Nairobi National Park

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Went on a safari to Nairobi National Park yesterday. Left the house at 7.15!
Firstly we went to the animal orphange. We were the only visitors there, but it was only 8.30. No one else was mad enough to be out.
A guide came with us (for a tip), and he took us right up to the animals. Most of the cats hadnt been let out of their sleeping quarters, but he took us around the back so we could take some photos. The first one he took us to was a female lion. We stood at the opposite side of the cage to her, and he told us it would be fine to put our camera against the wire and take some photos. Whilst taking my last photo - i was kneeling on the ground - the lion jumped up and threw herself across the cage towards me. I honestly dont think i have ever moved so fast or screamed so loudly! My heart was going so fast. We then looked at a hyena, who appeared to be camera shy. He asked us if we wanted to stroke a cheetah. I thought he was joking, but he took us to a cage with 3 adult cheetahs and got one of the wardens to open the cage. In we went and sat there stroking a cheetah. Every time it moved its tail or its head or rolled over, i jumped up, but then realised that if it wanted to eat me it would - it is the faster animal on earth and could catch me before i even got to standing up! that didnt really make me feel any better, but i stopped moving quite so much. i didnt realise that cheetahs purred either, but this one did, and it rolled onto its back likeit wanted you to rub it tummy! they had been brought to the orphanage when they were just a week old, so they were used to humans touching them. Also shook hands with a female baboon whilst we were there!
In the actually park, we told David - they man whose house we are staying in and who drove us around the park - that we wanted to see a lion and a rhino. We drove for about an hour, seeing loads of giraffes and impala and gazelles and buffalo, but nothing else. We then went to a hippo pool, where we saw no hippos as it was too hot - we were there at 12.30 - if i could have gone for a swim i would, so i dont blame them! Driving back from the pools, David spotted 3 female lions, sitting no more than 3 metres from the road. He pulled in closer, and we were sat probably about 2 metres away from them - it was amazing! they were resting under a bush and we had to have the windows up (in case they decided to launch themselves at the car...) so the photos arent too good, but we could see them so well! One of them sat up and started yawning - they have really big teeth! - and cleaning itself. When the car engine started up, it stood up and was watching us, lookin like it wanted to come and see what was happening, but it sat back down again and we drove off.
David found the Rhinos about an hour after that. There was a mother and two babies, and a male that was following them. We were about 20 metres away from them and that was close enough. The mother didnt take her eyes off us for the whole time we were there, and looked ready to charge if we got any closer! Having seen everything we wanted too, we went to the gfiraffe centre, where you can feed and kiss a giraffe. We fed them, but didnt kiss them - the ranger there showed us how to do it and the giraffe literally covered your mouth and part of your nose with its lips and then pratically licked your face! feeding it was bad enough - the tongue licked the whole length of your hand for 1 pellet.
Last night we went to Bar 360 in Kitengela. Alun got very drunk and is complaing of a hangover!

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Comments

[Eilis]

it sounds like you are having just the perfect time. what you doing going on safari though arent you doing that again later :P are giraffes tongues all rough? i have had cows lick my hand before and they feel like sandpaper. i was watching a program about kenya the other day so i was looking out for some interesting facts for you but it was mainly about farming. they have some pretty impressive flower farms i have to say oh and the flower farm has a tarmacced road outside! the only one i saw in like the whole program. love you xxxx

[Gemma]

Its sounds amazing wish i was there with you, you need to upload some more photos!!!!! miss u lots gemma

[Dad]

Photo's
Grandma came over on Sunday & looked thro' all the blogs, etc. She has set aside a week in June as she reckons it'll take that long to see all the photo's & video you will have taken - she sends her love as do we all. Dad

[mum]

nairobi national park
You lucky girl, I am sooooooo jealous!!!! The only thing I don't understand is why you think 7.15 is so early, by safari standards that should be about coffee time. Look forward to reading your next installment. Lots of love Mum xx

[Katie1990]

reply to, i think eilis...?
i cant see who left the comment, but im guessing eilis from the content!? appently all giraffes are like that, but im going back there ion my next trip, so i will let you know when i have fed another one! there are quite a lot of flower farms near me, in Kajiado district, and they do mostly run parallel to a tarmaced road - im quite lucky - most of my journey to school is along the main road between the kenya-tanzania border and there are only parts where it is tarmaced! i keep looking for the flowers at the farms, but i can never see any... xxx