Kenya 2016 - A trip to Lake Turkana

[Botswanadreams]

Tanks again for your kind words and your interest following us on our way to Lake Turkana. Please forgive my bad English.

 

@ Zarek

You are a big help in this report. Many thanks that you are back in zivilisation with access to the www. You reminded me of a few little nice things from Meru like Aardwolf, Honey Badger and Naked Mole Rat. I just forgot about it. An addition on my homepage is already mad. Please give always your comments with your background knowledge to all our destinations.

 

@@pault

Good to hear that Google English works well to understand.

 

@Saukous

What a fabulous itinerary.

Well done for doing something different.

 

You are welcome on board.

 

 

 

I was a few days very silent but I was very busy with the next part. Now it is online.

 

 

Welcome to Buffalo Springs National Reserve

 

 

We visit Shaba and Samburu as well as full day game drives.
A few pics attached should wake up your interest. Please feel free and follow us in the beautiful National Reserves near Archers Post in Samburu and Isiolo County.

 

 

 

 

Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi)

 

 

White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)

 

 

Somali Ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes)

 

 

 

Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)

 

Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)

 

Ewaso Ng'iro River full of live

 

 

View from Lowa Mara Viewpoint over parts of Samburu

 

 

Much more pictures and the whole report you find on our homepage. Please use the translator on the right.
Click here.

 

Nice Weekend
Christa

Edited November 5, 2016 by Botswanadreams

[pault]

@@Botswanadreams Love that section, although the translator didn't work quite as well that time. More idioms in the original German I guess. Can still understand most of it though, so no problem. Sounds so idyllic and beautiful and relatively quiet.

 

So no additional charge for Samburu again? That is good to hear.

 

Look forward to the next section.

[Botswanadreams]

Many thanks @@pault. We loved all of the 3 reserves very much. Less cars, an amazing landscape and the flora and fauna from the dry North. It was all very new for us.

Thanks for telling me about the bit more difficulties with the translation. I checked and changed a few of the most incorrect sentence.

[optig]

@@Botswanadreams Your photos are inspiring me to want to visit more of Kenya especially since I live here. I have been to Samburu,and I'm looking forward to visiting both Shaba and Buffalo Springs. I'm looking forward to returning to Meru,and Samburu as well.

[Zarek Cockar]

As @@Botswanadreams mentions on her blog website, we had a little trouble at Ngare Mara gate, where the rangers were not aware of our special campsite reservation. However, having driven around the park to Chokaa gate, everything was sorted out there by the warden and we were sent to a very private campsite under some large, spreading Umbrella Thorn (A. tortillis) trees near the Ewaso Nyiro river. Upon arrival at the campsite, we noticed a young Verreaux’s Eagle Owl perched nearby. We heard him calling all night that first night. I love owls, so this was just fine with me. Our campsite was a 3-minute drive from the spring/pool from which the reserve derives its name. We made good use of the pool during our time there, cooling off and freshening up in the hot afternoons, much to the amusement of the tourists staying at the glitzy lodges elsewhere in the park.

We struck it lucky in Buffalo Springs. It’s generally not quite as busy as Samburu, and there’s more good habitat to explore than in Samburu, so the cars are spread over a wider area. Buffalo Springs also had much better grass cover than Samburu, which was very dry and dusty. This meant that there was more plains game, and in general a wider variety of wildlife and birds, in Buffalo Springs compared to Samburu (and Shaba). This is not always the case, of course. At other times of the year, Samburu is much better for game viewing.

Shaba is often overlooked by visitors to this area. In the past, it’s been plagued by shifta bandits, cattle incursions, and generally bad management. Yet, like Meru, which suffered the same issues in the 80’s and 90’s, it’s resilient and has the potential to surprise. If for nothing else, Shaba’s scenery makes it worth at least a short visit. The wildlife tends to be more skittish and harder to photograph. In some areas it’s also less abundant, partly because the park is drier and harsher, with more volcanic activity and less available grazing and water. If you’re a birder, however, there are 2 species that make a visit to Shaba almost mandatory. You won’t find a Friedmann’s Lark or a William’s Lark very easily anywhere else. Somali Courser is also good, there, on the airstrip near Sarova Shaba Lodge. However, again, we got lucky with Somali Courser right behind our campsite at Buffalo Springs. This was not specifically a birding trip, however, so we didn’t spend any time looking for these species.

A few pictures from my camera (excuse the poor quality). I don't take my camera out that often on game drives:

 

I think the blog probably has better versions of this scene, but here's my version. Oryx are one of the best adapted antelopes to dry conditions. They are almost wholly independent of water, deriving all the moisture they need from the plants they feed on. This is increased by feeding at night when the plants retain more of their moisture. Their nasal panting and specially adapted capillaries in their nasal cavity allow their brains to stay cool when the rest of the body would otherwise be "overheating". Having said all that, here they are drinking. Like almost any animal, they'll take the opportunity to drink when it presents itself. They were shy at first, allowing a herd of impala to have their fill, then disappearing when the elephants got too close, and finally returning when the "coast" was clear. When a friend of mine saw this photo, his comment was, "Let's not even mention the elephant in the room".

 

A panorama view from the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro at the Dakadima Public Campsite in Shaba. Probably the most picturesque campsite in all three reserves (my opinion). This was stitched together using the panorama function on my phone, hence the weird dimensions and colours.

 

A little visitor was waiting us at our lunch table when we came back from a morning game drive. This is a nymph of one of the Common Mantises from the family Mantidae. Not sure which one. Several genera are very similar.

 

Classic Samburu (except this is from Buffalo Springs). That thinly spread yellow grass with Ol Donyo Sabache in the background... it just does something for me. Ol Donyo Sabache (also known as Ololokwe) is a sacred mountain to the Samburu - the third most important after Mt. Ngiro (first) and Mt. Kulal (second). It is visited when sending up special prayers to Ngai, the Samburu's name for their god, and for harvesting of certain special plant species that are used for particular ceremonies like circumcision, marriage, death rites, etc.
The mountain is also one of the most important nesting sites for the now critically endangered Ruppell's Griffon Vulture, the endangered Egyptian Vulture, and for Verreauxs' Eagles, Lanner Falcons, and sundry other birds of prey. Bearded Vultures would have at one time been found there, but no more. More on Bearded Vultures later (much later in the trip report).

Sun downers from the campsite overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro and Samburu NR on the other side.

 

 

[Botswanadreams]

Many tanks to @ optrig

As far as first time visitors to Kenya what we are all tree reserves has stunning landscapes and a lot of never seen before wildlife in its nature habitat. We loved our time there.

 

Thanks to Zarek too. He is my memory for details on the trip. I never make any notice during our time in Africa. The pics has tell me the story afterwards. No pics no story. I'm getting old so a few details are forgotten. I'm sorry. I made an little addition after Zarek remained me.

 

Part 3 is still in progress. I hope next week it'll be finished.

 

Nice rest of the weekend

 

Christa

[michael-ibk]

Ein wirklich toller Reisebericht.

 

Just found the time to go through your blog in detail - a real pleasure, one gets the feeling of being on the road with you. Especially loved the Marsabit part, paradise indeed. Looking forward to the next chapters!

[pault]

Marsabit part? Is part 3 up @@Botswanadreams?

 

Wirklich toll is right.

Edited November 15, 2016 by pault

[Atravelynn]

The naked mole rat is quite a find. I recall that creature causing quite a stir in a previous report. I am sure your sighting of the NMR will be much appreciated.

[Atravelynn]

Common Mantises--your photo is probably larger than life. Your river shots show the vitality of Samburu/Buffalo Springs.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Atravelynn

[Botswanadreams]

@@michael-ibk

Herzlichen Dank für die Blumen.

Many thanks for your comment. Very nice to hear that I could bring you in the middle of Marsabit forest.

 

@@pault

Yes, ok you find your way to Marsabit too. Thanks for that.

 

So now part 3 is official online but please go only until the "under construction" sign. I'm busy to bring the Chalbi in this part too but not yet finished.

 

 

Welcome to Marsabit National Park

 

 

Marsabit National Park is very seldom visit park. It is a green oase in the middle of a very dry land.

 

Here is the Link to part 3

 

 

Mt. Ololokwe

 

Lake Paradise Marsabit National Park

 

Lake Paradise Special Campsite

 

African Olive

 

 

 

 

Have fun with this bit crazy google english.

Christa

 

[pault]

@@Botswanadreams haha Sorry I did not mean to rush you. I will not proceed beyond the sign.

[pault]

Oh there is a stripey surprise for everyone who reads the blog!

 

Yes, Lake Paradise looks to be in good condition. I am pretty sure that it was not in good condition in the recent past - green not blue. looking good now though. And again, sorry for rushing you before the page was complete. I really did stop at "under construction".

[optig]

I have to say that this report is giving me all sorts of ideas. i realize just how many outstanding destinations that I haven't seen in Kenya. I'm constantly forgetting just how amazingly diverse that Kenya is. There are such a wide range of environments,and locations which should receive more tourists. I can only hope that the tourist infrastructure is improved through a combination of greater investment, and improved technology.

[Zarek Cockar]

I don’t have too much to add to @@Botswanadreams descriptions of this leg of our trip on her blog. As some of you may have picked up, everywhere North of Archer’s Post is where, for me, “Northern Kenya” really starts. The first time I went that far North, there was no tarmac after Isiolo. The corrugation on the main gravel road was enough to make every bolt and nut come loose in your vehicle no matter what speed you drove or how good your vehicle was. The road conditions (along with the somewhat erroneous notion that everyone in Northern Kenya is a bloodthirsty bandit) kept that whole part of the country basically untouched and very seldom visited by locals or foreigners. The “NFD” (Northern Frontier District) moniker stuck, despite the official designation having changed at independence to “Eastern Province”. It still had a ‘frontier’ feel. Marsabit was a dusty little town, with a single petrol station, a single bank, and a few corrugated iron sheet shops. If you walked up to the steps of the Barclay’s Bank, it wouldn’t be unusual to find an old Rendille or Borana man sitting there with an unregistered rifle laid across his lap while he took a breather. He meant no harm to anyone and the bank would know it, but the sight of some random bloke sitting on the steps of a bank with a Lee-Enfield rifle in hand was a little unsettling to a first-time visitor like myself. Whatever. I got used to it quick (within 5 minutes) and got on with enjoying this quirky little hub for the North. Reading back on this narrative, I make it sound like this was “many years ago, back in the old days”. It wasn’t. This was 2009.

Much of this has since changed (not all, thankfully) with the tarmacking of “the great North road”. As with all other large infrastructure projects in Sub-Saharan Africa these days, this work is being done by a Chinese company. I cannot speak with any authority on whether the wildlife situation has changed along the length of the road due to this fact (as it very definitely did along the Nairobi-Namanga road some years ago), so if anyone asks me, my answer will be pure guesswork and speculation. The fact is, they’ve built a beautiful road that is opening up towns like Marsabit and Moyale to economic growth that would never have been dreamed of a few years ago. As with any economic growth, there are positives and negatives. I won’t go into all of that now. I could write essays.

Marsabit town, which was once the domain of 70 series land cruisers, a few old series 3 Land Rovers, and Bedford lorries on their last legs, is now home to shiny new saloon cars that cruise up from Nairobi easily within 1 day. Even within the last year since I was last there (September 2015), the number of vehicles along the Isiolo-Marsabit stretch has probably doubled. I said I wouldn’t go into the pros & cons of economic development. I will say one thing only – and forgive me for being so selfish – I’m sort of strangely saddened that this area is no longer the domain of only the adventurous in spirit, but is accessible to businessmen in their flashy range rovers and flash suits (I may be exaggerating things a little). Nevertheless, Marsabit is STILL a dusty little town with a bit of the chaos and un-ruled, un-kempt character that I first fell in love with.

Enough about Marsabit town! On to the park. As is typical in these not-often-visited KWS parks, the lonely ranger at the Ahmed gate was excited to see us and to hear about our itinerary, but not so efficient at calculating the charges or producing the correct receipts. After a long while, we finally got back in the vehicle and drove off into the park. The vegetation in the lower areas of the park reminds me very much of the dry, mid-altitude forest around Karen, Langata, and Nairobi National Park. Quite a few different plant species, but a similar feel. The track was steep and winding in places, with loose gravel, forcing us to spend much of the time in low-range 4WD (well it was the weight of the trailer that really forced us into that – the road’s not that bad).

Suddenly the trees opened up and Lake Paradise in Gof Sokorte Dida (‘Gof’ means ‘crater’ in the Gabra language) lay before us. The wind was intensely strong, and as we looked up directly above us, 4 Hooded Vultures hung in the air, seemingly suspended from the sky, moving neither forward nor backward. We enjoyed the view for 15 minutes or so before pushing on to our campsite. I had read a blog by @@TheKenyanCamper detailing how he had tried to find the special campsite, but had given up after bushwhacking and dealing with water-sodden tracks. He had been there during quite a wet time. When we arrived, the lake was still a good size, but the rest of the park was quite dry, so we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. We also almost gave up part of the way around the lake, thinking that getting embroiled in thick bush and volcanic rocks wouldn’t be very intelligent if we couldn’t find a suitable place to turn the vehicle and trailer around. After searching on foot, Mike and I found the campsite. I have since passed this info on to @@TheKenyanCamper and I reckon he’s probably planning another trip at some point.

@@Botswanadreams has covered our exploration of the park pretty well, so I won’t rehash it too much. I will say that the Greater Kudu we saw on our way back to the campsite from Gof Bongole was an unexpected bonus for me. Marsabit is known for its elephants, obviously. We saw lots of signs of elephants, both fresh and old, but no actual elephants. The other thing I personally think of when I think of Marsabit is hyenas. I have always seen both live and dead hyenas along the road in the area surrounding the National Park and National Reserve (a huge area, by the way). I know the residents of Marsabit town are regularly visited by hyenas. We were lucky on our second night to have 3 hyenas come down to the lake. They seemed to enjoy hearing the sound of their own voices echoing through the crater as much as we did.

As has been mentioned previously, our sighting of Grevy’s Zebra in the crater was also a most-unexpected bonus. Mike was very excited to send photo evidence to his fellow Grevy’s Zebra census colleagues. My thinking is that there are a few more Grevy’s across Northern Kenya than the annual census makes out. My trip through the Chalbi last year revealed Grevy’s (and Cheetah) out in the middle of the salt pan far away from grazing or water.

On our final morning, as we filled up all our jerry cans with water for the next few days, Herbert joked that he was ready to go ‘back to Africa’ now as the biting cold and thick mists of Mt. Marsabit were not agreeing with him. I told him it wouldn’t be long before he’d be missing this cool mountain air as we descended to immense heat of the low-lying salt pans in the Chalbi.

 

Panorama somewhere between Laisamis and Marsabit

 

Greater Kudu shot through the windscreen in a hurry before it disappeared into the forest

 

Our Marsabit Special campsite can just barely be seen in the trees at the base of the cliff.

 

Our campsite - This photo doesn't do it justice - especially the view of the lake

 

As I searched in vain for the Mt. Marsabit Chameleon (Trioceros marsabitensis) I came across this odd fruit on a low bush. I have been unable to ID it, but have sent it to a botanist friend. I'll post the ID when I get it.

 

Sundowners over the lake

 

An unknown frog from a tree in our campsite on the second night. None of the frog fundis have given me a definite ID and I can't find it in any of my books

 

Chalbi Desert.... Coming soon.

[Zarek Cockar]

Chalbi

 

There are few places in the world that I have traveled that get me as excited and giddy as the Chalbi Desert. I can’t explain it. I don’t know what it is. It’s a mysterious, mystical, mythical, and stunningly beautiful place that has captured my imagination since I first learned about it in geography class when I was 10. This is the sort of place that should be considered a National and International heritage. It’s not the only place of its kind in the world. There are many salt-pan deserts. I don’t really know where I’m going with this…. Erm…. Anyway, it’s difficult for me to explain what makes this place so special to me personally. The Gabbra people and their camel trains, the Rendile and their communal sharing culture, the solitary Grevy’s Zebra shimmering in a mirage on the horizon, the undocumented species of scorpions, spiders, and beetles, the endless flatness, the utter blue-ness of the sky and the changing colour of the soil, the Fan-Tailed Ravens that seem to appear from nowhere the moment you stop the vehicle the volcanic rock wall that surrounds it, the Peregrine Falcons that live on that rock wall, and this very weird thing, that I have yet to figure out: 2.893875, 37.506760 (those are coordinates for google earth, by the way)

Have I built it up enough? Do you understand yet? This is a personal thing. I fully understand that many others have been through the Chalbi and have found it inhospitable, uncomfortable, barren, boring, too dusty, too hot, dead, etc. It’s not for everyone. I’m aware of that. To each their own.

 

Anyway, we faffed around in Marsabit for far too long trying to get a trailer coupling repaired on a Sunday morning (shops were open, but welders and mechanics were not). Eventually, we got under way and headed back South for a few KMs before branching off to the West and eventually North again. Rough going at first, and with the heavy trailer behind us, we took it slow. The last thing I wanted was a broken shock or suspension link out there. The previous year, I had been driving this road in 1^st gear with my foot off the pedals completely as I followed the two adventurers on foot. Rocks and corrugation don’t bother you much when your speedo isn’t even registering your movement. This time was different. We were not in the Chalbi proper yet. First we had to drop down off a shelf of volcanic rock onto the smooth flat plain below. We drove on for another few kilometers adjusting to the sudden change of scenery and terrain before stopping for lunch under some palms near an underground spring. After lunch, we continued on, past Maikona to Kalacha where we found the first shade we’d seen for many hours. We stopped for a few minutes just to soak it up and let the wind dry off our sweat-soaked shirts. Kalacha Dida is a little village built up on the edge of the desert (it’s still surrounded by what most people would call desert) around a permanent spring. Because of the spring, there’s a constant stream of camels coming in and out of the area, some in very long trains. After Kalacha, the substrate changes from sand, salt, and ash to geometrically dried clay, which can be very rough and very difficult to drive on. Nearing 5pm, we stopped after a particularly rough section for a breather. Something was leaking out of the trailer. We opened up the tarpaulin and found that one of our 20ltr bottles of drinking water had been punctured and we’d lost almost all the water from that bottle. We still had others, but we’d have to be much more careful with our usage until we got to Loiyangalani at least (more on that when we get there). We drove on for another few KMs but it was getting late in the day and we needed to set up camp. We had around 25km left before North Horr. That would have to wait until the following day. We set up camp, with the vehicle and trailer positioned to try to block as much of the strong winds as possible for our tents and kitchen.

 

The next day, we packed up early and set off for North Horr and on towards Sibiloi NP. First up was the beautiful Golden Jackal that you’ve probably seen on the blog. I didn’t get any photos of it on my camera.

We drew lots of interested looks and bewildered stares as we drove through North Horr. Is that Jesus and his disciples driving through town? From mud flats to sand dunes to volcanic plains and open grassland. The scenery kept changing. From this point on, 99% of the people you meet will not speak a word of Swahili (much less English). Communication is difficult unless you speak Gabbra. Now we were all in new territory. Last year, we had made North Horr the end point of the expedition. We had originally planned to carry on to Loiyanalani and then on South via Maralal, but tensions in South Horr a few days before made us change our minds, and after the expedition was over, we took a different route back toward Marsabit. So this was my first time North of North Horr (reckon that’s a good name for a book, by the way, in case someone wants to write it).

 

As a little ‘aside’, there’s a little guest house on the Northern outskirts of Marsabit town on the Eastern road to Maikona, Kalacha, and North Horr called, quite fittingly, “The Horr House”. I have never been inside to meet the patrons.

 

The further North we got, the more inhospitable the land became. Vincent, our cook, and Mike, our ranger, both commented, “what do people eat out here!? Rocks?” But people there were. And camels, and new born babies. And none seemed perturbed by the distinct lack of vegetation or shelter from the blistering sun.

 

The colours – the reds and blacks of the volcanic rocks, the white road winding through, the bright white sun, the BLUE BLUE sky, the black dresses on the Gabbra women, the black brands burned into the skin of the camels, the pale tan of some distant canyon, the endless grey of the wide dry river beds. The heat came up from the ground as much as it came from the sun. The rocks seem to bubble out of the ground and flow across the landscape like some black ooze. You always read about Sibiloi and Eastern Turkana as “a land borne of fire”, but it doesn’t mean much until you see it first-hand. This truly is a land formed by the harshest of elements, and the evidence is clear and un-softened. More on Sibiloi next time.

If you were in a hurry and didn’t feel like spending time in the Chalbi, you could get to Sibiloi in 1 day from Marsabit, provided you leave early in the morning and have a capable vehicle with no heavy trailer. I’m glad we did not try that!

 

I’m adding a few photos here from my Sept 2015 trip with @@otillard because the photos I took this year were a little pathetic and don’t quite capture all the beauty I’ve just raved on about. I’ll put dates next to the one from last year so you don’t think we saw 6 different sunsets over the Chalbi in 2016.

 

Our lunch stop - now in the desert proper

 

I wrote down what this flower was somewhere, but can't find it now. I'll update with correct ID soon.

 

Walking to a dune to get a 360 degree view

 

Break half-way through

 

Our Campsite on the dried mud flats before North Horr

 

Someone doesn't know that I'm taking pictures of them taking pictures of the sunset

 

The long road out of North Horr over rolling volcanic gravel plainy-dune-type thingy-majigs (this is a technical geological term, you don't need to worry yourself over).

 

[Zarek Cockar]

All the photos below are from 2015, but from the same areas we visited in 2016. I just didn't take very many photos this year.

Not sure why, but they all look very low-resolution to me.

Ostrich tracks (below)

In this photo below, the rangers I was with last year were literally just eating slabs of salt. I tried some as well. It was clean and tasted good!

Edited November 16, 2016 by Zarek Cockar

[AKR1]

@@michael-ibk

Herzlichen Dank für die Blumen.

Many thanks for your comment. Very nice to hear that I could bring you in the middle of Marsabit forest.

 

@@pault

Yes, ok you find your way to Marsabit too. Thanks for that.

 

So now part 3 is official online but please go only until the "under construction" sign. I'm busy to bring the Chalbi in this part too but not yet finished.

 

 

Welcome to Marsabit National Park

 

 

Marsabit National Park is very seldom visit park. It is a green oase in the middle of a very dry land.

 

Here is the Link to part 3

 

 

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Mt. Ololokwe

 

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Lake Paradise Marsabit National Park

 

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Lake Paradise Special Campsite

 

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African Olive

 

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Have fun with this bit crazy google english.

Christa

 

 

BotswanaDreams and Zarek, thanks for an excellent report. Lake Paradise- a place with lots of safari history and unfortunately a shadow of what it once was although the park appears to happily prospering. We (including Zarek) discussed Lake Paradise in detail here a few years ago for anyone interested. Also it was a place beloved by Osa and Martin Johnson. It's great to hear @Zarek Cocker finally made it there.

Edited November 16, 2016 by AKR1

[Botswanadreams]

I have to get to Turkana too, before Gibe III dam and their stupid irrigation schemes dry up the lake.

 

Oh Zarek's words from 2013 are funny. Never saw this topic about Lake Paradise before. As I started to think about Kenya it was absolutely clear to me that we have to go to Lake Turkana on our first trip. I believe there are changes coming with the dam. Maybe it is not that the beauty of the area will change immediately but the security in the faith about the little resources.

Thanks @@AKR1 for the link.

@@pault

I don't believe you that you stopped at the sign. It doesn't matter. The only problem is that I write directly on the homepage and it is always in a process of developing. Sometimes stupid things have to be changed before it is good enough for the public.

@@optig

Thanks a lot for following us. We'll show you a few more amazing places in Kenya.

This time @Zarek was a bit too fast for me with the Chalbi but thanks for your very welcome additions. A few little things are added and a correction of a mistake is made. Thanks very much.

For getting the right mud preparing the next part I got yesterday a nice book. "Journey to the Jade Sea" by John Hillaby. First published in 1964. The first two captures sounds like a funny reading except my sometimes struggling with a few English words.

I add a few pics from Chalbi here. The more you find in part 3. Please scroll a bit down.

Chalbi Desert

Edited November 17, 2016 by Botswanadreams

[optig]

@Botswanadrreams I just love your photos of the extreme North of Kenya. One is such splendid isolation,this a true wilderness. I truly appreciate the feeling of going on safari and feeling that I'm cut off from the rest of the world.

[offshorebirder]

@@Zarek Cockar - that mystery fruit looks somewhat similar to Carambola / starfruit from the Phillippines. But it's obviously something different...

[Caracal]

@@Botswanadreams and @@Zarek Cockar - I can't get enough of this excellent joint report - it has me totally engrossed.

 

@@Zarek Cockar - I visited Shaba and Buffalo Springs in 1996 and well remember that road north of Isiolo! Isiolo itself was fascinating and like a melting pot with a mixture of many different tribes present - Somalis, Turkanas, Boran, Samburu etc.

( When I was at Shaba there was a large conference between Boran and Samburu elders with a Government Minister present trying to resolve problems re attacks and killings the previous week over cattle stealing - apologies if I've gone too far off topic here)

 

The Shaba/Samburu scenery still resonates and as you rightly say the backdrop of Ololokwe "does something to me".

 

Now you've transported me to Marsabit and the Chalbi Desert - places that I've read about so much over the years - great description of Chalbi @@Zarek Cockar and wonderful photos from both of you.

 

@@Botswanadreams - after Hillaby's book you might like to try Stephen Pern's "Another Land, Another Sea Walking Round Lake Rudolf".

 

So looking forward to more.

[pault]

@@Botswanadreams I did stop, really! Since I noticed that you made some useful changes to the first section after I read it, that made it easier to understand, I decided I would let you finish each section properly before I read it. Now I have the full story from both sides, so it was worth waiting. Now I will start.

 

@@Zarek Cockar If your photos are surprisingly lo-res maybe they have been converted that way automatically somewhere - because they were too big for the site they were posted to or because of a setting on the program you use to prepare them for the web (if any) or another reason. Actually they look okay on my workplace computer so it might just be the device you are viewing them on or some sand in your eye. Very nice pics (nice isn't the word as it is a "wow" place) really give a feel for the area (love those ostrich tracks) although you should straighten your horizons! I can feel the dust in my throat as I look.

[Atravelynn]

Lake Paradise Marsabit National Park -- a surreal photo.

 

@Zareck Cockarm high or low res, your shots show the vastness and immensity of your beloved Chalbi!

[Zarek Cockar]

although you should straighten your horizons!

!!! I now see almost all my horizons (bar 1) slope down to the right. I wonder why that is?? Maybe my brain sits a little lopsided in my head and I'm compensating? I'll pay attention more to that in the future. Thanks.