RTG Southern Cross Daily Dispatch low-res - Flipbook - Page 26
Day 12: Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara, 27 February 2020
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Everyone, bar one car, made it safely through. And, slowly,
carefully, and with the utmost regard for their suspension,
they began to creep along this road into the bush. Steve
and Jenny Verrall were the unlucky ones who had a bit of
a wait by the roadside. A wheel bearing had collapsed and
it took them, along with Jamie Turner and Andy Inskip, a
couple of hours to replace this along with the half shaft of
their 911. To add insult to injury, when they were almost
within sight of the hotel they then suffered a puncture.
Although the weather was unseasonably atrocious,
the Masai Mara did serve up some amazing treats for us
today. First up was a family of at least six cheetahs who
sat motionless in the rain almost next to the roadside and
oblivious to us, watching and waiting for their next meal to
come into range.
Thankfully, we didn’t have long to wait for our next meal.
By early afternoon most of the rally was safely ensconced
in the well appointed Fairmont Masai Mara and enjoying
a very good lunch a few metres from a pod of bellicose
hippos. An optional safari drive followed where the next
set of treats arrived. The grasslands here are big cat
territory and whilst we did see plenty of giraffe, elephants
and gazelle, it was a pride of lions which held everyone
spellbound.
One huge male, three adult females and two cubs lolled,
roared and posed for us as well as giving us an insight into
a domestic dispute - lion style. It was noisy and it left noone in any doubt as to the power of these animals.
Whilst the bar here is well stocked and the staff are
always on hand to serve up whatever refreshments are
required, a fair percentage of the rally opted for an early
night. There’s a pre dawn start for most us with either a
sunrise safari or a balloon flight on offer.
Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter
Alan and Tina Beardshaw, Triumph TR6
www.rallytheglobe.com
