How fast time flies when you are busy and enjoying yourself in the process. I simply cannot believe how quick one and a half months have flown. The truth is this experience has been an unforgettable one like waking up at 2:30am in the morning to sights and sounds of Sarara our almost permanently resident camp elephant feeding off a bush a meter away from my tent. Moonlight highlighting his enormous silhouette he was so close you could almost touch him although I doubt that would have ended well. With the lights off lying in bed in total silence I watched in awe as he broke the branches and foraged, wondering whether he could sense my presence. He passed the tent to head to the river bed simply disappearing without making any sound.
No fences or barriers allows us at camp to mingle easily with the wild and that’s what makes things around here so special for instance, having greater kudu, dikdiks, mongooses, squirrels and even elephants visit as we have meals. But as such it can have some surprising moments. It was 1730 hours I was washing my hair when I heard a sound in the bushes. I thought it was just some monkeys being cheeky as usual. Ignoring it, I went on with my business but this sound was persistent and would not go away. In fact, it was getting very loud and coming closer. My fears were confirmed. I was trapped with nowhere to run and caught completely unawares with tonnes of soap in my hair. At this time the STE education team had just arrived from Nairobi and so everybody’s attention was now by the car park. Could nobody see what was going on at the bath area??
I look up and see the ear of an elephant hanging over the bathroom wall. Sarara was standing right at the door. The space is open with no roof so all he had to do was look inside and that was it. The bathroom wall could be flung away like a piece of paper or he would flee frantically. Fight or flight. I ducked and threw myself towards the base of the wall. Time stood still for a solid 5 minutes as I listened to Sarara scratch himself and feed. What was the escape plan…None just stay completely still and optimistic…maybe a prayer or two to keep myself sane.
It turns out he did not spot me and was interested in getting a splash in the River Ewaso Ng’iro. Hallelujah! I got out of that place like I was paid. I later discovered that a few camp caretakers had seen Sarara but were not sure if there was anyone in the bath area. We eventually laughed it off saying Sarara was just waiting in line for a shower too. It’s funny how life can change in a split second. The experience has not negated my view of elephants. I still love and respect them but it also taught me to live my life with no regrets and be the best that I can be because tomorrow or even the next few minutes of life are not assured.