Home, Sweet, Home

Finally arrived at our doorstep at around 8:30pm.  What a journey!  After I published the last post, we gathered our things and started making our way to the gate - which, of course, was on the other side of the moon.  Between the time we left the lounge and about 20 gates down the departure time changed again. It went from 5pm to 5:35pm.  Who knows why.  Fortunately, there was another Delta Lounge in site.  In we go.

I have never seen anything like that lounge.  It was a mass of roving rooms with food in every direction of any and all types.  Even a Nathan's hotdog stand!  It was also packed to the teeth.  We roamed around looking for a seat, when this very nice woman rescued us and put us at a table with a big reserve sign on top.  Removed the sign and took our drink order.  We sat there numb for a while then headed to get some food - not being sure when our next meal will be. I got lost trying to get back from the bathroom.  When I evidentually made it, with the help of a very nice woman, we decided to get out of there.

Hiked down to the very last gate.  When they started announcing money to buy people's seats, I got a bit worried and double checked to make sure we were still booked on that flight.  I'm not sure how we got those seats but I have been thanking that agent ever since she issued the tickets.  The thought of having to get back on the train to take the bus to get to a hotel and then do it all over again at 4 in the morning was not sitting well with either of us.   

Boarded the plane.  We were able to keep our Business class but we didn't sit together.  I was up front with a woman from VA visiting her daughter in NH.  Between the two of us and the airline steward who was an absolute hoot, we had a grand old time on the short flight to Boston.

Our driver was there to take us home -- a very nice woman.  Not too many of them.Walked in the door, dropped everything and went to bed!

Paula and I kept in contact during our respective treks. They made it home a lot earlier than us. Not the best way to end a vacation but at least we all got home safe and sound and that's what counts.  We had a wonderful time even through some of the bumps and I do mean bumps!  I can say a lot about Mamasavana - some good - some not so good - but I will say that the guides were wonderful. Never had we ever seen so many animals and be able to just sit there and take the time to observe them. Plus both guides were patient and very accommodating.  Thank you to all.

Until next time....

On The Way Home

We are now sitting in the Delta Sky Lounge at JFK airport after traveling far too many hours with far too many complications.  

We left the Asha Boutique Hotel it seems like ages ago.  We said good-bye to a wonderful man and his daugher from Hartfordshire outside of London.  We had some wonderful conversations with them both while we were there. Would enjoy seeing them agin some day.  All of the staff made an effort to say good-bye and wish us well on our journey home.  Paula and J left about an hour or so before we did. Our driver came early so we accommodated him -- little did we know what was in store for us when we left the hotel early.  Dan, our driver, was a hoot!  He made sure I got some good shots of the bikers with the umbrellas.  We crossed the "dreaded" ferry with no problem at all and we were at the airport at around 4pm for a flight leaving at 8:45pm.  We went directly to the lounge.  Wasn't much but the coffee was free and there were AC.  I ventured out and found Paula and J waiting for their flight at the gate -- they have taken another route home.  Both or our flights were delayed.  We eventually left Mombasa at 9:30.

Then the trouble began.  There was something wrong with the Kenya Airways plane.  We were to depart at 11:45 and didn't even board until 12:30 and then take-off was at 2:15.  This was not boding well for our connecting flight to Boston.  To top it all off there was an announcement that the water was contaminated and there would be not hot drinks, ie, coffee or tea.  Well that didn't help one bit when we finaly landed in New York.

By the time we landed, went through customs and collected our bags for inspection, we were told that it was too late to catch our connecting flight.  Honestly, I really think if we had ran for it, we might have made it -- but energy by this time was low and the airport was huge.  So we stood on line for over an hour to rebook another flight to Boston.  No "Sky Priority" agent available.  You can image the line of people needing to rebook.  Finally made it up to the Delta counter and was told no flights were open today try to talk with the Kenya rep if you need to stay the night.  So we went to the Kenya rep.  After much haggle there we were able to get a flight out in the morning at 6am and a room in a hotel - God knows where.  By this time, I am a total mess.  JFK is huge and the two of us are wandering around not knowing where we are.  Since I was not handed any directions or name of the hotel, we start winging it.  We take the AirTrain out to what seemed like forever.  I wasn't happy with that so we decided to airtrain back to the TWA hotel that is right in the terminal and try to get reimbursed later.  Well this place was a total rip off!!  Plus you don't even't get a coffee maker in your room. 

Back to plan A but I forgot the name of the hotel the gal got us the voucher for.  So we decided to go back to Delta which meant one more turn on the AirTrain and find out what hotel we're ssupposed to be in and try to check the luggage -- we've been schlepping all our luggage around this whole time.  After much back and forth, we get the hotel name.  We go to the Delta counter and try to check the bags -- no can do.  So the very nice woman says "Oh, you were on the Kenya flight".  Yes.  She then books us on the 5pm flight to Logan keeping our business class. What??? Why didn't someone do that hours ago -- it was almost 2pm and by the way, we still didn't have a cup of coffee.  PHEW!!  We checked our bags and headed straight to the lounge, where I am now drinking mass quantities of wine........

It's good to think of us sleeping in our own bed tonight.  It has been a long, long trip.

Next time.... Home, Sweet, Home -- I hope!

The Last Day

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Well, it has finally come - our last full day.  After breakfast Geoff and I walked up the street and checked out the local supermarket. He needed a razor so we ventured inside.  The place was huge and could have easily been any market in the states.  

Leaving the market, I spotted a bright yello Kenya soccer shirt that would be perfect for Geoff's bike shirt collection. We didn't have any American dollars so the guy said take the shirt and come back and pay me when you can.  So that's what we did.  It wasn't far from the hotel.

Hung around the pool - took some shots of the local monkeys in the trees, read until it was time for lunch. We ate out by the beach - more local pictures.  Decided to walk off lunch with a stroll on the beach. The sand here is perfectly white, clean, and soft.  Walked a good ways down and we spotted a boat with a lot of action around it.  I assumed it must be fish and lo and behold the local fish market was open.  We went straight up to boat to inspect and say hi.  There was not one other white person there until we showed up and then one by one they started approaching the boat.  Had we not just eaten lunch, we might have bought a couple of fish.  They said they would fillet it and grill it up on the beach.  Oh well -- maybe next time.

Back at the pool, we ran into Susan the manager and asked when we have to check out of our room tomorrow.  Our flight from Mombasa does not leave until 8:45pm.  We still have not received an answer. Hung out at the pool until this family with screaming children infiltrated.  Guess it really is time to go.

Tonight for our last dinner here, there is supposed to be a bbq.  But it is already after 5 and I have not seen any evidence of any bbq.  So not sure - don't really care.  The food is quite good here and it is in fact open to the public.  

Well this looks like it will be my last post until we get back to Fairhaven.  We arrive at Logan around 11am on Sunday after a very, very long schlep.

Next time... Home, Sweet, Home

Chillin"

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Did absolutely nothiing yesterday - didn't even write the blog or take many pictures.  In the morning, we took a walk on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and then it was swimming and lounging all day with a book. Turned into a slug real fast!

This morning Geoff, Paula and I opted for a snorkeling adventure while J went for a run on the beach.  There is a reef not too far off shore.  The local boat boss, Rama, supplies the equipment and a small dhow.  And when I say small, I mean small.  It is not much wider than my hips with for planks for seats and one of the locals poles the boat out like a gondolia. We went to a very shallow part so that it was easy getting in and out of this vessel.  Because we weren't so deep, we only viewed small fish but it was pretty nonetheless.  There were grouper, angel fish, sgt majors, wrasse, a couple of eels that were pretty funny.  Lots of sea urchins. Our guide split one open and chummed the water.  All the fish came running.  We didn't stay out too long. It was a bit cloudy.  As soon as we made it back to shore, the sun came out.

We assumed our positions on the chaises and that was it for the rest of the day.  Late in the afternoon, Paula and J ran into Alex, the coconut man.  Geoff and I ran down to join them. We all got our own coconut to drink out the juice and then Alex cut the meat up inside for us to eat. The juice is great, the meat doesn't have much taste. 

We have one more full day. Geoff and I may venture out and take a walk outside of the beautiful palms and into where the real people are.  Have to do it in the morning it gets way too hot in the afternoon.  But the breeze on the beach is just delightful.

Just a note about the Asha Boutique Hotel.  It is very small - only eight rooms.  Both couples were promised ocean view rooms.  When we arrived there was only one with a view the other by the pool.  We took the pool - we can look at the ocean all the time sans palm trees.  When we were trying to sort this out, the manager said we could switch rooms today if we wished. The last thing we wanted to do was move again.  However, this mattress was terrible -- it was two skinny twins with a big hump in the middle and all you felt were the springs digging into your back.  I mentioned this and asked if the other room had a better mattress we would move -- if not, we might as well stay where we are. When we got back from snorkeling we found a brand new kingsize double foam mattress waiting for us in our room. WOW - that's a first.  It always pays to speak up.  Can't wait to go to sleep tonight.

Next time....A Walk to Town?

Road to Dinai

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

We had our last game drive this morning after we checked out and before we got on the road to Dinai. Nobody expected anything much but WOW what a show. First Juma spotted a cheetah.  Watched him for a while then moved on to the leopard in the tree.  A little further on we sat and witnessed the lions eyeing a herd of elephants. We could have stayed at this spot forever. Drove back around to find the leopard had gotten out of the tree and was now on the prowl.  

Finally we left the park and were on the highway. Stopped at a gift shop/restaurant.  I couldn't refuse getting a giraffe to take home.  It will always remind me of this wonderful adventure. After lunch, we continued down the road until Juma turned off and then we were back to bump and dust.  UGH!  Eventually we made it down to Dinai which is a part of Mombasa on the coast.  We are at a boutique hotel and even though our reservations got a bit screwed up, it is lovely here.  Very quite.  Just eight rooms.  First thing we did was get on our suits and hit the pool.  After which, I sat and had a drink with Paula and J beachside.

We made dinner reservations. The restaurant is on the beach and menu looks amazing. In fact, it's time to shower and meet up at the bar.

As expected, dinner was excellent and such a pleasure being served instead of the buffet line.  We plan to do nothing tomorrow but you never know.  No wake-up call or alarms tonight.  Sweet dreams.

Next time... Hanging in Dinai

Tsavo East

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Well, the leopard finally did show up at around 5am to eat his treat.  We never saw it happen - which by the way I am grateful for because I don't think it's right to begin with.  Anyway, yesterday's drive was through Tsavo West. This morning we did a short game drive before breakfast. Watched the sun come up.  Was greeted by the token giraffe of the day. Got a few shows of early morning activity in the wild. After breakfast,we headed to Tsavo East. Made a stop at Mudanda Rock - a very very old formation and a kind of hangout for the big cats.  Tsavo East is known for the legend of the "man-eating lions".  

Next we came upon a big herd of red elephants - also known only in Tsavo East because of the clay soil.  Sat and watched them for a while before moving on. Arrived at the lodge in time for lunch.  This place is a bit nicer than last night.  Although there is no hanging around the pool.  Absolutely no shade and it wasn't very clean. In any event, the hotel is over run with a mess of French Canadians. It is very busy here.

Going out on another game drive in a little while.  More later....

Got back at 6pm. Went through the "Elephat Grid" and yes, we saw more elephants.  Got very close to this big guy and just watched hiim consume his evening meal.  Juma spotted a pride of lions in the distance cooling off in the shade of a tree.  Their buffalo carcus was basking in the sun not too far away from them.

Came back to the lodge and sat and had drinks before dinner.  We have one more small game drive tomorrow morning and then we are headed straight to the beach!  We have been rocking and rolling for so long now, it will sure feel good to sit and just do nothing for a while.  We do hope to get to go on a snorkel trip and see some underwater creatures.  

Next time... Dina Beach

.

The Road to Tsavo

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Well it has been quite the day.  We left Ngorogoro early this morning.  Met up with Alex in Arusha and
gave him all our gifts.  We were told it would be a couple of more hours to the border an then maybe an hour and a half to our lodging in Tsavo Kenya.  Took some stupid tourist pics from the car along the way.

Border crossing was a breeze.  Said goodbye to Gila and Juma was there to welcome us.  We ate our box lunch in the car and then we were off.  The roads were paved, until Juma took a left and we were back on the Kenya highway - bump, bump, bump.  We were driving for miles with nothing to see.  The landscape looked dry and desolate.  After a couple of hours, I kept thinking that we had been hijcacked!  Then Juma aske if we wante to do a hippo trail.  Everyone said no except J. so we decided to go and see what this hippo thing was all about.  Turns out the we were at Mzimo Springs  which comes down from the mountain and feeds the water supply all the way to Mombasa.  There was one lonely hippo, but they did have a cool observatory that looked at the fish underwater,  Another cool thing was learning about the yellow acacia tree.  The elephants use the base to scratch their back which is why the bark is all gone.

We were back in the jeep and driving and driving until finally Juma pulls into this hotel which is not the hotel we are supposed to be at.  Well, that didnt' sit well with either me or Paula.  We had been driving for 10 hours only to wind up at the wrong hotel.  There wasn't much to do about it - it was already five in the evening.  Paula and I walked into the reception area in a real huff and then I tapped her on the shoulder and said "Look".  There were elephants right by the hotel at a watering hole. We ordered beers, talked with Alex, got everything settled with Juma and now we are here and have to more again tomorrow.  We were planning on staying two nights in one place.  

Ok so now we are here and we see the elephants and cape buffalo but wait there's more.  The string a slab of beef to entice the leopard to come feast for the tourists.  This is all a bit too bizarre - not to mention I think it is a bit illegal.  However, J found out that this place is owned by the government -- so I guess they can do whatever the hell they want.  It is all pretty strange.  It is now 10pm and the meat is still out there.  The elephants are getting feisty though.

That's it.  I don't have a clue about tomorrow.  I'll let you know if the leopard shows up or not.

Next time....???

Ngorogoro Crater

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Got on the road around 7am.  Nothing much exciting happened on the way out of the Serengeti.  Passed some more ostrichs on the side of the road. We made a tourist stop at Oluvai Gorge the site where they found the oldest human skulls.

 Arrived at the crater at around 11ish.The crater was created when the volcanic mountain erupted and left the crater.  Lava spewed and created the plains of the Serengeti. This is the world's largest caldera.  Ngorogoro means bowl or the sound the Masai cow bell - pick one.  This is Masai country. The government pushed them out of the Serengeti to make it a conservation area. So they moved to Ngorogoro. The Masai originated in Ethopia and migrated south following the water. 

The most entertaining part of the day was when we ran into two lions trying to cool off in the bucket of a front loader.  There is a lot of construction going on down there.  They are building new roads.  These lions were a hoot to watch.  The driver had a hard time getting back in and then had to gently try to move them.  After that show, we saw two black rhinos.  Best viewing Geoff and I have ever had of the elusive beast. This also happens to be birthing season for the gnu. Lots of little ones around. We were hoping to witness a birth but no luck.  

Stopped for a picnic lunch down by a lake. This place was a mass of jeeps. But  lo and behold an ice cream truck!!  What a treat!

The animals in the crater stay in the crater.  There is no migration.  There are no cheetahs here.  They could not survive their preditors so they moved out. There are plenty of gnu, cape buffalo, zebra, lions, and black rhino.  Came upon some flamingos hanging out in the lake.  The lake is salt water so this is not a source for the animals. They drink from a river stream that feeds down from the rain forest.

Left the crater via the rain forest and drove through a very prosperous part of Tanzania to get to the Ngorogoro Coffee Lodge.  This place is on a beautiful coffee planation.  This is pure culture shock!   Very la-di-dah with lots of room a wonderful outdoor shower, etc., etc.  The only thing we won't have is falling asleep to the lion's roar. Checked in took an outdoor shower, rinsed all the dust out of our clothes and headed to pool.  Aahhhh. Tomorrow we are off to meet Alex in Arusha then up to the Kenya border where we are passed back over to Juma who will take us to Tsvao. Another long day. Sweet dreams!

Next time... Tsavo National Park

Serengeti Day 2

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

We got an earlystart  and were rewarded with awesome views of both sunrise and hot air balloons. Today we have an all day drive to the eastern part of the Serengeti - far away from the maddening jeep brigade.  This is cat country.  However, we found ourselves in the middle of a zebra migration with lots of gnus tagging along.

There isn't a whole lot to say.  The pictures tell the story for the most part.  We had a lovely picnic lunch in the shade of a tree.  And even managed to get the chef to make us a couple of egg salad sandwiches with Paula's help on instructions - most lunches have been chicken and we have had to make do with various combinations of stuff.  One example with a huge roll filled with two tomato slices and two cucumbers - what's that about?? Anyway, not complaining - no one is starving.

Here are a few factoids that we have picked up over the course of hanging out in the Sergeneti. By the way, Serengeti means endless plain. A very apt description

• The traditional zebra pose - with two zebras leaning on one another each facing in the opposite direction - is not only for comfort, affection and to help swat flies, but is also a very effective way to look out for preditors - mostly lions.
• The lion and the leopard are "real" cats, the cheetah is not.  This is because both the lion and leopards claws that retract, the cheetah's does not.  You will never find a cheetah up a tree like the lion and leopard. I don't know about tigers - I'll you know when we get to India!
• When a leopard is up in a tree, you can tell if it is a female if the hind legs are straddling the limb. A male will put both hing legs on one side of the limb -- for obvious reasons.
• 
  Antolope Descriptions:
• Eland -  largest
• Dicdic - smallest
• Topi -     fastest
• Impala - highest jumper

 A thunderstorm greeted us when we got back to the tent. It was a quick shower and temperature gratefully dropped,.  It's been hovering around 90 during the day.  Dinner then bed.

Next time... Ngoragora Crater

Serengeti

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Feeling better today.  It always takes a while to get acclaimated to a new place and moving everyday does present its challenges in that regard.  We are in Serengeti for three nights.  So the first thing we did yesterday when we got to our tent was to jump in the shower and wash all the clothes we've been wearing for the last week.  It was wonderful seeing all that dust and dirt go down the drain.  Most things were dry by morning.

This morning's game drive was simply wonderful. The Serengeti is a truly magnificent place. So grab a snack and a cup of coffee, there a lot of pictures here because you just can stop at one! Since we have already seen the "Big Five" - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, African (cape) buffalo - we were under no pressure to go speeding off from place to place.  When we were able to just sit and watch and enjoy as the animals went about their lives.  The giraffes were first, then the baboons, next the impala harem - all ladies and one male.  We stayed at the Hippo Hilton for quite a while.  What a sight.  We have never seen so many hippos. Well we were all truly awed but wait there was more.... a small herd of female elephants came right into our path and crossed the road right through jeeps.  I could have reached out and touched one.  

The hunt was on for the elusive cats.  Gila took us to where the Kopj rocks.  Kopj is Swahili for head.  This is where the leopards and lions bring their young and hide them among the rock formations.  We ran into a traffic jam waiting for a mother leopard and her cubs to appear. Didn't stick around. We left and found a lone lioness up among the rocks.  Moved on and found ourselves right in the middle of a Cape Buffalo migration. Came upon two big male lion brothers which were a stone's throw from the jeep. Last but not least, we were the first jeep at a leopard sighting. Could have watched him for hours.  Heading back we we saw the jeeps still lined up to find that momma leopard. They don't know what they are msising.

Back to the ranch for lunch and a short break before heading out this afternoon.  By the way, there are plenty of tsetse flies in this part of the Serengeti.  Not supposed to wear blue or black (oops!).  So far no bites, hope it stays that way.  Later....

The flies were annoying this afternoon.  But we managed to be entertained by the all popular baboons,
elephants, and giraffes and others.  Oh, and we ran into some ostriches - grey is female and the black is male.  We went on the hunt for six lions taking a walk but never found them.  And, there was lots of more two story activity.  We have decided it must be mating season. 

Arrived back just in time for a quick shower and then dinner.  The drive back got a bit dicey. It rained while we were on safari and it was quite muddy.  The jeep was slip sliding all over the place.  Gila did a great job reining it in and getting us back safely.

A side note, Jerry asked what the name of the tortoise is -- it is a leopard tortoise.

Tomorrow we go back out for an all day safari. 

Next time.. Serengeti Day 2

The Road to Serengeti

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Not too much to write about today due to the fact that we were in a jeep for most of it.  Juma picked us up at 7am. After saying goodbye to our new friends, we were off to the Tanzania border crossing. We did stop to take some pics as we were leaving the reserve.  Nothing new but a pair of  two-story hyenas. (Sorry Jennifer but I had to take the shot)

The roads in Kenya got progressively worse.  It was the bumpiest day yet.  Got to the border at around 12:30 and met our new guide, Gila.  After much confusion about where to go, what to do, and oh, where the hell is the bathroom, we made it out in about an hour.  Gila is a bit harder to understand and definitely doesn't have Juma's sense of humor.  We embarked in another 3-4 hour journey. The roads in Tanzania so far are bumpy but nothing like Kenya.  

Went through a Canadian diamond mining operation that was interesting but couldn't get pictures. Passed through fields of banana trees and was impressed with the local transportation.  In one town, there was a road block - pretty much a rope across the road. This was to collect taxes from the motorbikes that operate like a taxi.  Some system! There was a short lunch stop (lunch boxes from hotel) at a medical dispensary.  This place was like a clinic. J had an interesting conversation with the doctor as we were leaving.

Eventually we made it to Serengeti Park and did a mini game drive on the way to our new tents.  This is even more rustic than the last place.  However, we still have a hot water showers and flushing toilets.  It is a no fence area, so we have to have an escort everytime you leave or go to your tent at night -- just in case the wild beasts are lurking.

Tonight's dinner was the first that was not a buffet.  I didn't eat much. Stomach a bit woozy today.  Could be the partying last night or all the driving or probably both.  Either way, taking a breather with the food.  

Tomorrow we explore the Serengeti with a morning and afternoon game drive.  We have really seen so much already, I can't image what we will see next.  I must say, however, that the Serengeti is beautiful whether there are animals or not.  Forecast calls for clouds.  This is good since it is going to be in the 90's.  Time for bed - very, very tired.

Next time.. The Serengeti

Valentine's Day

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Before I begin today's recap, I'm going to add a few things that I had left out either because I didn't remember or I was just too tired. The first, going all the way back to Aberdare.  For fans of the Crown, the Aberdare Country Club was one of Queen Elizabeth's favorite spots both as a princess and a queen. The other point of interest I forgot to mention, for you movie buffs,  was that Lake Nakuru National Park was the filming location of much of film Out of Africa.

Ok getting back to today. Slept great last night which was good.  Today was a very long drive. We left at 7am. Spotting the usual suspects as we drove around the reserve.  The Masai Mara is much greener than our previous Kenyan locations.   The panoramas are wonderful and the dust is kept to a minimum because of the vegetation.  

Came upon a pride of lions taking their afternoon nap. Lions sleep approximately 16 hours a day.  From the lions it was off to the hippos and crockodiles. We made a pit stop at the park's airport.  The Masai were there selling their wares but I have to say they did not attack. I was looking to buy one of the colorful Masai blankets but Juma had already bought one for us while we were there.

It was on to the Mara River.  Took a short guided walk around the river and watched the big beasts wade about. Before lunch,  Juma took us down to the border of Tanzania and Kenya.  Next, we looked for an unoccupied tree to have lunch.  After our picnic, we had started back along the river and over some rough terrain when Juma made a u-turn and high tail it  back.  Turns out the word was out about a two male lions sighting.  Somewhere along the way, we were entertained by a couple of "two-story" mongoose!

Back at the shack by around 4pm and were greeted with a lovely Valentine's message.  Thank you
Alex.  Got to the bar just before the night's outdoor bbq.  Dinner was at the pool with a Masai show which we all participated in --what a hoot!.  We enjoyed our Valentine's cake and wine. After dinner, I noticed the chef was starting to dance,  That was my cue. I was up and dancing and then everyone was joining in.  A good time was had by all! A Valentine's night we will remember for a long time to come,

Back at our tent. Have to say good night now. 

Next time... The Serengeti

Masai Mara

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

A bit chilly this morning but warmer than it has been.  We started our morning drive to a see the flamingos -- what a marvelous sight.  We also came upon some spoonbills and a maribu stork our for his morning constitution.  

Back at the lodge, we had breakfast and gathered our things. I took one more picture of the zebras at the watering hole in front of the pool. Checked out and we were back on the road by 9am.  This was the worst road yet! I still had the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle from last week (I always bring the puzzle when I leave).  So we passed the time filling in the boxes - which we did and successfully finished. We only made one stop for gas and facilities.  Turned down the offer to stop at the gift and coffee bar.  They are all the same with people hovering over your every move to buy something.  It's heartbreaking to see and even more heartbreaking to turn people away.  

We arrived at Enkorok Mara Camp at around 2pm. This place is more of a camp than the lodges we have been staying in.  The advantage is that you are much closer to the reserve. And believe when I say the less you have to drive on these roads, the better you are.  There are many Maasai settlements  in this area. They are easy to spot with their very colorful blankets they are wrapped up in.  Their huts are made of mud and straw and is the dwelling for the whole family and probably one cow.  Our tent is very comfortable.  Had a bit of a plumbing problem but that has been fixed so we are all good.

There were four of us at the pool today after lunch.
  Stayed for a swim. It was 4o'clock before we knew it and we were back in the jeep heading for the Masai Mara Reserve.  WOW!! What an afternoon.  Within two hours we saw a small pride of lions, a leopard, a cheetah, and to top it off a couple of ostrichs.  It was truly remarkable. The funny looking tree is called a Sausage Tree. Stayed for sunset before heading back.

We are here for one more night.  Tomorrow we go on an all day safari so we get up a bit later.  Till then...

Next time... Masai Mara Day Two

Lake Nakuru

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

No morning game drive today - just breakfast and back in the jeep.  It was a long and bumpy ride. We saw some animals on our way out of the park.  Once outside the reserve, we saw close to 30 white rhinos on the other side of the fence as we drove down the town road. Never have I ever!! Stopped for one break and then at another waterfall. This one didn't require a hike to see.  It was pretty busy with rides for the kids and plenty of people trying to sell you stuff.  Drove through several towns until we finally arrived at Lake Nakuru Lodge.

The lodge sits near the lake.  It's nice but showing it's age.  Time for lunch and then out to the pool.  Finally got to swim a bit.  Either the water is getting warmer or I'm starting to get used to these frigid pool temperatures.  We are still pretty high up altitude speaking.  When we had had enough, we packed it up and went back to room.

Four o'clock we met  up with Paula and J.  Juma was waiting for us in the parking lot to go on our afternoon drive.  This time to see the flamingos.  Passed by the pelicans first and then lo and behold a lovely lady lion snoozing in a tree.  Made it to the flamingos as the sun started setting.  A very pretty site. It was exceptionally bumpy and dusty this afternoon.  We even had to stop on occassion to let a dust storm pass.  Back to the lodge for dinner.  Food was good - nothing like Sweetwaters however.  Time to pack in it.  Another early morning followed by another long and bumpy ride to Masa Mara.  Fortunately we are staying there for a couple of nights.  It will be good to stop moving.  

Enjoy the Super Bowl.

Next time... Masa Mara

Sweetwaters

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

Woke up and ran down to watch the sky brighten over the watering hole.  The elephant party was already there.  We heard lots of noises in the night and Paula is convinced it was an elephant giving birth.  Maybe, maybe not. Look at the pictures and decide for yourself.  There is one baby that does look like it just arrived.  We headed down to the "bunker" to get some closer shots.  Very cool place. Ate breakfast, took some last minute photos and met Juma. 

The Ark gets an A for wildlife viewing and the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating but on the negative, the food was not very good at all and the rooms were more like a hostel.  There was also no introduction to the place.  We stumbled on things as we went.  Since we were only there for a night it would have been nice to know a little more about how to navigate the facility.

Back in the jeep and on the road to Sweetwaters.  Juma made a stop so that I could finally get the SIM card.  Got to the park at about 10:30 and right out of the gate (and I mean that literally) we saw about five white rhinos, lots of zebra, impala, and various other wildlife.  No cats, however.  We did take the stupid tourist pics at the Equator line. Plus we visited the grave sites of all the white rhinos who had been poached and killed which came from the original two rhinos.We hoped to find some on the afternoon drive.

Got to our tent site inside the reserve.  This place is absolutely fantastic!  The tents are fully equipped, there is a very nice watering hole right outside.  In fact a white rhino came out to greet us as we were schlepping out luggage across the path.  There is a pool - which I immediately inhabited directly after lunch.  Which brings us to the food -- simply outrageous.  

Geoff and I hung out at the pool for a bit.  The water was absolutely freezing.  G dove in but I only made it about half way up.  The wind picked after a while and slowly made our way back to our tent.  We sat on our "porch" and watched the view.  Went to meet Juma at 4pm for our afternoon drive.   We paid a visit to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, established with the help of Jane Goodall.  After which, we paid a visit to the black rhino sactuary, where they were housing one black rhino rescued in 2008 who is blind.  He is very gentle and lets you caress him.  It was back on the hunt for cats.  No luck there - we see a very cool secretary bird taking an evening walk. Caught a good shot of sunset before returing to the lodge.

\

Got back to lodge to enjoy the sax player, a warm fire, and a nice cup of tea before heading to the dining room.  Ahhhhh - life is good.  didn't disappoint.  After which, we talked with Juma about tomorrows excursion.  We are all sorry we have to leave here so soon.  By the way, this was the upgrade that Alex had mentioned on day one.  Boy was it ever!  Tomorrow is up early, breakfast and on the road at 7am for a 5 hour drive to Lake Nakuru.  All in all -- best day so far!!  

Oh, another hot water in bed tonight.  Wonderful!

Next time... Lake Nakuru

Aberdare

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM

We were all ready and at the door when Juma showed up this morning.  Only snag was when Geoff checked out and showed me the bill, I noticed a $50 USD charge for the 15 minute ride from the airport yesterday -- this was to be included in our tour.  Showed the bill to Juma and it was back to the reception desk to sort out the confusion.  Geoff got his money back and we finally got on the road, albeit a bit later than planned.  

Even though we were driving north away from the inner city of Nairobi, there was still plenty of traffic and lots of folks getting ready to start their day.  This was a four hour jeep ride with a short stop at a gift and coffee bar.  Ran into a jeep full of military police -- sorry not allowed to post their pictures here.  We were back on the road for another 2 hours climbing higher and higher. Finally we reached our lunch destination.  The grounds were beautiful - spotted some giraffes and a few other creatures. 

After lunch it was back in the jeep for another 2 hour ride to a waterfall. Took some shots of some of the wild life we saw.  Hiked down to the bottom of the waterfall took the stupid tourist pics and it was back in jeep for the 2 hour ride to our lodging -- The Ark.  Built liked Noah's Ark it sits on a wonderful waterhole Sat and watched the elephants, water buffalo, and various other creatures.  Going to dinner now.

After dinner we discovered that the lodge puts the lights on out by the watering hole.  We sat and watched the elephants and water buffalo for a while before retiring for the night. Got into bed and found a nice hot water bottle heating up the mattress - nice touch.  It is cool up here in the hills. Hope we get to explore this place a little better in the morning before we head out.  Juma is meeting us at 8am.  Not as long a drive to the next lodging and more game drives ahead.  Till then.

Next time...Sweetwater

Waking Up in Nairobi

4:50am the alarm goes off.  This is the start of another adventure.  By the time we had a cup of coffee and did all our last minute checking, our ride had arrived.  A bit early at 6:15 but no problem we were looking forward to having breakfast in the Delta Sky Club.  Picked up the Meeres in Marion and it was off to Logan.  Made it through the traffic and got to Logan with plenty of time to enjoy breakfast before boarding.  

A quick 40 minute shuttle flight to JFK and a hike through the terminal - because of course our connecting flight is on the other side of the terminal.  But at least it is the same terminal. We landed early giving us lots of time to get to the gate and grab a quick lunch bite at the Delta Express Lounge.  We are now very comfortably sitting in first class enjoying the room and champagne.  So far so good - everything's been on time.  We only hope the luggage is with us.  I'm pretty sure it is but these days you never know.

So now we sit back and relax for the next 13 hours or so and hopefully find Alex waiting for us in Nairobi.

Landed early in Nairobi.  Got a bit of sleep on the plane.  Much more civilized when you can stretch out.  We are all a bit weary though.  Customs was a breeze  but no Alex waiting outside.  I knew it was a bit of a long shot.  Instead we had a very nice man from the hotel holding a Paul Meer sign for the Eka Hotel - close enough.  A short drive, checked in, found our room, and I was at the pool before you could say splash.  This place is nice - nothing too fancy but a nice pool and plenty of services.  Paula and J joined us before long.  We spent most of the afternoon chatting with a lovely women from Canterbury England who has been to this part of the world several times.  Soon we were joined by a woman from outside of Toronto. So nice to talk to new people.  I love hearing about the different places they live and have been to.

We were all having a lovely quiet down time. However, we had yet to hear anything from our guide/driver for this excursion.  I immediately contacted Alex.  After a bit of a back and forth, he told us he injured his leg playing soccer.  Glad we brought him 4 soccer balls.  Maybe I haven't mentioned the gifts yet -- Alex wanted something from Boston.  I picked up a Red Sox hat and some sea glass from our beach.  Then he called wanting soccer balls for a small club that he coaches.  Paula was tasked with clothes for his 3 year old girl.  I learned a lot about soccer balls and Paula had lots of fun buying clothes for a little girl plus a very cute doll!  Anyway, I digress.... Alex said that Juma will be at the hotel soon.  That was at 2pm - he showed up at 5pm.  

We discussed plans for tomorrow and took a look at the vehicle we would be living in for the next couple of weeks..  After that got sorted, Juma phoned Alex and put me on the phone.  Alex said that he has upgraded some of our accommodations - or at least that is what I think he said..  We'll see what that means.  Meanwhile, we are now going to get ready for dinner - probably go to the hotel restaurant.  

Just back from dinner which was lovely.  Time for bed. Early start tomorrow.  Juma says we should be on the road by 7am.  We'll see.

Next time.. Aberdare National Park

Apologies

Geoff just informed that the email notification for the blog was different than usual plus it had ads.  I am so sorry for that.  Since I haven't used this blog in the past three years, Google has made it all better by taking away the email notification.  I used a third party but I am not very happy with their product.  So until I can find a better app, I will not be sending out any notifications.  

However, I will continue to post.  So if you are curious about where we are and what we are doing, just go directly to the site:  https://sunfishtravels.blogspot.com/

Sorry again - Susan

On The Road Again

Let the countdown begin.  We have been planning this trip for months and it is finally here.  Eight more days!  Take off is Wednesday, February 8th, landing in Nairobi on the 9th.

It's been over three years since I have been in an airport.  It's been even longer for Geoff.  Although we used our pandemic time wisely and kept busy, it was definitely time to hit the road again.

We were thinking of where to go when I got a text from our friend Paula who asked if we wanted to join her and J on a trip to Kenya.  After not too much thought or discussion, we said "Sure!".  We have been to South Africa and to Tanzania before but never Kenya.  

For most of our adventure, the four of us will be in the hands of a private guide provided by Mamasavana - operated by two brothers.  John in Kenya and Alex in Tansania.  We have been dealing with Alex for about the past six months. He's been nothing but patient and always there to answer any questions we may have.  There is a lot to take care of before traveling to Africa.  Applying for visas and figuring out the right vaccinations head the list.  Alex helped us through it all.

Our itinerary is pretty simple.  We land in Nairobi and stay in Kenya on safari and visitng game lodges for a few days.  Then it is down to Tanzania to experience the migration. After which, we re-enter Kenya with a safari stay at Tsavo National Park. For the most part, our safari accommodations will be a combination of lodges and "glamping".  We spend our remaining days at a small boutique hotel on the beach in Mombasa before making the long trek home.

Having traveled with Paula and J before - primarily biking group trips, we are looking forward to sharing this amazing journey with them. Needless to say, we are very excited to be on the road again.

Next time.... Waking up in Nairobi