Making roofs from straw

Back at the site I saw something else that was strange – people sitting in great piles of dried grass, hacking away at it, then tying it together. Some animals like to eat dried grass – humans, it seems, use it on their houses to keep the rain out. Actually it looks pretty cool, in more ways than one, and blends in well with the landscape. I can see these builders care about the environment.

And those brick making machines – well, they just keep going…

More mud baths

Each week when I go for my mud bath I see new things. This time there was a new building with a grass roof. It looks straight at Kilimanjaro. During the night I had a look inside. It’s big enough for me to sleep in, if I could get through the door!

And I’m not the only one taking baths in this place. One man seemed to enjoy his outdoor bath as much as I do. We're not so different after all!

Making myself popular

This week I took the family to the new mud bath. It was less muddy and more drinkable and we spent ages just drinking and cooling down. Mum was pretty pleased with me and says I can wander off more often if this is what I find.

The men were still there making bricks as usual and I see that the buildings are growing. There were also some tents and some new people who sat and watched us through binoculars as we drank. We stayed quite a while. I’m going to be pretty popular after this.

Making Mud Baths!

Been away for a few weeks, moving with the family around the park, so when I retuned to the ‘site’ (as I now call it) I couldn’t believe the activity – and the building. There are 4 brick-making machines now and thousands of bricks. That oven-thing wasn’t enough – there are lots more and they’re making bricks nineteen to the dozen.

But most important - I could smell water. I followed the scent, straight into a massive mud bath where I rolled around for a bit. It was fun and I’ll be back with my friends for more. There’s nothing like a good mud bath. While I was there the activity stopped and they all watched me. I pretended not to notice, but I’ll definitely be back!

Things are moving!

It was another week before I went back to visit the building site and things were moving. These guys don’t hang around. There’s a big green structure with water tanks on top – looks like a sort of HQ with people going in and out all the time. Word around the bush is that they’re building something for tourists, but I can’t see tourists sleeping in this thing – not posh enough.

In fact, as I got closer I noticed outlines in the soil, all curves and big spaces, under the acacias and all staring straight at Kilimanjaro. Something tells me this is the real thing. After all, if I were a tourist I would want to wake up to that great mountain.

I see it all the time of course, but I never tire of it. It’s the second biggest attraction in Amboseli, after the elephants of course. Most people come to see us with Kili in the background – makes great photos.

While I hung around a big meeting took place with lots of people including the local Masai. I’m told that the Masai get involved with tourism these days, earning rent from the land and from every tourist who visits. That’s good news – not only for them but for us too – now we can all live in peace.

Meanwhile the construction goes on and that brick making machine is working overtime.