Hi gang,
Well, we have just arrived back in Nairobi after 7 days on the safari trail. It was wonderful!! Enjoyed it all - well most of it - the roads definitely need major work and I practised like I thought one should sit on a horse! Guess that I should try a real horse next. Anyways, we were extremely pleased with the company that we selected for our safari. It was difficult to choose. Now I can give everybody my tips. We saw so many animals, different terrain (besides the bumps) and enjoyed the guide. He added a ton to the trip and he told his views on a few things besides animals because of course I was the one who chatted about stuff with him. Yes, he thinks that the current president will be reelected in December. He likes the free primary school - up to age 14, free health care and progress that is happening in the country. Female circumsion is on the decrease through education though we did see three girls who were pretty aggressive stopping our vehicle in the middle of nowhere for a bit of money and dancing on the road.
I learned today that of the 4million people in Nairobi, one million live in the slums.
Next year they are going to ban plastic bags in Kenya. The streets in Nairobi are "clean" - really dirty or grimy but no garbage and no cigarette butts. For the past 2 months there has been a clean up campaign and it is illegal to smoke on the street.
Back to the safari. There are animals everywhere. We saw lions playing (9 of them), a mom and 3 cubs, we watched a leopard, saw more kinds of deer and antelope than I ever knew existed. New kinds appeared everyday. Gradually a picture emerges of the link of all the animals and who eats whom and their numbers and hangouts. We looked at big and small birds, hippos, rhinos, flamingoes, giraffe, zebras and so on - and when interesting stuff happened all the minivans and land cruisers arrived. They contained the human animal. The drivers jockey for the best spot - we were so big and had a superb driver so we towered above and a little beyond. I guess in July and August there are even more of these vehicles.
Everyone loved our experience - the huge truck with drop down glass windows and a platform at the front to stick 4 or 5 of our heads out. The vehicle carries about 20 and we were 10. We were higher and bigger than all of the minivans around so that was superb. Highly recommend our viewing. Everyone mostly like to sit except me and the guide. I loved standing and having the wind blow on my face with a 360degree unobstructed view and a guide, to boot, beside me.
The group was great - brits, germans, belgium, american and israeli and us - to make a total of 10. Everyone enjoyed everyone else and the group gradually opened up --even the quiet ones.
A word about the food - definitely cater to the european or western palate - but then that seems true everywhere here. We had three meals each day - they carry exactly the right amount of food,serve fresh fruit and veg everyday and a good portion of protein at each meal. A pretty healthy diet. The chef even managed fresh pizza cooked over his charcoal fire - truly amazing - and a beautiful looking cake (tasted ugh) on the last night with icing saying I love Masa Mara (the park name).
so a great start to our holiday in East Africa. Tomorrow we are venturing off to Arusha - a 4 hour bus ride. No protection of a tour operator anymore. We have to fend off some of the touts - but then we got good practice in India. The bus leaves from across the street from our hotel. How handy! Such an easy start - or so we hope.
Take care,
susan and clive
