Jambo

Well – I’ve been trying to get the energy up to write a travelogue of our Tanzanian safari.
Its not going to happen...
We visited Serengeti, Ndutu Reserve, Ngorongoro crater, Lake Manyara and Taranagire National Parks as well as doing a village walk, and visiting with Masaai

In short we had a fantastic time

Highlights include

• Seeing a lioness catch a baby wildebeest
• Seeing thousands of wildebeest (not the great migration but still indescribable)
• Watching a cheetah and her 4 juvenile cubs patiently hunt and eventually catching a bushbuck
• Seeing a bush baby on a night drive
• Laughing at a baby baboon who kept falling off a log
• Ballooning over the Serengeti
• Baby elephants playing trunk tug of war
• Lions mating (all over in 2 seconds)
• A lioness grooming herself – very much a la Dobby
• Seeing a leopard in a tree
• Being visited by a herd of eley in the car park leaving the Serengeti
• Watching a young male lion Nev style leap into action too soon and spoil the good stalk the lionesses had set up on an unsuspecting zebra
• Some amazing sunrises and sunsets
• Crashing a wedding during our village walk – we even made it into some official photos
• Swimming in a pool next to zebra and impala
• Baobob with leaves on – they look like broccoli!

Most of the photos are on http://www.flickr.com/photos/hazelon/

But our monthly limit has been exceeded and there are still elephant pics from Tarangire

If anyone is thinking of going on Safari – we can recommend our agents - http://www.bush2beach.com/

Interesting article

For some background into Rwanda, and more about Orphans of Rwanda - where I volunteer then take the time to look at this article

Funky chicken

The funky chicken is finally finished (for those paying attention it is actually a cockerel) - its a 70s style sewing project I found in a shop in Deventer when looking for a tapestry project that didn't involve forever friends or a horse or something equally cheesy - so I plumped for the cock - reminds me somehow of the macrame owls that were popular when I was a child. This has been one of the things I do in my craft meetings as well as painting. So the chicken is finished, I just need to steam and stretch it and make it into a cushion cover ..but first I need to find a 65cm square cushion..


I found some non-cheesy tapestry online - this is a Kaffe Fassett design cushion cover (only 40cm square)...still same problem in that I am lacking a cushion!

I can't stand the rain

Every time we have a big rainstorm Nev puts on a performance - here is an extract...






we don't know if he is scared, just wants attention or is plain nuts!

valentines

in response to anonymous comment, Rwanda (i.e Kigali) is increasingly taking on western commercial holidays, Christmas / Valentines etc and celebrating them.

in typical Rwandan style its all a bit last minute - I saw this in a supermarket today - I was last there on Wednesday and there was no sign of all these beautiful gifts



I wonder how long they will be available, our big supermarket has had chocolate in fancy boxes for a couple of weeks already,..but in saying that the christmas decorations are still in the store (and not at reduced prices)

rainy season

Its currently rainy season, which means on an almost daily basis it does this





(taken from window at ORI) - it goes to explain why Rwanda is so lush and verdant. Anyway mostly there are clear warning signs, its hot, there are big dark grey skies, and then the wind blows all the dust up, and the rain comes - lasting anywhere between 10 mins and an hour

the other day we also saw rainbows


today on the other hand it didn't rain, which means we have beautiful light, so I've wandered round the garden and taken pics



one of our orchids as well as the usual reproduction by keikis - little fully fledged mini-me plants,

has also decided to produce seed pods.

I am obsurdly proud of this - especially as I do not contribute to the orchid care at all (perhaps why they are healthy and podding...)


Lon wearing his Primus T-shirt - which he scored on his school outing, and is very pleased with

I love this plant
phase 1

phase 2

phase3
its some kind of relative of a poinsetta - and flowers like this all year round

snort of the day

Reading online Rwanda's "newspaper" the New Times this morning I saw the below ad

Now, I like Akagera National Park, it has its own desolate beauty and charm, but the big five it don't got....there are allegedly lions in the north, no known leopords or rhino, but there are lots of buffalo!

Cute

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Unfortunately we have young cats.

They found out that behind that closed door is a nice bed, and that you can open the door. So now we have to lock our bedroom door.

But look at these pictures: isn't it worth it.