Meru

Forgive my holiday photos, I won't put all 8,000 of them up here! Meru, like all of the Kenyan National Parks has suffered from a drought all year, fortunately not losing too many of their wild animals that seem to be well-adapted. Some will have migrated but most have stayed. 

Fortunately there was rain about three weeks before our arrival and the whole area had flourished into an improbable green, and the animals which had become bony had started to fill out again. 

You rarely see a thin zebra!

Meru will be forever associated with Joy and George Adamson, albeit that their own relationship was ragged (Joy didn't give George a penny from the proceeds of her book, Born Free), they fought for and gained protection for Meru National Park and Joy set up the Born Free Foundation which is busy, even today, protecting the lions and other animals in the park. This in contrast to Kora on the other side of the Tano River, and the place where both of them were eventually murdered in different incidents, is devoid of wildlife because of illegal grazing and poaching. 

Gerenuk or long-necked antelope

There are thirteen rivers that run permanently across Meru, often highlighted by the wonderful Y-Y palm which is limited to Meru National Park. 

There are also the mysterious and ancient Baobab trees which are the subject of so many children's stories.

The rivers attract a lot of birds and other creatures. 

At lunchtime it was time to go to Elsa's Kopje, the only remaining lodge in Meru, to be greeted by the most amazing team, headed by the outstanding, and sometimes coy, Grace Leonard. As always there were plenty of wildlife around the camp itself and underneath the framed pictures...

Me: "I like your scarf"

Grace: "I wore it especially for you."

I bet she says that to all the girls and all the boys.

Courtesy: Grace Leonard