Our last and most amazing day

Masai Mara 

Our last day was the most amazing day. It happens like that to make you want to come back! First up was a stunning sunrise, then the Rekero lion pride with the 9 cubs were playing out in the open. 

Then we got word that the cheetah cubs were playing out of the restricted area. It was a long drive there and there was a possibility that we would miss all the action, but we were rewarded, and were able to spend quite some time with them. The cubs were playing with each other, over logs and with mum. It was fantastic. Later they moved into the restricted area and the Ranger made us all leave. 

Word on the bush telegraph told of a pair of leopolds quite some way away. A long drive away but the male was still there when we arrived. The pair had conspired to bring down a Topi which is quite a large prey for one leopold, so it made sense that they tried with the two of them. They had been mating earlier on but we missed it. The female is shy and had hidden herself by the time we arrived. The male leopold was the first one we had seen as they are quite elusive, was fending off the vulchers from his kill. Finally the need to find shade won over keeping the kill and he gave it up to the birds. The kill was too big for him to drag it all the way to the trees and then it up the tree. They always take their kills up a tree to protect it from other predators.

Male Leopold

We then heard that a black rhino had been seen. We had spent quite some time a few days ago looking in the bushes for black rhino but never found him. Did we want to try again and find it Simon asked us, absolutely! and we did.

Black Rhino

It was getting near lunchtime so we started heading back to camp. We came across a family of elephants bathing in water holes, then while we were watching them a cheetah walked unobtrusively and sat under the shade of a bush to sleep.

We had our final lunch and packed our bags, our wonderful 19 days was over. We had organised to have a shower for after lunch as we wouldn't be there at the end of the day when we usually have it.

From an airstrip about half an hour away still in the park, we flew in a small plane to Nairobi's Wilson airport. A car was then waiting for us to take us to the International airport. As we enter the airport there are signs that say that you are not allowed scissors, nail clippers - basically the normal sharp objects you can't have in hand luggage - but you can't have them in checked luggage either! a bit cruel. It was a long eight hour wait - six hours before we could check in our luggage and go and sit somewhere comfortable. We were so exhausted we couldn't eat on the plane, the flight stewards must have thought we were strange. A few hours stopover in Istanbul, then onto Los Angeles. Phew, that was a long day!