Lay low, spend most of the day reading outside of my band. Talk more with my folks, write some emails. Don’t have much of appetite, but tummy feeling better.

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.

Sleep in and feeling better. Enjoy leisurely breakfast and nice conversation with bird song post-doc. As packing feel a bit sick-ish, wonder if should go or not. Pack up stuff and decide to make gametime decision. Of course I decide to go, how can I not go?!

Pack up 7 people and our stuff into one big land cruiser (Kermit) and head out a little after noon. As leaving station see a whole crew of elephants bating in the river, spraying water and flinging mud on themselves. As cruising to Nanyuki driver slams on brakes and shouts something. Turns out we almost ran over a leopard tortoise. After our resettlement effort (putting in on the other side of the road) we’re back on the way. Stop in Nanyuki for provisions (food, wine, matches, money) we head to the Aberdares. Got verbal directions before we left (turn by the dairy?!), but still uncertain about the correct turn-off. Luckily another researcher has gone this way before and we appear to be on the right track. Although the lodge is ridiculously cheap, the entrance fees for non-residents is pretty expensive ($40 US) and plus an overall vehicle fee. With a research permit, though, the fee drops to ~$15 US. About half of us have paid the research permit fee and filled out all the paperwork, but they haven’t been processed yet. As we enter the gate, a few of us hop on the roof, and our annoyance melts away when as soon as we enter the park we’re surrounded by a ton (literally, in the case of the bufs and eles) wildlife. Including...

Waterbuck

Warthog

Silvery-cheeked hornbills

Buffalo

Bushbuck

Though unable to grab a picture, we see a handful of giant forest hogs run across the road! Incredible! As its getting dark we start to head towards our lodge, and go through a bit of soggy area. End up getting stuck in about a foot or two of very wet mud. Luckily we’re able to push ourselves out without too much of a problem. I get a bit of spa treatment on my legs as well.

Impressed by the Tusk lodge, which comes with its own caretaker, as well. She lights the kerosene lamps and actually gets a fire going for us. We make some dinner by lamplight and relax by the fire with our box of wine for the evening.

Make some phone calls about lodging (for eight?!) in the Aberdares. One lodge is full, the other is uber $$$. Track down another lodge that looks promising. Work on progress report but get waves of nausea and stomach cramps throughout morning. Hits every 20 -30 minutes and then passes. Some folks get back from the field and we make the lodge reservation (Tusk Lodge located in the Aberdare National Park), making the trip official! Spend the afternoon doing some lab work. Rumors of wild dogs around the station, and head out with a few folks to see if we can find them. Almost immediately see three spotted hyenas clearly on the trail of something (they’re often found following wild dogs on their hunts). Come across a very strong dead smell, but no dogs. After dinner feel a bit feverish and head to bed early.

Up early to skype, head out to field. A class from Cornell arrived a few days ago, and as driving back to station see them posing for a group picture around the (now very decayed) giraffe carcass. Also spot some female Kudus hanging out by the dry mud hole, probably searching for some water.

As eating lunch see fellowship coordinator arrive. Return my dishes, feel a shot of adrenaline, and belly up to his table. Able to chat with another researcher while Alison chats with coordinator and his wife. Alison leaves and his wife slides down and starts to ask me about my project. We have an intelligent yet conversational discussion about what I’m working on, who I’m working with, and what I plan to do in the future. Able to chat about what I’ve been doing in an easy yet informative conversation with coordinator listening and asking a few questions. Generally just have a pleasant interaction with them both. Alright!

Now all I need to do is submit the official progress report…

Spend the afternoon doing some data entry and a literature search. Grab a shot of Dan, a post-doc studying bird vocalizations. At one point a hornbill lands on the ledge right outside the window while her mate looks on. Go for a run. Some folks are thinking about going to the Aberdares (=national park ~ 3 hrs away) for the weekend…

Collect more nectar, see whole troop of baboons crossing road on way back to the station. Need to figure out how to process such small amounts of nectar, get some good ideas from conversations with another researcher. Send some emails and hopefully the helpful supplies will arrive in a couple weeks. Hear that fellowship coordinator is leaving a day and a half and so write an email setting up a meeting.

Out to field early, feeling tired and worn. Write some emails, do some data entry in the afternoon and talk a nice walk with Talak and his mom. Big Trustee’s dinner at the ranch house tonight. End up hanging more with Kenyan staff than with biggidy wigs. Expecting to chat with my fellowship coordinator, but we never do. Return back to station, feeling odd that we never interacted (should have I interrupted one of his conversations with the other Trustees?!) Check email, and read “As you probably already know by now, happy to inform you that we’re extending your funding.” After all this waiting and anticipating this important interaction is it really actually already decided?!