c u on top - satyabrata dam

These lines came to me this morning, just as I woke up and I dedicate them to the free spirit that every human being has or should have; and in particular this is for my dear friend Simon Thomsett:- As the sun gets up so bright I look up to follow the eagle’s flight Where does it go and how far will it alight How I wish I could follow its flight When it nests into the darkness night I wonder if I too might For an eagle’s spirit is free and sprite So much joy and full of delight But when they dive and do fight Filling up the air with magnificent sight How I wish I could follow its flight And fly high even if for slight For my heart soars with the eagle’s roar Then I fling open my wooden door Cast my boat from the ocean’s shore I follow the eagle’s stunning flight Oh how I wish I could be as light And follow the eagle on its flight

This post is about an incident that happened during my trip to Kwenia with Simon (which you can read in the post ‘Flight to Kwenia’). The incident lasted for less than 20 minutes but was of such significance that it needed a separate post. So here it is. While atop the Kwenia cliff, while Simon and I are exploring the vegetation looking for birds and other animals, suddenly Simon gives a low whopping cry of joy and flattens himself into the grass like a stalking snake. He bids me to follow his example and keep my mouth shut. I do both and look around in anticipation of something big, marauding and perhaps looking for a human prey. My heart begins to beat afresh in excitement. Whenever I sense that my end is near, I am super excited. But I see nothing, not even in the scale of those vermin called soldier ants. I am little disappointed but to see Simon one would feel that he has finally found the city of El Dorado. He beckons me closer. I crawl on my chest and then he points to a tree...

Even to the most seasoned true-born Kenyans and Kenyan safari experts, when I admit I am Kwenia bound shortly, each one of them express complete incomprehension about the place or its significance. This confirms that I am indeed up to something unique, remote, and therefore fascinating; something exactly up my alley. But then as my friend and host Sandy confirms, to do anything with the person, in whose company I am heading for Kwenia, is bound to be up my alley. This trip happened only due to an enigma, a phenomenon and one of the most fascinating persons I have ever met outside of the mountains – Simon Thomsett. Sandy introduced me to Simon on the very first day of my arrival and there was an immediate bonding between us. I would be putting up a separate post on Simon, for he and his life deserve not only a mere post but a full length book, which I might write in the future. As of now this post is about our trip to Kwenia and my apprenticeship under Simon, who is arguably today...