Long time no post - too much fun being had. Essentially, it started with a wedding of friend, during the celebrations of which Mama headed off to the airport to pick up her big brother and family for a week, Sat to Sat, and then Kitty turned 6 on Sunday. Hurrah! So it's been a mad week or so of busy safari and family fun. A selection of photos will pick out the highlights at least... (Big post as lots been done!) So, start with the wedding:
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| The happy couple |
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| Entertainment from friends |
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| And family (sort of - the orphans consider themselves A's at least...) |
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Then the great family outing. Hapily, the kids got on famously from about second 10 within the door!
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| Post paddling (The shots in the pool are definitely not suitable!) |
After 24hrs recovery and fun at home, we headed off on trip 1, to Ngorongoro crater, staying at a nice lodge with a pool in Karatu for some earlier entertainment.
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| The mancub was demonstrating forward rolls. Or just beeing loopy. |
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| Kitty liked this! |
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| And on MOnday morning we'd hired a big car we could all fit in for the crater itself |
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| Abdim's Storks were all over the crater floor - many 1000s |
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| For some, sitting on the roof was the highlight |
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| For others it was the lions that came to visit the picnic site |
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| Mama B liked this best - we don't see many after all |
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| And this is what we don't like about the crater... |
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| Baby golden jackal was nice |
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| Whilst fighting zebra were H's favourite |
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| And L liked the baboons dripping from trees! |
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Next treat was a trip to Arusha NP for some.
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| Mama B always likes thees cool customers |
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| And there was time to stop and feed the eland on the way home |
Thursday managed a trip to Lake Duluti, the Mancub's preferred destination these days
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| African Darter was a surprise |
Then lego was introduced into the fray
Before a final 24hr trip to Manyara ranch topped off the stay - highlights being the inevitable sundowners on the top of my landrover, and large eles among the tents during the night...
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| The crowd |
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| And a final sunset in TZ for the M family |
But the fun didn't stop, with a birthday girl in the house! Sunday morning, bright and early we enjoyed a wakeup call...
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| Party started with crown making and edible necklaces whilst people turned up, very African time... |
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| Surprise visitor to the party! |
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| Mama B excelled herself with a butterfly cake containing no dairy and no eggs... |
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| The paddling pool was again enjoyed by all! |
And so we found ourselves finally without visitors and completely shattered last night! Mama B is already tucked up in bed now, and life slowly returns to a semblance of normality. Albeit with a 6-year old in the family now.
Hello! Can I ask a bird question? I live in Njiro, past Container. My place is within 1/2 mile of where the Themi River is in that deep gorge. The other afternoon a stork landed in a tree near my house. He was large, black body and white head and looked rough-both in the sense of dirty and tired, and also the roughed-up texture of the white part of his head and neck. Looking in the field guide, I'm thinking woolly-necked stork. Do they occur here?
ReplyDeleteLots of fantasic goings-on. Happy belated birthday, Kitty!
ReplyDeleteWooly-necked storks are rather scarce but great wanderers and they turn up near almost any river or pond eventually. From your description that must be what you saw - not that common in Arusha (nearest I've seen one is at Tengeru). Good spot!
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