We bless the rains down in Africa, gunna take some time...

We arrived at Ikweta Meru National Park Kenya Accommodation | iKWETA Safari Camp – Affordable Safari Luxury in eco-friendly natural elegance at about 2:30
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We’d researched all of our accommodation and this is on the rustic end of where we’ll be staying. Tented chalets with ensuites, a central restaurant and bar and a really inviting looking pool.

I’d contacted Matt a few weeks before we left to discuss bedding. Being LGBTIQ is not something you shout about in either Kenya or Tanzania.

When we’d arrived at the Best Western I was asked if we wanted two rooms as I’d booked a queen room beacuse I suppose they could see two men would be in the room. When I said just the one there was no further questions.

I’d said to Matt that we didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable at the camps and lodges we’d be staying at and said that twin rooms would be fine. He responded with 'is that what you really want', and I said 'no, but three weeks is hardly a problem after 24 years'. He responded telling me the modern safari industry is much more accepting and that if we wanted one bed then he would make sure that was what was on the bookings.

So I was a little surprised when we walked into our chalet called Lion and it had two single beds. No way I was going back to reception to ask to move and it became clear we had been moved out of a one bedded room when we logged into the internal and we came up as Zebra chalet, that I peeked in and it has one bed. I’ll talk to Jackson and let him know that we would prefer one bed unless the camp/lodge objects.

Ignoring the bed situation, the chalet is super cool. Yes rustic, but it literally has everything we could need. Multiple powerpoints including multi points and even one with two USB-A points. Good lighting. Plenty of places to put things. A big bathroom. Powered mossie plug-ins. An outdoor terrace. Perfect, nearly!
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While we were checking-in they took our lunch order so we headed back for that. Our safari is full board as are most I’d imagine. Three courses offered - salad, three choices for main and then ice cream or fruit salad. I had the vege pasta option and it was plain but delicious.
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Tusker ciders and a salad. Yes, I know don't eat the salad, don't have drinks with ice. So far I've stayed away from ice but not the other.
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Then it was out to Kigwara, our safari vehicle for safari number one, a ‘short intro’ as Jackson described it. IMG_6487.JPGIMG_6490.JPG
 
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The entrance to Meru National Park Meru National Park | Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is about 2km from Ikweta.
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weaver bird nest
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a bird. Might even be a weaver. I suppose I could google it but oh well. Twitchers we are not
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500 metres in and bStut’s intro kicked off - a big family of Olive Baboons sitting by the side of the road. A couple of gorgeous babies amongst the group.

and this bum
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It didn’t really stop for the two hours we were in the park. Giraffes DSC_0076.JPGDSC_0077.JPG

then a heron, maybe
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that iconic African sunset shot
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an elephant with a broken ear
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a giraffe splaying legs and eating down
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and two end the afternoon a couple of zebras.
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We had an absolute ball. bStut couldn't believe what he had just seen. It brough bAlt and me so much joy to see the look on his face.

When we got back I quickly downloaded our photos to check if the new Nikon Z50 we’d bought to bring on the trip (since superceded and with USB-C :(), and taken all of five photos with, had been successful. The answer is a resounding yes. We took some cracking photos with it. Our now getting long in the tooth Sony RX10 IV didn't disappoint, and even our phones continued to surprise.

Dinner was at 7.30. Our orders had been taken as we were finishing lunch. A delicious ginger and carrot soup and really tasty pork chops
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Some of course will look at it and think yikes, slop, but it is to our liking - simple but tasty and in keeping with the overall feeling of the camp. It all goes in the same place and goes out the same way, well, except for me, cos Colin looks after that task. Brekkie orders taken at the end of dinner.

We had beers and ciders, sorry no pictures kangaroo
75 but you know what to do

the very inviting, and warm, pool
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and toddled off to our chalets after 9.

The outside light was on, curtains pulled and bed turned down. Just missing the chocolate :)

So endeth the first day of our trip from Nairobi to Mombasa. What a cracker.
 
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Day 2

Ikweta Camp - Meru National Park

Apart from the ‘waking up at 3’ thing, we both had good sleeps. bAlt managed to go back to sleep and went through to 6 and I had another half hour after editing photos.

We’d said breakfast at 6.30 for our 7.30 start. Fruit, poached eggs and toast for us and pancakes for bStut
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Justin with the lunch menu
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The eggs were the opposite of runny. I do want to say that even if the food was nothing other than ok, the service that we received at Ekweta was excellent. Rachel and Justin who looked after us at the restaurant were just lovely.

So to our first morning safari and it was a mixed bag
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We started off again with some more elephants
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followed by a pair of ostriches
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Then giraffes
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some kind of cuckoo
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a long crested eagle (beautiful)
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fish eagle
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water birds including yellow billed stork, hamerkop and egrets
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then a brief sighting of a lesser kudu (I wonder if it’s as tasty as the greater kudu ;))
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We then went into the rhino sanctuary where there are 30ish black and white rhino. Chances of seeing? Very slim.

Lots of grazers though as there are no predators inside the low and quite unusual electric fence. We came to a busy zebra crossing
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then behind a bush I saw something dark grey and realised it was a rhino. It wasn’t just one. It was three! The largest had a very damaged big horn. I was so excited I forgot to take any pictures. Lucky bStut got some to prove that we weren’t dreaming.

not sure how I even managed to see them
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Out of the sanctuary and back into the park for more giraffes
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and giraffes and zebra
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and a pair of dik dik
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some guinea fowl
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and then to Leopard Rock
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where all we saw was the rock, and a rock hyrax
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A lilac breasted roller, a bird that we saw many of last year in south western Africa
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That was pretty much it. It was getting warm and Jackson suggested we call it and we agreed.

Some local livestock being herded down the road
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Back to Ikweta where lunch time was approaching. Tilapia for lunch today and again, simple and tasty
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Some vivid pink strawberry ice cream that was not my favourite but I've always avoided since I was introduced to neopolitan icecream as a child
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Beers and ciders to accompany the meal
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Lazy afternoon including a swim in the not freezing pool
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and a short stroll on the 10 minute bush trail around the camp. They offer a one hour guided walk, morning or afternoon, and we really should have to try and get some steps in but oh well.

Dinner was another delicious soup, sweet potato and leak
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I had chicken
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and then we all had fab dragonfruit trifle
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washed down with a South African Merlot that was ok
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bAlt and I then had a pina colada using a recipe I'm not aware of
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and had a chat to one of the owners of the camp. She was from the US east coast and her husband was a local Kenyan. They had worked for the UN and had decided to move to Kenya. Late 60s I reckon. They established the camp in 2012. She commented on the cats, of which there were dozens. They are kept to keep the vermin down and keep snakes away. If you don't like cats. or are allergic to them, Ikweta is not for you. We loved it (maybe not teh ctas though).

Tomorrow we cross the equator.
 

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