As the snowdrops and crocuses showed their faces in Victoria (February 2019), we jetted off to the BIG adventure in Africa. Steve and Maggie had been to South Africa a few years ago but wanted to do a safari (journey in Swahili) so we jumped at the chance to join them and see some of those big, wild animals up close.
AMSTERDAM
We began our adventure in the Netherlands as we knew that some time to recover from jet lag before the focus trip, would help our aging brains. We booked into a very convenient hotel, close to the Museum quarter, thanks to a tip from an old high school friend. This location also gave us the opportunity to quickly access the canals and streets of inner Amsterdam.
On our first foray to see the city, we discovered that winter in Amsterdam includes snow. But we braved the cool weather and went for a walk in a park near the hotel. We also took the time to do a canal cruise – almost like a hop-on-hop-off bus but without the road traffic.
(Click on photos to see larger images and remarks)
Jeannie’s mom had lived in Amsterdam after World War 2, so it was emotional for us to walk some of the streets that she may have bicycled along, more than 70 years ago. We found Anne Frank House but needed pre-purchased tickets so continued walking to the Floating Flower Market. However, the colourful tulips at the market were made of wax, wood or polyester, as the live ones were still a few weeks away from blooming.
We had pre-booked a time to visit the Van Gogh Museum, not far away from our hotel. All 4 of us thoroughly enjoyed this outstanding exhibit and story of Vincent’s short time of making beautiful paintings (only 10 years with 900 paintings and 1,100 drawings and sketches done).
KENYA (red country on map)
We flew into Nairobi with KLM, a 9-hour flight from Amsterdam and were met by our guide, Joseph from Liberty Tours. At the hotel we met the other members of our tour (a couple from Vancouver, BC and a couple from Georgia, USA and their driver, Paul). We only spent about 6 hours in Nairobi, barely time to sleep, before we left Nairobi in the opposite direction of their morning rush hour - it lasts for hours according to Joseph. We heading west toward the Great Rift Valley (which extends from the Red Sea to Mozambique in the south) - remember that valley from Geography class?
A bit of culture shock as we drove out of the city and into the agricultural areas. What an introduction to Africa!!
It took us about 6 hours to reach Masai Mara National Park in south-west Kenya - see map above. Two toilet stops on the way, where of course, you had to walk thru a shop to get to the bathroom and leave a tip. You could spend a lot of money on wooden carvings, wall hangings and knick-knacks, IF you had a huge space in your luggage, which we didn’t. Bartering was the mode of commerce.
After turning off the main highway, the last 86 kilometers to Masai Mara was a gravel road but even rougher than our logging roads. The drivers tackle this obstacle, at great speed, by driving on whichever side of the road is the smoothest, or even off the road, if that looks easier!
We noticed that China has invested heavily in Kenya with a new road in the works to reach Masai Mara park. We also saw a new train track which is operational in the same area. Joseph indicated that they didn’t really know what the terms of the agreement was but felt the country needed some investment to move ahead. You can see the railway from Mombasa into the interior of Kenya.
Map courtesy of Merics: https://www.merics.org/en/bri-tracker/mapping-the-belt-and-road-initiative
MASAI MARA NATIONAL PARK (place of the Maasai people)
The Maasai, who have tended their cattle on these lands for generations, are very present outside the park. Off the roadside, among the small shrubs and acacia trees, we saw Maasai shepherding their goats or cattle, in their traditional dress, which is often red in colour. It’s said, the red stands out from the green brush so they won’t surprise a lion or leopard.
We opted out of a tour of a Maasai village as it felt very staged. They need the money to survive in the modern world but it feels strange to treat them as an oddity to be put on display in their homes. It’s a hard call and a personal one. Some of the locals did treated us to a dance exhibition at the lodge, especially the jumping dance which is meant to attract a mate. Boy, can those guys jump (a meter/3 feet from stationary standing). If you want to see a video, Google 'maasia jumping dance'.
At each national park, we were required to check in, so the driver would leave us in the van and do his paperwork at the park headquarters. Often, there were local folks selling their wares to us ‘trapped’ tourists. Some would even open the window of the van, if they could, just to show us what they had to sell (bracelets, necklaces, wood carvings).
We spent 2 days ‘on safari’ in the park, leaving the gated enclosures about 0800 for 3 hours in the morning and then 3 hours during the later afternoon, as the animals prepare for the night. We were introduced to Cape Buffalo, gazelles and antelope, warthogs, zebras, and the list just goes on and on.
We saw a few lions, either single males or family groups in the distance.
Since the drivers talk between themselves (constantly), we were notified of a leopard resting in a tree so zipped over to see it before it decided to saunter off.
Still fresh in our minds is the encounter with a family of cheetahs as they walked along one of the park roads. What a photo op that was!
On our way to the hippopotamus river, we came upon a large family of giraffes (about a dozen of them). We sat and watched in wonder as they nipped the leaves off the thorny branches of the acacia trees. We noticed one of the smaller ones still had the umbilicus hanging from it’s belly. This little one was being watched over by others in the group, especially a very large male who towered over the trees.
And, of course, the birds. The Lilac Breasted Roller is the national bird of Kenya and worthy of the honour. The starlings are outstanding, unlike our pesky imported starlings. Many will recognize, from TV documentaries, the Grey Crowned Crane, the national bird of Uganda.
Are you tired yet? We were just getting started.
LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
The 1½ days at Masai Mara went quickly, before we rushed off to Lake Nakuru, north-west of Nairobi. Yes, we had to drive back along the brutally rough road and then contend with an incredibly busy highway which was one lane each way. A bit scary since there were few passing lanes and many transport trucks. We passed “strip malls” along the roadside and a glimpse into realities of life and transportation in Africa.
Arriving in the mid-afternoon (almost missing lunch), we wondered why we had come all the way up to Lake Nakuru but when the white rhinoceros appeared in a watering hole, the long trip was forgotten. This was the one of the few places that we saw rhinos (they are protected here 24/7 from poachers).
Since we were interested in birds, Joseph, our driver, arranged for a boat ride at Lake Naivasha just south of Lake Nakuru, for the following day. We enjoyed a lovely peaceful hour on the water with an excellent guide. We saw 24 species of birds on the lake, most of which were new to us.
On our way from Lake Nakuru to Amboseli, we passed thru Nairobi and past Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa (700,000 dwellers). You can actually take neighborhood tours which are said to be very educational and inspiring as these folks try hard to make a living in a variety of legal ways.
In Nairobi, we were taken to The Carnivore Restaurant which used to serve wild game until 2004 when it was outlawed by the Kenyan government – we’d much rather photograph the animals than eat them. We were not terribly impressed with this over-rated eatery.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Our last stop in south Kenya was at Amboseli on the Tanzania border. This park hosts many elephants, counting several families totaling about 50 animals at one time. Mt Kilimanjaro (loosely translated as mountain whiteness) was ever present but clouds never did let us see the whole thing at once, which is apparently the usual viewing state.
Our lodgings were always behind fences with a guarded main gate. The people are fenced in rather than the animals which suits us fine. The lodges are often surrounded by trees and shrubs and are not even noticeable while out in the park.
Amboseli featured a briny lake with many flamingos and other shore birds gathered in the shallows to feed on krill. As we left, we drove through an abandoned lodge area, now inhabited by baboon families. Since we were ending our time with Liberty Tours, Joseph was like a horse heading for the barn. He wanted to get back to his family in Nairobi but waited at the Tanzania border to make sure we were transferred to our new guides without incident.
NEXT BLOG: Part 2 - Tanzania
