Breakfast with monkeys by Kate Evans

This morning I woke up early, as I always do, to the cackle of the resident francolin doing his patrol of his premises, which takes him right past my head. I headed down to the communal area and set about making myself breakfast to enjoy in our new shaded outdoor area. When tea was made and eggs boiled and sat down to enjoy some solitude before the rest of camp woke up and our day began in earnest. AS I tucked into my food I had the funny feeling I was not alone and someone was watching me. It turned out there was a lot of eyes on me as the troop of vervet monkeys were moving in for the kill, waiting to see if I made an error and left my post,. The first one I spotted was sat in the crux of the acacia tree under which we parked our tree. He was not looking at me directly but he had me in his vision of that I am sure. Next I spotted the one by the tap, drinking from its drips and looking up occasionally to see what I was up to. Then I caught one bobbing its head from the safely of the roof peering down at me. Other members of the troop took up logistical positions a little further away from me in the trees and on the washing line. So it would appear I was not alone, in fact you are never alone in the bush.