The plane of Robert Redford planned on the waters of the lake Nakuru While thousands of flamenco raised the flight in unison like an immense pink carpet rocked by the Sabana wind. Those images of "Memories of Africa", The best tourist promotion that can be imagined, have brought until this corner of Kenya hundreds of thousands of tourists since then with a single objective: See flamenco flocks fly over the lake with the elegance of movement of rhythmic gymnastics tapes.
It is not the only attraction of Nakuru, course, But for the vast majority it is the only one who can draw a smile at the end of the safari. To the point that some, Illusses them, They come to claim the tour operators if the lake is orphan of flamingos or if the birds resist flying. As if the show of animal life could be given to the play and the pause at will.
Thousands of tourists arrive every year with a single goal: See flamenco flocks fly over the lake as in "Memories of Africa"
In my case, it was the second attempt. A few years ago I had no luck (contains it in VaP: Nakuru: Flamingos do not want to fly) And now I tried again with my friend Javier Brandoli. But nature had decided for us. The abundant rains of recent months had significantly increased the lake surface (Tripling it), reducing the alkalinity of its waters. Why was bad news? Simply, Because minor alkalinity minor amount of algae, The main foods of the flamenco. Most of the colony had decided, therefore, move to close Bogoria Lake, North of Ecuador, To look for the precious cyanobacterial algae. Nor Robert Redford would have managed to reproduce the scene of the memorable film.
There were no reasons to fall down and, in fact, The park gave us a few very intense hours and unexpected surprises. Before setting foot in the Savora Lion Hill, We stumble upon a couple of lions skewing between the grass under an acacia. Not too far from the first homes in the city (From where every morning they can make a safari without leaving home), These cats have been pushed so far by the expansion of the lake. In the central hours of the day, When the sun lights the savanas, A shadow is able to immobilize them until sunset, When they recover their predatory instinct.
Nature had decided for us: The abundant rains had reduced the alkalinity of the waters, away from flamencos
The reception cannot be better and we have almost forgotten the flamenco. If it weren't because Robert Redford's plane and the perfect thousands of thousands of birds continued in memory. «Upon approaching they were deployed in long circles and fans, like the rays of the west, as a skillful Chinese drawing in silk or porcelain, forming and changing to our view », wrote Karen Blixen. And his words, Before the mere possibility of contemplating a similar show, They now charged more sense than ever.
In the absence of flamingos, the succession of rhinos (fifteen in total) is spectacular. In my previous visit I could only glimpse one among the bushes, A dark stain in a photograph. Fence contemplated, These animals that seem taken from a prehistoric manual are almost grotesque eating grass, grazing in the savanna as a harmless flock of cows. With such a cornant, They shout a little epic. But, There are still ruminating confused between zebras and gazelles, giving tourists their imposing silhouette rescued from children's nightmares.
The rhinos seem taken from a prehistoric manual and are almost grotesque eating grass. Your cornice cries out a bit of epic
When we finally throw foot on the ground (Of course, In a viewpoint baptized as "Memories of Africa"), In front of us a thin pink line of hundreds of flamenco is drawn. They want to load a shotgun and start hitting shots in the air to lift the flight. Without Robert Redford this is more complicated. The legion of flamingos continues to Zanqueando in the waters of Nakuru carefree of everything.
But, With that photograph or without it, The pleasure of being here is immense. Because it is difficult to get used to seeing a hyena crossing the road or a couple of jackals watching you from the savannah. Martin, our guide Kobo Safaris, It is renovating plumages and peaks as we stumble upon one or another bird. And tell us, eg, that the flood of the waters of Nakuru has reduced pastures and has turned buffalo into a problem (their eating habits condition those of other herbivores and there is not enough grass for all), to the point that many of them will be transferred to other parks to preserve the ecosystem.
We hadn't seen God either and the flamenco fly, But there was no place for a gram of bitterness
-Have you seen God?, An old Kikuyu asked Blixen and his lover Denys Finch-Hatton (played by Redford in the film) When they landed from one of their flights.
-Not, We have not seen it- They answered him.
-Then you have not uploaded high enough. Do you think you can upload so much that you get to see it?
-I do not know, Ndwetti- Blixen replied.
-So I don't know why you fly.
We hadn't seen God and, Now, We were sure that we would not see the evocative flight of the flamenco. But there could be no place for a gram of bitterness. Guilt, in any case, Era from Robert Redford.
More information from this and other routes by Kenia: www.kobo-safaris.com.
