Oct 01: long haul to Lake Nakuru

..Sad to leave our Simba Lodge.  Turns out we are the last guests: so few bookings it's being put into hibernation until tourism picks up.  So all staff have been let go...  It's a sad day, said our waiter.  Mohammad tells us that Kenya has appealed to the United Nations for help.  Let's hope something can be done, because their economy relies so much on tourism.

It's a six hour drive, the first hour and a half on bone shaking dirt tracks.  A very long African Massage it's called!

We arrive at Lake Nakuna Lodge in time for a late lunch, overlooking the lake.  Just enough time to check into our rooms and we're off on another game drive.  We're supposed to be see a pink shimmering lake of flamingos, but we were disappointed.  In fact, because of pollution flamingos have nigh on disappeared.  Only to be seen in limited numbers in certain seasons, so we're in fact lucky or see the few we did.

The game park here is small and fenced, so nothing like the Masai Mara.  Most of the time we felt like we were in a convoy.

And if you found anything of interest you could be sure someone else will join very soon.

We completed the Big Five today getting close up and personal with the final two: the rhinoceros and buffalo.  An added bonus: a tree climbing lion.

Plenty of baboons around here, they're a bit of a pest at the Lodge.

Our trusty vehicle.

 A very aloof Eland.

After the Expance of the Masai Mara this feels more like an Open Plains zoo.  We've been spoiled!