Jambo! My
name is Tori, and I’m the new RA at Talek Camp. Matthew and I arrived in the
Mara about 3 weeks ago now, and like he mentioned in his first post, there has
been LOTS of rain. Coming from Florida, the so called “Sunshine State,” I was
very used to heavy thunderstorms and downpours that lasted for days. In fact,
it may have actually been me who brought the rain… Since leaving Florida, I’ve
heard reports from family and friends about how unusually sunny it’s been
lately. It seems my arrival in the Mara also marked the first day of consistent
rains here. Coincidence?
However, despite the short rainy season keeping us holed up in camp for
days (going on weeks) at a time, I have been able to learn a lot about who else
shares camp with us. The muddy, black volcanic soil of the Mara is good for two
things: getting our giant Land Cruisers stuck and creating animal tracks! Every
morning when I emerge from my tent, tracks of all kinds can be spotted
throughout our walking trails. It is so interesting (and slightly terrifying)
to discover who wanders Talek camp at night. To my surprise, it’s usually the
hyenas! Even though we haven’t seen a single hyena in quite some time now due
to the rains, it is somewhat comforting to hear them whooping loudly in the
near distance at night and seeing their paw prints on the trails in the
morning. After many consecutive days of sitting in camp, doing anything to pass
the time, these little signs from the hyenas help me remember why I’ve traveled
back to Africa again! Hopefully soon the rain will cease and we will be
reunited with our fisi friends yet again!
For now, I hold onto the amazing animal encounters thus far, and can't wait for all that is yet to come!
