Day 13
July 22, 2011
Well, we had a great last evening in Kenya! We got into our trucks for our last "fun drive" and they took us to a beautiful spot in the Masa Mara where there was an amazing cocktail party set up with open bar, hot appetizers, a fire and a gorgeous view. After we got our drinks, everyone in the group told what they got out of the trip, what was the most meaningful experience. It was just wonderful.
Abbe bought us all little gifts. He is so thoughtful! We came back to the hotel, showered and had our last dinner in the bust. It was a special night for the family.
This morning we did not leave the hotel until 10am. We went to the airstrip, waited about 45 minutes for our flight, and then flew on to Nairobi. Since the overseas flights depart late at night, Tauck took us to the Nairobi Serena hotel, and had arranged for day rooms for everyone. The hotel is absolutely magnificent, and the lunch was great. Cathy and I spent about an hour and a half talking to Abbe. It was really nice. We are now relaxing in our room. We got all of our luggage back (we just had duffles in Masa Mari), so we will be reorganizing ourselves for the trip home. We will be gathering at 6pm for dinner and then it is on to the airport. We have a long trip home. The flight leaves for Amsterdam about 10:30pm, then we have an eight hour flight, followed by a six hour layover. Then on to JFK for a three hour layover and finally back to Ft. Lauderdale. We expect to be exhausted when we get home. However, we have so many spectacular memories from this trip, we can deal with a little tired!
Tuesday, July 26
Notes from Africa: Day 12
Day 12
July 21, 2011
After I wrote yesterday afternoon, we went on a short safari ride and came back for dinner. They had pizza and all four of us ordered it as we missed pizza!
I did not sleep great, and we had our 4:30am "wake-up call" (which was a guy yelling into our tent to get up!). We had coffee and cookies and hit the road at 5:30am. It was a 40 minute drive to the air balloons. The only problem was that when we arrived, it was too windy. We waited a while but it did not die down, so we went for a drive instead. We were disappointed but decided to make the most of it. It turned out great- we came across a family of lions who had all just eaten. Dad was on the side and down about were two moms and about eight cubs. We pulled right up next to them; it was great to watch.
We then went to the breakfast site. The hotel had it all set up with hot foods, drinks, and even an omelet station- very nice!
We then did a long drive into a park. We saw endless wildebeest, some lions, zebras, gazelle, and more. The highlight was a stop at the river where there were all of these dead wildebeest that had been killed migrating across in a stampede. While a very ugly sight, it was amazing to see the vultures and crocs feast on them.
We came back to the hotel for lunch and our break. We are leaving in a little while for a "fun" drive- this should be interesting! Hard to believe it is all coming to an end tomorrow. The trip has been the best ever...
July 21, 2011
After I wrote yesterday afternoon, we went on a short safari ride and came back for dinner. They had pizza and all four of us ordered it as we missed pizza!
I did not sleep great, and we had our 4:30am "wake-up call" (which was a guy yelling into our tent to get up!). We had coffee and cookies and hit the road at 5:30am. It was a 40 minute drive to the air balloons. The only problem was that when we arrived, it was too windy. We waited a while but it did not die down, so we went for a drive instead. We were disappointed but decided to make the most of it. It turned out great- we came across a family of lions who had all just eaten. Dad was on the side and down about were two moms and about eight cubs. We pulled right up next to them; it was great to watch.
We then went to the breakfast site. The hotel had it all set up with hot foods, drinks, and even an omelet station- very nice!
We then did a long drive into a park. We saw endless wildebeest, some lions, zebras, gazelle, and more. The highlight was a stop at the river where there were all of these dead wildebeest that had been killed migrating across in a stampede. While a very ugly sight, it was amazing to see the vultures and crocs feast on them.
We came back to the hotel for lunch and our break. We are leaving in a little while for a "fun" drive- this should be interesting! Hard to believe it is all coming to an end tomorrow. The trip has been the best ever...
Notes from Africa: Day 11
Day 11
July 20, 2011
This morning we left the hotel at 8:30am for the air strip. We boarded our small plane and arrived at Mausi Maura. This is actually the Kenya side of the Serengeti. After leaving the airport, we did a short game drive. The drivers took us to a spot they saw this morning. We finally saw the one animal we have been waiting for- a male lion! Unlike other game parks, drivers are allowed to off-road here. So we went right up next to him! Right nearby was his girl, a female lioness with a zebra she had killed this morning and the two of them ate about half of. It was incredible!
It was then onto the Fairmont Maura Safari Club. Awesome! This is the tents! Our tent comes complete with running water, electricity, etc! It is incredible. All of the tents sit on top of the river. We look out on about 40-50 hippos, including babies! It is just incredible. Crocs also do go down this river. We don't think we will get too much sleep because of the noise they make, but it is worth it!
We will be leaving shortly for a late afternoon game drive, then it is back here for dinner, bed and getting up early at 4:30am for our balloon ride. We coming down the home stretch, and it is a great way to end the trip!
July 20, 2011
This morning we left the hotel at 8:30am for the air strip. We boarded our small plane and arrived at Mausi Maura. This is actually the Kenya side of the Serengeti. After leaving the airport, we did a short game drive. The drivers took us to a spot they saw this morning. We finally saw the one animal we have been waiting for- a male lion! Unlike other game parks, drivers are allowed to off-road here. So we went right up next to him! Right nearby was his girl, a female lioness with a zebra she had killed this morning and the two of them ate about half of. It was incredible!
It was then onto the Fairmont Maura Safari Club. Awesome! This is the tents! Our tent comes complete with running water, electricity, etc! It is incredible. All of the tents sit on top of the river. We look out on about 40-50 hippos, including babies! It is just incredible. Crocs also do go down this river. We don't think we will get too much sleep because of the noise they make, but it is worth it!
We will be leaving shortly for a late afternoon game drive, then it is back here for dinner, bed and getting up early at 4:30am for our balloon ride. We coming down the home stretch, and it is a great way to end the trip!
Notes from Africa: Day 10
Day 10
July 19, 2011
This morning was amazing. We started our day at the Spinners and Weavers, which is a place for women that are divorced, widowed, or in problem situations to learn a trade of spinning and weaving rugs and shawls. Part of that complex is also a school. We had the privilege of visiting the school. We interacted with pre-school kids, who were just amazing! At 3-4 years old, they were learning English (including writing skills) and arithmetic. The kids were full of life- we danced and played with them. We spoke with the teacher and toured their classroom. From there it was on to a mall (the African "Target"), where we got various little items including a new suitcase.
We then had the afternoon free. We went back over to the animal orphanage, which was great. We were able to interact with the animals again, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We also played some bad mitten and walked the dogs at the hotel.
Dinner did not go well. The service was terrible and they had some problem in the kitchen. For a Fairmont, it was not handled well. They did not even tell us what was going on. Abbe said this was pretty typical for Africa.
July 19, 2011
This morning was amazing. We started our day at the Spinners and Weavers, which is a place for women that are divorced, widowed, or in problem situations to learn a trade of spinning and weaving rugs and shawls. Part of that complex is also a school. We had the privilege of visiting the school. We interacted with pre-school kids, who were just amazing! At 3-4 years old, they were learning English (including writing skills) and arithmetic. The kids were full of life- we danced and played with them. We spoke with the teacher and toured their classroom. From there it was on to a mall (the African "Target"), where we got various little items including a new suitcase.
We then had the afternoon free. We went back over to the animal orphanage, which was great. We were able to interact with the animals again, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We also played some bad mitten and walked the dogs at the hotel.
Dinner did not go well. The service was terrible and they had some problem in the kitchen. For a Fairmont, it was not handled well. They did not even tell us what was going on. Abbe said this was pretty typical for Africa.
Tuesday, July 19
Notes from Africa: Day 9
Day 9
July 18, 2011
This morning we went out to the Jane Goodall Chimp Sanctuary. It was enjoyable seeing the chimps up close! It was then off on another safari ride. It started off without much action but we ended up seeing a rare gravy zebra, white rhinos, black rhinos, elephants, and more.
We returned to the hotel for lunch and took a rest before horseback riding. This was definitely the highlight of the day! We went with Travis and Tammy from our group, through the woods. We were out for close to an hour and a half and saw water buck and zebras- including a rare albino zebra! Very cool!
We just returned and are getting ready for dinner. Rain is threatening- there was thunder and lightening during our ride,but no actual rain. We'll see if we get any now.
July 18, 2011
This morning we went out to the Jane Goodall Chimp Sanctuary. It was enjoyable seeing the chimps up close! It was then off on another safari ride. It started off without much action but we ended up seeing a rare gravy zebra, white rhinos, black rhinos, elephants, and more.
We returned to the hotel for lunch and took a rest before horseback riding. This was definitely the highlight of the day! We went with Travis and Tammy from our group, through the woods. We were out for close to an hour and a half and saw water buck and zebras- including a rare albino zebra! Very cool!
We just returned and are getting ready for dinner. Rain is threatening- there was thunder and lightening during our ride,but no actual rain. We'll see if we get any now.
Notes from Africa: Day 8
Day 8
July 17, 2011
My birthday in Africa! It was a terrific birthday. Cathy and the kids gave me cards and gifts before we left. We got up early for our 7:30am departure for the air strip. One last drive through the park, and we arrive about fifteen minutes later. We waited on the air strip for about a half hour for our plane to arrive. Again, we were on a Dash-8 airplane, this time from Air Kenya. The flight to Nairobi was very nice. We then switched to a bush plane- this is much smaller than the Dash-8 as it only holds about twelve passengers. Cathy, Jon, and Sarah sat directly behind the pilot and co-pilot. Our pilot, Alan, explained everything, including putting the seat belt on. Although Cathy and Sarah were nervous, the flight was fine and it was fascinating watching them fly.
Once we landed, it was about a twenty minute drive to the Mt. Kenya Safari Resort. This is a gorgeous property, with an amazing view of Mt. Kenya. It consists of 120 acres, with a swimming pool, tennis court, golf course, bicycling, horse back riding and more. A great facility for our only three night stay during the trip.
After arriving we walked over to the William Holden Animal Orphanage, located on the property. This is an incredible place. It is not just for orphans, but also injured and endangered animals. When you arrive, the first thing you do is pick vegetation from the gardens. This will be for interaction with the animals. We were allowed to pet and feed all kinds of animals including an ostrich, gazelle, different types of monkeys, and tortoises. Other animals that we could not directly interact with include a cheetah, wild cat, mini hippos, and owls. The monkeys are a blast- they will climb right on your for corn. The pictures are amazing!
The rest of our day was free. Since we are here for three nights, we unpacked for the first time- so nice! We took a great nap, and then went for a bike ride. It was a bit rough terrain and up and down quite a bit, so quite a workout. Good for us! We then cleaned up for a nice dinner in the lodge. It was a sit down dinner, which was a nice break for all of the buffets we have been having. After dinner, they brought out a cake and sang happy birthday to me in Swahili! Quite a treat! We then went to the bar for a drink before retiring to our room, where they had the fireplace burning beautifully for us. It is a tough life!
July 17, 2011
My birthday in Africa! It was a terrific birthday. Cathy and the kids gave me cards and gifts before we left. We got up early for our 7:30am departure for the air strip. One last drive through the park, and we arrive about fifteen minutes later. We waited on the air strip for about a half hour for our plane to arrive. Again, we were on a Dash-8 airplane, this time from Air Kenya. The flight to Nairobi was very nice. We then switched to a bush plane- this is much smaller than the Dash-8 as it only holds about twelve passengers. Cathy, Jon, and Sarah sat directly behind the pilot and co-pilot. Our pilot, Alan, explained everything, including putting the seat belt on. Although Cathy and Sarah were nervous, the flight was fine and it was fascinating watching them fly.
Once we landed, it was about a twenty minute drive to the Mt. Kenya Safari Resort. This is a gorgeous property, with an amazing view of Mt. Kenya. It consists of 120 acres, with a swimming pool, tennis court, golf course, bicycling, horse back riding and more. A great facility for our only three night stay during the trip.
After arriving we walked over to the William Holden Animal Orphanage, located on the property. This is an incredible place. It is not just for orphans, but also injured and endangered animals. When you arrive, the first thing you do is pick vegetation from the gardens. This will be for interaction with the animals. We were allowed to pet and feed all kinds of animals including an ostrich, gazelle, different types of monkeys, and tortoises. Other animals that we could not directly interact with include a cheetah, wild cat, mini hippos, and owls. The monkeys are a blast- they will climb right on your for corn. The pictures are amazing!
The rest of our day was free. Since we are here for three nights, we unpacked for the first time- so nice! We took a great nap, and then went for a bike ride. It was a bit rough terrain and up and down quite a bit, so quite a workout. Good for us! We then cleaned up for a nice dinner in the lodge. It was a sit down dinner, which was a nice break for all of the buffets we have been having. After dinner, they brought out a cake and sang happy birthday to me in Swahili! Quite a treat! We then went to the bar for a drink before retiring to our room, where they had the fireplace burning beautifully for us. It is a tough life!
Notes from Africa: Day 7
Day 7
July 15, 2011
This morning we got up early for our drive and visit to the Masai village. Everyone really enjoyed this. We took a nature walk to the village, where they explained the footprints of the different animals. That was followed by a dance, which Jon and Sarah took part in. They then took us into the village and showed us one of their houses. They were very dark, small, with a a few small rooms. One bedroom for the parents, one for the kids, and one central room for cooking. The Masai believe in polygamy, with each woman having her own house. The man plants his spear outside the home of the woman he will spend the night with.
We then got to meet the Medicine Man- pretty scary. He showed us the different pieces of wood that he uses to treat different ailments. If after weeks of this treatment, the patient does not show improvement, they will try to get him or her to a nearby clinic.
Finally, they took us to an area that they set up with their trinkets to sell- all handmade jewelry and carvings. Each family had their own area and we had to negotiate to get a decent price for our trinkets.
We then returned to the hotel for a rest, breakfast and lunch. After breakfast, Cathy and I took a nap outside near the pool, looking out onto the park. It was wonderful.
When we arrived at this property, we were warned by Abby to not leave our door open because of the chimpanzees. While we were fairly diligent, we have a connecting room with the kids. Jon just left the screen door closed to the patio in the back. We were talking among the four of us in our room, when Jon looked at the door to his room and found a chimp just sitting there, staring at us. We chased him out.
Before leaving for our afternoon tour, we decided to get a drink at the tables looking out at the park. It was delightful! We were able to talk with one of the Masai, whose job is nothing but to use a slingshot to keep the chimps away. They have two of these guys on the property around the clock! It is pretty funny. Well, he walked away, and we started talking. Next thing we know, a chimp ran to our table, knocked over my glass of wine, and grabbed a piece of pineapple from Sarah's drink to enjoy in the tree. They are amazing!
We then left for our afternoon drive. We saw some animals, then climbed a hill to a beautiful observation point, including seeing Mt. Kilimanjaro. This whole area is in the shadow of the mountain and it is incredible.
On the ride back to the hotel, we saw more great animal sites. This is the area for elephants and we saw a ton of them again (no pun intended). We saw one with just one tusk and a pair fighting. The males will fight for dominance. We also came across a mother gazelle with her baby that couldn't be more than a few hours old- so precious! Also, plenty of birds and more.
We returned to the hotel for a late evening dinner. It was very nice- they had the buffet set up outside which created a very enjoyable atmosphere.
We are now packing up for our early departure tomorrow to the Mt. Kenya Safari Resort. It is supposed to be magnificent and we are very excited. We will be taking two flights to get there.
July 15, 2011
This morning we got up early for our drive and visit to the Masai village. Everyone really enjoyed this. We took a nature walk to the village, where they explained the footprints of the different animals. That was followed by a dance, which Jon and Sarah took part in. They then took us into the village and showed us one of their houses. They were very dark, small, with a a few small rooms. One bedroom for the parents, one for the kids, and one central room for cooking. The Masai believe in polygamy, with each woman having her own house. The man plants his spear outside the home of the woman he will spend the night with.
We then got to meet the Medicine Man- pretty scary. He showed us the different pieces of wood that he uses to treat different ailments. If after weeks of this treatment, the patient does not show improvement, they will try to get him or her to a nearby clinic.
Finally, they took us to an area that they set up with their trinkets to sell- all handmade jewelry and carvings. Each family had their own area and we had to negotiate to get a decent price for our trinkets.
We then returned to the hotel for a rest, breakfast and lunch. After breakfast, Cathy and I took a nap outside near the pool, looking out onto the park. It was wonderful.
When we arrived at this property, we were warned by Abby to not leave our door open because of the chimpanzees. While we were fairly diligent, we have a connecting room with the kids. Jon just left the screen door closed to the patio in the back. We were talking among the four of us in our room, when Jon looked at the door to his room and found a chimp just sitting there, staring at us. We chased him out.
Before leaving for our afternoon tour, we decided to get a drink at the tables looking out at the park. It was delightful! We were able to talk with one of the Masai, whose job is nothing but to use a slingshot to keep the chimps away. They have two of these guys on the property around the clock! It is pretty funny. Well, he walked away, and we started talking. Next thing we know, a chimp ran to our table, knocked over my glass of wine, and grabbed a piece of pineapple from Sarah's drink to enjoy in the tree. They are amazing!
We then left for our afternoon drive. We saw some animals, then climbed a hill to a beautiful observation point, including seeing Mt. Kilimanjaro. This whole area is in the shadow of the mountain and it is incredible.
On the ride back to the hotel, we saw more great animal sites. This is the area for elephants and we saw a ton of them again (no pun intended). We saw one with just one tusk and a pair fighting. The males will fight for dominance. We also came across a mother gazelle with her baby that couldn't be more than a few hours old- so precious! Also, plenty of birds and more.
We returned to the hotel for a late evening dinner. It was very nice- they had the buffet set up outside which created a very enjoyable atmosphere.
We are now packing up for our early departure tomorrow to the Mt. Kenya Safari Resort. It is supposed to be magnificent and we are very excited. We will be taking two flights to get there.
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