The 2022 Africa Journals, Chapter 8: Coughing, Sneezing, and Hacking

Chapter 8

Coughing, Sneezing, and Hacking

 

 

My dear doctor, I am surprised to hear you say that I am coughing very badly, as I have been practicing all night.-John Philpot Curran

 

 

 

Marg is coughing and trying to clear her throat. I hand her several Riccola throat lozenges and tell her I have more if she needs them.

 

I, too, have been coughing, sneezing, and trying to stop a tickle on my tonsils.   Sometimes my eyes feel like I’m looking through the wrong end of binoculars.    I hope I’m not getting sick with a cold.  (I never do.)

The sugarless lemon/mint flavored lozenges are my stand-by remedy.  I always have a few in my pocket on games drives and I make sure there are a couple-along with my water bottle-on my nightstand.   Marg and I are sharing a tent and I don’t want to keep waking her with my hacking.

 

It would be more than a week before I realize what is causing my discomfort.    It’s the dust of dry and arid Amboseli.

 

Almost every game drive when we see animals walking on sand, they are kicking up clouds of dust.   I spot a zebra late one afternoon and it leaves clouds of dust as it walks away from us.

 

A herd of elephants coming through the trees and brush stir up dust.   

 

Sometimes, though, the elephants enjoy dusting themselves, especially after a bath.   The dirt clings to the water and creates a crust that protects their hides from the sun and insect bites.

This Ellie is getting as wet as it can in preparation for a dust bath.

 

It’s a kick to watch the ellies when they do this.   I watch in awe and wonder why a trunkful of dry dirt doesn’t make them sneeze.   Now that would be something to see.   Would it trumpet at the same time?

The dust baths are also why the elephants of Kenya as as red as the Kenyan soil.

Even the vultures raise dust.

Note the dust cloud from the approaching vehicle.

***

During the mid-day break, I scout the photo ops within the camp.    Why aren't we out then? Why do we not go out until four in the afternoon?

Because it's siesta time for the animals.   They sleep then, or rest in the shade.   Lions become known as "flat cats" in that situation.   Plus, it's often too hot.

So, camp photos it is.

I have seen mousebirds flying back and forth and I follow them.

Speckled mousebird

Speckled mousebird

Superb starlings

Von der Decken's/Jackson's hornbill in camp.

 

 

Tonight's dessert.

There wasn't much to see on the evening drive.   We went to the ranger's station waterhole and found baboons and some birds.

Yellow baboon.

Von der Deckens/Jackson's hornbill

Gerenuk stag

Goshawk

Black-headed heron.

The surprise of the day was a sundowner, the evening ritual of having a drink to the end of another day.

Amarula on the rocks.  Our traditional toast to Africa and good friends.

Marg is waiting for the other trucks to arrive.  Ooops.   No, she isn't.   She already has her Amarula on the rocks.

Sundowner snacks.

And we watch the sun go down as clouds bring scattered showers to Amboseli.