Hakuna Matata

Rules to abide on future African Adventures (ie...lessons learnt on this one):

1. If the guide book suggests a 4x4 vehicle, take a 4x4
2. Either rent a vehicle from a reputable source, or trust your gut instincts (or your sisters), even if it does cost a bit more
3. Dont rent from a company that charges you cash up front
4. Check all equipment including jacks, spares, triangles etc before setting off
5. Dont hire a car that has a certificate of good conduct in the cubby hole

6. Dont forget paper towelling
7. Take 2 spare tyres
8. Be creative in breadmaking, but add salt and not sugar for the bread, as opposed to cake flavour
9. In the HIGHLY unlikely event you get a puncture and your jack doesn't work, and you have to walk through buffalo and elephant infested territory, only to find another jack that doesn't work, either a) Pile rocks under your car so that you can place the jack onto another rock to make it jack higher or b) Reverse the opposite wheels onto a bank to get the car into a position where the flat tyre is hanging in mid air (stand on opp wheel if necessary). Change tyre.
10. Use icey water from the taps or river as a fridge -white wine and Tuskers are always better cold
11. Take Hot water bottles or down sleeping bags
12. If you dont have a braai, make stok brood on the living room fire (add salt not sugar to bread)
12. Not for sensitive adventurers, best to have a handy male around who can deal with such things as baking bread and changing tyres

Fishing Lodge - Aberdares

If I were to start a yoga retreat or find a place to finish off a book I have found the place. In fact I found the place where one can recuperate and totally relax in 2 days (If that is, you have a a fully functioning 4X4). There is no electricity, no cell phone reception, donkey boilers to heat water for 2 hours a day, a big cozie fire at night and red wine - bliss! The Aberdares are in the central Highlands of Kenya and seems to be a well kept secret. The landscape is a mountainous moorland with mist rolling in at about 5pm each night - how I'd imagine the Scottish highlands to be, and probably just as freezing.

The views are spectacular, waterfalls ranging from 30Feet drops, under which you can fish and chill your beers, to 400ft drops into green miandering forests. Quite a place, definitely worth the adventure!

Wildebeests

I have been trying to describe in words the migration of Wildebeest and Zebras from the Serengeti to the green grass in the Masai Mara, but it is a very difficult task. So I thought a couple of pics would be better than my bumbling attempt at poetic writing. We were out on a drive a couple of weeks ago and it seemed that wherever you looked there were herds of thousands of animals. I haven't been out for a drive since I got back from my holiday, but herds have started moving onto the plains in front of the lodge, and apparently, just around the corner there are hundreds of thousands of wildebeest.

Proof that I am here :)