The only other guests at Loldia were a couple on honeymoon. The groom was a fanatical birder, and chose to get up before dawn in order to satisfy this interest. Ah well…

Close to the lake shore was a 'floating island' made up of aquatic plants, which hampered the launching of boats when too close. However this morning the island had receded, and we were all able to take a short trip out on the lake ().

In addition to seeing some buffalo along the lake edge (), we saw a wide variety of birdlife (to the groom's delight), including pied kingfishers, cormorants, pelican (), below, fish eagles, and many more (), below.

     

Later in the morning we paid a visit to the local Loldia Park School (), which houses three classes of nursery pupils, and three of junior pupils. It was explained to us that schooling in Kenya is free right up to senior level (after which the parents have to pay). Uniforms are subsidised as well, and the children love to wear them.

It is always a joy to visit an African school, and to observe the children in class (), () below, and they appear to enjoy our visit as well (), opposite.

     

Following an early lunch we took our flight back to Nairobi, staying at the very modern Tribe Hotel. We arrived just in time to be able to take a drive through the 113 square km Nairobi National Park, home to a wide variety of wildlife (although not elephant), and where it is quite bizarre to watch such wildlife grazing against a backdrop of a major city skyline ().

Unfortunately the drive took place in a closed minivan (and the guides were totally useless, being unable to identify even the most common species), but we were able to spot black rhino (), eland, zebra, giraffe, ostrich ()> below, and (a new sighting this) a fiscal shrike () below.

Then, on leaving the Park, about 100 metres before the main gate (effectively open to the major city a few km beyond) we spotted a male lion just sitting by the side of the road ().

     

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