KENYA: Tea for Two

From Samburu to the Mara, Nakuru to the Tsavos, for three amazing weeks Todd, Lindsay, Lori and I explored the wonderful parks and reserves of Kenya. Traveling at the onset of the short rainy season, we experienced an impressive mix of resident and winter migrant bird species, as well as exciting mammal sightings. Anecdotes, lifelong memories, our journal highlights begin……

Captivated by the beautiful vista among the foothills of Mount Kenya, we relaxed on the upper balcony of Mountain Lodge. With hot drinks and cakes in hand, we were fully aware of the staff warnings about the antics of the resident forest monkeys, specifically White-throated Guenons.

Todd had set his coffee, cake and biscuits on the sill and was scoping out a Hartlaub’s Turaco across the watering hole. A Guenon edged into view from behind the canvas wall of the lecture room.

Todd noticed this and began to cover his food and drink with his arms and upper body. “Todd, you don’t stand a hope in hell” I predicted, when the monkey approached to within feet of it’s target.

Sure enough, the monkey twitched, Todd flinched, and in a blink, the cake was gone – one piece in the monkey’s right hand, a second piece stuffed straight into the monkey’s mouth……

…….which freed up the left hand to reach greedily for a third!

With all of us in hysterics, the monkey knew he had a tea party all to himself. That left just a biscuit and the coffee. He was not a dipper, preferring to eat the biscuit first then bend down for a sip of coffee to wash it all down.

Making sure that he got every last bit, he then lapped up any remaining crumbs before jumping down to the second level roof and no doubt telling his mates of how he had once again outwitted a tourist.