Is it cliche to say that this trip changed me? Perhaps, but it doesn’t make it less true. I’ve traveled a good bit, mostly Western Europe, some central Europe, South and Latin America, and I always rolled my eyes a bit when travel books would say “spend time with the people wherever you go.” I’m introverted, with some social anxiety thrown in; it doesn’t come … Continue reading What Surprised Me in Kenya and Tanzania—and What I Learned
This was to be our last day in Kenya; we left the AA camp at 6 am with our packed breakfasts and lunches. It was a beautiful morning, with several hot air balloons up over the park. We would have to say goodbye to Joseph today and were sad. Looking at a map, you wouldn’t think the trip to the Serengeti would take all day, … Continue reading From Maasai Mara to the Serengeti
We were fortunate to have two more full days in Maasai Mara. And they were pretty much cat days—lions, serval, leopard, cheetah. Lions First we saw a large male lion (or rather Joseph saw it and pointed it out to us), sleeping next to shrub. We could really see its ear only; once again, we were amazed at how Joseph can see these animals amongst … Continue reading Throughout Maasai Mara
We left Naivasha early, heading to Maasai Mara (meaning “spotted” in Swahili) National Park. Joseph told us it would be a long day of bad roads. He wasn’t kidding. We stopped in Narok for lunch; Narok is the largest Masai village in Kenya. Not sure what I was expecting when I heard that, perhaps a cluster of Maasai neighborhoods, with their customary saplings or cut … Continue reading Naivasha to Maasai Mara
After two nights in Amboseli, we headed back north, past Nairobi, and on to Lake Naivasha. We were scheduled for a boat ride on the lake, which is heavily populated with hippos. I was a bit wary, but figured, well, it’ll probably be a good-sized pontoon boat. Uh, no. More on that in a bit. On our way north, we stopped at the Great Rift … Continue reading Amboseli to Naivasha and Nakuru
Amazingly, I’m not jet lagged. This is our first morning in Nairobi, and it started out perfectly when a local cat—Jarvis—greeted us on the porch. We are staying at Rosslyn Academy for 2 nights; Laura’s niece works here. It’s been great to have a comfy place to crash! We’d been warned that the Academy was adding a patio outside the room, but YIKES! 8 AM … Continue reading Nairobi in a Day
Rhodio 