West Kilimanjaro Scenery .....

The photo below shows the foothills of Mt. Meru. As I've mentioned on the blog once before, several climbers consider Mt. Meru to be a more challenging climb than Mt. Kilimanjaro - although Kilimanjaro is the better known of the two - so everyone wants to climb her !

We have a huge problem with illegal cattle grazing on our farm right now. They are coming across the Kenyan border at night - by the hundreds - grazing on our precious maize crops destined for the local Tanzanian market (a huge food shortage is predicted this year if the rains aren't plentiful enough, so maize is like gold at the moment). Our neighbours have had so much damage done by these cattle on their farm, too. Hundreds of hooves churning up their neatly ploughed fields ready for planting - or trampling crops just beginning to germinate.

The cattle below (crossing a road which borders our farm) are in good condition compared to many I've seen around, which are nothing more than skin & bone. Generally, the smaller herds are in better condition that the larger ones. I feel sorry for the poor, starving cattle - it's not their fault, they are just helpless & hungry animals.

Below is the sign (about an hour from our farm) for the Machame gate/entrance to the Kilimanjaro National Park - the mountain is situated inside the park. The 'Machame Route' is one of the routes used by climbers to climb the mountain (although not the most popular one).