Heaven or Hell
We were woken very early. Very very early.
Carefully we opened blurry eyes.
A question: Was this heaven?
Or was this hell?
A solution: Coffee.
So. It appears that we survived the night without 360 degree burns or smoke inhalation pneumonia.
The fire had been dissuaded from full scale attack while we slumbered. The staff had laboured until the wee hours to control the onslaught of flames. Our lives were saved while we lay there helpless and unconscious.
But fires still burned.
To get to the camp the previous night involved a detour to avoid fire. It was the same this morning. Even so, we had to drive through burning savannah.
So who set these fires? Such infernos rarely start by themselves. You almost never get lightening storms in this dry season. These fires needed the hand of man.
Rangers can and do set fires for reasons that are extremely debatable. This is interference of nature on a grand scale. However, to set fires close to camps is both extremely dangerous and, in this season, forbidden by law.
So, if not rangers, then whom?
The most common theory put forward was that poachers themselves set bush fires to divert the attention of the rangers while they go about their evil work.
The jury is still out.
---
This morning's start was even earlier than the normal insane hour that we were used to. We crossed the Mara before the sun had reached the horizon.
And were approaching Kenya while still in semi-dark.
We were at the border when the first rays appeared.
The sun finally showed up...
...turning the sky gold.
We could now see well into Kenya. Over there, hot-air balloons were starting to rise with the morning sun. In the distance however were many more bush fires. These cannot have been the work of just poachers. There were few poachers left. Was this not surely the work of the rangers themselves?
Whether ranger, nature or poacher, we were there to hunt wildlife and shoot them with cameras, not with guns.
To hunt wildlife not wild fires.
This lioness lit by the dawn's glow was not on a hunt, lethal, photographic or otherwise.
She already had her full Tanzanian breakfast sorted.
We continued on our way, checking in on the hyenas that we had met the previous evening.
They were still much cuter than their parents...
...who were nearby...
...looking definitely gormless.
We headed deeper into the endless plain.
Until we came across this 'menage à trois'.
Two slightly moth-eaten brothers.
With a female nearly hidden from view.
She was clearly trying to get a bit of peace and quiet.
These lions were unknown in this area and had presumably moved in from Kenya. Possibly fed up with the bush fires.
These two had really been through the mill. If you take a closer look at the one guy's rear end...
You may notice that something has made an attempt at reducing his ardour.
My guess is that it was the 'femme fatale'.
All three were sitting around looking like innocent thugs.
Stifling frequent yawns.
Their age was showing. As was their halitosis.
A once majestic beast.
Now more moth-eaten than majestic.
His once magnificent mane now looking unkempt. Kinda reminds me of someone but I can't think who.
We left them sheltering from the increasing heat by a shaded pond.
Was this heaven or hell?
Our tour of this northern part of the Serengeti, north of the Mara, was nearly over. It was time to return to that fabled river.
En route we came across this contortionist.
She showed us her nasal abilities.
Most impressive.
She shook her head as we took our leave.
This sneeze is a classic sign of covid...
We left her and went off to cross the Mara.
As you may have guessed, something beat us to it.
Several thousand somethings...
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