Blogs from Lake Naivasha, Rift Valley Province, Kenya, Africa - page 4

Lake Naivasha and orphanage at Gilgil. Today was a mental day! Our heads were spinning. Up at dawn for a quick Denford brekkie (fried egg toasted sarnies and fruit salad, just the thing) and then back on the boat heading across Lake Naivasha, past the same group of hippos and spotting the same fish eagles sitting up in the treetops. This time we crossed the lake right to the other side and with our guides disembarked onto a beach to begin our walking safari in a national park. It felt like Jurassic Park! There were storks and pelicans on the beach and as we walked into the park area we gradually saw various impala, Thompsosn's gazelles, other antelope type things, and before long herds of zebra. Everyone was very excited and it really was the perfect ... read more

We started off on Monday morning and headed to Lake Naivasha, west of Nairobi and got to know all of the group. They are all really lovely and we just started to get to know each other. We visited a giraffe and elephant sanctury where we could get right up close to the animals as I am sure you will see from my pictures. In the evening our cook whos name is Good Luck (don't ask) cooked us a lovely meal and Kim, our tour leader who is excellent, gave us a run down of what was to come. The next day we went on a walking safari in the Kenyan savannah and got so close to all the wild animals it was amazing. Giraffes, zebras, impala, gazelles, warthogs (lol!) and so many more. We walked ... read more

On our final day at Brakenhurst the caravan met early to get out and about for another day amidst the life of the Kenyans, most notably with historical significance. We took a quick if not harrowing ride through the outskirts of Nairobi and headed east and north to the county of Karen, home to the Giraffe park and Karen Blixen, author of several books but most famous for Out of Africa, of which many of you may have seen the movie staring Robert Redford and Merill Streep. The journey took us through some of the wealthiest areas that outer Nairobi had to offer, complete with armed guards at every glance. These homes ranged in size from mansion to palatial to compounds. Most had stables, chauffeurs, multiple Mercedes’, and a host of other amenities that your average ... read more

The conversation went something like this... Renay "Sehail, come to Lake Nivasha with us!" After about 1 second I reply with "Okay." Then remember that I had arranged to do the trip to Ethiopia with some one I had met the day before and decided to invite them along."Mike we're going to Nivasha tomorrow." Too which Mike replies "Okay." "Natalie, Renay this is Mike, he'll be coming with us." Hello's all round and it was off at 9 am in the morning. This time I was determined not to come back to Nairobi. I'm not going back. I'm not. I'm not... We catch a mutatu (the Kenyan name for a mini-bus taxi thing) and cramed into the back with all our bags off we go. We get to Nivasha town, about 11km from the place where ... read more

Matatu = white minivan fitted with fourteen seats to accommodate thirty-five Africans + their babies, baskets, chickens and fish. After deciding it didn't feel right to trek Mt. Kenya in Nanyuki, we took the big bus to Nairobi! Big, notorious city. We made it very quickly to the nearby guesthouse, matatus everywhere! Everyone told us it's dangerous but it's clear now how really lawless it is. Police can be quite corrupt and don't work at all on Sunday(!) No respectable Kenyan is on the street then. After many warnings from the staff and horror stories of being mugged from other guests, we clenched our teeth to venture out for beer and Indian food. Turns out EVERYTHING'S closed on the weekends and we may have to stay til Monday - get me out! Bright side - we ... read more