Kenya - April 18th, 2008

Our last day in Kenya;

Breakfast and time to pack up for the trip to Nairobi to catch our flights.

We get one last game drive on the way out of Amboseli.
Elephants galore, several large herds are on the move. We get a last look at Kilimanjaro. A stork glides past a herd, unimpressed with their size. Flocks of storks and crested cranes peck at the ground. They all look well fed. We stop to drop the pop up roof and bid our last park farewell.

At the gate leaving the park we stop for a quick break and are greeted by the vendors. I thought that I could barter a multi-tool for a Kenyan knife. I proudly showcased the Chinese made tool’s many functions, a pair of pliers, scissors, two knife blades, a small saw and a leather punch. The vendor patiently watched my demonstration and pronounced that he had no use for it, he need cash to feed his family. The tool went into my pocket and the negotiations began in earnest for the rose wood handled knife with sheath and spear with detachable points at both ends. 5000 KSH was the open,
“Are you crazy, that is almost $100.00”
It went back and forth in Shillings and Dollars, I finally said “No Way”, and turned away, the van was loading up to leave.
The deal closed at $30.00 U.S. about 1800 ksh. I sent the spear to a friend in Charlotte when we got back. I am keeping the knife.

We brace for the bone jarring ride to Nairobi, each of us in their on thoughts reflecting on the trip.

We pass some ostriches, The African Wild Asses (AWA) gave us a parting glance, A reticulated giraffe paces us for a few steps. The mud huts wiz by, We did not have time to check out the Fairdeal Electricals and Hardware store. The bicycle shop that we passed did not appear to stock Trek Bikes. The Hunter's Pub was doing a steady business.
We stop at our last rest stop/gift shop out side of Nairobi. This place was low key and relaxing. I check out the cantina, they advertise "cold beer" and order a Tusker. The bar keep pulls one out of the ancient refrigerator, opens it and hands it to me. It is only one or two degrees cooler that ambient temperature but it did not matter.

More to come....

Kenya, April 17th, 2008

I stopped at the veranda for a coffee and snacks. We had a few minutes so I decided to take a seat to enjoy the coffee. Whilst in mid descent for a chair, a monkey swooped and tried to grab my cookie that was secured with between my thumb and saucer. In the struggle I managed to keep half the cookie but spilled most of the coffee. A Masai stepped up with a traditional club and the monkey scampered away but not to far. I refilled my coffee keeping an eye on fuzzy face. He was watching me too.

Morning Game Drive,

A lone water buffalo gives us a passing glance.
We pass an abandoned lodge. The solar assist water heaters have broken collectors and the baboons have the run of the place. Our guide explains that there was a financial dispute between the two owners. Others had considered buy the lodge but backed out. It was a good choice, the existing lodges have excess capacity.

A gray heron poses as we approach Kilimanjaro. The low clouds dissipate for us to see her again. We are lucky, many only see clouds. The storks and doves peck at the ground. Elephants, elephants and more elephants parade by us in several familial units. These lumbering giants have a grace of their own. The young are well protected. The wildebeest mingle with impalas. A hyena will not be disturbed from its sleep. The young hippo watches is for a moment and waddles back to the swamp that is fed by underground streams from the snowmelt.Back at the lodge we have breakfast. Martha, Bob and Donna decide to see a local Masai Village for a 2000 ksh donation, the rest of us pass to have a little private time.

The lodge advertised high speed Internet so I decided to catch up on some news and check my e-mail for the first time in 10 days. The connection was painfully slow but I was able to get a quick news fix and see that I had 70 new messages. They would have to wait.

We were starting to get a little travel weary and feeling a bit sluggish. This is an active group and there have not been a lot of opportunities for exercise beyond some stretching and calisthenics in the room.

There is always an abundance of food at meals. I hope the staff gets to take some of the excess home to their families. Most of us had missed a meal or two by now.

Evening Game Drive;

We pass two young elephants sparring on the way to Observation Hill. We get out of the van, hike up the hill, and get a great view of the Narok Swamp and Kilimanjaro. Our driver stayed close to the vehicle.
After we shoot some pictures we trot back to the van and load up for a sunset drive to camp.

The hippos are munching in the swamp as the sun slips behind Kilimanjaro.

Kenya - April 16th, 2008

One day at The Lake Naivasha Country Club was all we had but I liked the place. For one they had the most reasonable prices in the gift shop and for the activities.

We load up and head to Amboseli via Nairobi which was an exercise in gridlock.

After making through that mess we had the occasional herd of cattle to stop for. In time we had a rest stop at another gift shop. The proprietor asks Dan if Kim is his wife. After discovering that she was his daughter he pulled him aside and began to negotiate a dowry for her. The offer got up to 6 cows and a white giraffe. Dan declined.
The offer seemed light to me. A friend’s daughter recently wed and it was in the 15K to 20K range. He was not offered any cows.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/19/AR2006031901121.html

The last stretch of road to Amboseli was bone jarring. It took the driver’s full attention and both hands on the wheel to navigate around and through ruts, potholes and gullies.

We get a peek at the cloud covered Kilimanjaro as we approach the lodge. http://www.serenahotels.com/kenya/amboseli/home.asp
The monkeys monitored our arrival. The rooms were nicely done with mahogany and granite.As we head out the gate for another game drive, a troop of olive baboons are stirring up some dust, most likely an alpha male display. Boys will be boys.Kilimanjaro has opened up; the Gods have used the slightest breath to brush the clouds away. This moment is one of the highlights of the trip. This ancient volcano rises above the savannah to kiss the blue sky. Cold cinder cones dot the slope. It does not take much to visualize this mound spitting the boulders and rocks that surround us. Lava is jettisoned with toxic gases and smoke. The violent past of this area is symbolic of the harsh realities of today. The energy of this mountain ripples my core.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilimanjaro

The elephants and zebra do not notice.

A pair of crested cranes perform an elaborate mating dance. They seem to be enjoying the ritual. More to come....

Kenya - April 15th, 2008

We eat breakfast, pack up and say our good-bys and head to our next stop – The Lake Naivasha Country Club.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Naivasha_Country_Club
After unloading and getting settled in to our cabins, four of load up to go to Hell’s Gate National Park. Kim and her dad stay back for some time to decompress.

http://www.kws.org/hells-gate.html

The unique thing about this park is that you can walk or bike through it. We take the two-hour walk to the canyon and pass zebra, giraffes, warthogs, gazelles and a water buffalo or two. It was good to get a little exercise in but I will always wonder how many big cats watched us. We take the guided tour of the canyon. Our guide mentioned that he is a Christian and in the same breath asks what tribe our driver is from. “I did not ask,” I tell him.
There were some technical areas on the hike and I managed to slip on a rock and plant my foot in clay colored puddle.

The canyon was ok but unremarkable to me but only because I had an opportunity to do an eight-day Grand Canyon river trip in 2006 with Grand Canyon Expeditions Company. That is another story. Make the effort to go.
http://gcex.com/

By the time we finished the canyon hike it was starting to get dark and the park ranger would not permit us to walk out. There really are things that can and will eat you in the night here.

In time our driver showed up and was a bit flustered. He was concerned that we were wandering around lost in the dark. It was time for a Tusker.

Back at the hotel we regroup with Kim and her dad for dinner. They had a relaxing day at this vestige of British Colonialism.

When our waiter finds out that our next stop is Amboseli he mimics somebody bouncing around and holding on for dear life. His assessment of the road condition was accurate.

Kenya - April 14th, 2008

“Wondering Where The Lions Are”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4FEn-ZKdDg

Morning game drive- A serval (Felis serval) slinks through the grass. It looks like a 35-pound house cat with the markings of a cheetah. Our beautiful specimen disappears.
There is some radio chatter and we are off and do not slow down for the herd of water buffalo, gazelles or birds. We hit a dip, the van suspension bottoms out and Donna’s head bangs into a grab rail and brings tears to her eyes. She sucks it up, pulls her sunglasses tight, forces a smile and indicates that we should continue. There is a cluster of vehicles including a double- decker in the valley. A pride of five lions are napping in the grass but they are so low that only to top floor of the bus gets a good view.

More chatter on the radio and we are rolling again. We come upon two other game vehicles and park to watch a lioness on the hillside. She pokes her head up then disappears into the grass. We wait and watch. She reemerges and saunters down the hill and crosses the road between two of the vehicles. She slips away, barely giving us a glance.
We pass a young lion with a face full of flies on the ride back to the lodge. At breakfast I ask our waiter about the electric fence. He says it is solar powered with a battery back up and is DC current. This seems plausible; I do not test the fence during a power outage period.


After breakfast I sit on the back porch of the room with the intent of catching up on my journal. A 3-foot monitor lizard catches my eye and I get off a couple of shots before he scurries down to the riverbank. Two doves do a mating dance that ends with them sitting on the ground and each folding a wing back in unison. On the afternoon drive we saw an old bull elephant with a broken tusk and hole in one ear. A Black-Shouldered kite was on a dead branch clutching a fresh rodent kill.
A secretary bird was minding a treetop nest. Two smaller birds were perched nearby. The cud chewing water buffalo and with the Yellow-Billed Oxpecker on his back looked content. For our last dinner the GM sent over a cake. They were glad to have our business and we are a fun bunch to have around on vacation. The present was much appreciated.

Some other guests pass through the lodge during our stay including a Chinese couple. The wife spoke prefect English and is a magazine editor in Cairo. A pleasant German couple were on their forth trip to Kenya.

Kenya - April 13th, 2008

6:30 am game drive.

The lodge has coffee and snack cakes ready. It is strong Kenyan coffee and I like it.

There is a slight chill in the air as we pass through the gate to the Mara. The coffee is working to keep us warm.

The ostrich are in force and grazing.
http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/ostrich

We observe Topi and gazelle. The reticulated giraffes have spots that are variegated and have a deeper color than the spots of the Rothschild’s giraffe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe

A herd of elephants were preparing to cross the road but paused. It was as if they were having a conference to reassure a young one that the different texture of the road surface was ok to walk on. We saw this behavior once again and the adults had to physically nudge the calf to get it to cross the road. The front legs were locked on the ground as the rear legs were lifted up in an effort to get the calf going. “I am not going to go” the baby said. The adults were very gentle in their encouragement. It is incredible to see these large and powerful animals show such a delicate touch. I asked if hunting was permitted. “Not in Kenya. Poachers are shot on sight.”

Our driver told us of an incident where some poachers shot a small herd of elephants for the tusks.
They decided to wait a few days to harvest the tusks to give the marrow some time to dry to get a better yield. They left the area and returned a week later. In the interim some lions got the scent of the carcasses and investigated. The hides were too tough for them to chew through so they waited. The eight poachers arrived and put down their rifles and began cutting the tusks off. The lions ambushed them. Park rangers found eight human skeletons a few days later. Not a shot was fired. Poaching dropped to zero for some time after that.

A hawk was in a treetop. Ostriches pecked at the ground.

We stopped and watched a secretary walking about pecking at the ground. Our driver said he was looking for snacks. We perked up thinking that a snickers bar was to be found. He meant to say “snakes.” We had a laugh about that and assured our driver that we were not making fun of his accent. His English was excellent. Our Swahili vocabulary had 5 words. We passed a lioness napping in the grass about 5 yards from the road. She did not stir from our presence. I wanted to rub her behind the ears to see if she would purr. The thought passed rather quickly however.

It was the beginning of rainy season in Kenya. April averages 10” or so. Not a big deal in Florida but the dynamics are different here. The arid land explodes with growth with just a little rain. The result is that the high grass that gives predators a good place to hide and stalk their prey. Many of the prey have figured this out and have migrated to other areas. Roads get muddy and difficult to travel rather quickly. The clay soil gets slick!
Now don’t get me wrong, we did see lots of animals in quantity and number of species.
What we did not see were a lot of were other game vehicles. That is a plus. There were others but they did not out number the animals. One advantage of the other drivers is that they all have two-way radios and if they spot something they put the word out. There was good cooperation with all of the drivers.

Back at the Mara Simba Lodge 3 of us decided to take a wander around the lodge area. The General Manager, James Koileken saw us head out and sent a staff member to give us the tour. The facility is off the grid and self contained. Our guide shows us the power building, which houses 4 generators. Due to the light guest list they were using the smallest generator. To conserve fuel the generator was shut down at regular intervals for 3 to 4 hours. After breakfast, lunch and from midnight to 4am. There was a well-equipped garage and workshop that was spotless. Two men were working on an engine that was on a lift and getting ready to go back into a vehicle. A fuel depot was on site also. The lodge has tents available in addition to the rooms we stayed in. These are not tents that you stuff into your kayak. The have solid floors, mahogany bed frames and a separate shower and toilet room. Granite countertops compliment the mahogany used for the bathroom vanities.

I can only imagine the logistics of building a place like this in the middle of nowhere. It must have been quite a construction project.

When the Mara Simba is at capacity they have a staff of 130. Now only 15 to 20 people are working. The post election violence has taken a heavy toll.

“When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”

On the afternoon game drive we saw two lionesses laying in the grass, one was outstretched on her back while the other licked her face.

Bill C. joined us for dinner again and told us some more about the “Mt. Kenya Tree Reforestation Project.”

Charcoal and firewood are the primary sources of energy in urban areas. The expanding population is straining the thinning forests. Bill and other groups have introduced fast growing trees to curtail or reverse the desertification that is occurring in some areas.

One of the most effective ways of educating the people about the advantages of conservation is to give presentations in the schools and get the children involved. Nurseries have been started on or near school grounds and children take seedlings home and tend to them. This gets the whole family involved.

I applaud Bill's efforts.

While we are having a dinner a Genet crosses one of the open beams above us.
http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/genet
The monkeys swoop the tables as soon as we leave.

We walk to the bar end of the pavilion and a large croc is on the riverbank a foot from the electric fence. I did not have my camera with me.

We turn in for the evening. Things really go bump in the night here. Mongoose rustle through the thatched roof, monkeys bang loudly on the door at 2 or 3 am. Other things stir. The power is off at this time so our small flashlights are the only source of light. It occurs to me that the electric fence around the lodge is not very effective at the moment. I make a mental note to inquire about it in the morning and fall back asleep, snoring loudly.

More to come...

Kenya - April 12th, 2008

Click link for photos: (I am looking for a better link but this will have to do for now)
http://www.shareapic.net/content.php?id=8577193&owner=ontheroad100

Breakfast and we are on the road to the Masai Mara. The roads are in pretty good shape to start. There is quite a bit of construction on the way. The scaffolding on all the building projects look like small tree trunks and boards lashes together. Most likely these are not OSHA approved projects.

We stop to take a boat ride to see some hippos at Lake Naivasha. We are charged 2000 ksh each. A few days later we stay at the Lake Naivasha Country Club and they have a service to see the same hippos on the same lake for 1000 ksh per person. Oh well.

While we were being issued our life jackets I mentioned Mr. Odinga to the attendant. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she let me know in that she was a supporter of President Kibaki and wanted nothing to do with a power sharing agreement with Mr. Odinga. She must have been a Kikuyu. Note to self: Do not get involved in the local politics.

The white and blue fiberglass boat is spotless. The skipper was giving it a last minute wipe down when we arrive at the dock. The 15hp motor starts on the first pull.

We are underway and wind through some narrow channels to work our way to the lake. I tell our driver that this reminds me of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge where I frequently camp in the swamp. He did not think that was a good idea but we do not have crocodiles and hippos in the Georgia swamp. The 15,000 alligators that inhabit the swamp have not been a problem.

http://www.fws.gov/okefenokee/
http://www.okefenokeeadventures.com/

An anhinga is perched on a reed that barely supports its weight. We sneak up on a floating pelican and it takes flight.

On the open water we approach a bloat of 20 or so hippos huddled together. A calf is in the mix sticking close to mom. At some point we got too close and the mother started coming towards us at a high rate of speed. She was generating a small wake. The boat caption gave the throttle a little twist and we moved away.
Hippos are mean animals and are reported to kill more people than lions or crocodiles in Africa. http://www.didyouknow.cd/animals/hippo.htm

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhippo.html

The boat tour continues and we see where parts of “Out of Africa” were filmed.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19851220/REVIEWS/512200304/1023

Many animals were brought to the island for the filming of the movie and were not moved after filming was complete. The have reproduced and prospered. Wildebeests, giraffes, impala and a hippo graze in the lush grass under the acacia trees in the idyllic setting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_Africa_%28film%29

We pass a marsh area with pelicans, ibis, a fish eagle and waterbuck going about their daily routines.

A fisherman is on the bank, we wave, he waves back.

A Giant Kingfisher sits on a branch looking for breakfast.

http://www.kenyabirds.org.uk/giant_kf.htm

Back at the boat launch and take advantage of the facilities.

Onward to the Masai Mara! The roads get rougher. We pass the Happy Banana Hotel, Pub and Butchery and Baptist Church at one roadside village.

Further on up the road we see the Tawfiq Harbuni Hotel next to the Toa Jam Shop.

Giant Euphorbia are a regular sight. The roads turn to dirt and are jammed with construction equipment. Barricades and detours are marked with large rocks collected from the surrounding area. No orange day glow cones on this construction project.

We come to a small town and turn off the road. Our driver explains that his is a short cut to the park. The “Pilot’s Bar” goes whizzing. Our request to stop and check out the local pub was denied.

As we approach the Mara, a lone Maasai is gliding across the savannah tending a herd of cattle. Zebra, antelope and giraffe graze nearby. The Maasai has a spear and is wearing a red checked shuka (Maasai Blanket) and a digital watch.

We arrive at the Mara Simba Lodge where we stayed for 4 days and three nights. I will attempt to consolidate parts of this leg of the journey to reduce my endless rambling and reminiscing.

http://www.marasimba.com/section.asp?ID=2

We saw banded mongoose, Topi, Hartebeest, Grants Gazelle, hippos, wildebeest, ostrich, lions and a cheetah. If I had to come back to this planet as an animal it would be the cheetah. Lean and fast. When hungry I hunt and eat. I sleep and mate as required. By nature I am a solitary beast but seek company on occasion.
I do not ask for permission to act.
Dinning is at an open pavilion overlooking a river. We can walk to the end of the deck and see two hippos in the water. A large crocodile is just out side of the electric fence.

Bob arrived at dinner one evening and reported that he saw a black snake crawl off a thatched roof, down a wall and across a walkway in to a storm drain. I mentioned this to our waiter Paul. As casually as saying it was just a grasshopper, Paul states that “It is a black mamba but don’t worry about it the banded mongoose will take care of it as they do the puff adders.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitis_arietans

I try to maintain my best poker face but I believe Paul has won this round.

Being a fan of Animal Plant and The Discovery Channel the internal dialogue is adamant that a bite from either one of these vipers will result in intense pain, respiratory failure, seizures and convulsions for at least 100 men. I suspect that life flight is not available. Hakuna Matata.

We order dinner. It is ala Carte instead of the usual buffet due to the light guest list.

The Mara Simba has a capacity of 230 guests. Typically they have 100 guests at this time of year. Our party of six and a solo traveler are the only guests this evening.

The post election violence has taken quite a toll on the tourism industry.

Kim invites the solo traveler to join us. I am glad she did. We met Bill C. from England who is wearing an Earthwatch T-shirt.

http://www.earthwatch.org/europe/

He is a naturalist that has spent many years in Africa and has worked on several projects including rhino conservation. His current project is working with the locals in Nanyuki to encourage the planting of fast growing trees to prevent deforestation in the region. His wife is working on women’s health issues elsewhere in Africa.

I read about female circumcision and asked if it was still commonly practiced. After asking permission he explained the procedure which mirrored “Lonely Planet’s –Kenya” text on page 39;
“Female Genital Mutilation” The controversial practice of female genital (FGM) often euphemistically termed “female circumcision” is still widespread across Africa, including Kenya. In some parts Kenya more than 90% of the women and girls are subjected to FGM in some form. The term FGM covers a wide range of procedures from a small, mainly symbolic cut to the total removal of the clitoris….”

Bill goes on explain that the grandmother generally performs the procedure the night before a wedding using un-sterilized equipment and no anesthetic.

This concept is something that I cannot grasp on an intellectual or emotional level.

Many men will never know the joy of leaving ear impressions on the inside of their lovers’ thighs.

More to come...