Tree Tops Lodge - Kenya

I did say about two years ago I would blog about Treetops, well now I will.

 It was the summer of 1978 and my wife’s birthday was a couple days earlier when we finally set out for the Aberdare National Park in Kenya. We were to spend the night of June the fifteenth at the lodge. The one that Princess Elizabeth had stayed in 1952 was burned down by the Mau Mau in 1954 but a new one had been built. The lodge is actually built in the treetops near the same waterhole where the original one had been. All authentic stuff, but first we stopped at the Outspan Hotel which was nearby and had tea and scones on the terrace looking out onto the lawns – all very civilised – no lions attacking us – actually we never saw any lions during the visit

Eventually we went to the ‘Treetop’s Lodge’ well quite near to the ‘Lodge’ and here we met ‘White Hunter’.  Well that was how he was introduced. Seemed a nice old boy carrying a rifle – just the one ‘White Hunter’ and I did think considering we were in wild animal territory and were crossing the waterhole clearing, which already had some visitors, that we should have had more ‘White Hunters’, he kept saying keep together, and I for one didn’t challenge the suggestion. The ‘Lodge’ was impressive - high up in the trees with wooden steps/stairs to which we hurriedly gained access avoiding the animals that were looking at us and quickly went up to the ‘Lodge’ watched over by our escort! Then we were shown to our bedrooms. Now I’m quite a big man and these were very small rooms with a small window which I promptly opened – and my wife just as promptly closed. ‘There are wild animals out there and some can climb!’ she was aware of our situation more than me. We settled in and then went for a walk about – which meant looking at the observation lounge and the roof terrace.

 By this time our visitors were arriving for the ‘salt lick’ and water hole, a selection of Buffalo and Rhino and others yet to be identified. We looked down and watched - tea was being served on the roof terrace so went up and helped ourselves to sandwiches and tea. Now my wife and I have different versions of what happened next – a troop of baboons came through the trees to join us for tea. I quickly went down the stairs to the lower floor and checked that it was clear for everybody to go below. My wife has a different explanation. I was off without waiting to see what the others were doing and my wife followed behind me, unprotected by her gallant husband who had led the way. To this day she mutters about lifeboats and who will be first in them. The baboons finished the sandwiches and soon had the roof terrace to themselves!

Eventually we were called for dinner in a small and narrow dining room with one long narrow table down the centre, then once seated you were in, and the food was passed up on a trolley in the centre of the table – no room for anyone to serve at table, all very cosy. The menu was very good. Melon followed by soup, then Veal with a variety of vegetables, for desert Linser tart, next Cheese and finally coffee and liquors. It was then time to get seated in the observation lounge.

Now the observation lounge is at a reasonable height but the wild life seemed close enough but we were just high enough. It was the first night when there were no elephants or lions. We could hear the elephants screaming in the distance but this was be the first night for six weeks when they didn’t come to the water hole. However there was plenty to see and a display was put on by Rhino – Buffalo – Water Buck who performed with considerable noise and action stamping and snorting. Was that all we saw. No, there was Bush Buck – Wart Hog grunting in the clearing along with the Giant Forest Hog – Genet Cat – White Tailed Mongoose – Bush Babies – African Hare, and of course Baboons – and all were close – yes very close. We spent most of the night watching and then were first up in the morning (6:30 am). White Hunter was also up early and was watching with us. My wife pointed to a very small antelope near the edge of the clearing ‘What’s that one?’ White Hunter became interested ‘Looks like you are in luck, it’s a Red Forest Duiker, not often you see them, must be because no one is about’ We continued watching for some time but we were still first in for breakfast.. Did we see plenty of wild life? It was amazing all night long the waterhole had been a scene of great activity, not just the odd animal but dozens all night long. We did go to other waterholes but none were as impressive as Treetops.

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URL's and all that

I didn’t think I would get round to blogging today – one of those days when you plan all sorts of things and then get snowed under with trying to sort out one particular problem. Now I use Google Adwords for some of my advertising – or rather I did then a couple of years ago I seemed to lose track of what I had to do making up the advert layout – so I stopped – well I had other things to think about.

But I have got back into several things that have lain neglected and last weekend decided I should get on top of it. Several helpful young ladies at Google AdWords also got involved and so I moved back into the world of Google Adwords for my sins. Now you will notice I said young ladies – I presumed they are young as they seemed to understand what they were talking about – I didn’t. As someone who is in their late seventies the world of URL’s Display or Destination is one I am still trying to understand – maybe tomorrow I will get there – maybe! So it’s late afternoon here in Northants and it’s time I gave that one a rest

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Went to look at the house my daughter has just bought and looked with amazement at the amount of work she is taking on. I suppose I should look back to when I was younger and bought a 17^th century farmhouse which had one cold tap in the house, and one bucket in a shed/hut in the garden.  The builder who worked with me never did understand why I ended up with five toilets but I don’t like to be caught short, and so the sanitation I installed was needed. The only question I asked about to my daughter on the work she was contemplating was ‘Is there going to be a toilet downstairs’

Soon be summer! Well that’s what I am hoping, too much of this damp weather is not much fun. The birds are still blaming me. We have Red Kites here in Northants, never used to, they seem to have settled here a few years ago and now you see them every day, at least they haven’t got round to blaming me for the wet weather.  I often wonder if anybody else has unusual wildlife in their area – not just in England where I live but on a worldwide basis. Always happy to receive comments at the end of my blogs.

Think I’ll wrap up for the day, possibly miss out tomorrow and try and solve the mysteries of URL’s

Regards to all Patrick

Funny thing the Heart

Funny thing I thought no one really looked at my blogs – I just enjoyed writing them.  In answer to those who read them in the past and wondered why I stopped!                            Health was the reason and I have now sold my villa in Spain and no longer spend time traveling to and fro – back and forth, from my home in England. I have done little to correct my health problem – well the consultant said they needed to change some tubes and valves in my heart. I’m a coward and declined his offer, and the odds he gave were not the sort I fancied!  So I decided to settle for a much quieter life and now I fancy blogging again.

Now before I get political or heavy (you can read some of my old blogs if you like) I have decided to try and be light hearted – now there’s a daft comment.  It’s still wet today, and the birds are still looking. The only ones who don’t keep looking are the Goldfinches, we have a couple who arrive settle on their special containers  -  eat as much as possible and disappear for the day. The Doves , Pigeons and Jackdaws just keep hanging around all day. And those starlings, what a crowd, we call them spivs, shows how old I am using terms of the 50’s and 60’s. The Blue Tits come in quietly and take what they fancy, nice people (birds) Blue Tits, very polite and wait for a quiet moment before going onto the tubes and tables.

Same news as usual, do people really love killing each other – the politicians are itching to start a war, why I can’t understand – but then they don’t usually go and do the fighting – just say how sorry they are that somebody is killed or maimed. Pity they can’t be made to lead from the front line – some hope! Getting a bit heavy am I.

I planted an orchard a few weeks ago, if you looked at my garden you would ask where – there isn’t enough room for a table tennis table. But I saw this advert –two apple trees, one pear, a cherry and a plum. All they needed was a large pot each and guaranteed not to grow more than six feet!!! So I thought why not. Five sticks arrived with roots and in tiny travelling pots looking very health, they were soon planted, and that was about five weeks ago. What an idiot you may be thinking – however all are now in leaf and judging by the blossom on the apples and we shall be picking some fruit this autumn - heart permitting. My neighbour muttered something about scrumping, he must be as old as me – nobody goes scrumping anymore –fruit comes from the supermarket in plastic bags.

Joined a Helicopter Club a few weeks ago and go for a flight once a fortnight – another of my flights of fancy. No these helicopters are radio controlled and will fit on the palm of my hand but they can be recommended to anybody who wants to have some fun. – What else?  Well you will have to wait for my next blog.

Regards to all    Patrick

The Early Birds

It’s wet today, not actually raining just looking as if it might. The birds get annoyed with me – yes definitely with me as I feed them a lot of bird seed etc; If it’s wet then I don’t put out so much as it gets damp and they don’t like damp food – so it seems it’s my fault and they peer in through the windows and look at me in a very annoyed way. First it seems I should sort out the weather and then put out more food.

It reminds me of a time when I was responsible for making sure everything on the estate where I lived was kept in order. One of my fellow residents wrote to complain that the waves on the coastal path outside her villa were very noisy and could I do something about it. I declined to go and have a serious talk with the sea and put the matter to one side.

The problem with the birds and the damp/rain is that they know which room I sleep in and first thing in the morning arrive to fix their eyes on me as I lie in bed. Eventually I get up and place a bit of seed on their table and in the hanging tubes. Promptly they leave the terrace area which is the first place I go to and fly round to the front of the house and look at the empty table etc there. Again the routine of looking through the windows continues and I have to put some food at the front of the house ….then they fly off!          Actually they go off and find their friends and then they all return and clear everything in next to no time and go back to looking at me              or is it just that I have a guilty feeling.

I thought I would just tell you about this as it seems much more important than the news I had been watching from my bed. Now that is a load of rubbish and I wonder why I watch it – I tell my wife how to solve all the problems they have – but nobody listens to me.

The birds on the other hand have faith in me it just takes a little bit of concentrated looking!

I will try and a be a bit more serious next time I blog, but I thought this was an easy way to get started again.