Western Sahara 2016

Western Sahara 2016

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Drowned Rats

Oh my – what a day. We’ve had lots of lovely weather since my last blog but yesterday the rain returned with a vengeance. And today has been the wettest day I’ve ever experienced in Kenya. Rather inconveniently, this is also the day the polo ponies are coming back from the last tournament of the season. There was not a hope in hell of the lorry making it all the way back to Wilderness so we decided to offload the horses not far from the main gate to Lewa and ride them back. Potentially quite fun - slightly less so in torrential rain. The timing could not have been worse. As we start getting them off the lorry, the heavens really opened. After seven hours on the lorry, the horses would normally be delighted to get off and stretch their legs but even they looked around as if to say are you mad? We were warm and dry on the lorry. Where are we? This is not our home.

After throwing tack on quickly in the pouring rain, we hopped on and set off. The rain stopped, the sun came out, there were elephant, zebra and gazelles grazing as we rode through the bush. It soon became apparent it was easier to off road as the horses were slipping too much on the muddy “roads”. If only we could have made it back before the heavens opened once again. Sadly that was not to be and the driving rain came again. It was quite funny when I looked back at one point to see misery clearly etched on all the riders and horses faces. As we got closer to home, the horses seemed to realise where they were and that their journey was nearly at an end which gave them a spring in their step. They were delighted to get home, have a good roll in the sawdust and get into their stables and start eating. Happy horses finally…

Please let the rain stop tomorrow. The tack room is one big mountain of wet dirty tack and the yard is a complete mud bath. This is why I could never work with horses in the UK – wet weather and horses is not a pleasant mix.

What else has been happening since my last blog? Actually, sad times on Lewa as rhino poaching is very much on the increase. Lewa has, in the past, been hugely successful in running very tight security and keeping poachers at bay. However, that has changed this year and five rhino were poached in the space of one week. In just one night, four rhino were shot, although the horn was only taken from one of the rhino, probably because the poachers didn’t think they would have time to escape with more than one. What a tragic waste of life. Rhinos are so endangered simply because of the ridiculous demand from the Far East for rhino horn. Deluded people who believe that the horn contains medicinal properties when it has been proven that this simply isn’t true. Black rhino are particularly endangered. I’m not sure of the exact numbers now, but I know that at one point numbers had dwindled to just 500 left in the world. We have about 60 on Lewa so we are very fortunate. Just days after the four rhino were shot, another rhino was poached. What made this particularly poignant was the fact that we can see its huge rotting carcass on the hillside opposite Wilderness. Very sad.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Lovely Lewa


There is nothing like being away from a place to make you appreciate it even more. It was so exciting to arrive back on Lewa which, after the rains, now looks like a completely different place. It is all lovely and green – amazing to see the changes in just six weeks.

Now that there is lots of grass, there is even more wildlife right on our doorstep. Giraffe, zebras, Grants Gazelle, baboons, impala, waterbuck, ostrich and wart hogs just on the drive back in. You don’t even need to go anywhere to see animals as there were elephants on the hillside opposite camp at lunch time and then rhino in the early evening.

What a joy to return to a lovely clean room and have a good night’s sleep. However hot it is during the day, African nights are always cooler and it was great to have a hot bubble bath and be cosy under a duvet after weeks of hot humid nights in India. And, of course, having all my washing and ironing done for me, my room cleaned, my bed turned down and a fire lit each evening in my room. I now appreciate even more how thoroughly spoilt I am living in Kenya! Not to mention the fantastic meals prepared for me. Yesterday, for example, there were no guests so I just had breakfast in the kitchen. Nothing fancy, just mangoes and strawberries, followed by poached egg on toast. The first guests of the season arrived mid-morning so lunch was a buffet of pizza, butterbean stew, chicken salad, green beans, hummus, guacamole and pitta bread, followed by strawberry crumble and cheese and biscuits (I didn’t actually have any of the crumble – wouldn’t want to be too greedy!). A nice gin and tonic pre-dinner, then vegetable soup to start, beef for main course, and a fruit and cream brandy snap basket to finish. Whilst I definitely lost weight in India, I shall be putting it back on quite quickly here!

It was also great to see all the staff at Wilderness again. Everyone is so friendly and happy here. I bought the syces back some chocolates and they were so thrilled, although in fairness, I don’t suppose they get to have too many luxuries like that.

The cats are both still alive and well, and the stables are rat free so they are doing their job. The horses are very happy with all the grass and aren’t so keen to come in at night now, especially as their hay and hard feed has been reduced. “Clinic” is running twice daily to clean and bandage wounds, administer injections, etc. It tends to be the case that either all the horses are fine, or lots of them have injuries all at once. At the moment, it is lots of them, so I feel like I am running a clinic as the horses are bought out one by one for their treatments.

My first full day back was lovely. Exercised the polo ponies on the canter track before breakfast who are super fit and strong now. You certainly get a good workout riding them – blisters and aching muscles the next day as I haven’t ridden for a few weeks. Went on a drive in the evening and saw six lions!!

The weather was really nice for the first day, but the rains have now made a return. I keep telling myself this is good because the grass won’t stay green for long without more rain. However, it could get a bit boring if it continues as the roads become impassable, you can’t ride or go anywhere, and it’s not much fun for our guests either! Still I’m sure it won’t last forever and it’s a good thing really…

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Varkala - seafood, yoga and dolphins

And relax we did… Staying at a lovely guesthouse called “New Heaven” with a balcony looking out to sea. Varkala is a one mile stretch of guesthouses, restaurants, shops, spa and yoga centres set precariously along a cliff top. There is one main beach, but if you wander further north, you can also find lots of small secluded coves. The waves here are huge so the swimming can be a challenge!

One of the best things about Varkala is the seafood which is amazing. All the restaurants display the fish freshly caught that day. I’m told by Di that you can actually go and help the fishermen drag in the huge nets each morning at 7am (I won’t pretend that I went and did that – no one would believe me anyway!). Have had some delicious prawns, grouper and red snapper, and all this fish makes a nice change from the veggie diet of Rajasthan.

Yoga is also big here so I’ve done a couple of morning yoga classes which have been fun. Loving the dolphins too who can be spotted most days. It rained one day which they seemed to love as they went into a complete frenzy of flips and jumps, putting on quite a display.

You know, we’ve been in Varkala so long that even the shopkeepers don’t really hassle us anymore!

So, it’s our final train journey today – just a mere one hour to get us to Trivandrum, our final destination. After spending a night there, I fly up to Delhi tomorrow morning via Mumbai which in total takes 4.5 hours. This gives you some idea of the size of India and the distance we have covered. A direct train from Trivandrum to Delhi takes 50 hours – can you imagine?!? I’m then going to have a very boring afternoon and evening at Delhi airport as my flight to Nairobi doesn’t leave until after midnight. Back on Lewa by Friday lunchtime and very much looking forward to seeing the horses and cats!!


Amazing seafood

Varkala Beach

Enjoying mojitos
 

 

 

 

Thursday 22 November 2012

Travelling south into Kerala

It was difficult to leave the bliss of Palolem beach behind, but it was time to continue our journey southwards. With a flight booked from the southern city of Trivandrum on 29th back up to Delhi, there was still a depressing amount of mileage to cover if we are to get there and see all the things we want to see en route. Buses are never at convenient times and the bus from Palolem to Mangalore was no exception. As it didn’t leave until 3.30pm, we had to check out of our beach hut at 11am and then loiter around town trying to stay cool in the blazing heat. Typically, the bus did not turn up until after 4pm. No sleeper beds this time, just regular reclining seats which it turns out are preferable to being thrown about on the bunks, albeit only just. The pot holes and winding coastal road did not make for a comfortable journey, particularly as our driver seemed to have a death wish and kept hitting the potholes at high speed. Arriving in Mangalore at 1am is also not ideal, but luckily we managed to find a tolerable hotel for the night and better still, the price you paid was for 24 hours so no having to get up early for check out. Seemingly, most hotels in southern India operate on a 24 hour room rate basis and we hadn’t booked into a dodgy hotel where you can get rooms by the hour!

Mangalore is not known for its tourist attractions and we only stopped there in order to break up our journey. It was in fact quite an odd place and finding somewhere that served breakfast turned out to be quite a challenge. Having not eaten dinner the night before (food other than bananas, crisps and biscuits is best avoided at venues where the bus stops – buses don’t have toilets so getting food poisoning on a long journey is not an appealing option), we were both starving. We failed miserably in our quest to find a restaurant that served breakfast, or indeed opened before 11am. After an hour of searching, we eventually found a cafĂ© that served a mighty fine grilled cheese sandwich, although at that point, I probably could have eaten anything. The food in Southern India is completely different from that in the north so it is taking us a while to figure out what to order. Frankly most of the menu may as well have been in a different language so we opted for the cheese sandwich as a safe bet!

The most exciting thing that Mangalore had to offer was a large supermarket – the first proper supermarket we have come across in India. After stocking up on snacks and drinks, we literally spent the rest of the day relaxing in our hotel preparing ourselves for the train journey that night. It has been a while since we’ve been on a train (unfortunately they tend to get booked up far in advance) and it felt like complete luxury after all the horrible bus journeys. Even more so because the train was quiet and we had a 4 sleeping berth section to ourselves. Unfortunately, our stop was scheduled for 3.35am and as it wasn’t the last stop, this meant having to be awake so that we didn’t miss it. Stations are never announced on Indian trains – apparently you should just know (tricky if you’ve never been there before) or you can try asking people who will normally provide you with an unhelpful array of differing information.

Next challenge, finding a hotel that wasn’t full. For some reason, ever since we have left northern India, finding places to stay has become more difficult. Nowhere was ever full, now everywhere is full and / or expensive. Let’s be honest, the last thing you want to do at 4am is have to trail around looking for somewhere although thankfully we did at least have a helpful rickshaw driver (helpful people in India are not commonplace). Also at that time of the night, you have to wake up the guy sleeping in reception which isn’t always easy. Eventually we found somewhere which interestingly had no shower, just a tap and a bucket in the bathroom…

By the way, we are now officially in the state of Kerala and staying in the town of Ernakulam (better known as Kochin, but actually Kochin is an island off the mainland). Kochin is an interesting mix of Portuguese, Dutch and British influences as all these countries have at some time controlled this island. On our first day in Ernakulam, we took the ferry across and spent the day sightseeing. It is a lot more peaceful there, if you can ignore the irritating the rickshaw drivers driving along beside you who seemingly can’t understand that you are happy walking and don’t require their services. Sometimes these things come back to bite you though and having been quite rude to many rickshaw drivers that day on Kochin, when we got back to Ernakulam, we couldn’t get a rickshaw driver to take us anywhere! It would appear that most Ernakulam drivers speak zero English, don’t know where anything is and can’t read maps – stupid people!! Interestingly though, Keralan people are on the whole better educated with an expanding middle class and this was evident from the modern shopping and food malls that could be found in the town. We were quite excited to discover fast food chains such as KFC in the mall!

Frankly a little tired of organising everything ourselves, we decided to book a couple of tours. The first a day cruise around the backwaters of Kerala for which it is famed. The second a two day trip up to the hill station and tree plantations of Munnar. As we would be basing ourselves in Ernakulam for a couple more nights at least, the lack of shower in the hotel was an issue, not to mention the intermittent electricity, and thus we embarked upon the mission of finding a new hotel. Ironically, we ended up going back to the guest house that we had originally intended to stay at but had been unable to get to in the early hours of the morning. The reason we couldn’t get to it was because the dog outside the front door was growling and snarling at us and we figured that a dog bite at 4am was really the last thing we needed. As it turned out, the dog was completely placid whenever we saw it during the day but Indian dogs do seem to go rather feral at night. Frankly the reason that they are placid in the day is probably due to the intense heat and their inability to move. Ernakulam is SO hot and humid. You sweat constantly and even at night the temperature does not get any cooler so sleeping is difficult. The only option is to have the ceiling fan on full which only serves to move hot air around and make a noise which keeps you awake anyway. The heat may also account for why so many men wear lungis here. I can best describe a lungi as a sarong worn as a giant nappy.

The backwaters of Kerala are essentially a myriad of channels and canals lined with palm trees and tropical rainforests. The popular way to explore these is via houseboat or canoe, both of which we did on our day long excursion. Unfortunately, our trip out to Munnar was cancelled due to strikes in that area, so we decided to escape the heat and humidity of Ernakulam and get to the beach. A 10 minute rickshaw ride, a 2 hour bus ride, a 3 hour wait, a 2 hour train journey, a 10 minute taxi ride and we are finally in Varkala right towards the very southwest tip of India. And here we shall remain for the next six days until it is time to make the final hop to Trivandrum and finish our journey. Time to relax……..
Our houseboat cruise


Canoeing along the backwaters of Kerala


Harvesting coconuts - how to climb a tree!

Saturday 17 November 2012

Goa - palm trees, warm seas and sandy beaches


Leaving the buzz of Mumbai behind, we undertook yet another uncomfortable overnight bus journey to reach Goa. A different state and a different India. Goa is very tropical and green, with lots of palm trees, nice beaches and a generally more laid back feel to it. There is still the odd cow wandering along the street though so you know that you are still in India!

We spent a couple of nights in Northern Goa at Morjim Beach and had my first swim in the Arabian Sea. Probably the warmest sea I have ever swam in – it was like stepping into a warm bath! Morjim was basically just a quiet stretch of sand – not crowded, not touristy and not that spectacular either. The northern beaches of Goa are quieter than the southern section but that is probably because they are not as pretty (although I have very high standards when it comes to beaches, having been thoroughly spoilt over the past 18 months with numerous tropical paradises!).

After Morjim, we headed inland to Central Goa and the very small capital city of Panjim. Goa was never part of British India – it was colonised by the Portuguese and their influence is still apparent in the architecture. Panjim has lots of brightly coloured buildings, pretty streets and, in the centre of town, a huge white church on a hill. Historical Old Goa (the original capital city) is just a short bus or rickshaw ride away. Old Goa is full of beautiful churches, museums and Se Cathedral – the largest in Asia.

After a day of culture, it was time to explore the southern beaches of Goa. Taking a couple of local buses, we ended up at Palolem which is a beautiful crescent shaped stretch of sand lined with palm trees. Unlike many beaches in southern Goa, Palolem has remained very low key. There are no major hotels here and its charm is in the fact that everything is very ramshackle and rustic. There are hundreds of brightly painted beach huts crammed together that are erected temporarily each season. Consequently, they are very basic with somewhat rudimentary electrics and plumbing but they serve their purpose well enough for the backpacker crowd that they attract.

I am currently whiling away my days lying on the beach, working on my tan and taking the occasional dip in the sea to cool down. It feels like we are having a holiday from travelling. Backpacking, especially in India, can be hard work so it’s nice to take a few days off from being on the move to relax. There are few things in life more pleasant than watching the sun go down, sipping a Mojito cocktail, with the sand between your toes, listening to the waves crashing on the shore…. And the sound of dogs howling and barking. Dogs are plentiful in India and those in Goa spend their whole day sleeping in the shade. But as soon as the sun goes down, they gather in packs on the beach and start making a hell of a noise which continues throughout the night.

After Palolem, we continue our journey southwards to the state of Kerala.
Our purple beach hut


View from our balcony


Palolem Beach

Monday 12 November 2012

Modern Mumbai


It was the bus journey from hell to get to Mumbai. 16 hours of bumpy roads in a sleeper bed at the back of the filthy bus was quite nauseating, and not helped by the horrendous toilet stops. In some places, there weren’t even rancid squat toilets, just an area of waste ground that had been designated the “toilet”.

So it was with some relief that we arrived in Mumbai at first light. Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is on the west coast of India and is very different to the India we had seen thus far. Parts of Mumbai are very modern, cosmopolitan and westernised. There are fewer saris being worn, and lots of young Indians hanging out in western clothes in fast food chains (MacDonalds!) and bars. Alcohol is commonplace and meat and fish are an integral part of the diet – completely different to Rajasthan where many restaurants adhere to strict vegetarianism and do not even serve eggs. After 24 days of eating veggie only food, it was a joy to eat meat again!

We were staying in the touristy area of Colaba, in south west Mumbai. It was noticeable how clean the city was compared to other places we had been in India, and it felt quite civilised walking along a pavement using pedestrian crossings rather than battling along narrow streets shared by animals, people and vehicles. India has been unquestionably filthy with rubbish piling up in the streets everywhere, so it was nice to see that Mumbai is somewhat cleaner.

Lots of building styles are clearly remnants of British colonial times. There are still lots of Morris Minor black and yellow taxis (known as bumble bees), although these are gradually being replaced by Japenese cars. The impressive Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, the scene of fatal bombings in 2008, has been restored to its former glory and sits proudly on the waterfront alongside the Gateway to India monument.

As is often the case with big cities, immense wealth exists alongside extreme poverty. Over 50% of Mumbai’s population live in slums and shanty towns, with Dharavi slum being the largest in Asia. There are also a large number of pavement dwellers – people who don’t even have enough to get a place to live in a slum community and simply set up camp each night on the pavements. We saw lots of families living like this on our bus journey into Mumbai. We had planned to visit the slums (there are companies that run tours and put part of the profits back into the slum), but got caught out by it being a Sunday. As an alternative, we took a boat trip out across the harbour to Elephanta Island which is designated a World Heritage Site. I’m not sure what you have to do to be awarded that honour, but if this is anything to go by, then very little it would seem! The island is home to some caves but they are not at all impressive and have largely been ruined by people tramping all other them. Sadly, Indians don’t seem to understand how to maintain historically important sites. They are only concerned with the present and extracting every last rupee from tourists. Entrance fee for Indian - 10 rupees. Entrance fee for foreigner - 250 rupees!

I could write a whole blog about Indians ripping off tourists. Two recent examples. We take a rickshaw to the bus station from our hotel. Before getting in the rickshaw, we agree a price of 80 rupees. On arrival, I give the driver 100 rupees expecting 20 rupees change. Instead he tells me I owe him another 60 rupees because it is 80 rupees for each of us. Suffice to say, he did not get another 60 rupees as we just walked off and ignored his demands. Another personal favourite is the luggage charge that the bus conductor will ask for. Only foreigners pay this and it is a completely arbitrary amount of money. On our first bus, it was 5 rupees per bag which is a miniscule amount of money and I don’t begrudge giving that. However, since then every bus we take, the price seems to get higher. Last night, the demand was for 100 rupees, although he only got 50 in the end which is still a complete rip off. All this haggling gets very tiresome. Welcome to India!

 

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Udaipur - last stop in Rajasthan


The trip from Jaisalmer to Udaipur provided us with yet another different type of travel experience. A bus journey but this time we were given the option of a sleeper seat or sitting. As it was a 12 hour journey overnight, we took the sleeper option when we purchased the tickets, not really sure what we would be getting. Basically, the bus has regular seats but above those seats are sleeper beds. It was a little bit like being in a plastic box on display for 12 hours as people standing can see in (this is India remember – just because the seats are all full, this doesn’t mean they won’t let more passengers on). On the plus side, the mattresses were very comfortable and you could open the windows for fresh air so the trip was tolerable enough.

Having left Jaislamer at 3.30pm, we actually arrived in Udaipur at 5.00am, jumped in a rickshaw and headed for a guesthouse. The great thing about guesthouses and hotels in India is that they don’t care about check in times at all. You can rock up when you like and they won’t charge you extra. Arriving at 5.30am and going straight to bed, I kind of feel that we’ve had an extra night here but they don’t charge for that.

Udaipur is a city set on the banks of Lake Pichola and surrounded by hills. The lake is home to the legendary Lake Palace Hotel, famous for being the setting of the James Bond movie, Octopussy. You can take boat trips on the lake and cruise around the island the hotel is on, although only hotel guests can go ashore. You can also visit Jagmandir Island on which sits a palace, the entrance to which is flanked by huge stone elephants. Back on dry land, Udaipur itself is home to Rajasthan’s largest city palace, as well as temples, havelis and lots of narrow winding streets. Such streets are typical of most places we’ve been in Rajasthan. They should be charming but the charm starts to wear thin when cars, mopeds and rickshaws are trying to use streets that were only ever designed for people, cows and donkeys. The noise of constant beeping, the hassle from shop owners, having to dodge vehicles and cow dung – India can be hard work at times. Yet when you are sat on the roof top of your hotel in the evening, watching the sun go down over the shimmering lake, the palaces lit up, it can also be incredibly serene and beautiful.

Tomorrow sees us saying goodbye to the state of Rajasthan and heading south to Mumbai (Bombay).

Lake Palace Hotel

Jagmandir Island, Lake Pichola

City Palace
 

Monday 5 November 2012

Jodphur to Jaisalmer, and a camel called Sonia


It was an interesting and arduous six hour bus journey with the locals from Pushkar to Jodphur. Once again, we were the only tourists on the bus which took us along some dreadful roads (it was just like being back in Africa). On arrival in Jodphur, the bus was surrounded by about 50 rickshaw drivers all wanting to take us to the hotel which would pay them commission. However, we are getting used to this now and always pick a hotel from the Lonely Planet guide book before we arrive, and just tell the driver that we already have a reservation. He will still spend the entire journey telling you the hotel he knows is much better and cheaper – they don’t give up easily!

Mehrangarh fort is the focal point of Jodphur and it towers over the city. Many of the city buildings are blue, hence Jodphur being known as the Blue City. The 16th century fort (reputedly one of the most magnificent in the whole of India) is fascinating to visit and the museum gives you a great insight into Indian history. From old to new, we also visited the Umaid Bhawan Palace on the other side of the city. Building of this incredible palace began in 1929 and took 3000 workers 15 years to complete.
Jodphur

After a day sightseeing in Johphur, it was onwards to Jaisalmer by overnight train. Jaisalmer is another city built around a fort, although this one is different in that people live and work within the fort walls and the twisting streets inside are full of shops and businesses. India is certainly a shoppers paradise – by the end of this trip, I think I may have discarded all the items I bought with me for new stuff. Everything is so cheap and yet so nice! Items purchased so far include two pairs of trousers, a scarf, cushion covers and bracelets – total cost probably around £10.

Jaisalmer is known as the Golden City because of its sandstone coloured buildings. The city appears unfinished because of the flat top roofs and the piles of rubble everywhere. The beauty (or problem depending on how you look at it) of the flat top roof is that your house or hotel is never finished – you can just keep building on it if you wish. The sandstone colours definitely give the sense that this is a desert city, and certainly most tourists visit Jaisalmer for the purpose of getting out into the Thar Desert.
Jaisalmer

What a joy it is to escape to the desert and camp out in the sand dunes under the star filled skies. Not a single beeping horn to be heard, just total peace and tranquillity. For two days, we did not see any other tourists. It was just me, Di, our camel driver/guide and our three camels, and any locals we saw in the little villages dotted along the way. My camel was called Sonia and, in truth, we actually had four camels because Sonia’s one year old daughter, Lalu, decided she would come on the safari too. It has to be said camels are not the most comfortable mode of transport but, as you might have guessed by the title of the blog, I had become quite attached to Sonia by the end of the two days. Having said that, after the heat of the desert during the day, and then sleeping under camel scented blankets at night, I was also more than glad of a shower and a comfortable bed on our return to Jaisalmer.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Riding Marwari horses

I mentioned in my last blog post that Pushkar is the sort of place you could easily while away a few days in. Just as well really because Di has been too sick to move on so we have spent a record breaking four nights here (our longest stay in any one place was two nights prior to this). I have been filling my days exploring the town - managing to resist the urge to do any shopping due to lack of space in my bag - swimming in a nearby hotel pool, and having an ayurvedic massage. This is an invigorating type of massage that is supposed to restore your mind and body – apparently Camilla is currently in India at an ayurvedic retreat, although I imagine her experience to be somewhat more expensive and plush than mine!

This morning, I decided to go on a horse ride to explore the surrounding area. You are never sure what to expect when you book these things. Riding on the back of a moped through the streets of Pushkar to get to the stables was quite a fun way to start the day (it made a pleasant change to be on one rather than dodging them which is what any normal day in India involves!). I have to say when I arrived at the “stables”, I was so unimpressed by the horses and the appalling tack that I almost had second thoughts about going. Particularly as I wasn’t even sure that the horse they led out for me was actually sound. Anyway, I decided I would ride the horse a little way and see how it felt. As it was just me and a guide, I would just turn round if I didn’t think the horse was okay.

I’m glad I went as it meant I got to experience riding a Marwari horse. They have the strangest inward turning ears such that when their ears are pricked, the tips touch each other. They also have a very unique gait (the horse wasn’t lame, this is how they move). They don’t have a trot, but the pace in between walk and canter is fantastically comfortable. Since getting back from my ride, I have done some more research on these unique horses. They are a rare Indian breed that is essentially a cross between the native Indian pony and an Arabian horse making them incredibly hardy. The comfortable fast gait makes them brilliant for covering long distances in the desert with ease. Apparently, Marwari horses performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee too. So all in all, overlooking the badly fitting tack, it was a very enjoyable ride through villages and farms, and then into more desert type scenery and sand dunes. My horse might not have looked anything special, but she was fit, fast and fun.

Onwards to the blue city of Jodphur tomorrow – so called because of the milky blue colour of the buildings in the old part of the city.

Sunday 28 October 2012

Pushkar

Well, we didn’t see a tiger. Unfortunately, as a result of the tiger attack on a park worker the previous day (the third one in 2012), much of the park was closed to visitors thus lessening our chances of seeing one still further. Despite that, our stay in Ranthambhore was really quite pleasant. A nice hotel with amazing food such as potato and tomato curry with vegetable rice and chipatis served on the rooftop restaurant whilst we watched camels, pigs and cows wandering along the road below. Just watching the world go by in India is always fascinating, particularly from the serenity of a roof top.

Onwards to Pushkar which meant a two hour train journey back to Jaipur, once again in cattle class travelling with the locals. The train we got was the Mumbai to Jaipur express and consequently, boarding it towards the end of its journey, meant it was absolutely packed. There was literally not a single spare space – people on the floors and hanging out of the doors. They don’t give any thought to health and safety in India that’s for sure! On arrival in Jaipur, a massive cheer went up from the passengers and then there was the most chaotic surge to disembark. I’m not sure exactly how long it takes from Mumbai to Jaipur but it must be around 24 hours so those who had been sitting cramped up on the floor were more than a little relieved to escape. The guy who had been sitting on my rucksack for the journey insisted on carrying it off the train for me. The sad fact of travelling in India is that you really can’t trust anyone because so many people are just trying to rip you off. So although he was just being nice, I was also desperately concerned not to let him or my bag out of sight during the crush to get to the platform.

Fortunately, the next leg of our journey – another two hour train ride from Jaipur to Ajmer – was a little more civilised as the train wasn’t nearly so full. The one bonus of travelling in second class is that it is ridiculously cheap - about 70 pence for the two hour journey. Once in Ajmer, the plan was to get the bus to Pushkar but we settled for a taxi for the 30 minute drive when Di got off the train and promptly vomited in the gutter. Strangely enough, she didn’t fancy a bus ride whilst feeling sick.

Pushkar is a very holy place that devout Hindus are expected to make a pilgrimage to at least once in a lifetime. It is also famed for the camel fair that takes place each year which is the largest tribal gathering of its kind in the world. 50,000 camels are bought to Pushkar for the fair! The town surrounds a lake and there are 400 temples and several bathing ghats where pilgrims can bathe in the sacred waters. The main street is essentially a tourist bazaar with a myriad of jewellery and clothing on sale. We’ve certainly seen more tourists here, but as the centre of town is closed off to cars and autorickshaws, it doesn’t seem as hectic and busy as other places we’ve been. If only they also banned mopeds from the streets, it could almost be relaxing to stroll around! The town has a very hippie vibe and it would be easy to while away several days here, just relaxing and enjoying the sounds of drums, music, chanting and prayers at sunset and sunrise.

Yesterday morning, I made the hour long trek up to the hill top temple of Saraswati which affords fantastic views over the town and lake of Pushkar. Also visited the Brahma Temple which is one of only a few in the world.
At Saraswati Temple with the town and lake of Pushkar down in the valley below


Indian trains
 

 

Thursday 25 October 2012

Rajasthan - escape to the country


Left Utter Pradesh behind and now we are in Rajasthan – the “must see” state in India. Nice air conditioned bus journey from Agra to Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. So far it has been fun just arriving in a place and not really having much of a plan as to where to stay or what to do. Not so in Jaipur! Had the most annoying rickshaw driver who very much had his own agenda about which hotel we would like to stay in, i.e. the one he gets commission from. Five hotels later, we eventually found one suitable, although at this point, feeling like death warmed up, I would have been happy to stay anywhere.

Jaipur, it has to be said, was a bit of a write off for me. Still suffering from my cold, I really just needed a day in bed. The plan to quickly sort out onward travel and find a pharmacy just didn’t happen. Jaipur is a huge sprawling chaotic city, hardly anyone seemed to speak English, and the rickshaw drivers can’t read maps and don’t know where anything is. Eventually, gave up and resorted to an afternoon relaxing, sleeping, reading and doing laundry.

Both keen to escape Jaipur (apparently, it has lots of amazing historic sites, such as the City Palace and Amber Fort – we skipped them all!), we headed to the train station the following morning hoping we could wing it and buy a ticket for that day to get to Ranthambhore National Park. Thus followed what I believe the guide book describes as the “quintessential train experience”, travelling in cattle class with the locals. It was actually really fun and I’m glad we did it, although had the journey been more than two hours then the fun factor might have worn off rapidly. Like the novices that we are, when the train arrived on the platform, we wasted valuable time looking for the ladies only carriage (Indian trains are huge and finding the carriage you want is a challenge). It appeared there wasn’t one on this particular train so we just got on where we could. Whilst there are some bench seats in second class, by this time it was standing room only, even the luggage racks were being used as seats. We got a lot of strange looks and stares when we got on as we were the only foreigners and female. Very few Indian women seem to travel. Eventually someone took pity on us and insisted on making room for us to sit. Six to a seat that was clearly only ever made for three or four at most can best be described as cosy! However, once underway, with the wind blowing through the carriages (there are no windows or doors), watching the countryside whip by, women working in the fields wearing brightly coloured saris, it was actually quite fun.

Arriving in Ranthambhore was literally a breath of fresh air - green fields, less noise, less pollution. After over a week in Indian cities, it is great to be out in the country. Ranthambhore National Park is the most famous park in Rajasthan and supposedly the best place to see tigers in the wild. Having arrived a little late to make the afternoon safari, we went by jeep to Ranthambhore Fort – a 10th century fort with temples and mosques in the middle of the park. After climbing the 120 steps to the top, you get fantastic views over the entire area which is made up of lots of jungle, rocky ridges and lakes. We also got to see quite a bit of wildlife on the drive to the fort – antelope, monkeys, peacocks, wild boar and Sambhar deer (nowhere else in Asia can you see this particular type of deer during the day time).

Tomorrow, we go tiger hunting! To be honest, I am not really expecting to see a tiger as they are rare, a lot of the park is dense jungle, and October isn’t the best month as the grass is very long. However, there are most definitely tigers out there as a ranger on walking patrol was attacked by one this morning. It would be incredible to see one in the wild – watch this space…

 

Monday 22 October 2012

The Taj Mahal - photos

Me sat on the bench in front of the Taj Mahal


Agra and the Taj Mahal


And so to India’s most iconic and most photographed site. Before that, I must just mention that on our last day in Varanasi, we were taking an early morning stroll along the Ganges and we saw not one, but two, dead bodies floating along the river. Perhaps not that surprising given this is a holy place to die. What I found quite astounding was that no one cared. Families washing continued without even looking up as if it is in some way normal to wash in a river with dead bodies floating just feet away from you. Clearly in India, this is normality! After all, they are washing to remove their sins rather than to get physically clean. Death is viewed differently here and Hindus believe that dying in the Ganges allows you to escape the constant cycle of life and re-birth.

Anyway, the following morning was infinitely more pleasant. After the overnight train journey from Varanasi to Agra, we found our first clean budget hotel of the trip. I certainly did not expect to end up staying in a hotel with such a fantastic view of the Taj Mahal. It was quite a treat to have breakfast in the roof top restaurant overlooking the Taj.

Having been told that it is best to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise, we devoted the rest of the morning to sorting out our onward travel plans. By necessity, this seems to have become our routine. As soon as we arrive in a place, we figure out how we can leave and get to the next place. We have to do this simply because the trains are overbooked and, in fact, we are actually taking a bus to get to our next stop, Jaipur.

Bus sorted, we then took a walk around Agra and visited the Fort. Walking in India is not relaxing. You are constantly harassed by rickshaw drivers as they want business and don’t want you walking. Agra, being such a touristy place, is particularly bad for hassle from all angles – shopkeepers, restaurant owners, taxi drivers. Apparently, Indians no longer view foreigners as guests in their country but simply as a means to make money. Hardly surprising that they try and rip you off when they see how much money foreigners have in comparison to them. The cost of a ticket to enter the Taj Mahal for a foreigner is 750 rupees compared to 20 rupees for an Indian. To put this into context, the fine for pulling the emergency stop chord on the train is 1000 rupees or prison. 1000 rupees – which is not even £15 – is so much money for many Indians that they might have to accept prison as the alternative punishment.

The Taj Mahal did not disappoint. It genuinely is the most beautiful building I have ever seen. The different shades of white and cream marble changing colour as the sun came up. You can tell that this building was created purely for love. The signs inside amused me greatly stating “Please be Quite”. Considering the Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the seven new wonders of the world, they could at least spell “quiet” correctly!!

So Taj visit complete, we are now waiting for our bus this afternoon. Time for more lemon ginger tea, more wifi, and more sorting out photos. By the way, I have not eaten meat for over a week now which I feel must be a record as I can’t think of any other time in my life when I have not had meat for more than a few days. I was rather dreading the food in India, but I have been pleasantly surprised so far. Most of the dishes you would find in an Indian curry house in the UK are nowhere to be found on the menus here! There is a lot of really tasty veggie food that isn't hot and spicy. Don’t worry, I have not decided to become veggie (I could murder a medium rare fillet steak), I am just trying to avoid getting “Delhi belly”. Whilst I have been successful so far, I have instead succumbed to a really bad cold which just goes to show that being veggie isn’t good for you!

Saturday 20 October 2012

Varanasi - photos

Typical Varanasi street scene

Varanasi viewed from the River Ganges

Doing laundry in the Ganges

Buffalo eating rubbish from the Ganges

Cremation ghat

Varanasi - holy city of cows


There really is no place on earth like Varanasi. I have dubbed it the holy city of cows because I’ve never been to a city so full of them! The tiny little streets are lined with cows which are regarded as holy and not eaten, only used for milk. Varanasi is revered by Hindus as one of the holiest cities and sits on the banks of the River Ganges. Along the river side, there are numerous ghats (stone steps leading down to the water). I have never witnessed cows walking down steps before but here they do and they also spend a lot of time grazing rubbish tips. Walking the streets, you frequently bump into cows and calves, not to mention the buffalo, goats, sheep, chickens, dogs and cute puppies. Suffice to say, the streets are filthy… Aside from all the animals, walking in the Varanasi back streets, you must also watch out for the mopeds zooming around, the rickshaws, the beggars, the touts. It is a crazy place and every turn brings an even more bizarre sight.

Varanasi is best viewed from the river itself by taking a boat ride along the Ganges. In the evening, one of the ghats is host to a daily ceremony of fire, dance and light to worship the river. During the day, especially at dawn, the ghats are used for Hindus to perform their daily ablutions. A few ghats are set aside as cremation ghats (many people choose to come to Varanasi to die so that their ashes end up in the holy Ganges). You frequently pass bodies being carried down through the streets to the cremation ghats. The body is then doused in the Ganges before being cremated at the riverside in full public view. The Ganges must be one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Aside from all the litter, excrement, and ashes, it is not unusual for bodies to be dumped in the river by those who can’t afford the cremation ghat. Not a place to take a swim which makes it even more incredible that the Indian people bathe in it each day and wash their clothes. I am not getting any laundry done here that’s for sure as I know it would be washed in the river!

I am struggling to put into words some of the sights I have witnessed. It is probably a place you need to see for yourself to believe it. Life and death is starkly on public display, along with extreme poverty. On our sunrise boat ride today, people were routing through the cremation ashes looking for items of value. One guy was even in the water sieving ashes presumably trying to find items of value to sell such as jewellery or gold teeth. Varanasi really is a mind boggling place – fascinating and awful all at the same time.

The train ride from Delhi to Varanasi took 17 hours. A couple of hours longer than scheduled but as we were due to arrive at 4.45am, it didn’t really matter that it was later. Indian trains are surprisingly good, depending on which class of travel you opt for. Best is 1AC, then 2AC, 3AC, sleeper and unreserved. Unreserved appears to resemble a cattle truck in that there are no seats. Sleeper is very basic and probably okay for shorter journeys. We took 3AC which is air conditioned carriages with 3 tiers of bunks. Di and I both got one with windows so at least we could see the countryside for the day time section of the journey. We were impressed with the bunks as they had curtains and clean linen was provided, which is more than can be said for the hotels we have been staying in. Essential item number one for travel in India is a sheet sleeping bag as budget hotels either don’t provide any bed linen or it is filthy and you wouldn’t want to sleep on it. Unfortunately, despite the relative comfort of the train, sleep did not come easily mainly due to very noisy passengers and the various food and drink sales people walking up and down the carriages shouting out what they had to sell. I got very tired of hearing “chai, chai, special chai”.

Loved arriving in Varanasi at first light, taking a tuk tuk (auto rickshaw) from the train station across town, watching the city coming to life. The accommodation options are plentiful but finding a suitable room at a suitable price is hard work. Nothing has a fixed price in India so you have to bargain for everything. Even when you are being shown hotel rooms, the manager will show it to you then ask how much you would like to pay, and so the negotiations begin… Apparently our hotel has a view of the Ganges. Well yes, if you stand on the rooftop of the hotel you can just about see the river but I think to describe it as having a Ganges view is stretching it a little. Budget hotels don’t really do clean and often rooms don’t even have a window. Definitely basic, but it’s somewhere to lay your head and take a shower (hot water not guaranteed but India is very hot and humid so that is not a major issue). On the plus side, most hotels do have free and fast wifi, and at around £5 per person per night for a bed you can’t expect luxury.

Tomorrow, a final day in Varanasi and then an overnight train to Agra – home of the Taj Mahal.

 

 

Thursday 18 October 2012

Delhi in a day


Arrived in Delhi late at night on Tues after a seven hour flight direct from Nairobi. Impressed by Delhi airport – very clean and modern. Whizzed through passport control, bag waiting already, dollars exchanged for rupees and the driver waiting when I exited – smooth. May be it’s because I’m used to African roads but the roads in Delhi seem amazing and much of the city is very modern and developed.

My taxi driver spoke very little English other than they word “tip” which he must have mentioned at least five times. I get it – you are expecting a tip! Our budget hotel is in the cheap touristy area known as Paharganj near the New Delhi train station. Most of the hotels are down tiny little alleyways off the Main Bazaar so the taxis can’t get to your actual hotel. So if you want a tip Mr Taxi Driver, then I suggest rather than stopping the car and vaguely pointing to your left that you actually get out of your car, carry my bag and escort me down the side streets to the door of the hotel. With the promise of rupees, the taxi driver duly obliged.

One thing that strikes you on arriving in Delhi is how very unfriendly people are and how they have no concept of personal space. The national pastime seems to be spitting. Throughout the night, I could constantly hear men spitting in the streets (and dogs barking). Apparently, they are trying to cleanse themselves of evil spirits. Walking around the streets of Delhi the following morning, I narrowly missed being spat on several times. As you would imagine, Delhi streets are buzzing with people, taxis, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws everywhere. People constantly trying to sell you something, the sound of car horns, the smell of incense and street food mixed with urine (not so pleasant – Delhi seems to have numerous street urinals).

After meeting Di for breakfast in the morning, we took a stroll around the Main Bazaar area, drank delicious lemon and ginger tea, then took an afternoon tour around some of the city’s main sights such as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, India Gate, Qutb Minar and Lotus Temple. The Lotus Temple (or Bahai House of Worship as it is also known) was built in the 1980s as a modern place for any religion to go and worship. It is supposed to represent a lotus flower but actually looks quite similar to the iconic Sydney Opera House. The best site of the day was Humayun’s Tomb – the red sandstone and white marble colours looked beautiful as the sun was starting to go down.

We had planned to spend two full days in Delhi and then take overnight train to Varanasi tonight. However, due to limited train availability, we have taken an earlier but very slow train to Varanasi. That means no time in Delhi for the Red Fort or Old Delhi area, although I’m assured by Di that the Red Fort was rather run down. Di arrived in Delhi a couple of days before me so given the choice of taking this train or waiting a few days, there is no contest. And to be honest, I would be bored in Delhi as big cities bore me quite quickly. Can’t be wasting time as there are too many other places to go in India!

Monday 15 October 2012

India - here I come!


I’m flying to Delhi tomorrow! I have wanted to visit India for years and finally the time has come. I have just over six weeks to explore this vast country. What makes it even more fantastic is that Dianne and I have no schedule. The extent of our concrete plans so far is booking an airport pick up and a room for the first night. I love the freedom of backpacking - not knowing where each day will take you and just enjoying the adventure.

I think I have escaped from Lewa just in time. The rains, which I was assured by numerous locals would start on 15th October, actually started last week. Absolutely crazy thunderstorms all night long. One thunder clap was so loud that we all agreed at breakfast the next morning that it sounded like a bomb being dropped. Whilst the rains are fantastic for Lewa, it is quite miserable being there in that weather because you literally cannot go anywhere or do anything. Within hours, the roads (I use that term loosely) are impossible to drive on without getting stuck. Much of Lewa is black cotton soil which vehicles just sink into. The only hope of getting through it is just to drive really fast (which is quite fun but quite scary). What is incredible though is how the grass is already starting to turn green. It is hard to believe that a few days ago, Lewa was dusty, parched, dryed up yellows and browns and before our eyes, you can see green sprouts emerging.

You would think that the horses would enjoy the rain, but clearly they don’t make the connection between rain and green grass. They virtually had to be pushed out of their stables the first morning as they did not want to get wet! They soon got into it though and several took mud baths completely caking themselves in mud from head to toe.

Luckily, the rain has not been constant and it has mostly been at night. When I left Lewa today, it was a beautiful sunny day. As always, sad to leave the horses behind and the kittens who have grown into gorgeous little cats. Everyone loves them. I’m still convinced that they will be eaten by leopard one night but so far, so good. Whether they will be there when I return from India is another matter…

It seems that whenever I plan to leave Lewa, the horses decide to be sick. They must know that I am leaving! When I came back to the UK in April, Champagne (foal number 1) had colic the day I was departing. This week, Santa (foal number 2) has had colic for three days straight. The drugs work for a few hours and then he is back to rolling round on the floor in agony. Eventually, he had to be stomach tubed and he now seems to be back on track. As I pointed out to him, I did not spend six months bandaging his legs for him to die on me now! Note to self, do not let the foals near freshly baled lucerne. That said, his little sister, Sheba (foal number 3), ate it and was absolutely fine. I think Santa was just being a bit gutsy and overdid it. It also appears that foal number 4 could be on the way. Somewhat unexpected as the vet did not think this mare was in foal when he checked back in June. However, she did go to the stallion 11 months ago and looks suspiciously pregnant to me with her fat belly and udders full of milk! Watch this space.

We are also getting a new horse - a yearling colt coming up from Zimbabwe who we plan to keep as a stallion as he comes from a long line of polo ponies. Poor little boy has been cruelly snatched from his mum (his owners go in for natural weaning so he was still with the mare) and put on a lorry with a bunch of other horses for the six day drive from Zim to Kenya. He arrived in Nairobi last night after a particularly gruelling 20 hour driving day! We own two of his aunties so they have been dispatched to Nairobi to accompany him on the last leg of his journey to Lewa. So sad that I won’t be there to see him arrive.

Anyway, I too am in Nairobi tonight where it is pouring with rain. Time for bed now and, best of all, I won’t need to get up at 6.20am as my flight isn’t until lunchtime. Every single day on Lewa my alarm goes off at 6.20am. Much as I love the horses, I am very much looking forward to a lie in!

Friday 28 September 2012

Lions everywhere!


Sometimes you can go ages without seeing a lion on Lewa and then suddenly it seems that they are everywhere…

At 6.00am, whilst lying in my bed, I hear a lion roar so loud and close that I can only surmise that it is probably right outside my house. However, in my sleepy state, I dismiss that notion on the basis that sound travels quite a distance and decide not to get out of bed and draw back the curtains. Big mistake. The guests in the cottage near mine do open their curtains and see a lion right outside their window! Chances are it did walk right by my house on the way to theirs…

The next afternoon, I went riding with a friend from another lodge. We had the loveliest ride together, nice long canters and no worries about having to guide or have guests fall off. At the end of one long canter, Venetia suddenly shouts “S***, it’s a lion”. And there just metres from us, a lioness pops her head up out of the long grass. A heart stopping moment. Bizarrely, neither of our horses even notices which is just as well because their flight instinct would kick in. We turned and walked away, casting nervous glances over our shoulders, but fortunately the lioness did not come after us. Exciting times!!

The day gets better. After returning to the stables, we decide to drive back and see if we can spot the lion again. Venetia goes on ahead whilst I try and find my cats (who are getting rather bold and don’t want to be shut in at night, but I suspect they will be taken by a leopard if they aren’t). When I catch up with Venetia, she has driven into a huge hole and her car is well and truly stuck. I must admit, I did think twice about getting out of my car knowing that there were possibly lions around. However, I figured the engine noise and sound of people talking would probably scare them off. Perhaps not. Having decided that we needed help, Venetia and I got into my car and as we were about to drive away, a lion strolls by her car nonchalantly. She must have been hidden away in the long grass just watching us!

For those reading this thinking are you crazy, I would add that the lions on Lewa are not generally regarded as man-eating types. They have plenty of game to hunt and are shy of people. When people are out walking, the lions always run away when they hear people coming on foot, even though they don’t mind a safari car parked right next to them. Admittedly you can never entirely predict how a wild animal might behave and the walking guides do carry guns just in case. However, the local people are more afraid of elephant, rhino, and most of all, buffalo who are notoriously aggressive. For me, elephant especially when they are towering over your vehicle, are pretty terrifying. You would not want to come across one in a bad mood…

Thursday 20 September 2012

Lewa Photos - June to Sept 12

Getting up close and personal with rhino

Cheetah resting after an unsuccessful hunting mission

Pombe Rocks

Lioness

Children at Il Ngwesi Masai village

Grevy zebra

Nairobi - visas and spa treatments


On checking my blog, I realised that it is almost three weeks since my last post! Well, tonight I have free wifi (and fast – a rare find in Africa) so I had best maximise on this opportunity.

Had a busy day in Nairobi. First stop, the High Commission of India to make my application for an Indian visa. I naively thought that travelling to India would be straight forward. Apparently not. All British passport holders have to obtain a visa before they arrive in India. Not surprisingly being a British passport holder not currently resident in Britain makes matters even more complicated. Despite the fact that you make your application on line, you are still required to print the application and visit the High Commission of India in Nairobi in person to submit the form and photos. Time taken to queue up to do this – approximately two hours. To make the system even more inefficient, you are then required to go to the Bank of India to pay for your visa and then wait a further week for it to be issued. Fortunately, you are allowed to send someone to collect your passport on your behalf so I am saved the expense of a further visit to Nairobi next week!

Kenyans always talk about how bad the traffic is in Nairobi – having experienced it at first hand today, they are not exaggerating. An hour and a half taxi journey to get from my lodgings (admittedly in the suburbs of Nairobi but still less than 10 miles into the city centre) to the High Commission. Then another hour to get back out to Karen by which time I felt I had deserved an afternoon of pampering. A hair cut, lunch, massage and pedicure later, I am feeling fully rejuvenated. My feet have not been so clean in a very long time. It is hard to comprehend the dust and the dirt that is part and parcel of living in Kenya unless you have experienced it first hand.

Very much enjoying spending a couple of nights away from Lewa actually. A much needed break from horses and guests and I wish I was staying longer. But back to Lewa tomorrow. For the first time ever, I am flying from Nairobi to Lewa and looking forward to seeing more of Kenya from the air. An hour’s flight rather than the long tedious 4-5 hour journey by road.

Yesterday was a long day. Starting with a biplane flight at 6.30am with mum for her last morning on Lewa. I love the biplane! Watch “Out of Africa” if you want to get a feel for what flying over Kenya in a tiny open cockpit plane is like. It is a very special experience. It is amazing to fly over some of the northern landscape, especially now in the midst of the dry season. It is incredible how simply and remotely some Africans still live. Just a basic mud hut and a corral for their animals (mainly goats). Most of the river beds are completely dried up so they must walk for hours, if not days, to find water. How they and their animals survive is beyond me, but many Masai claim to be happiest living in the bush this way often surviving on milk from their goats or cattle for days on end.

After the biplane, mum and I went for a last horse ride before breakfast then the long tiring drive down to Nairobi to drop mum off at the airport for her night flight home. Did lots of riding whilst mum was staying, as well as going out on a few drives (cheetahs, lions, elephants, serval cat, etc. etc), and visiting Pombe Rocks. Pombe Rocks provides one of the best views across Lewa and is where some of my grandfather’s ashes are scattered as Lewa was one of his favourite places in the world. He loved Kenya and visited many times during his life.

Just a final note on serval cats. Very rare – normally only seen at night and I’ve now seen two in the day time in the space of one week. Their body is a bit like a cheetahs but smaller. The first occasion, I was out riding with a guest when one jumped out in front of us across the track, spooking the horses. Wasn’t actually entirely sure what it was at that time and had to look in the book and discuss with the local guides when we got to bush breakfast. Incidentally, that was a very cool ride – we even saw lions. Fortunately, my spotting skills have much improved and I saw them from a good distance off so we were able to avoid the horses seeing them. That said, whilst keeping my eyes on the lions, we almost bumped into three rhino so may be my spotting skills still need some work….