris, managed it in darkness after a night game drive!  The camp is quite

"rustic" when compared to Ol Donyo and Mara Plains, but it has spectacular views, an exceedingly nice staff, great Italian food "African style" ( the owner was visiting and he's Italian), and super guides and game spotters.  Our terrific guide was Chris and Simon we nicknamed "Eagle Eyes" for his game spotting ability.  We were treated to a viewing of two leopards, a Cheetah, a troop of about 100  Baboons,  lioness and two cubs, several very large families of elephants , and a family of Ostriches with about 15 chicks that were one day old.  The game viewing was fun!  Did you know that elephants get 6 sets of teeth during their lifetime and when the last set of teeth goes, so does the elephant.  They live to be approximately 60-70 years old.  The teeth are ground down by all the chewing  of bark they do..

Our guide , Chris, took us to a Samburu village.  They are a migratory people and when the land becomes over grazed, they will move their herds of goats, sheep and cows to a new location.  The women are responsible for building the "homes" and tending to the goats when they are out grazing..  We had a great time at the village.  The women greeted us with song and dance and managed to get me dancing as well!  Great giggles were had by all watching me do the "chicken neck" dance in order to make my "Samburu beaded necklace " move up and down!  We were even allowed access to one of their homes.  They are a happy people, but their living conditions are extremely primitive.  It is a VERY  HARD life..

At our new camp, Mara Plains, the rain has just stopped and out our "front tent flap" there are hundreds of migrating Wildebeests making Wildebeest noises!.. We've just had a fabulous lantern lit dinner.  The rains have stopped.  Before dinner, our great guide and new friend, Daniel, took us on a Game drive.  We immediately found 3 Cheetahs -- a mom, and two juveniles .  We saw them attempt a kill of a gazelle, but the teenagers were too impatient and the Gazelles escaped.  We waited quite awhile to see if they would try again, but alas the rains came.  When the rain comes , most everything stops as all the animals take shelter.  We had "sundowner cocktails without the sun" and enjoyed the company of our guide!  

There are sure lots of strange noises going on outside our tent.  At night time, you are not allowed to go outside on your own.  There is always an armed escort for you.  The animals come right up to our fabulous 5 star tents!!!

More tomorrow.  Hope I can get photos to upload!

Samburu Village welcoming committee!

Dancing?

Mary is the one on the right.  My new friends!

The other Mary! :)

Beautiful faces...

Mary and her son...she is the wife of a warrior.  You can tell by her ear rings and chains and head gear.

a happy little girl and her father... The Samburu are polygamists and may have several wives.

Our first sighting of Cape Buffalo.  This a a group of old males nicknamed "the Generals"!

Our swinging bridge entrance to the Lodge...

Our hostess and Grant...

The three hungry Cheetahs that missed out on a gazelle dinner!

On the alert in case the juveniles get a chance to redeem themselves!

Our rainstorm rainbow....

Still hoping.....

Saruni Lodge in Samburu.

Our first leopard.

The young Cheetah.

Ostrich mom and one day old chicks.

Ostrich parents.

Our lioness looking for dinner.

The Garenuk ) sp? Also called the long neck giraffe gazelle.

The Garenuk

Really wants those green leaves. 

Crossing the river...

Let sleeping lions lie....

Awake and hunting.

Simon , also named by us, "Eagle Eyes"!

That's a LOT of baboons!