Massive bridge-building complete by breakfast, rocks piled with sand and signed E2B2 (Exodus Bridge) (Exodus Expedition Bridge Building Brigade, thorn trees felled and in position for our crossing. And Stanley performing like the trooper that he is.
More and more thorn trees as the track continued along the riverbank, not an animal in sight. Several sandy bed crossings before we came to a section of road that had fallen into a huge hole leaving a narrow strip of rubble between the pit and thorned, stoney bank. And so began a massive operation involving both human and Stanley power as we chopped down bushes, dug out stones (pilling them into the hole) and Stanley hauled huge thorn bushes and two enormous boulders out of the opposite bank to clear enough room for Stanley’s wide wheels.
Lots of us began to say that we should turn back rather than risk this pass but forward scouts returned, after a very long time gone, having armed themselves with the axe for their reconnaissance, saying that it was all clear ahead apart from a few low-hanging branches. So we finished our massive road clearing and set a fire up for tea for the workers, before we watched, hearts in mouths (I actually hid behind Myrta) as our beloved truck mounted the bank and came towards us at a horrible angle. I doubt I was the only passenger envisioning him rolling over. But he made it through another crises, the Ben and Stanley Team getting us on our way.
Every time the river turned away from the track the next corner brought us back towards it again and we began to think we’d never get off the river route. I swear the thorns were getting bigger and bigger too as the morning wore on and our tempers frayed as we clambered in and out, dodged huge catapulting branches and generally got thrown about.
Suddenly the road forked inland and we followed a new track through open country away from the water until it joined the main road and our bush-bashing was over. It felt wonderful to be able to travel fast again. We reached the main gate of Tsavo West National Park in record time, having passed the official and still signed “River Route” track; pity the next bunnies to fall for that one. We exited the park at about 12 midday with a final casualty list of: one snapped spring (2 leaves), shredded tarpaulins, several minor scratches and thorn impalements, a rather tired troop, and 1/2 a day later than we planned.
This side trip has again lived up to its name, carving paths through wild bush in search of adventure. Sometimes I wonder if the adventure’s worth it, but when it’s all over it’s hard to understand what all the fuss was about!
From there we entered Tsavo East National Park, having hidden three of us in the nest and Linda under the table to cut costs. Ben dropped the team at Voi Wildlife Lodge (still operating) and drove us cooks out of the park to shop in Von. That done, we stopped to fill up with water back at the park gate, there meeting two of the English women we met at Mayers Ranch, and a newly arrived British lad on a round trip of east Kenya. They were so cleanly dressed they made Vicki and me feel downright filthy, and desperate for a wash after our morning’s activities.
We went into Voi Lodge, which was perched on the side of a valley and overlooked two man-made waterholes which could be reached by an under-hill tunnel. The restaurant and bar were open-aired, cushioned seats beside a rich floral garden with clipped lawns before the sweeping browns of the valley floor. But the only animals we could see were a few deer. Crossed the lawns and looked over the wall, coming face to face with how other travellers view game: lazing in the shade of umbrellas on sun lounges beside a bright blue pool, binoculars to their eyes, scanning the land below them from their rocky eyrie.
The excellent road between the lodge and the park gate enabled us to travel at what seemed a reckless speed past huge herds of rusty brown elephants - and red termite mounds we mistook for elephants. Three groups of elephants made up a herd of 50 - 80 animals, with tiny, wrinkled young following females and flapping ears that looked too big for them. These animals looked like circus make-ups, two people joined nose to tail inside a comic quadruped. The skin all loose and hanging in folds, looking like they were about to lose their trousers as they trundled away from us. One massive male, with a beautiful pair of tusks, lead the dash across our path and away from the intruders.
An enormous herd of Cape buffalo spread out across one plane – a mass of grey bodies - and a pair of ostriches dashed away from us, weaving and swerving in panic, feathers fluffed and ruffled by the breeze, heads whipping from side to side as their powerful legs pounded up and down. We all laughed at their ridiculous “bird brained” antics. But, overall, this park was a game disappointment.
Some of hid again to leave the park, and Ben’s gift of the gab saved us from showing our tickets. He had to get a piggyback from the officer to the truck because he’d crossed the burs without his thongs on.
We found what we thought was a quiet, stony place to camp, which was promptly invaded by a big red scorpion. Washed under a deliciously hot shower with extra water rations, hoping tomorrow’s beach is not just an exhaustion-evoked delusion. Hope I don't wake up down by the river in Tsavo!
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