EANHS B 
H 
2 Dmcwnto’XXCO 
There, nestled below us. was a small 
lake encircled by a thick rim of pink: 
the experts estimated 3.000 
flamingos. We paused for breath and 
photographs, then slid down onto the 
crater floor, and up the other side, our 
party spreading out. There was a stop 
near the highest peak to marvel at the 
sulphurous steam-jets. We were 
hurried forward along the rough 
path, painfully detained by wait-a-bit 
thorns, with warnings that it would 
soon get too hot lor comfort. Another 
crater came into view, deep green and 
i|uier; no flamingos here bur two 
enormous crocodiles lurked death- 
like in the dark waters. Breeding 
herons and egrets were glimpsed in 
the bushes between water and chfl 
wall. It really was getting hot now. 
und water hordes were flapping 
emptily at our sides. The long plunge 
down to the lake-level seemed to go 
on forever The sun baked down. 
L 
another early start, and we piled into 
landrovcrs for the long bumpy 
tourney southwards to the petrified 
forest at Allia Hay Burrhcll s and 
Grevy’s Zebra, elegant-necked 
Gerenuk, stately Oryx, and numerous 
Dik-Dik were passed. And. of course, 
there was a wealth of new birds. We 
eagerly scanned the dry river heds. 
lined with green fig trees and acacias, 
and were rewarded by several lllc 
birds' as the migrants had not yet 
passed norrhwards, and the Somali 
species were, of course, resident. 
One by one we made the campsite and 
rushed for the meager shade of the 
only two bushes in the area. The lake 
was irresistible, and the dip was a 
welcome respite, but very soon we 
were swrating hot again as we waited 
for lunch before embarking yet again, 
rhis time for a s hour boat ride over 
to Knob i Fora. As we beached at 6:00 
p m., crocodiles slid silently off the 
sand into the lake. Pompous little 
Crested Larks strutted among the 
grassy tults as a brautiful sunset 
reflected on the clouds Then night 
engulfed us. We had another 
excellent meal, wine und sound sleep 
atop the bed. 
Wr climbed a gentle rise towards a 
distinctive rocky outcrop in the 
barren landscape, to the strange 
spectacle of fallen trees, tut up into 
regular chunks as if by giant saws 
except that the logs were stone, 
retaining for millions of yrars the 
exact grain of the original wood, and 
the colouring of numerous minerals 
The smooth breaks were due to earth 
movements, we were told, which 
cracked arid broke the fossilised 
trunks. In the rocks above we found 
more fossils: great toots or vines 
entwined, more partly exposed 
trunks, stones with fascinating hurs 
