Empusel

 Empusel.

The biosphere of beast and man.

I recall the curious minds first meet up as I reconnected with old buddies and cronies at the park’s gate as I  briefed them on kilimanjaro’s spell and the park’s condition. Into the badlands we eloped. In the dusk as I recall spotting shimmering waters on the horizon. Sooner enough we were engulfed in the pitch dark night affair as we found our way to camp in the deep west part of the park.

Well the jungle is never short of drama as I recall meeting other nocturnal enthusiasts with spotters on their land cruisers, to our advantage we spotted few beasts like the Greek water Horse and laxodonta Africana. Tucked in the deep west part of the park , oldonyo naibor dominates the south as hills in Tanzania can be spotted. Next morning as we had planned all is well but a  rude welcome by puff adder didn’t kill the mood .

Our morning game drive is eventful as I commence by interpreting a group of Thompson gazelles alongside a dominant male, next is the helmet guinea fowls and Burchells zebys as we head deep down Serena rocky picnic site. Deep down the tortillis am spotting herds of laxadonta africanas led by matriarchs enjoying the sunrise with the  company of a two meters long ferocious cobra on a periscope view with a swollen belly depicting moments after a kill.

Moving on from the Arabic derived saqr-et-tair (hunting bird in Arabic) alias the secretary bird majestically walks the savannah decorated by  victorian era secretary’s quills on the back of their ears.

Spotting the heaviest flying bird, the Kori bustard lightens the morning as flocks of migrant Egyptian geese take me on a mind trip as winter thaws in Europe.

Am now around Maji ya kioko a corruption of kiboko (swahili for hippo) spotting waders as head to nomootio for a picnic evoking childhood memories with friends.Nomootio a maasai name meaning a black porous rock as the panorama of park gets juicer upon ascent with a view of the plains and the marshlands.

Upon ascent is the most breathtaking  backdrop of oldonyo naibor in the breeze as some call it the shy mountain but today is our lucky day.To the east are the water engulfed deserted views of Kilimanjaro view next is  oltukia lodge and the submerged trees of ol Kenya swamp.

To the north is lake kioko as the western flanks offer views of Enkongu narok  swamp fed by subterranean springs that rise from Kilimanjaro fed by underground acquifers.

Adjacent to the viewpoint of observation hill(nomootio) is the island like rock outcrop as I wish we had a wooden bridge like that of rolph’s place but legend has it of a resident serpentis whose spotted basking occasionally.

The vibes are infectious at the picnic site  meeting buddies inbound from NYC , Thailand and across the globe with freeze frame moments. Heading home the tuskers are really near that grazed the plains of empusel.Empusel a maasai depiction of the grey saline volcanic dust covering the plains perhaps the name Amboseli during kilimanjaro’s volatile infancy .

Back to camp before the sundowner game I was intrigued by some buffalo weavers courtship that fed each other beak to beak as they moved towards me alongside some superb starlings.

Onset of the gamedrive our interest was felines but down oltukai our fete was meant to large herds of elephants and yellow baboons  spotting a few dagger boys( syncerus caffer) Serena  inbound  at the doum palms of A.T.E (Amboseli trust for elephants) as male tuskers locked horns in a bloody combat.

The next day I almost thought I overslept when I woke up to the most punishing temperatures  of spell bound kibo and mawenzi’s dry winter. Well for our itinerary not an early morning and some steaming barista beverage elates the morning .

Later in the day a blend with the locals on a maasai village cultural tour replenished my guests from an urban break to heartthrobing renditions, lots of souvenirs and culture exchange.

Back to camp for siesta I take a moment to reflect and soak up in the solace and ambience the bush can offer aware of the turmoil in urban peripheries something I could not overlook.

Curiosity killed the cats, but who did the cats kill? Was my evening vendatta as robust families of waders were out like African jacanas,stilt plovers,African darter, herons, flamingoes and spoonbills waded only for distant canidae and hanidae of jackal and crocuta crocuta to be spotted.

As if the day was contending for the accolade of the most serene sundowner evening, the deep orange sun kissed the plains as the reflections casted magnificent moments.

Talk of magnificent moments my attention was robbed when I spotted from a far a beast of interest and a pursuit was inevitable.

Hastily we drove round the circuit as curious Ryan was on toes , fleets of safari jeeps  flocked round the scenario as I tried to catch a glimpse from a far but sooner we arrived they were gone.

 I recall keenly in determination filtering out everything in sight and from prey’s observation in panic spotting a feline fading in the grass , carefully encroaching and to my fate it was acinonyx jubatus on an evening wildhunt impressed were my tourist and cat enthusiasts not alone my longing spirit to spot cats.

Sight of the black teared marked spotted feline made relate in the moment to chief Seattles ‘If all beasts were gone man would perish from a great spirit of loneliness ‘. Talk of loneliness a sole encounter with a wild tusker of the legends family was Mike alone next to him perched was an African fish eagle on our way home.

Mike reminded me  not only of Craig but  his brother the legendary Tim who had gave up ghost.Tim was gone but memories lingered at ol kelunyet as we drove to camp.As the jungle rule goes you let life to take it’s course and so do I as bunduzman, I Indulge-relate-feel-live.

Ein empusel(kili royal court Odyssey)