Lake Natron and Oldonyo L'Engai

We just got back from a weekend at Lake Natron and Oldonyo L’Engai with the Banks and Foley families.  It’s been two years since we’ve been to Lake Natron; it was fun to go back and look at the pictures from that trip to get excited for this one…Anderson was still in diapers.  Unfortunately, our tire puncture stats didn’t improve this time (3 flats:  David 2 and Charles 1 and David woke up to another flat when we got home….eerily the same as two years ago).  The difference this time was that David also ended up with a gash on his head that almost required stitches…who knew that changing a flat could be so dangerous? It really doesn’t look far on the map, but it took us almost 6 hours (with a tire change and quick stop for sundowners).  It’s nothing to complain about when the views are gorgeous and we can see all sorts of wildlife along the way (giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, ostrich).

Stop for tire change and curious kids from the village

Wherever Sierra was, Anderson wasn’t too far away (so cute). He drew her pictures and brought her flowers, too.

Gorgeous drive there and stop for sundowners

We stayed at Moivaro’s tented camp since we were going for the easier trip this time (staying in safari tents instead of camping ourselves).  This made it easier for a nighttime arrival and a relaxing morning before we headed out for the waterfall hike.  So much easier and faster than two years ago when the kids were much smaller.

On the way back Anderson spotted this snake swimming in the water.  We think it’s a juvenile red spitting cobra.  Glad we saw it on the way back and not on the way there.

Flash toilets?  Maybe they upgraded since we stayed there two years ago.

Baster view?  Sure is.  Maybe even the bastest.

Sundowners near the lake.  Flamingos, volcano, and muddy kids.

We decided to take another (dusty) route home.  It was so beautiful.  If you are going to get a flat, might as well be where the scenery in gorgeous.

Was a great weekend and so glad we got to do one last Brown/Banks/Foley trip before the Banks leave us in a couple of weeks. 

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Side note on the difference between Tierney and Ashlyn.  The way they unpack (or, in Tierney’s case, stay packed) really represent their individual personalities. 

 

Kili Revival

We had  a party this afternoon for the group of us that climbed Kilimanjaro (sorry you couldn’t be here, Elizabeth).  Since I was one of two that had a camera the entire way, I said I’d put together some photos/slideshow that we could watch. 

Kilimanjaro Slideshow from Lisa Coyle on Vimeo.

It was fun to put this together and re-live the summit.  Almost makes me want to do it again.

Bird Banding

Last night we went to our friend Marc’s house for some bird banding.  Marc lives not to far from us at the top of a beautiful hill overlooking much of Arusha and the surrounding plains.  He occasionally sets up “mist nets” that enables him to catch birds that are flying though (either resident or migratory).  He then bands their legs, records pertinent information (later entered into a national/international database), and then releases them.  We were lucky enough to be there this time for some bird banding, sundowners, and dinner. 

Mist nets to catch the birds

Bagged and waiting to be measured

Measuring:  wings, legs, beak, weight and banding

Checking for brood patch. Marc blew on it’s belly to see whether it was missing the feathers from it’s belly which would indicate that it’s sitting on eggs (like this one).  I never knew. 

Marc got bit more than a few times

Ash and I got a turn with a mouse bird

Break for a walk up the hill.  Gorgeous.

Super fun catch was this Night Jar.  We never see them except in our car headlights at night – just enough to scare them off into the bush. 

Thanks to the Baker’s for hosting.  We had a super fun night.