Sunday
I woke up bright and sparky this morning, knowing that today was the day Crick & Patty were taking me to Lake Muhazi.  It was a 2hour trip from the Village.  A very pretty 2hour trip, with one rolling hill after the next.  Cricket very soon got used to me yelling … STOP – BIRD!!! And was very patient with me wanting to stop and look at all the birds.  Unfortunately it wasn’t always possible to get a pic for you guys, but what I did manage to get I was very chuffed with.  The country side is beautiful, with banana plantations everywhere. The cleanliness of the streets still amaze me! The entire day I saw NO litter – not even at the taxi ranks, whether they were the normal taxi ranks or the bicycle or motorbike taxi ranks.  Being a Sunday, there were a lot of people walking to and from their churches, all dressed very smartly.  The roads themselves are in very good condition, tarred with no potholes!  Well, put it this way – the MAIN road is in good condition.  Where one turns off to come to the Rafiki Village is still a dirt road. We drove through many little villages on our trip, the mud houses were all very close to the road, and always surrounded by banana plantations, and many of them with beautiful coloured flowerbeds in front of them!
 
I have to tell you that I found the Shoebill!!  Got a pic for you too! LOL! Well, it was the best I could do! LOL!!!

We arrived at Lake Muhazi before I even realized we had been driving for 2 hours!  As we drove up and parked, I just knew this place was gonna be special!! There were many birds of prey flying around, the chirping of the weavers was unbelievable, kingfishers flying around and in front of me, this most spectacular lake, that just seem to go on and on!  The view was awesome!  Cricket had hardly parked as I flew out the car, armed with my camera, abseloutly fascinated by the sight of the lake and the sounds of the birds!!

 
 
 
Crick eventually called me to come have my lunch – which too was a special treat – grilled fish and chips… but NOT as we all know grilled fish!! 

I had to drag myself away from the birds and eat my lunch – which I must say was most delicious.  Of course as Murphy would have it – just as my hands were at their mukkiest (yes we ate our lunch with our hands) I looked up, and there right in front of me stood the most beautiful bird!!! A Crested Crane!! WOW!!!  I managed to lick and suck my fingers clean enough to grab my camera! Eish – no good, I had the 500mm lens on, so had to go for the muk-en-druk camera, but at least I got the pic!! Of course the crane had NO intentions of going anywhere, so I eventually managed to get some really great pics of it!! I was sooooo chuffed!!! 

  
We stayed at the lake as long as we could, but eventually it was time to head back to the village! I was very sad to leave the lake, but at least knew that I would be coming back to this special place again one day, so I reluctantly got into the car, and we headed for home.
 
Tonight we have all of the ROS’s ( Overseas Staff) coming over for ice-cream (a very special treat over here).  So I will have to be on my best behavior! LOL!!!
 
Anyway dear Trekkies, once again time for me to end off.  Muramuche (loosely translated – see you tomorrow)
 

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