Oct 20, 2010
Wed

I said my goodbyes to Pascal and the rest of the staff. Had a box lunch made for the trip and was off on the first of many airports for my return to the US.

What a fantastic experience these 3 weeks have been. Every emotion from tears, fears, excitement, elation, joy to extreme happiness.

I leave full and hope to return some day…..

the kill

Oct 19, 2010
Tuesday

My National Geographic Day That I Had Been Waiting For!!!


I was woken up by John with my morning,’ hello,” a tray of coffee and biscuits. Joined the others guests for breakfast. Then Chris, his fiancée Rebecca, who are from Van Coover, Canada, and me were off for our game drive.


They are planning to get married in Zanzibar on the beach in 4 days. Her wedding dress is in a zip lock bag from The Banana Republic and they told their parents, sorry they can not join them!


We drove around for a while then stopped for 2 hours just watching the wildebeests at the edge of the Mara River. They would walk to the right in a pack of 2000 then join another herd of 1000 and a few would get so close to the water. We just knew it was any second one would jump and start the migration…but no, they would turn and walk away. It was a waiting game. Several other jeeps sat and hid in the brush as well. Emanuel served coffee and tea at the 21/2 hour mark. We drove about ½ mile around to the other side as the wildebeest had changed their position. We began to share pictures and Chris was showing me his video of their trip to Thailand when all of a sudden Emanuel hears on the radio they have started crossing and we are on the wrong side. He floors it!!! The race is on. We see dust clouds in the distance and we know for sure this is IT!!!! All the jeeps are now racing across the bush at 40-50mph. It is thrilling to say the least. As we get to a small off shoot of the river crossing we see one jeep get stuck in the sand. The people jump out and start running. Another jeep that made it across stop to let them in. Our driver Emanuel is amazing and gets up over as if we had wings. We definitely caught air flying over this challenging rock filled stream. What a great commercial for Toyota land cruisers!


We made it. It is safe to get out and we are in awe. Our fingers barely leaving the shutter release, the videos are being shot and just watching thousands of wildebeests and zebras hurl themselves into the river was just a moment in time I will never forget. The animals running and diving in the river not caring who they crush. One wildebeest was eaten by a crocodile in a nano second but it appeared all the rest made it across. We all stood there for 20 minutes or more. It was extraordinary. This is what I wanted to see on this trip and I am so grateful I had the chance. It is luck for sure!


As we all returned to our jeeps the excitement was yet not over. The jeep that was stuck in the sand back in the stream was an event in itself. To watch 2 other jeeps pull it out was great. These drivers are amazing. The terrain is rocky, wet, we had gotten a flat tire one day and to see their skill with these vehicles is quite impressive.


We went back for lunch and then for the afternoon game drive.


Dinner was yet another gourmet feast and we learned the couple from South Africa were on their honeymoon. They were in their 40’s and it was the second for both. They had done their first Iron Man this past April. Very impressive. They has gone to 5 of the world cup games and told of their experience.


It was a fun last night in the bush for me.

A Relaxing Day In Samburu

Oct. 15, 2010
Friday

I heard noise and thought it was an animal outside tapping on the metal fireplace until I got up to have my coffee. Some- thing came in and decided they wanted the milk for my coffee and tried to consume it. It was all over the tray and floor. Pretty funny. It must of sneaked trough the small opening of the canvas ties.


Slept until 8:00 and got ready for a guided walking safari. An armed park ranger accompanied us as we trekked the conservancy. We could not go to the watering hole as the elephants were there. It’s ok to be next to them in a jeep but not on foot. They see the jeep but not the people inside the jeep but on foot they see the people and it’s just too dangerous. We saw many baboons and birds, some elephants from afar and beautiful scenery. Then we returned to the lodge for an amazing breakfast.


Chilled for a bit then we were off for a game drive. Saw herds of elephants. I must have 300 photos of them. Sam timed it so that we witnessed a river crossing. How does her know when to get us to the river? Great shots. There were several babies that were so adorable. We saw ostrich families, a crocodile, gazelles, impalas, waterbuck, dik dik’s, giraffe’s, starlings, the list goes on and on…


We stopped along the river under some large tress where Sam and Jeffrey set up lunch. They spread a table cloth and small folding chairs. They began opening up containers with a pasta dish containing cut up cheese and tomato, a lightly fried chicken, roasted vegetables, tiny whole bananas, wine, beer soft drinks, desert, coffee and tea. It was perfect and delicious!


Back at the lodge I went down to the pool for a swim and just read for a short time until the sun went down.

Oct 18,2010
Monday


Slept great and for the first time on this trip I was not in a sweat as the air was cool!!!! No bugs either!!!! Ahhhhhhhh…..Even at the amazing Samburu Saruni Lodge it was extremely hot during the night and the insects were there, net or no net I was under the covers as I did not want any one marching on me while in REM…..or any other stage for that matter!


Coffee arrived at 6:45 am and I got ready to join my new group. Breakfast prepared by John at a open grill waiting to take my order for the style of eggs and a large buffet table with several types of dry cereals, fruit, bacon, sausage, etc…


We hopped into the jeep with our guide, Emanuel, and we had a great morning viewing a lion family of 9, elephants crossing the river, crocodiles, and dead wildebeests being eaten by vultures that did not make it across during their migration. The smell was awful but we watched for what felt like an hour.


All of a sudden Emanuel says fasten your seat belts and he hits the gas. We go flying across the bush. He has heard on his radio of a possible crossing. We get all excited the race is on!! This proves to be a false alarm…


The analogy I can give to the feeling of being here is…standing in an IMAX theater and turning 360 but it’s real. I just want to drink it in. The sky is huge.. From one end to the other. Day or night it is the biggest sky you can imagine.