Going solar

Drying macroinvertebrate and hippo poop samples with our solar oven and heating water for a hot shower in our solar shower bag in the new clearing Chris "mowed" today. The last few days have been cloudy and rainy, making it difficult to keep things clean and dry. Thank goodness for a hot, sunny day!

Mowing the lawn

Chris is learning how to use the local version of a lawnmower- a sharp-edged blade that you swing back and forth to cut the grass. With all the rain we've had, the grass and trees around camp have really grown up. Today, he's clearing a place in an opening with lots of sun for us to put out our solar ovens for drying samples.

Bush Bagels

Our newest trick this season is making bagels in our charcoal Cookswell Jiko.

The Migration is Here!

About 3 days ago, the wildebeest migration began crossing the Sand River from Tanzania into Kenya. It's incredible how quickly the landscape is transformed by vast views of thousands of wildebeest spread out across the savanna. The herd is largely congregated near the Mara River, close to the Tanzanian border, suggesting they may start crossing the river soon. With water levels fairly high, especially for this time of year due to the recent, unseasonal rains, it could make for some pretty exciting, and dangerous, crossings.

Not exactly panning for gold

Morning Commute

On our way to work this morning, we passed this line of elephants heading to work as well. On their day's schedule
1) eat Acacia saplings
2) bathe in the river
3) pose for tourists

(Sorry for the blurry picture; roads are a bit bumpy!)

Learning to divine for water

This week I have been attending a really exciting workshop in Tanzania to set the environmental flow recommendations for the lower reaches of the Mara River. Today, we took a break during lunch for Vivienne Abbott, Project Coordinator for the GLOWS iWASH project, to teach us how to divine for water. Here's a photo of Dr. Margaret Abira, Regional Director for Lake Victoria South Catchment Management Authority, finding water in the garden of the hotel.

No wheels

Preventative maintenance day in Narok.

Meters installed!

Today we got the second of our two main water meters installed in the river. Asante sana to Moses, the guard at the Emarti pump house, for watching over them until we return.

Simple pleasures

Chris and I both got laid out this past week with a stomach flu that's been circling through camp. Fortunately, it's a pretty short-lived bug, and we're both feeling better now, but it's still kind of a bummer to be sick without the comforts of home. However, Chris went up to the safari lodge nearby to find me some ginger ale, just like my mom used to give me when I got sick as a kid. It was just what I needed, and I'm pretty sure that's what led to my rapid recovery!

Lab Tent

Chris is busy today calibrating our water quality meters in the "garage" of our new lab tent. Camp is almost up and running, and we're heading out to the river tomorrow!