Update on safari from Marie

Hello all!

I have been busy on Safari - wow an amazing experience - yep the stuff you see on TV, the theme song to out of Africa playing in my head, as I looked over the vast African landscape, the golden long grass, the acacia trees, the Huge blue skies.......and then the animals - we saw 4 out of the big 5, but will see the Rhino in Nakuru later. We camped under the yellow barked acacia trees - so gorgeous with the sun shining through them. The baboons and monkeys' homes. Our camp was nestled at the base of a hill, yep where the Lions live! You could hear the purring at night in the tents......
Our tents were separated by little tracks, we had our own toilet and shower, talk about luxury - real beds firm mattresses, soft pillows and a cloud like doona - ah the little things! Ha not to mention the 3 course home made meals (Nigels a great cook as well as the safari guy!) What an awesome 3 days.....the only thing I could complain about is I wanted to stay longer!



We all met up on the Monday evening, stopping to watch the sunset with a beer before going into camp, seeing some hyena, mongoose, I think impala..... easy evening unpacking and eating, a camp fire outside every tent and two Maasai on duty at night to keep the animals out!

An 11 hour day and up at 6am for breakfast - then off to the Mara - the open vast spaces - home to the African animals, on migration.....Wilderbeast, zebra, giraffe, buffalo,lion, impala, gazelle, crocodiles, hippo's, mongoose, warthog, ostrich, vultures, secretary bird.......and many more I cannot think of right now! Amazing! lots of stories but too much to write - we spent the day sitting on the roof of the jeep having a ball!

The following day we went to the Maasai village and looked through one of the workers homes, the women in the tribe sitting out with all their wares...hmmmmm too expensive - but yep - alll know Im a softy! then we went to see the new homes going up - thanks to the women - they seem to do all here....... lazy afternoon, then an evening walk around the hills around the camp......wildlife right there......

I was to go check out a few spots on my way back to the Mercy home, however Nigel and Marilize let me stay one night - I was so relaxed and welcomed they said it was ok to stay on - hmmm well I did - awesome company the two of them, lots of wine and laughs - On the Sunday the bus then I had to take all the way home - big mistake!!!!! I think my "sitting apparatus"as the girls call it! spent most of the 8 hour journey in mid air - the road so horrific! Yep I was placed in the back row the only muzungu - no food, forgot brekky - only one short stop - you should have seen how packed it was - nearly impossible to get out to go to the loo.......the scenery - when I saw - was awesome - the maize plantations, and the incredible tea plantations - however there was a young lady near the window who kept closing the curtain and the window - when the bus is overcrowded, muggy and babies being sick, amonst other things...I kept asking her - open the window I need air - thought I would suffocate.......just before Kisumu we had a flat tyre - hmmmm just one of those days......to top it off when we arrived in Luanda (closest stop to Mercy) - it not only poured heavy tropical rain, but hailed! Everything soaked! Luckily Zoe met up with me in Kisumu and I brought a stereo for the girls, from Nigels home, so she carried the stereo back on her head, the box disintergrating on the way..... so happy to reach home - even though no warm water, or other luxuries.......so the old back has been put to the test! having today off...but all is great - the girls so enchanted with the stereo - their little tape deck got taken in a robbery before we arrived - so a cd player is so amazing - the smiling faces and the african rhythmn as they danced the evening away made the journey worth while I think.............lol

I will leave it there, hope my photos come out !

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