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....
