Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
Mick's diary - 20 Sep 1999
Our usual early start and breakfast. Although there is the normal full breakfast we prefer fruit and cereal with tea. Brian is on his 4th cup of tea by the time we arrive in the mess tent. As we eat Barissa drives Bluebell over all nice and clean ready for another hard day’s drive. The cool box and tea is loaded up, today Barissa will be coming in the 2nd Landrover to help spot for that elusive black rhino so will be carrying the picnic lunch. We are off to the park, with Brian saying “look out for the lions,” as they were very close during breakfast. We were woken by their roars not that far away from the tents, an extremely impressive sound, both exhilarating and scary at the same time. No sooner had he said it than we come upon them making their way up the track to the hills for the day, 3 females and 4 cubs. Brian estimates the cubs at about 9 months old. Like all cats they prefer to walk on tracks keeping out of the morning dew, too early to photo, so we watch until they move out of sight and then we press on to the park. The impalas instinctively knew the lions were full and watch with interest without moving away
Once in the park off come the hatches and we go to search Rhino ridge with Barissa working the other side of the water course. We pass a bush buck and a herd of elephant again with lots of youngsters wallowing in the mud, a day for young animals as we see a baby zebra as well. On the top branches of an old tree are quite a few vultures preening and warming up in the early morning sun. While the boys were shooting, Cathy and Brian were swallow spotting and scanning the horizons. We saw a hammerkop pick up some nesting material and fly off just as quickly, a really interesting bird that looked as if it belonged to yesterday and builds a huge nest which Brian says is not always accepted by the female.
Brian drives over a rocky outcrop but we actually need a toilet stop so we circle a big bush to make sure it is safe for Cathy. Once we are all comfortable Brian mentions the fact that he'd seen lion in the area and the lioness is sitting on a rock 800 meters away!! So we go to look at her - she seems to be panting heavily and we’re not sure if see has been active or unwell although she looks healthy enough. Whilst we are watching Brian scans and spots vultures not that far away so off we go to investigate. When we get to the vultures they are watching 3 lions around a wildebeest kill. Like the vultures we sit and watch. Barissa is still in contact working the gully and tree lines looking for the rhino. There are other lions in the vicinity and Brian reckons there must be another kill nearby. The lions don't seem to be concerned at our presence and I took some really good action shots, one or two rather colourful. The lions join up and slowly wander off, except for one who seems intent to chase the vultures whenever one lands too close and does in the end drag the carcass away. We decide to stay and watch and have a cup of tea and sandwiches. But soon a couple of hours have passed and it is time to move on.
Barissa is still working away, we see 3 ground hornbills in a tree, they are nervous and fly off, and Cathy spots a little bee-eater. There are thousands of wildebeest and we are lucky as they are still migrating. Before getting too close we need another pit stop and it is so strange sharing a toilet with thousands of wildebeest and zebra. We never got to see them crossing a river as suddenly Barissa comes over our radio with 'Faro Faro!'. Brian instinctively changes course and increases speed. He knows exactly where Barissa is yet we, looking out of the hatches, could not see him for love nor money. Brian shouts “hold on, we may not have much time”, as Barisa explains that he is moving fast and seems bad tempered.. Brian changes course again to intercept the rhino, saying “you won’t have much time so get ready and make the most of a fleeting target”. As we come around a line of bushes he comes into view - what a size, just out of this world, fantastic, tail up and trotting! Brian anticipates his course and without upsetting the rhino positions the Landrover so that we get shots of him coming towards us. Luckily he turns just to our front to give side-on shots. He stops and looks at us and Brian whispers “keep on filming”. My hand is shaking by now, I just hope the shutter speed is fast enough as I am aiming and shooting. The rhino scents the bush and walks towards us. Then, just as I was about to ask Brian if we should move he turned and went off into the scrub, leaving us all in an excited state. “Time for another cup of tea”, Brian says, knowing we were all fit for nothing, all trying to speak at once. If we saw nothing further in the Mara in the next 3 days I would leave happy, an action packed 20 minutes and all to ourselves.
Brian answered our many questions, putting it down to many years of experience in the bush and emphasising that the animal must always be our first and main concern. It was very important that we were not the cause of the rhinos frustration and under no circumstances were we to antagonise him or any animal for that matter, large or small.
We move back to the wildebeest down to a tree-lined stream and gully, Brian manoeuvring Bluebell in the long grass to catch the mini migration crossing, the animals splashing through the water. We get a great view on a mini scale. Whilst watching the wildebeest climb up the bank a woodland kingfisher lands on a branch close by.
What a fantastic view, so quiet we decide its time to have lunch and no better place than where we are. Lunch is a full salad and beef, rolls, fruit and tea, and time to clean and check our cameras. Brian and Barissa chin wag in Swahili, I am sure commenting on the morning’s work which they seemed to enjoyed equally as much as ourselves.
We go to photograph the moving wildebeest but eventually, as time flies by, it is time to head on back. First, though, we have to get across the stream. Brian checks the depth of water and decides to go for it - we rally across and up a steep bank. The Landrover and Brian's driving make it look so easy.
As the evening sets in we move close to a lilac-breasted roller on a branch of an old tree, its colour fantastic - a living watercolour. Within minutes on another branch of a different tree we see Hoopoe, just as impressive.
Whist driving back to camp in the fading light we see a jackal as well as all the plains game. There is always plenty near the camp as well as a number of nightjars in the track.
Once again its time for that lovely shower, campfire drinks and bites… and more food, I don't know how Patrick does it but so far I've had the best vegetarian meals ever and that includes English restaurants! We notice this evening that John, who does an excellent job as our waiter, also does some pretty nifty serviette folding; it seems different for every meal.
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"We haven't been back to Africa since [we went with you] as we knew there was no way of emulating the safari you arranged for us... Many is the time I dream of sitting beside the camp fire enjoying a cold Tusker beer after a dusty day wildlife watching with the stars above seemingly so close that you could reach out and touch them. There is nothing to match the sights, sounds and smells of the African bush."
Jill
A Day in the Mara