Wake up a bit sleepy, but see some light through the window and hear someone moving around outside.






Not sure what time it is, but decide to get up. Turns out I’m the first one up besides the caretakers, a rarity for me. Happy to discover that our lodge faces east and catch the sun rising over Mt. Kenya. Enjoy some muesli and mango for breakfast, plus a little cold spaghetti to boot (god I love cold pasta).







Load up and start our drive up in elevation. We stop to check out the bamboo forests and also spot a few Sykes monkeys as well!














Also spot a weird brain looking growth in a bamboo tree. Termites? Fungus?






We knock it down and decide it’s actually more bum-like in shape.









After ripping it open we discover it is in fact a large fungus.

We also see, where the land has eroded, the ole volcanic activity that formed this area – the ground is obviously ash in areas. And apparently the eles like it as well, as they’ve tusked certain parts.

It’s hard to spend the whole time in the truck, so we find an open spot and poke around a bit. I’m baffled by the really tall single flower stalk, and we investigate the large trees and small stream for a bit.

Stop for a little picnic lunch which consists of cheese, crackers, fruit, and the largest avocados I’ve ever seen.The alpine chats are very interested in them as well. Head down to the waterfall and take the requisite tourist photo in front of it. We drive around some more wildlife, including lots of reedbuck.As we drive up a particularly steep rocky section we soon discover we got a puncture. No worries, as we have a full size spare on the back. We have a bit of time left, so we head down a little road which access some caves. As soon as hit the bottom of the road we discover we have another flat. Mothereffer. They’re a couple who just arrived at the caves and we ask them for help and they’re of zero assistance. We decide it’s best if we can get on the main road to increase our chances of running into someone who will help us. We have a bit of air left in the tire and wonder if we should try to make it to a small lodge 3 km away. But suddenly a thunderstorm hits and the roads turn to mush. So we wait it out and discuss our options. Wait for help, drive to lodge, or worst case, we spend the night in Kermit. We have plenty of water, food, and fuel, and we’d be safe inside, so we’re not in a dire situation. While we’re waiting in the rain we pass around a small flask of whiskey, you know, for warmth. I take a small nip and soon regret it. My tummy had been doing much better, but that puts it over the edge. I start to cramp up and need to urgently find the ‘ladies room’ in the bush. I feel better but the nausea and stomach cramps have returned.

After the rain passes we decide to make the trek to the lodge. But first we change one crappy tire for another – our first flat had a huge tear in the tire, so we might as well run that one into the ground and save our ‘good flat’ to be repaired (simple patching of the hole). We eek down the slippery roads and we all get out and walk to reduce the weight over the rocky bits. I’m dragging arse as I walk over the rocks in the cold damp weather. We make it to the turn off for the lodge, but realize that they probably won’t be able to help us (we’re not even sure if our caretaker had a radio or not, and she definitely didn’t have a puncture repair kit). The tire’s completely flat, but hasn’t started to shred, so we decide to try another 5 km to the National Park gate. We make it, but soon discover we’re getting no help at all. The staff doesn’t have their own researcher vehicle, there’s no puncture repair kit, and while they can radio to the main station, it’s not looking like we’re getting any help from them soon. Doesn’t anybody ever need flat tire assistance in this rugged National Park?! It’s around 17.00, and it’s going to be getting dark in the next hour, hour and half, so if we’re going to try and make it to the closest town (~20 km away) we should leave now. So we pile in and start the trek downhill to Nyeri. Not more than 1-2 km later, Kermit’s driving a bit funny. We get out and see that the tire’s not only shredding, but that it’s begun to twist off and start to hit shocks on the vehicle. We need to somehow remove the excess tire, but those damn steel belted tires make it almost impossible. We try to puncture the rubber with a knife and then tear, which produces very hard earned, slow success. We then find that pulling on the tire while someone else ‘saws’ it with knife works fairly well. We finally remove all of the excess tire, and attach our new wheel – rims with a bit of rubber reinforcement. We continue our slow descent into town and as we get closer the dirt road turns to gravel, and our rim is making a helluva racket. Many villagers are out walking the street, and they look intrigued, horrified, and/or amused to see a huge lime green Land Cruiser with 7 mazungas (Swahili for ‘whitey’) inching along, sounding like it’s dragging a robot. I have my cell in my pocket, as we were hoping to call for help in the National Park, but never had a signal. Once we almost hit town and know help is near, I finally get a signal. Just in time for my parents’ to call and tell me the bad news. I love you and miss you, Ike.