Masai Highlights and more!!

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Since our last entry we haven't really had a chance to get on the net. Currently we are on Zanzibar for 4 nights and finally in one place longer than a night or two so I have some time!

After the gorillas we headed back to Nairobi which was 3 days of full on driving in the truck (we're talking generally 10 hours a day) It was a little exhausting as we'd get up at 6am (sometimes earlier) and be on the road for most of the day, with just a lunch break in the middle.

We spent 3 nights at a camping ground (It had a bar and a "disco" so it wasn't basic but we were still tenting it.) We had optional activities like Hells Gate National Park, which we skipped for a sleep-in instead, and also a hippo cruise which we went on. It was our first encounters of the hippo kind and saw quite a few families. We went out in 2 boats and each boat were obsessed with getting the hippos to yawn. Trying everything including the general rule that yawning is contagious, so here were 5 people making exaggerating yawns, but unfortunately it didn't seem to catch on with the hippos. They generally just yawned when you didn't have your camera ready!

At the camp we lost half of the group (They were either leaving to go back home or joining another tour) and we also gained around a dozen people. We got rid of some really annoying people, but unfortunately we gained others. One of them has grown on us as just a silly American who does the stupidest things - but she can laugh at herself, so it's all good. The other is just a *really* arrogant and annoying 43 year old pom who does not know how to shut up! We have learnt to ignore him to the best of our abilities which has worked a bit, but it would be so much nicer if a lion would just jump up and eat him. 😊

Our next destination was the Masai Mara. We were shown around a Masai village and they showed us their traditional dancing and singing. It was very interesting - The leader was explaining to us how they are one of 3 traditional tribes left... all said to us with his digital wrist watch showing. They did explain to us how they lived and what their traditions are and in general how everything works. In their world, the more cows you have, the richer you are. When they marry, they offer the father and the bride cows. Supposedly 10 cows is a common price. They still practice female circumcision too - which I found very disturbing - I just don't see the point in it.

Following the village we went to set up camp and then go on a game drive through the Masai with a Masai guide called Nixon. It was absolutely amazing. The best game drive we have been on so far. We got to see a lioness stalking a pack of zebras. We were the first ones on the scene and followed for a little, and sat and watched. During that time around 50+ other vehicles came to watch as well, I believe some followed the lioness all day as at the end of the day we saw them all again - We thought it was kind of mean, as obviously the lioness wanted to kill and eat one, and I'm sure having an audience that size wasn't helpful!

Anyways, we saw a group of 30 elephants, babies included (very cute), more giraffe, antelopes, pumba's, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, crocs, hippos and HEAPS more! The highlight for me was seeing a lioness lying in the grass with her 3 cubs playing around her. They were so small, probably no more than a month old. They were the most gorgeous things! I wanted to steal one for myself.

That night, Nixon, the Masai stayed for dinner and hung around the group for a while. Clinton, Nat, and John had a jumping competition with him (which I have on video) - Jumping is what they do, so he obviously won! Later we found out that Shae went for a little romantic walk with him and ended up talking about their different lives, and he told her that if he had 200 cows, he'd give them to her if she'd be his wife! How sweet 😊

The following day we had booked to go Hot Air Ballooning over the Masai. We got up around 4:30am, and by 5am we were driving off to the site to see the sunrise in the balloon. As we were driving along, we noticed a pride of lions running along the side of the road. First we saw 1, then 2, then 4, and before we knew it, we were surrounded by them! They were play fighting in the middle of the road, and running along the side. There were a few cubs (around "toddler" age) as well. They "held" us up (we didn't care) for ages as they were happily trotting along on the road, not caring at all that there was a big land rover behind them with lights blaring. Eventually they all veered off on another route and we made our way to the balloon site.

When we got there we watched them set up the balloon and inflate it using huge fans and of course fire! Once the balloon was up, we all climbed into the basket and were ready for take off! 4 gas canisters and 20 minutes later, it was called off due to turbulence! We were all fairly disappointed, but we can't fight the weather! The "pilot" (if that's what they're called) was the exact image I had of a hot air balloonist. He would be the perfect guy for "Around the world in 80 days"

On our trip back to the camp site, the driver stopped to show us a black rhino which are quite rare. He then went like a bat out of hell toward the camp site. As he was going so damn fast, we ended up having an accident. It wasn't too bad, we were overtaking another car, and they veered into us. It looked like they had a group of posh people in there and the looks on their faces were priceless. We were stunned and worried for a moment, but once the drama was over and the driver had gained control of the car, most people just laughed. So it was a very eventful morning.

We got back to the to camp site and found one of our normal drivers, Keeter, who took us in a safari van (the roof pops up) around the Masai for a game drive. Here we got to see some more elephants, hyenas, and we also got to see the earlier pride of lions feasting on a zebra carcass! It absolutely stunk too! For all you gruesome people, we got it on video too! 😊

After the Masai we spent a few nights in Nairobi again. We farewelled a few of our group which was sad, but we got to have a big party so it was fun. We visited the Elephant orphanage which was cute. They rescue baby elephants that are either abandoned or orphaned in the wild, they keep them until they can fend for themselves, and then they release them. The baby elephants played soccer and drunk from baby bottles (very cute) I was lucky enough to get to touch one of them. It felt really weird - wrinkly and bristly. After that, a few of us went into town to shop, and the rest (including Clinton) went to a giraffe sanctuary.

From Nairobi, we then spent the next few days travelling down to Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. We drove passed Mount Kilimanjaro which was amazing. We stopped to have a look, and Bec, our tour leader, pointed it out to us. Way, way in the distance there were some small-ish hills and I was not so impressed. Then I saw everyone looking from a different area and I went over and saw these tiny, tiny hills. Then someone said to look up into the sky, and BAM! there's Mount Kilimanjaro about 6000km's high! Absolutely beautiful!

On our way to Zanzibar we also went to Ngoro Ngo crater (or something like that) which wasn't that great, but we at least got to see a few cheetahs.

As I said at the beginning, we are currently in Zanzibar. We're here for a few more days and then we're off to Malawi. I'll leave our Zanzibar activities for my next entry!

Love Clinton and Flipper

xoxox

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Comments

[Marzia]

Hello
Hiya guys, Glad to hear your having such a great time!!! Can't wait until your next entry. Marz.