A Hippo in the Camp

I don't have a brave bone in my body, I wish I had but for some reason it just is not there.

John Lennon said

"It's fear of the unknown. The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that--it's

all illusion. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. Everything is unknown--then you're ahead of the game.

That's what it is.

Right?"

Well John whatever it is I was surprised to find myself in Doris and ageing white Landrover Discovery doing 40 miles an hour down roads which had craters in it big enough to bury the entire British Government, on my way to spend two nights in a tent, in open ground, next to a watering hole in the Masi Mara, and I hope John you are right, I will be ahead of the game!

My adventure started when we arrived in Nairobi to spend some time with some dear friends who have been living in East Africa for the past three years and are due back in the UK in August.

An itinerary had been planned and the highlight was the Safari experience at Little Governors Camp in the Masi Mara, and here we were two hours into our journey disappearing down another crater only to reappear seconds later with several hundred goats crossing the track.

Perhaps after all John was right, it is the fear of the unknown rather than a lack of bravery, I was already beginning to enjoy the every changing landscape, I already knew that if I disappeared from sight down a crater the chances were I would reappear, I have travelled through busy towns where dark faces grinned back at you if you waved and said Jambo Habari

( Hello whats the news)

The amazing sight of the Rift Valley as we came to the highest point and dropped down into its stunning landscape, had taken my breath away, my first Grey Crowned Cranes making love movements to each other; by now I had no doubt in my mind that my breath was something that would be taken away from me many times in the next few day.

We arrived at Little Governors in time for a late lunch, on the way we passed a variety of birds and mammals giving us a small taster of what was to come.

We had to cross the Mara river in a small boat, which for safety was attached to a rope slung from bank to bank, it was in this river a little later on we would see our first Crocodiles and Hippopotamus but for the moment all was quiet and I was still ahead of the Game!

Lunch was set out under the trees, a Hornbill sat above us and Warthogs grazed the grass almost beneath our feet, only rushing off with their tails high in the air like antenna when someone came a little too near.

To say we were camping would be a little extreme, yes were were in a tent, but it had its own shower and loo, we had a proper bed in which each evening a hot water bottle was put, we dined on wonderful food and enjoyed the company of others in the bar in the evening.

That said it was still and open space where Elephant and Hippo roamed freely, particularly at night and we were on strict instructions not to go out at night unless we had signalled to a guard with a torch, he would then escort us wherever we wanted to go, armed with a large torch and a rifle.

I think the official local term for this kind of camping is GAMPING!

Anyway for me it was extending my Fear of the Unknown to its limits but it was becoming more and more fun

We finished lunch, unpacked and were soon on our way back over the crocodile infested river and into a 4 x 4 with Lionel our knowledgeable game guide for the first of our 5 drives.

Lionel proved to be an exceptional guide he held a silver award in his knowledge of the African wildlife and each time we asked us to find an animal he did his very best to find it.

Claire and Stephen our host and travelling companions had been to the Mara several times before but they had yet to see a Leopard.

Claire jumped into the 4 x 4 and said " Leopard please Lionel"

Lionel grinned and drove off, within moments we had seen Elephant, Giraffe, Tommies

( Thompson Gazelles) Baboons, Topi and any number of birds.

Our first big sighting were 4 Lions from what is known as the Marsh Pride, those of you familiar with the Big Cat Diaries may well have seen some of them.

They were all young males and they were sleeping off a vast lunch of Hippo which they had killed the day before.

We watched for a while as they rolled about like any other feline that has had more than enough to eat and was now enjoying the remaining sunshine and the company of friends, the smell of the rotting Hippo became a little overwhelming so we moved on.

"Good stuff Lionel " said Claire with mischievous look on her face but what about the Leopard!

Lionel once again smiled and drove on, the sky was becoming increasingly black and forks of lightening could be seen in the distance.

An other 4 x 4 could be seen in the distance parked under a tree, we headed for the same spot, and parked Lionel pointed high into the lone tree that we had stopped under, there it was the elusive Leopard washing its face after a nice meal of something now hanging in shreds.

It truly was an fantastic sight, we watched until we could see no more and headed back to camp for a shower, some supper and a early night, tomorrow we had to be up at 5.30 and ready for a pre breakfast drive.

I was glad to see my bed, with it's warm hot water bottle and quickly drifted off to sleep. I was woken about 3 am by the sound of a grazing animal but it was no ordinary grazing it was amplified, 5 times louder than that of a large horse, it was of course a waterhorse the great Hippo was outside my tent in the campsite.

I must say for a moment I was paralysed to the bed, there was only 1 cm of tent between me and the most dangerous animal on the Mara, I listened intently as is made its way past the tent and back towards the waterhole.

Once it was gone I reflected on my first day of an adventure that had bought me to terms with my fear of the unknown.

Having experienced a Hippo in the camp I now needed to come to terms with the Fear of the Known!

Hot chocolate arrived at 5 am and we were set for another day of adventure.

Blossom