Blogs from Rift Valley Province, Kenya, Africa - page 9

Advertisement

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Lake Naivasha June 15th 2014

15 June: Naivasha to Nakuru, Kenya We had the morning to enjoy another activity if we wanted to. Therefore, after a warm breakfast of scrambled eggs, Samantha, Mark and Julie, Tess and Vicki, and myself did the hippo cruise. Was really nice. The six of us wen on this little boat and went around the lake. We were able to see a great about of hippos. First was a group that had their heads popping up near shore (about 4 of 5), followed by a family later sun bathing on a small little island (about 10-12), then lastly another group huddled together of about 20 where we had one yawn nice and big for the camera (Samantha's amazing photo of this attached). We also saw many birds including then African hawk. Our boats men threw him ... read more
A gorgeous bird that was at our campsite
Us on the boat
Hippo cruise

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Naivasha June 14th 2014

14 June: Naivasha, Kenya For a while now, we had had rain most nights and each time our tent was really wet inside. It ended up that we had two holes in our tent so our guide finally said we could get a new tent at the next campsite out...thank-goodness. First full day of our optional activities after a hot breakfast of toast, beans and sausage (beans and sausage only for me). Then most of us decided to do the biking through Hell's Gate to the gorge there. A bus picked up 11 of us around nine and drove us to the entry. Here they rented us bikes that looked very old. Mine had one of the better looking seats but the bike was quite old looking with what looked like gears on it but they ... read more
Samantha and I on our bikes ready to go
Hell's Gate National Park bike ride
Hell's Gate National Park bike ride

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Lake Naivasha April 30th 2014

Traveling always helps you to see the world with different eyes. Since you're born you live in a certain culture, certain rules are followed by the society and that appears as the only valid reality, you expect that the whole world is like this. But when going abroad, you soon discover that the obvious truth for you is something that doesn't exist in other cultures. People think differently, they have others morals, their habits are completely opposite to the yours. These differences range from simple everyday things that we do, up to life patterns and society standards. Once I remember I ordered coffee with milk and a coke in Colombia and the waiter asked for whom the coke would be, since I was alone. I said, well, it's for me. He then looked at me completely ... read more

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Masai Mara NP April 18th 2014

Since I arrived to Kenya with no plans whatsoever, I had to take what was offered. After an amazing visit to neighbouring Tansania and a great safari trip through some of the best national parks I decided to visit the famous Masai Mara National Park in Kenya. These trips are always exciting if you're a single traveler, because you never know what kind of people will join you on it. In Tansania I had great company, a young German veterinarian Jessica and a Polish adventurous explorer Joseph. We ha dan amazing time, although we didn't expect anything from the safari trip, we just went to see. It was introduced to us that we would be sleeping in tents, which is awesome, because I love camping, and this is what we actually did. We had simple tents ... read more

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province March 1st 2014

Years dreaming, a year planning and an African safari is really happening! The best thing that happened during the planning process was connecting with safari partners in Vancouver and being steered in the direction that was ideal for our group - Kenya here we come. The first leg for us was a short jaunt from YVR to Seattle and the trip started on the right note when all the passengers and crew were entertained by Habib Koite, a musical group from Mali Among our group of 12 , the flight from BC to Nairobi via Amsterdam, was not without its trials and tribulations, including Kelly and I being chosen " at random" for an additional third degree by security at Seattle. 26 hours after leaving Canada, we arrived in Nairobi via Amsterdam at 8.30pm on Feb ... read more
Malachite kingfisher
image
image

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province February 10th 2014

The water tank I bought Isaac and Josephine had now been delivered and installed just in time as it has rained very heavily over the last couple of days I was hoping to see water come from the tap before I left. The tank that I decided on in the end was the largest which once full, will keep the family supplied with water for up to 5/6 months. A great relief to Josephine. Sunday 2nd February it's Isaac's birthday. They don't acknowledge their birthdays and some (the older generation) don't even know when it is or how old they are. I've bought a birthday cake from town which is iced beautifully but unfortunately the icing did not survive the very bumpy motorbike journey. Nevertheless, I've used the Christmas candle that I brought with me ... read more
Birthday Cake
Isaac cutting the cake
Kids enjoying birthday cake

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province January 22nd 2014

The orphanage project is now complete with all but the ground to clear. It's been very slow process and frustrating at times not being able to have any input on the organisation or the buying of materials. One day we waited 6hrs for a delivery of materials. All they arranged was delivery, nobody thought to ask what time it would arrive and nobody thought to order it earlier so we still had some work to do in the meantime. Then when it does arrive, they decide to have a break! A whole day wasted sitting around. The orphanage build could have easily been completed in 2 weeks but due to the lack of organisation and the unwillingness for the locals to work, it's taken almost 6 weeks. Isaac my host is keen for me to move ... read more
image
Build complete
stones collected for the floor

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Masai Mara NP January 18th 2014

Having survived the night in a camp guarded by the mysterious Maasai we are up before dawn, entrance to the Maasai Mara begins at 6 am...we are the first vehicle in. Yesterday stuck in the mud of a surprise watering hole, our game drive cut short, we waited for 3 hours as the sun set over the vast plain and slowly, slowly the rescue tractor chugged into view. Yesterday sunset, today dawn over the plains unchanged from time immorial. Gods playground! The mind thrills at the size...scope...the sheer variety of animal life! Here a cheetah surveys the misty morning landscape from the base of his favorite tree, impala, thompsons gazelles and topi bound to life, large herds of aggressive buffalo silently eyeball us while sullenly chewing their cud.... Away on the horizon a mammoth bull elephant ... read more
Giraffe nibbles the treetop
Giraffe pops up
Mother and baby

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Masai Mara NP January 17th 2014

People refer to so many places as 'Gods Country' and that's fine but believe me when I tell you that I have been to Gods' Playground! The Maasai people and their home the Maasai Mara is incredible... The mind boggles! For now we visit the people ...the Maasai Later we will visit the Mara or vast plain, in their language. It is 1,5010 sq kilometers The 4 hour bone shaking drive off the tarmac into the Maasai Mara reserve is described by our intrepid driver Henry, as the worst road in Africa and honestly it could shake the fillings out of your teeth! Jarred and bounced along for hours on end with only acacia thorn bushes and dust dust dust....clouds of grit...dust...a fine pale brown powder over everything. Every once in a long while the nothingness ... read more
Maasai children with lollipops
image
Road into Massai Mara

Africa » Kenya » Rift Valley Province » Naivasha January 12th 2014

Our next stop after Lamu was, shall we say, just a bit of a splurge. We had come across the gorgeously stunning Elsa’s Kopje online months ago and after weeks of the most-sensible procrastination, we somehow managed to quell any lingering doubts and furthermore managed to justify the costs. Most people fly up to Elsa’s, but the chances of getting Jane on a little twelve seater Cessna, were every slight gust of wind feels like a catastrophic torrent of turbulence, were hovering somewhere between extremely unlikely and bugger all. Thus we chose to skip the hour long flight and hire a driver to make the seven hour drive instead. Of course, our flight from Lamu was delayed by a couple of hours which put a bit of a spanner in the works, but we eventually ... read more
Giraffes wandering past
Snorting up the dust
Grevy's Zebra




Tot: 0.119s; Tpl: 0.006s; cc: 10; qc: 68; dbt: 0.0674s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.3mb