The culprit

Stroked a white rhino, hung out at chimpanzee rehab, had hyena sniffing round my tent all night, and on day two of no running water. Looking super-special, especially as it was raining in sheets last night as I put tent up in the mud. More crucially, however, is the mystery snorer. We're camped in a tight semi-circle around the truck, with a fire going 24 hours, so you can hear people whispering in the neighbouring tent. Last night as I lay awake debating whether it was preferable to die of lion-bites or an exploding bladder a hugely impressive snoring tore though the camp, and kept me awake for what felt like hours.

I'm sure it was The Saints husband, but Tent-Buddy nearly got whiplash turning to stare open-mouthed at me, when I questioned the source. I have been known to breathe deeply on occasion.

Who else is on the trip:
Steve+Jan - quiet couple - one degree of separation as Steve is mates with a Sybase DBA I used to sit next to.
Steve+Anna (different Steve, not polygamist) - he works for EA as a games engineer (lucky git) and she is semi-Australian Russian who lives in London, with sensitive pale skin and a penchant for the sneaky cigarette. She got accidentally fleeced at the market we stopped at on the Equator yesterday. I bought a vulgarly bright kikoi, and a very bad and smal painting of mount Kenya.
Trouble (Neil) and The Saint (Liz) - they bought massive souvenirs, and have been legends at finding my favorite bird in the whole world for me - the lilac breasted roller. Seen once. Elusive above 2000m.
Mel and Kat - really cool girls, Mels dad used to work at Barclays and Kat doesn't drink enough fluids in the sun, so nearly fainted while we were rhino-petting. I think it was a ploy to get me to give her some of my secret Smartie stash.
Suzie - very nice and well-travelled, always asks interesting questions.
Laura... Or Lauren. Bugger. Very nice Oirish girl who is most tolerant of...:
Oliver. Ai ai ai. I write this safe in the knowledge that his arse and elbow are foreign shores to him. The most irritating man I have ever met. 60s. Also Oirish. So far has accidentally put up someone elses tent, knicked someones sleeping bag (cardinal sin), speaks in a constant toothless slur, incomprehensible diddlyisms, and just stole Laura(n)s post-cards, swearing blind they were his right up until the point his were found. Is blind as a bat, and points out the giraffe in an excited senseless babble after we've all finished photographing them, and we're ready to pull away. I will reserve him as the only person I slate. And if you were here, you'd realise I'm going easy.
Keith - photographer with pleasingly dry sense of humour - has a kickass 500mm lense. And buys Pringles even though he doesn't eat them. Result.
Oh, and Suse - tent-buddy - who is v v cool. She is forthright, travelled heaps, and mucks in, and thinks I am high maintenance. Also v funny. English GP, also 33.

Crew: Aussie girl Chris, and locals Julius and the chef Leo, who just made lunch of sausages, boiled eggs, ham, cheese, tomato, peppers, cucumbers, baked beans, breadrolls and watermelon.

TB and I invented a new drink last night. Vodka and pineapple squash - named the Wah-wah. It's very quaffable and I'm sure it repels mosquitos as I have not been bitten once.

More game drives this afternoon, then up early to drive to Rumuruti for camel-riding the day after.

Cannot wait for shower tomorrow night.

X