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…