10 
CONNS V#un» X r*jm t»t 1 D'c*v*m> !000 
Wc- withdrew to a sand river Tor 
refreshments. The birds werr quiet in 
ihc midday hush Another rough 
journey, eastwards this time, led us 
ro a low stone-walled building 
nestling in a depression, its iron roof 
gleaming incongruously in the barren 
surrounds We shuffled gratefully 
intu the shade while our guide 
explained the amazingly complete, in 
situ, fossil elephant, which had 
roamed these plains two million years 
ago Another short ride revealed two 
similar constructions, visible onl\ 
from a few metres away in the 
undulut mg terrain. An enormous 
tortoise, and easily recognisable 
crocodile curled inwards along its 
tail. As we left the site, protruding 
Irom an insignificant mound near the 
»ars. were a hippo's teeth uncovered 
only last year. 
We got hack to tamp for 'lunch 1 at 
v<)(> p.m.. and. as we approached, the 
lake sparkled diamonds in the 
sunlight before us, turning into soft 
jade in the hay, stretching beyond the 
hori/nn towards the Onto Delia 
Then it was time to drive 
i he short distance to the 
Knobi fora Museum We 
could nor leave this out. 
Bnlliant Carmine Bec- 
catcrs escorted us part of 
the way, 
The single-roomed 
m u sen n» . de 1 1 g h t fu 1 1 y 
designed, explained 
everything so simply And 
the setting was superb — on a steep 
cl i It overlooking the Lake. A herd nl 
Topi and a single Grevy s Zebra 
grazed on the grreti shore lar below 
A Eurasian Nightjar Happed to rest 
below us. I must come again. I 
resolved, as there had been no time 
to explore the liominid lossil sites at 
Katari and I larcr Thunderstorms 
raged to the north and east, while the 
sun struggled with grey colours as it 
dipped towards the west. 
The final surprise or the satari came 
after a smooth boat journey back to 
Kalokol the following day. Three 
enormous grey elephants loomed out 
of the bush just a lew yards Irom the 
road in the reserve north of Marich. 
That evening, our after-dinner 
reminiscence at the Field Studies 
Centre was interrupted as the heavens 
opened, and we rat ed for our handas 
The stream bed ihai separated us 
from the toilet block Hash-flooded in 
the night and on Monday we left a 
community thankful lor the respite 
after many months of drought 
