Sand Rivers - my new favourite place on earth

Lauren Scott - Nomad's PR in New York  


The Selous.

Or as I now refer to it, My New Favourite Place On Earth. 

I had been especially excited to visit Sand Rivers and was thoroughly enjoying William Boyd’s Ice Cream War (set on the banks of the Rufiji) in the week preceding our trip, but nothing and no one could have prepared me for how totally, mind-blowingly beautiful and wild the Selous is, or how it would take only 48 hours to fall head over heels in love with it.

I knew I was going to love the area from the moment we touched down on the airstrip. I knew I was going to love Sand Rivers from the second I walked into the camp. But when I saw my room, suite one, that is when I threatened never to leave.  And this was all before the sundowner on Lizzy’s hill, the breakfast on the river and the day in which we saw leopard, buffalo, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and monkeys in under ten minutes. 

It was an amazing treat it was to spend time there – especially during the wet season. Sand Rivers best kept secret is quite how wonderful it is in the wet season. Teaming with wildlife and bursting with green-this really is the Garden of Eden. 

For all of you planning a visit a) I am hugely envious and can’t get back there soon enough and b) Ice Cream War is on the bookshelf there!

Catfight!

Pictures Courtesy of Andy Campbell

Males often go around picking fights, of course, but it's a little unusual to see the fairer sex getting into such an unladylike scrap.

Our friend and serial guest Andy was on a drive with Chris and Debs when they came across two lionesses out for a stroll with three young cubs.   Soon enough they bumped into three lionesses from a neighbouring pride, who had a tumble of cubs of their own under a nearby bush.

Of course, too much oestrogen can be just as volatile as too much testosterone, and this encounter was never going to be just a smile and a wave.  

One of the first two lionesses stood her ground against the three mamas and gave her companion time to get the cubs away.   Her bravery earned her a sound beating as the fur flew and the ground shook, and although she survived the encounter, she'll not want to cross paths with these three desperate housewives again anytime soon.

(You'd think that lions are the only mammal about these parts, the way they keep featuring in every second blog post. Believe me, we are blessed with a wondrous array of beautiful, fascinating animals here in the Selous - but when these lions get busy, they do tend to steal the show.)

The first discussion attempt on the Blog

Hello Everyone
This Blog is a little different than your usual entry. Myself and our Guides had a discussion the other day with out a solution. So we would appreciate your input.
.
Here is the question: When do Legs become Arms.
And here is what we are asking. At what point does an animal have two arms and not two front legs.
One suggestion was once you can grab something with it and bring it to your mouth, but then an elephant would have 4 legs, 1 arm and no nose.
Another suggestion was, once the animal is in the category primates. But we decided that the front legs of a bush baby are legs not arms.
Then there are birds who can grab with their legs and bring the leg to the mouth.
Another suggestion was once the animal walks upright. But Chimpanzees prefer to walk on all 4 with their two legs and their two arms.
There were plenty more suggestions but no real conclusion, So we are waiting for your input.
Cheers
Claus and the Guides at Sand Rivers

Guidelines

Masaa and guests on terra firma mirabilis

Our Head Guide, Masaa, recently left Sand Rivers for some well deserved down time. A friendly pilot agreed to give him a lift out of the Selous, but only if if he was prepared to take a circle route around southern Tanzanian skies.

This is what Masaa texted back to us in camp the next morning from Dar...

"That was great! All the beauty of the sweet southern Tz; the gigantic Rufiji and all the tributaries, the lush Udzungwa and Mama Ruaha and Mikumi, all taken in from a bird's eye view in a few hours!

I've just recovered from my sleep to find Dar alive - I don't like her. I have to go."

A poet guide. Who knew?

Tickle



"Just a little to the left..."                                        Picture courtesy of Andy Campbell

 I love this picture of a millipede going for a walk along the back of a monitor lizard. That face. I reckon that sensation is just on the good side of ticklish, and I doubt the monitor's minding it too much.

It was taken by Andy Campbell on the first of his two trips to Sand Rivers in February, which must be a record. More from Andy's educated camera to follow soon...

Tree's Company

Lions very rarely climb trees. And in the few places where they do, it's assumed that the reasons for doing so are fairly humdrum - to escape biting tsetse flies, or just to catch a cooling breeze.

But there's likely to be a whole lot more behind this Selous lioness's decision to climb this particular tree recently...

 John and Juliet Hayward were out on a drive when they came across a pair of "honeymoon" lions, all lovey-dovey in the shade of a Tagalala tree. Then they noticed that the happy couple was not entirely alone - way above their heads was an older lioness, perched high up in the tree.

The old lady clearly wasn't comfortable, and moved about from one side of the tree to the other. Whether her discomfort was caused by the goings-on below, or by the unfamiliar vantage point, there was no way to tell.

The young lovers didn't seem at all aware of the lioness above, and if they were, it certainly never affected their ardour.

We had some fun discussing the different possible scenarios -was she lookout, voyeur, chaperone, or outraged spinster aunt? But judging by the ragged look of her - and what looks like an eye injury - there is surely a lot more drama behind this story. We'll just never know.

Ain't She Sweet?



Photos courtesy Juliet Hayward

Just cast an eye in her direction...



Can you believe that some people consider hyenas ugly?

Take this lady right here; who could resist those smouldering eyes,

the sculpted features, the Mona Lisa smile?



Oh me oh my, ain't that perfection...

Aah, she's posing now, and why not?

Note the regal air, the beautific expression,

and the fine-spun golden down she wears about her neck.

See her walking down the street...

There she goes, displaying her distinctive curves as she

sashays along, all grace and innocence.

Now I ask you, (very confidentially), ain't she sweet?