Day 12: Walk to Old Chyulu Gate


We made it all the way across Tsavo! Here we are at midday, after today's 5 hour walk and 187 km, East to West gate to gate. Happy days. Here are some feet that have walked:
We had a photo with the scouts, with whom we have walked in single file for 11 days. They are consummate professionals at their craft, from Samburu, and our safe passage is down to them:
As ever, the morning started out with a bit of an adventure, as we crossed the only bridge for miles around, that had seen better days. It was washed away in the 2015 (?) floods, although there are signs that it is in the process of being renovated. 
Walking past Mzima Springs was a green oasis. The 2nd half of the morning we had a wonderful walk across the plains to Old Chyulu Gate. There was lots of plains game and so our sitings of lesser kudu, wildebeest and a tortoise brought our count of animals (excluding flying animals and insects) to 40. Luckily the lava fields did not materialise and so the walking underfoot was straightforward. This is a wonderful Euphorbia
Did you know that hippos can't cross their legs? That's why they leave very smart trails:
Back at camp, Tom found his first blister! ("On your knitting finger?" asks Alex). Scallywag. Meanwhile, Daniel is trimming his toenails ready for cycling. Luckily, it didn't take him long, as he only has 8 to cut.

Daniel and Tom have huge appreciation for three people in particular: Catherine and Emma for putting up with this mad-cap journey and coming with us on this amazing stage.
And Alex Fixsman from www.tropical-ice.com for being such a great guide, managing to blend professionalism and humour in perfect quantities. 
Now: switch to bike. 

Comments

  1. Jo HechleFebruary 10, 2022 at 6:33 PM

    Well done girls! Bet you were overjoyed to return to home comforts... am so proud of you. xxxxx

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 24: Cycle to Nyalilpuch

Image
Where on earth is Nyalilpuch? You might well ask. Well, it is perched on a ledge above Lake Bogoria. Here is a map of our route over the last 6 days. We started on the red line at the bottom of the picture and the days switch between red and blue (except there are 2 reds in a row at one point!) Daily life continues on the road: And near a place called Solai we went through a huge macadamia nut plantation. Being a geographer, Tom couldn't pass this erosion by without stopping. It looks like a relief model of an entire mountain range. We came over the final hill to find Lake Bogoria spread out below us. There are no car tracks to this camping spot, so we don't think it's is frequented by many travellers. The dryland forest spreads as far as the eye can see.
Read more

Day 41 to The Jade Sea!

Image
We set off early from our final night with Helen. We planned 3 short days of cycling, as everyone had told us how inhospitable the terrain would be. We passed through South Horr which was a very sleepy little town, with a tree lined main street. We even came across running water at the end, which was the first we had seen for 10 days. We arrived at the turn to Koros Camp at 8am and thought we could make better use of the day than sitting under a tree, so carried on towards Lake Turkana Wind Power. What a place! Tom has wanted to come here for ages ... The 365 turbines provide 17% of the country's power at peak times and 30% at night. It really is impressive. We are very thankful for the welcome we were given at the main site, to get out of the heat of the day, including lunch in the canteen. Here we are getting in a sliver of shade for and hour, by what must me the world's most exposed, hottest and windiest swimming pool (35°C and 30 knots??)
Read more

Day 32 Walk to Loidongo Lugga

Image
So, we are back on our journey! And for this leg are rejoined by Catherine and Emma. And we are joined by Tim, a friend of the Szlapaks from the US and Sandy, who has taken a long week out of school.  When we cycled up to Lkanto in May, we really felt we had got to the far north of the country. But today, we headed off further north, to walk through the Ndoto Mountains. Into the real wild. We are walking and Helen's camels are carrying the camp, as we walk up the dry luggas. There has not been proper rain here since March 2020, but it is in the area, as we flew over flowing rivers on the way in this morning.  Here is our camp tonight, taken from a nearby hill.  Our team of Samburu seem to have procured a goat for their supper and are preparing it on a bed of leaves as a makeshift kitchen surface, to reduce the sand and the dust that seems to get into everything given the opportunity.  Just a short walk of 10km today, we wi
Read more