July 2008
Safari News
The rain in Spain falls mainly in Tanzania it seems. For the second year in a row the "long rains" have been longer and heaver than usual. We are keeping an eye on how this effects the wildebeest migration. It may delay its cycle northwards due to more green grass still being available in the south. If so people who have booked a safari in a mobile camp will be glad they did as we can alter the location of the camp to track the wildlife.
Other affects of the high rainfall have been to drop more snow on Kilimanjaro. It has been totally white at times, more so than for years. Hopefully some of this will remain to replenish the glaciers there which are needed to release water at a steady rate all year to the surrounding rivers and lakes.
Lake Tanganyika has also noticeably refilled and is at its highest level for a long time after decades of the level dropping, this will help villagers whose boat and fish drying facilities (like Livingstone and Stanley's meeting place) have slowly been getting further from the shoreline. The diverse range of fish known as Chichlids will also get a chance at exploiting long forgotten niches.
There has been a down side to the rain as well, this time mostly small scale flooding. Just last week an elderly lady - too old to have even learnt Swahili - told me in mime and her tribal language not to cross a stream with my young son as she was expecting a flash flood and he might get carried away, (we both got rather carried away with the mimes).
What's not new
One of the great things about living in this part of the world is the people.
The fortitude and innovation that is needed to thrive never fails to fill me with admiration.
Who needs Suduko when you can keep your mind sharp solving the problems shown in these photos!
Although humorous - they say a lot about the daily struggle for things we often take for granted.
Planning Ahead
This year is an ideal time to visit Kenya now things have stabilized politically.
We have put together a 5 Day Flying Break that will give you four days in the Maasai Mara.
It is the perfect package for a long weekend from Europe or the U.K.
Booking now for the end of the year would mean you will be there when the wildebeest migration hits Kenya as well as avoiding a few of those long cold evenings back home.