Safari

Day 1:

We flew from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara Wednesday morning.  The flight was delayed and when we finally boarded, it was a Dash 8 with all of four passengers and five crew! 

We landed on a dirt airstrip right in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, were shown to our safari car and before we’d even reached the camp we’d seen zebras, warthogs, wildebeest, impala, Thompson’s gazelles, and giraffes!  It’s incredible amazing scenery. 

Calling it a camp and sleeping in tents is not what you’d imagine.  It’s more like a resort hotel.  Even though the room is a canvas structure it has a wood floor, four-poster king bed with mosquito netting, full bathroom facilities, and a large deck.  The open tent dining room overlooks the Mara River.  We eat meals to the chirping of birds and snorting of hippos in the river below.  It’s so incredible! 

About 4 p.m. we joined another couple and our driver to go for the evening game drive.  God has created such a beautiful place for us to enjoy!  We drove through huge herds of wildebeests and zebras.  Miles upon miles of hills, grasslands and animals.  Before long we came across what we’d call a ‘bear jam’ in Canada where all the vehicles are stopped to look at something.  In this case it was a ‘lion jam’.  Yes, there were two lions sleeping under the bushes.  They weren’t bothered by us, ignoring the interruption to their siesta.  We returned to camp before it was dark and then it was time for a wonderful international buffet dinner.

Day 2:

The day began with a quick breakfast and then an early morning game drive.  Our driver said it’s called a game drive because it’s a game.  Sometimes you win and see something extra special, sometimes you lose.  To me it was so amazing to see these animals all over again, like I’d never even seen them yesterday.  We could add elephants, Grant’s gazelles, topi, hyena, warthogs, mongoose and ostrich to the list. 

We left the game park and toured a Maasai village.  They welcomed us with traditional dances and then we entered the compound and had a tour of a traditional home made of cow dung and mud.  They were very friendly people eager to show us their lifestyle.  We also discovered that their school received funding from a charity we know.

You know those TV nature shows where you see the cheetah hunting?  That’s exactly how it is for real!  We were so fortunate to be able to watch a cheetah stalk and then chase a Grant’s gazelle.  We had the front row seat with no other safari cars ahead of us!  Forget about taking pictures.  Even though it was right before our eyes, it all happened so fast.  Unfortunately, she came up short and didn’t have any dinner. 

In this game drive I’d say we won!

Day 3:

That's tomorrow (Friday). The plan is to have another game drive before we leave the Maasai Mara..  

Dave will return to Bahir Dar for another two weeks and I'll take the long journey home, arriving in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.

This was the cat that didn't get dinner.