Letters from Gilgil 2

This is the second volume of a series that reconstructs airmail letters back home from abroad tracking a two year journey of living, working and breathing-in of a new country, its immense variety, its culture, its language, its people and above all, their wonderful good humour and kindness.

It records the beginning of the second academic year, a move away from the school grounds to be more immersed in the countryside and maps excursions into two very different, but nonetheless astonishing national parks where the sights left you in awe at the natural diversity and proximity of bird and wildlife offered by the mostly secluded surroundings.

Meru further to the north boasts many species not found elsewhere, the massive Beisa Oryx and blue-legged Somali ostrich among them. Comedy was provided by the red and yellow hornbills' antics, trying to squeeze food through the narrowest of gaps in the hollow of a tree for their young. You cannot help feeling they were probably ruing their decision to apply so much mud around the edges of that hole, that left little room for manoeuvre for their enormous curved beaks. The totally unexpected sight of a herd of elephants over two hundred strong was numbingly and phenomenally breath-taking in its wonder. Like the extras and cast of epic film, they appeared from stage right from behind a doum palm and continued to trek right to left for thirty minutes or probably more. Time stood still to salute them all.

Mara on the southern border could not be more different. A must on anyone's to do list for the sheer number of species on show at any one time. During the annual migration, the scenes become more intense and their repercussions are very moving. Best to steer clear of the insane tourist expectations to see a so-called 'big five' and the combi vans that propel them back and forth in a coordinated shopping spree. Far better to mosey on along minor tracks and experience the 'big five hundred' things to see and witness truly what these savannah lands have to offer.