Life in Africa

I'm in my third of six weeks on the wild northern frontier of Kenya in an area called Sera. I am here with the wonderful Major Ken Hames who you will have seen on the fantastic 'Beyond Boundaries' series on BBC 2 – new series starts first week in October and advise you to see it.

I am typing this in a tent in a clearing that is our home for the duration. Tracking wild Rhino on foot, Lion on foot at night, capturing and moving Giraffe to save their lives, building water holes for the wildlife and wells for the local Samburu tribes all are amazing experiences. We have with us the most wonderful production team and are up at five thirty every morning and production meetings till nine – hard physical graft, over 120 degrees each day and all with fifteen wonderful apprentices who volunteered from the UK. I love ‘em all and we have become a band of brothers – even the girls, well we cant wash very often and is getting harder to tell the difference!

Am tired today as we had a massive bull elephant crashing about in camp last night and eating the tree by my tent. Tends to make sleep difficult and using the loo easy! The series will be on for three consecutive weeks, Monday to Friday, in January on BBC 1 and will be amazing. More info when I have it.

If you would like to know more about the Lewa and Sera conservancy project please check out the website – www.lewa.org. And if you are looking for a wildlife charity to support you won't find a better one than this - it's all about saving the wildlife whilst giving the people in the vicinity an interest and share in the prosperity that wildlife can bring.

On that subject, many thanks to Ian, Richard, David, the wonderful Simon, Cosmos and Matt from Lewa for their support. Anna for being the loveliest photographer and guide, Alistair from Scottish Water and Graham our site Manager. For people who know people out here with me,Sam Maynard has gone mad and is juggling fire! Kirsty has turned into the cake monster, Virginia's dance routine each morning is scaring the wildlife, Sam Wise is still working on terminology (PTA's?), the Austrians are all barking mad, Wolfie has gone native. Rob misses his girlfriend and wants Steve to send a package with fags and whiskey. A conversation with Ellena is like stepping into the Twilight Zone. The rest all miss home.

Today we are trying to build more Eco lodges and capture and put a collar on a wild bull elephant so we will be able to track it's migratory pattern – it's all in a days work, as are scorpions, snakes, fire ants, leopards at night and Malaria mosquitos. The whole team – and there's lots of us - send our love to all family and friends.

5.9.06