Hoofbeats in Africa: Lake Nakuru

We drove 150 kilometers east (across the equator) to Lake Nakuru, Kenya. In Lake Nakuru Game Park, we drove throughout the lake area to see the animals that make this slice of heaven their home.

Lake Nakuru is a soda lake (very alkaline) and is probably best known for the thousands of flamingos that live here. As you look at the lake, it is bordered by a fluttering band of pink. Mixed with the pink are white pelicans, whose wing spans must be five feet and who fly in groups back and forth across the water's edge.

The list of other animals that we saw is long. But, a few are: White Rhinoceros (particularly, the three young ones who spent the day together), Thompson's Gazelles, Water Bucks, Water Buffalos, Giraffes, Impalas, Hyenas, Jackals, Maribu Storks, Baboons and Zebras galore. Although we ended our first drive without seeing any lions, we were rewarded this morning for getting up for a drive that began at 6:30 a.m.

This morning, we found two stunning male lions who seemed to have been fighting before we arrived. They both looked worn and one was limping. As one of them slowly walked down the road (with us behind him), he just roared repeatedly, as if he was moaning. Not sure though, because I don't speak lion.

We are traveling with Francis, our Kenyan driver and guide. Francis' story is amazing. More on that later. We are also traveling with Jim Myer, a pulmonologist from Brown University, and his friend Chris McBurney from Providence. They've all been great company.

We are staying at the Lake Nakuru Lodge - a lovely place. Our room is funny with three twin beds, each with it's own "dazzling-to-the-eye" mosquito net. One wall is all glass sliding doors which look out to the park. The baboons walk around the lodge like they own the place.