So since I did get suckered into making resolutions, and this does feel like my year of saying goodbye (read here)..
I decided to go see the migration with my girls. As you will know – maybe the Flemish speaking readers saw it here – the great migration is a bit of an annual spectacle in our part of the world. Close to 2 millions animals (roughly 1.5-1.7 mill wildebeest and then some zebra) roam the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, following rain and fresh grass. So when opportunity knocked, I decided very last minute that this midterm break we would fly up to South Serengeti so my girls could witness it.
It was every bit as good as I hoped and more. Wildebeest everywhere! And February is calving season so the mamas were dropping babies left, right and center. Which wasn’t only endearing (my girls said ‘awwww‘ more than once) but it also attracted some predator action. We spotted kills everywhere, either fresh with lions enjoying or a couple of hours later with hyenas and vultures fighting over the leftovers.
We saw so many lions I lost count, but that of course never gets old. My girls had already seen a leopard in the Selous so that box was ticked but they had never seen a cheetah.. So the first thing they said to the driver was “we want to see a cheetah” – no pressure or anything. In the end they saw a cheetah with cubs, and the day after that a cheetah kill. How lucky can you be?
It was also their first time in a mobile tented camp so giggles when the tent attendant pulled up the hot water for the shower, amazement when they heard the animals around them at night, and an innocent wandering stroll to the staff tents – which is normally off limits for guests but we had a nice chat with the guys in the kitchen, happy days.
MIGRATION EVERYWHERE
BABY GNU (just born, yes, that is the umbilical cord still attached)
MANY LIONS
CHEETAH!!
MORE CHEETAH!
SAFARI LIFE