Monkey Mayhem

Yesterday was basically Nick's last day (he's getting on the plane in just a few moments to fly home) and we had a great day cycling through Hell's Gate NP and trekking through the park's central gorge like Tomb Raider (part of it was filmed there). All was great, except the bike seats being not the greatest, and the roads not the smoothest, left our butts a bit sore! When Nick gets home, hopefully he will have the chance to post some pictures. (not of our butts, but from his trip.) :)

After the bike tour, we were relaxing at our camp and decided to get some close ups of the vervet monkeys hanging around. After a while, they got quite accustomed to our presence and were closer and closer, until suddenly, I look and see four or five monkeys all encircling me and moving even closer all at once! They were on a mission for who knows what - perhaps my backpack, I think I had snacks in there - but my reaction was a little (maybe not so little?) shriek and to get the heck outta there. They stalked me for what seemed like forever but was probably only a few seconds. I think they were trying to steal my camera and write my blog - the only plausible explanation, really.

Later, when we sat down on the restaurant patio for dinner, hoping to watch wildlife while we ate, another little vervet monkey was up in an acacia, about 30 meters overhead, shaking branches so leaves were falling on us. We covered our drinks to avoid the falling tree bits, and lucky we did, because next thing I know, I feel what I could only hope were a few raindrops... nope. No such luck. A DAMN MONKEY PEED ON MY HEAD! We moved away from that table quickly, just before the monkey dropped a deuce on the other half of the table.

Today we have parted, each on our own matatu (minibus), me with my giant backpack on my lap for a couple hours. I am heading to Uganda tomorrow, where I will start my volunteering next week, and hope to get a chance to see mountain gorillas and/or chimpanzees!