We were awake before the tea arrived at 6.00am which was quickly followed by shout 'bucket' shower ready. So I made the tea, had a few slurps and jumped into the shower and finished my tea when I came out while John worked in reverse! We were away by 0630 taking a packed breakfast with us which we are on the banks of the Mara watching the biggest crocodile I have ever seen and a family of hippo sunning themselves on a sandy beach. We also saw Egyptian geese, a beeater battering and eating a bee and brown mannequins flitting around the reeds. Our pre breakfast aperitif was a pride of lions mums and dad were seen first then 8 cubs of varying ages emerged - all a bit damp as they had walked through the grass which was laden with a heavy dew. We then patrolled possible crossing sights but the plains were empty, no large herds of wildebeest anywhere - we did see large herds on the slopes opposite so guess the migration has completed its passage across this end of the Mara River - with luck the thousands further east who have further to travel to the Mara River in Tanzania will wait to cross until we arrive in 3 days time! We also saw 3 tawny eagles around their nest - 2 adults and a juvenile. After breakfast we looked for leopard - still elusive - and were watching a pair of mating lions when, after a call, we rushed to a crossing point to see zebra massed on the opposite bank - one batch had crossed back into the reserve but the rest, including 4 wildebeest, were put off by the visible patrolling crocodiles and although we waited for an hour or so no one took the plunge so we headed back to camp for lunch and a couple of hours in the cool. I also took some time to download 700 + photos which I then reduced to around 100!
Just after 4pm we headed out after tea and carrot cake - which they still insist on putting curry powder in - this is a real African speciality - I think they mistake mixed spice for curry powder but this is not the first time our taste buds have been assaulted! We set off looking for leopard but not long after there was a loud ping - something had happened to the four wheel drive - it no longer worked - which meant a conservative drive - no sticky or hilly routes and the call for another jeep to come down from Mara North camp - when you haven't got 4 wheel drive you realise how important it is on safari. That said we returned to the Rekero pride and had over an hours entertainment watching the rough and tumble of boisterous lion cubs who were all sunning themselves with their mums in the grass on the edge of the thicket in which we had found them this morning.( today's photo is cub love!)
Back in camp we had short dinner and early night - in bed by 2030 and asleep by 2100ish.....it's hard all this animal watching.