WONDERFUL SAFARI IN EASTERN AFRICA

   



    I have always wanted to start a blog where I can reach friends, family, clients and hopefully anyone else who has a sense of adventure. I am a travel agent with a home office, "SANDY'S TRAVEL WORLD". I am starting my "travelogue" with my wonderful adventure in Kenya on an African Safari, an incredible experience!

 

 

4/4&5    Today I left from Chicago to fulfill my dream of an African Safari. After 8 hours, I arrived in Amsterdam where I met my sister-in-law, my travel partner for the next 10 days! Eight more hours and we finally arrived in Nairobi. We were met and taken to our hotel for 2 nights. Fairmont The Norfolk is probably Kenya's most famous hotel and certainly the oldest, opening in 1904. We arrived a day early, so as to have an extra day to explore on our own. We had something to eat and then "crashed" as soon as possible, probably from 16+ hours of travel!!!

Fairmont the Norfolk





4/6    We had a full day to ourselves, as the tour did not begin until the following day. We took a hotel shuttle to the David Sheldrick Home for Orphaned Elephants. We watched baby elephants playing in the water and being bottle fed. They were so darling and fun to watch that I "adopted" one for my grand-daughter, Addie, for her 8th birthday. I picked "Napoki", a 2 year old orphan that was found in a well. So for $50, I got a little girl elephant for a special little girl! The organization sends information and pictures every month and I will renew the adoption next year. It is a great and wonderful cause. www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Napoki, our adopted little girl

With their trainers

Feeding time

 




4/7  We met the group and left early for a 4 hour drive to Mount Kenya Safari Club for the afternoon and night. The resort is on the slopes of Mount Kenya, Africa's 2nd highest mountain. It is a luxurious retreat originally owned by William Holden and frequented by many Hollywood legends. We had lunch and went on a site inspection, the first of many on this "working vacation". We had dinner in a huge very elegant dining room. The lamb chops were a bit tough, but the baked Alaska was fantastic!

 

 

 

4/8   We left Mount Kenya after a wonderful breakfast on the patio. Drove 3 hours to the Sambura Reserve. The last 1/2 hour, we saw so much wild-life that it was mind blowing! A herd of elephants (memory) surrounded the truck! There were giraffes, zebras, lots of gazelles, dikdiks, wildebeest, waterbucks. After lunch, we checked into our tents along the river at the Sambura Intrepids. It is so peaceful! About 4p, we went on another game drive. Parked among elephants again and enjoyed the serenity. All of a sudden, our driver got a call that a leopard was spotted, so he took off at a very fast pace..our "African Message"! Finally spotted him hiding in a tree. He "posed" for us for awhile...so majestic!   Animals were everywhere, like they were "planted" there! Another "memory" of elephants and a "journey" of giraffes and they all just passed by like we weren't there! Monkeys and Baboons were all over! Finally it was dusk, so we went back to camp, cleaned up, slathered up with mosquito repellent and went to dinner in the open dining room. Dinner was good..."souwa"! Went back to our tent with netting over each bed. Zipped up the tent tight, so we wouldn't have a monkey in our bed with us and fell asleep to the sound of the river roaring by. The power is then turned out til 6a and we must depend on a flashlite to go potty!




Ready for adventure!

Cosmos, our guide with our safari vehicle

 



Our tent at the Sambura Camp





Amazing Leopard!

Zebra



A stop for a "memory" of elephants

 

Ostrich



Oryx

Proud MaMa

African Water Buffalo

 

4/9   Our wake-up call was a knock at our tent and coffee and little biscuits! And a warning that the monkeys may try to steal our biscuits! We drank our coffee while listening to all the monkeys yelling at us from the trees! They really wanted our goodies! Breakfast was at 7a and our first game drive was at 730a. Again, it was very successful with all the animals coming outto greet the day...and us! I had a beautiful morning. After 2 hours of splendor, we visited a Sambura Village where we had a history lesson from the chief and were treated to dancing, told of traditons, shown the insde of a hut, invited to buy their crafts and allowed to take all the photos we wanted. After lunch, we relaxed at the pool followed by another very peaceful game drive. Cleaned up, lathered up (against mosquitos) and attended a lecture/travelogue on the Kenyan Savanna. Then back to the tent to see if my laundry was still drying on the deck or maybe see a baboon running around wearing a bra!

Ladies of the Sambura Tribe

 

Children of the village with a house/hut in background

 

 


Proud to show us the inside of his home

 

4/10  After our wake-up coffee on our deck and a lovely breakfast, as usual, we went to the landing strip to board our flight to the Masai Mara Game Reserve.  There we checked into the Mara Intrepids Tented Camp.  Great, as usual!  By this time, we have gotten quite spoiled!  Camping was never like this!!  On our drive today, we were amazed, as usual, but mostly when we saw the show that the cheetahs put on!  First we spotted two in the grass, a mother and her young one.  She strolled over to another safari vehicle, as on cue, jumped on it and proceeded to "pose" for pictures, to the amazement of the passengers!  Her young-un follower suit and they made sure that the occupants were entertained and sometimes a bit scared!  What a show!  It seemed like it was "staged"!  Seems the mother was almost raised by the guides and was very friendly to people.  The guides knew that she was safe, but explained that it is necessary to remember, however, that they are still wild animals!

landing strip in Masai Mara



Bridge to Safari vehicles



Our tent at Masai Mara Intrepids

2 cheetahs ready to entertain!

Brave & amazed tourists

The "stars" of the show!

4/11  Coffee on deck, breakfast, game drive, lunch, rest or shop, another game drive, dinner (always takes a long time, as there are about 7 courses!), then back to the tent to pack, read and finally sleep on our last night in the Mara.  Fantastic days on the African plains!

4/12  After a torrential storm the night before,  the Mara River was too high to drive over, so they had to charter a small plane to get us to the next place.  The flight took 6 minutes!  We were picked up and driven to the Olonanan Sanctuary on the banks of the Mara River.  It was small and luxurious, even more so than we had been used to!  We were right on the very angry river and could hear the disgruntled hippos, trying to keep their young on the banks of the raging river.  I went on one more animal drive, without a camera, just lots of scenes and sounds to put in my memory bank!  Had dinner, enjoyed nature and lots of camaraderie with our fellow travelers before returning to our tent to pack our wet, stinky clothes and listen to the howling of the mama hippo!

 

Mara River is too high to drive over

6 minute plane ride

Olonana Sanctuary

Upset Mama

 

 

4/13  Last coffee with the monkeys, last breakfast in paradise, last minute shopping and all packed up to fly to Nairobi!  Our wonderful adventure has come to an end.  Lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi, which serves a variety of meat....practically everything that runs on the Savannah.  Not for me...can't eat what I have enjoyed watching running free all week!  We left from Nairobi Airport late afternoon with many wonderful memories.  This is one of the best, very likely the best, trip I have taken.  It was flawless, thanks to a very competent company.

All packed up to leave

 

"Meat Restaurant" in Nairobi