DAY THREE We got up at about 6:30 and had brekkie etc then headed off to Mara Serena which is 50 KM away. Being early morning the game was pretty active and as usual there were thousands of gnu [wildebeest] on the move. Above the plain, 7 balloons hung in the cool morning air, their occupants having paid £105 each to be up there having a champagne breakfast!
We took several detours off the road to take closer looks at game, and one detour took us quite near to a group of elephants who didn’t take too kindly to our presence!
We got to the hippo pools in the Mara River about mid-morning. We spent ½ an hour there photographing the semi-submerged beasts. The area is one of the main crossing points for the herds of animals migrating into the Mara from the Serengeti and just downstream from the pools was an eddy where the corpses of the many animals who are drowned wash up. The place was swarming with vultures and marabou [storks] feasting on the carcasses.
We got to Mara Serena at about 12:00 and had lunch. We took turns guarding the truck and went up to the lodge for Cokes. The lodge is perched on the top of a hill commanding an absolutely spectacular view out over the park rolling away in all directions. The lodge itself is a pretty posh affair full of monied tourists “safariing” in style.
We left there and drove back to camp taking a few detours on the way to watch the ever-present gnus. Had a bath in the river when we got back.
CurseOfTheTraveller 