Last night, in bed, lights turned off and just drifting into sleep, when I heard a dog barking, a man shouting, and then a strange, rhythmic wheezing grunting sound, like a defective water pump. Eventually I got out of bed to look out of the window and there was a baby hippopotamus in the garden, […]

Another weekend, another life-threatening expedition. This morning we left early for Hell’s Gate and rented a couple of bicycles at the entrance. I’m glad I held out for a step-over as otherwise it was a fairly rattly bicycle and the brakes didn’t work. But because it was step-through I at least didn’t fall over every […]

Yesterday I followed the dog that lives on this property as it clearly wanted to show me something. Today it was back at the same time, so we seem to have a regular afternoon exploration. Today we went down to the swampy bit by the lake. The nesting birds which usually divebomb to drive away […]

The place we are staying is in the middle of an animal sanctuary, so we live amongst zebras, giraffes and gazelle, as well as a rather sweet dog who comes to say a daily hello and then runs off. There are the hippos below, and any number of birds, including a highly territorial pair which […]