Thje 2022 Africa Journals, Ch. 7: The Drought

Chapter 7

The Drought, Part 1

Why  is it you can never hope to describe the emotion Africa creates?   You are lifted.   Out of whatever pit, unbound from whatever tie, released from whatever fear/   You are lifted and you see it all from above.-Francesca Marciano

 

 

Today, Africa slams us into a pit. 

 

And then she lifted us up.  

 

It was a heart-rending day as we saw more of the starvation and destruction brought about by the four years of drought in this area.

 

At the end of the day, as the sun descended and splayed golden rays across the sere landscape, we found what we had come to Amboseli National Park to see.

 

But, let me tell the story in something of a chronological sequence.   I'll begin with Part 1.

 

 

Today began with a tawny eagle.   It ended with an assortment of animals photo-bombing an Amboseli VIP.

 

Our vehicles leave camp at 6 A.M.  and almost immediately, we spot a tawny eagle in the first light of dawn.   

 

The three trucks circle around, each trying to find the best view point.   It isn’t that we have never seen a tawny eagle before.   They are plentiful.   But, what the heck, it’s an eagle and as I am fond of saying, “Every bird deserves to have its photo taken.”

 

There’s more maneuvering and eventually, the three trucks take different routes to the highway.   As we turn around a bush, I cry, “Stop!”    Right beside us, and I mean right beside us, there’s a giraffe with a young calf.

The calf scurries behind Mum when we stop.

The giraffe lifts her head and stares at us.   The calf takes advantage of that and moves in quickly to suckle.   This is a very unusual sighting.   Giraffes with calves are quite protective and generally move away.

This one stands quietly as her six-month-old baby nurses and we shoot photos like crazy.   I am gobsmacked.   I have never witnessed this before.

When she finally moves, the baby looks directly at us with a silly look as drops of mama’s milk cling to his lower lip.

 

 

Mt. Kilimanjaro is as clear as we’ve seen so far.   Not completely in the clear, but enough to see snow pack on the summit.  Clouds are quickly gathering to obscure it and I take a few shots.

Snow pack on top this 19,341 ft dormant volcano.

 

A short distance inside the park, we see a small herd of elephants moving toward us with Mt. Kilimanjaro, or Kili as it’s called locally, in the background.    It is an ideal setting for photos.

 

And, whoopee!   I get some shots I only dreamed of as they get closer.

 

 

They cross in front of us and then the  ostriches are in the spotlight.

 

Along a long stretch of dry savannah, the carcasses appear.   Dozens and dozens of them.   Wildebeest seem to be the most affected by the lack of grass and then the zebra.

 

I am afraid it will never end and my heart feels like I am dragging it behind me.

No idea if this wildebeest ever stood again.

 

Finally, finally, that charnel ground ends in a wasteland of caked, cracked mud.  At some time, water covered this area.   Our guides determine this would be a safe place to eat breakfast, and they set out the individual tins for us, along with coffee and tea.

Far out on the horizon, herders move their herds.   It’s like watching a mirage.

 

A curious zebra stops to watch us for a long time, occasionally moving back and forth.

 

This type of photo is called "small in frame" and is meant to convey the vastness of the surrounding environment.

 

After breakfast, we begin the long drive back to camp.

Randy, just get in the truck, eh?

Hyenas resting in what little shade there is.

 

Along the way, more ostriches appear.

The black one is the male.  Its tail feathers are discolored due to the color of the earth in the area.

A stream with green banks and a small abundance of grazing animals is a welcome relief to the heart and eye.

A pair of fish eagles.

 

Farther along that stream, elephants and hippos wade in the water.

A hippo with an egret on its neck and swamp salad on its back.

Basking onshore.

 

I spot a herd of elephants approaching from the far side and notice a particularly large one bringing up the rear.   Dust swirls as the herd approaches.

 

Eventually, we are back at Tawi Lodge for lunch and then a three-hour break before heading out on the evening game drive.

 

More photos from the morning:

A giraffe with as much of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background as I can get.

My first attempt to get a giraffe and Kili.   The giraffe wouldn't cooperate.

 

Kori bustard

Kori bustard

Black-bellied bustard

Little bee-eater

 

Fish eagle

Virginia and Marg (far left), photographing giraffe in the camp waterhole.

 

 Next in Part 2:    The Uplifting