Early morning we took an hour or so's walk in the bush, accompanied by two guides (one armed with a Maasai spear) and two armed rangers (with AK47s) ().

Along the way they demonstrated their method of making fire, using a stick rotated at speed in a hole bored into a larger piece of wood (), below, which, after a while, generates sufficient heat to set fire to some kindling (), below. Well, it worked for them anyway! On the way back we came across an elephant skull (), opposite, which allowed us to study its tooth development in detail.

     

Having then been picked up by a vehicle, we drove to a spot near the river for breakfast, and then continued on with a game drive, during which we saw the cheetah with her 5 cubs again (). More game was then seen on crossing over into the neighbouring Navoisha Conservancy (which Porini also have the right to use), including elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, and a black-backed jackal ().

For bird lovers, we saw a lilac breasted roller, some Egyptian geese (), below, and - a new sighting this - something described to us as a bare-faced go-away bird (), below. On going away we were finally rewarded by a sighting of a number of lions (), opposite, hiding in the grass.

     

This concluded the main game viewing part of our trip (although our stay in Nairobi was to contradict this somewhat, later), and it was time for a few day's relaxation.

If we had been on safari in Tanzania, we would have headed for Zanzibar's idyllic beaches; in Zambia we might have similarly taken a trip down to Tanzania, or across instead to Lake Malawi, for our beach relaxation part of the trip.

Kenya does, of course have a long coastline, complete with many beach resorts, but, to be honest, this is something that we just don't recommend to our clients. Just like the main area of the Mara, many of the beach areas have been spoiled by just too many tourists, and there is of course the small, but existing, danger of terrorist activity along this coast.

But Kenya also has its lakes, and today we were to head for the largest of these (and indeed the largest lake in Africa), Lake Victoria. Our 50 minute flight to here from the Mara took place in what felt like an extremely small (6 seater) Cessna (), which flew sufficiently low for the underlying countryside, and islands to readily be photographed ().

From the airfield in the north of our destination of Mfangano Island (literally a 'field', that had to be 'buzzed' before landing to clear it of any animals that might be grazing here), it was then a 20 minute speedboat () trip to our destination, passing a simple fishing village en route (), complete with large satellite dish.

Mfangano Island Camp, where we were to stay the night, is, set in beautiful gardens in a secluded bay shaded by giant fig trees where fish eagles nest. The island only has one road and no other lodges or camps. Its cottages () are built in local Luo traditional tribal style with walls of mud and clay, and roofs of thatch and banana leaves. They are cool and airy with 4-poster beds, and each has a private veranda with sun beds. The communal areas overlook the lake, and the camp also has its own swimming pool.

Relaxation, and locally sourced excellent food, are the keynote features here, and we proceeded to spend the remainder of our day making the most of these.

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