Monday, July 09, 2012

Akagera, Rwanda

It's been 10 days and they've flown by!  Half way through my stay here.
Noah has been all absorbing, great fun. He is learning fast and is engaging. He is really showing some of his character as it's not just eat and sleep these days. He is active and inquiring as he explores, and pushes boundaries.  I am loving being grandpa but I have also enjoyed getting out and about.

After several boat trips and game drives I feel more confident on bird names and calls.  Akagera has some 480 species and so far this trip I can only identify less than 100 with help!
The Park is drying up a bit at this time of year and early burning is due to start soon to avoid those later, hot fires.  We did a 12 hour game drive to the north and back the other day and saw everything from elephant shrews to giraffe, eland, roan, topi and even an elephant. It was hot and dusty and very bumpy. Today I did the same trip in a helicopter in only an hour and we went further. It was stunning to fly low, around a small herd of elephant, skim over the backs of a herd of buffalo and slow to count giraffe before climbing out of the low plains and slip over the rocky ridges. The countless lakes, papyrus beds and plains and rolling hills with their own specific vegetation types, just left me speechless. I had no door and at times did not know where to point the camera, through my feet almost, or on the simmering hazy horizon.

With just 10 days to go until Malawi, I have many little jobs around the house I promised to do and as yet, they remain unstarted.
Photos to follow