home away from home

It's great to be back in camp. I was immediately struck by how quiet it sounded when I opened my car door upon arrival - ah, leaving the city far behind! (Well, about an hour and a half behind, technically). But then I realized there are lots of sounds here - the constant chatter and chirping of birds; the tinkling of cow bells, as herds of Maasai animals wander by in the valley below our camp cliff; and the occasional vehicle driving on the paved road, which our camp is located a few hundred meters from, on a dirt road. As Kay (one of the researchers working with us) put it last night, at the dinner table on her first night in camp, it seems like the whole year is just working towards getting back here. Here's what the camp looks like from the air; I took this picture from a small plane, flying low overhead, in 2005.

The first few days always consist of a lot of setting up, including all of the tents(here are two pictures of my tent from last year).

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D minus a week and a day

I'm leaving for my annual migration to Kenya soon, just like the wildebeest.... well, only there's a few million less of me than there are of them. Also, I'd like to think I run in a few less circles than they do, given that they spend their year basically making a big circle between Kenya and Tanzania in the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem (though that's debatable!). I'm going through my usual 'I'm leaving soon' routine: getting together with friends who want to spend a little time before I leave for a few months; making sure I can take care of all my (as my fab friend Fire calls it) "personal admin" online while I'm gone - banking, paying utilities, etc.; adding things to the duffel bag I keep stocked during the rest of the year with my 'going to Kenya' things. It's always hectic, and no matter how well I plan - and those of you who know me know I plan! - there's always a lot to do at the last minute. So it's D (departure) mi

moonshine (the celestial kind)

I was going to write about our excavations, but I had to change topics after the spectacular moonrise we had this evening. It's a full moon tonight (or nearly so), and early this evening this soft glowing orange orb was visible just above the horizon after sunset, rising ever higher, and becoming ever brighter, into the starry night sky. There is nothing like watching a moonrise in the African bush. I would have taken a picture of it after it rose, but I don't have the photographic expertise - here's one I took of the full moonrise last year. Last night, the moon was so bright that when I got up in the middle of the night to pee (a sign I'm keeping well hydrated!), it was casting shadows everywhere, and I didn't even need my flashlight. It's perfectly gorgeous. The moon isn't the only gorgeous thing here - beauty can be found growing delicately among the rocks, or singing a song in the trees, in the form of a colorful red and yellow barbet.

the ring

Since a few of you asked... it's not the greatest photo, but here it is. I love it!

Briana's Travels

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