Guest Blog: Cecile on Safari at Lake Nakuru

Arriving on Saturday we spent the first night at Lake Nakuru and then on Sunday we were submerged in the world of the Lion King – Safari!!

We set off early with our driver (Alex – this name  for drivers became very familiar!) and ample supplies of vegetable samosas, mendazi (doughnuts) and bananas. On our way to the safari park, we encountered an athletics team training. May I just take this opportunity to say that we don’t stand a chance at the olympics! Their training was fierce! Try zig-zag hopping with one hand behind your head and a huge smile on your face in the soaring heat. Not possible? They did it!

On arrival at the park we were greeted by many baboons….and a man with a machine gun. Of course. We paid our entry, had a tally of people in the bus taken to ensure that no one would be ‘accidentally’ left in the park… and off we went!  Will was determined that we would find the lions, so Alex took us on a slightly unusual route. We came across the baboons once more, with the little ones learning how to (not so successfully) swing from tree to tree.

The lions were being typical cats and playing hard to get so we tried another route, and came to a blocked road leading to the edge of the lake with masses of pelicans and malibou stork. We decided to explore the blocked road (wise?!) and found some fresh lion tracks. So we followed them, whispering, with me as a straggler thinking ‘I’ve seen this bit before in wildlife shows – the straggler gets it’.

We followed the lake, up to a baboon outlook i.e. a sheer drop off of a cliff, all doing the obvious and leaning over the edge (mothers of all those on safari – ignore that bit! We had lunch with monkeys – not by choice! Many a banana was stolen from us. Andrew informed us they are only scared of men, so Becky boo put on her best male voice and chased them while Joan flapped a plastic bag at those trying to climb into our van. Kodak moment and a half!

We spotted many more birds and trees…giraffes… no, trees. It was a giraffe! And penguins (Angie) …no, pelicans . We also spotted a hippo and several white rhinos. We saw a pumba (warthog) but alas, no timone. The hunt for simba continues….!

Having the opportunity to go on safari was absolutely incredible. The landscapes we saw were phenomenal and seeing all of the creatures in their natural habits was such a blessing. I think we were all blown away by what we saw and will probably be humming ‘the circle of life’ for the remainder of the trip! Beautiful!

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