Pride of 9 Lions!

Here we are in Amboseli. 9 pm, long day, ending with dinner watching gazelles, zebra and wildebeest walking past the dining room. went on game drive in evening, found pride of 9 lions:2 black maned males, 2 cubs and 5 females. some of us saw them very closely, my van not right next to the van, but still amazing. cubs playing on top of mom, males looking bored and regal. all getting ready for nightly hunt.

Is just as wonderful as you would hope. People so kind, country astounding–vast and huge and full of contrasts. Dry sand dirt and electric red robes of  Maasai. Is sadness too–terrible drought causing suffering to people and animals alike. Maize crop has failed for people. Grass gone for grazers, so hippos and zebra suffering terribly. Browsers like giraffe and Kudu antelop doing much better. Birds everywhere, so beautiful you can’t believe they are real. Lisa, one of group, got a photo of a Lilac Breasted Roller (check it out) that will knock your socks off.  It’s hard to believe some of the birds are real, they look like Dr. Seuss or Disney animals.

Too much to describe in my 15 min of internet time, but have seen hyena, black backed and golden jackals, absurd and amazing numbers of elephants (including babies, “tembo toto” in Kiswahili. (Baby giraffe are Twigga Toto. How cute is that?

We are reveling in wildlife, country and people. Went to a Maasai school today that we had arranged before hand. Chlldren sang for us, so sweet our hearts could barely stay in our bodies. We taught them how to play Hokey Pokey dance (Barbara’s idea.. such a stroke of brilliance). The kids loved it, but not as much as we, all holding hands in a big circle, laughing together.

Group that came is delightful, couldn’t be better. Each van, of 4-6 people is developing it’s own personality, including the Impala Harem. I’ll let them explain… if they dare.

Tomorrow it’s a 6:30 game drive (best to see cats) for some, visit to a Maasai village for others. Then back for breakfast, and a game drive or nature walk.

Gotta go do some laundry. So much dust in my hair and clothes I could sell bags of sand for highway departments…

More soon, if can…