Day Eight (Final Day) of our East African Safari: Goodbye Lake Naivasha; Long Drive to Nairobi; Game Drive in Nairobi National Park; Visit to the Giraffe Center; Last Lunch at Karen Blixen Garden Restaurant; Visit to Karen Blixen Museum; Homeward Bound—from Nairobi to Bombay

Friday, July 18, 2025

Day Eight (Final Day) of our East African Safari:

Goodbye Lake Naivasha; Long Drive to Nairobi; Game Drive in Nairobi National Park; Visit to the Giraffe Center; Last Lunch at Karen Blixen Garden Restaurant; Visit to Karen Blixen Museum; Homeward Bound—from Nairobi to Bombay

Leaving Enashipai Resort:

We awoke on the very last day of our safari—sorry, in a way, that like all good things, it too had ended However, I must admit that we were all a bit fatigued and the thought of returning to comforting routine wherever our homes were, was quite attractive. Many of our travel companions were headed off to the island of Zanzibar (also a part of Tanzania), but several of us were simply headed home (to the US, UK or India).

I took a few last parting shots of beautiful Enashipai Resort by daylight as we were leaving—sorry, once again, that we did no justice to so glorious a property. After last night’s downpour, it had continued to bucket down and it was just charming to sit on our little balcony in our room to watch rain stream down over the trees and on the emerald lawns of the property.

Breakfast at Enashipai Resort:

Yes, we breakfasted again like royalty at Enashipai Resort—there was a large crowd of Orientals and they forced us to stand in long lines for special orders. I decided to skip the lines and go instead for a helping of the house granola which I ate with a passionfruit yogurt (in an imitation of the kind of breakfast I eat daily at home in Bandra—my own homemade granola with fat-free yogurt and fruit). I also ate the readymade scrambled eggs with pork sausage, pork bacon, baked beans and sauteed mushrooms and I washed it all down with orange juice. Then, we were piling into our safari vans, after I was able to retrieve my baseball cap that I had left behind in my room (thanks to the attentive and ever obliging Reception staff), and off we went.

b>Long Drive to Nairobi:

It was our long last ride together and the six of us (the Sexy Six-some) were back in the saddle again with Steve at the wheel as we inched towards Nairobi—inched because no sooner did we reach the highway than we were caught in the midst of what seemed like hundreds of lorries, fully stocked with cargo, heading in the same direction. They slowed down our progress considerably all along the verdant Rift Valley.

This time round, we did not make any rest room stops. We merely tried to make up for lost time and headed straight to Nairobi National Park. This was actually a sudden addition to our itinerary. We were supposed to go directly to the Elephant Orphanage in the Park; but as we had not spotted any rhinos yet on our many game drives and as we were determined to tick off the last member of the Big Five off our list, we changed course.

A few members of our party decided to go, on schedule, to the David Sheldrake Elephant Orphanage where they would see young baby jumbos that had been abandoned by their mothers or that had been left orphaned as a result of poaching for elephant tusks—still a huge hazard in East Africa. They felt that they’d had enough of the game drives and wanted to do something different. Others felt that if there was even a slim chance of seeing a rhino, they did hope it would happen. Accordingly, our group split in two: one group went to the Elephant Orphanage; the other headed towards the entrance of Nairobi National Park—Llew and I were in the latter group.

At Nairobi National Park:

Nairobi National Park has the distinction of being the only national park in the world that actually borders a capital city. In fact, it is a bit incongruous (once you are in the park) to be able to see animals roaming freely with city skyscrapers in the distance. If you can recall, I had said, in my very first blog post that our Kenya Airways flight from Bombay had flown directly above the Park and that we had a very clear view of it when we were landing. Little did I know that, a week later, we would be in the Park ourselves.

At the entrance, there were rest rooms and each of us made a beeline for them. Some of us found the enticements of the gift shop too hard to resist and we headed there to buy last-minute souvenirs. I got a magnet of Kenya and of Nairobi. When everyone had finished purchasing their goodies, we began our survey of this Park and our last game drive—our last ditch effort to find the elusive rhino.

Rhino Sightings—At Last!

Well, we were not disappointed and we did not have to wait too long. En route to seeing these huge animals, we passed by elegant storks in the trees (around a swamp), many giraffes, ostriches crossing our path (somehow these sights never got old) and a magnificent male lion. I was super intrigued, as we were watching the lions, first walk right past us and then settle down in a clearing, that there was a plane right above him as he sunbathed there. In fact, I got a great shot of the plane in the air and the lion on the ground in the same frame. And then, there they were: a pair of rhinos, not too far away, but with their backs turned to us and their heads bowed down as they grazed. Ok, so Mission Accomplished! That To-Do/To-See List was well and truly ticked. However, we were greedy for a better sighting and our drive around the Park continued.

And then we saw them: a splendid pair—mother and child. There were ever so close to us (merely ten feet from the road) and they were in absolutely no hurry to depart. Our driver, Steve, was able to send out a radio alert to the other vans in our party and, before long, they too had arrived at the spot. For the next fifteen to twenty minutes, we truly had our fill of this extraordinary sight. We had come face to face with the mystical rhino—a grand full-grown specimen with the most awesome pair of horns and her little one—a juvenile—whose defence mechanism had still to grow. Oh, we took a bunch of pictures as they stood, ate, sat down, rolled over, changed positions and finally moved away. What a sight for sore eyes! And how fruitful our safari had been! We were thrilled and ready to move on. Little did we guess what a crazy experience lay in store for us.

Ghastly Adventure—This Time with Baboons!

And then, we had a truly horrific adventure! When Steve, our driver, decided to stop at wayside rest rooms (after two hours of animal-seeking), we noticed that the spot was surrounded by a large family of baboons. John immediately demurred from using the rest rooms, but Doreen insisted. A couple of us also needed to go—and so stop we did!

It was, at this point, that Steve told us he would be happy to take a picture of the six of us in our van while standing in it. So, Steve stepped out and asked all of us to pose while standing along one side of the van. As we smiled happily for his camera, we had no clue what was happening behind us—on the other side of our van! Doreen was the first to spot it and she yelled, “Baboon, Baboon!” Now, we were aware that there were baboons all around us. Little did we know that what she meant was that there was one INSIDE OUR VAN!!!! It was only when she screamed, “Its Here! It’s Inside!” that we understood that we had been invaded by a baboon. Llew and I were at the driver’s end of the van while Doreen and John were right at the back, with Louella and Albin in the center. In a jiffy, the four of them got down on their knees and cowered at the very back of the van while Llew and I were left standing and watching the hideous thing. He looked around and then grabbed the brown paper packet in which the souvenir gifts that Doreen had bought for her kids were stored. And before you could say, “Big Baboon” he was off with his loot with Doreen yelling, “My Stuff! My Gifts! They’re gone!”

Can you even imagine the panic in our van? We were really frightened. Then, Steve told us not to panic—if there was no food in the packet, the baboon would discard it. And that was exactly what he did. He tore open the packet, surveyed the contents, found nothing edible and flung it with disdain near the rest room doors. Llew raced behind him, retrieved the packet and picking up the contents which he had spread all over, returned them to poor Doreen who was, by this point, seriously hyperventilating! As for poor Louella, somewhere in the panic generated by this to-do, one of the members of our van had scratched her right on the face. Her cheek bore three distinct scratch marks—this alone tells you how petrified we all were by the presence of a menacing baboon in our van.

With the Ladies rest room door just a step away from us, Doreen disappeared into one stall, Louella into the other, leaving yours truly outside waiting for my turn. And then, guess what? A large baboon followed me into the toilet area leaving me in pure panic. “Open the door! Open the Door”, I screamed. “ One of them has come here”. Hearing me, Louella said, “One second. I’m almost done.” A second later, she opened the door and I tore into the stall with her and locked the door. My heart was palpitating and I was terrified.

Then, just when we thought we had escaped an Assault By Baboon, another huge baboon entered—yes! He entered our very stall—the one in which Louella and I were huddling together! As our stall was adjoining Doreen’s, I was certain he was in her stall to begin with and had made his way to ours! But as Doreen had not seen him at all (you can bet she’d have yelled blue murder if she was in there with him), it is possible that he came directly into our stall from a high window in the back wall of our stall.

Now serious panic ensued. We had to get away from the monster right there, in a tiny stall with us! In enclosed space! Of course, we were caught between the devil and the deep sea! Stay in the stall and risk being attacked by the lone baboon or get outside and face a whole dozen of them! Of course, since human instinct is to get away from clear and present danger, we moved to leave the stall. Except that our hands were shaking and I simply could not get the latch opened! I tried turning it one—no luck! I tried the other—it was struck! I tried the first way again…and this time, it opened! Louella and I just tore out of the stall and got into open ground panting at our efforts. Meanwhile, Doreen walked out of her stall, oblivious to the experience we had just had! She was grateful we did not tell her that the baboon had very likely been in her stall behind her. Outside, the gentlemen waited and, as we told them the story of our Close Encounter of the Simian Kind, they exploded with laughter! Of course, by this stage, we were all panic-laughing, but I can assure you we’d all had a turn and it caused massive hilarity in our van in the aftermath.

A Visit to the Giraffe Center:

With enough excitement than we could take for one morning, we joined the rest of our group at the Giraffe Center—which was also on our itinerary. The Center is one of the most visited parts of a tour of Nairobi and we were pleased to be able to see these graceful, elegant animals up close and personal. The Center was founded in 1979 by Josk Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British descent and his American-born wife, Betty. Their objective was to save the Rothschild Giraffe of which only 130 were left in East Africa. Their program saved calves and by a project, based on breeding giraffe in captivity, they were able to save the species.

At the Center, we were asked to wash our hands and presented with a small coconut shell containing giraffe food pellets. We were permitted to walk along a high walkway with a viewing platform that overlooks a huge pen in which several giraffes roamed. They came up to the barrier and we were able to feed them the food pellets. This was truly a novel experience for all of us and the source of a large number of pictures. When we were done feeding these stately animals, we were taken into a room where we listened to a short talk on the origin of this Center, its aims and objectives. That part of the visit done, we were asked to wash our hands again and then return to our waiting vehicles.

Lunch at the Karen Blixen Garden Restaurant:

By this time, what with our long drive to Nairobi, our long morning’s game drive, our baboon adventures, etc. we were ready to sit down calmly in some place lovely and enjoy our last meal together. This turned out to be in a really special place called the Karen Blixen Garden Restaurant.

But long before we actually got to the spot, I have to tell you that my attention was rivetted to the locality in which we were driving. This whole area was completely different to the other parts of Nairobi with which we had become familiar—parts engulfed in urban chaos as in most Third World capital cities. However, here, in this area named Karen (after the Danish writer, Karen Blixen—more about her later),we were in another world. This is Colonial Kenya. This is where the British colonial officials had congregated when they were the rulers of this land. This was where, as in the case of most of the colonies that they had conquered, they tried to create a little bit of the British Home Counties by imitating their own domestic outlook and lifestyle. And so, there were neatly-parceled portions of land, each of which had an English-style cottage or bungalow at its center, surrounded by the most beautiful English Country gardens.We could have been in Hampshire or Richmond in England. In this anaesthetized part of the city, they lived insular lives, far from the madding crowd, away from the confusion of native Kenyan life for which they had nothing but disdain. I was gawking at these beautiful architectural accomplishments and drew the attention of my van-companions to Karen so that they would not miss the study in lifestyle contrasts that colonialism had created in all the colonies. I should also add that the entire area is named Karen after the writer who put Nairobi on the global literary map by her best-selling books and the romantic notion of life on the Bush that she peddled for the consumption of the world.

Eventually, we did arrive at the restaurant where we were immediately charmed by its location, setting and décor. The property is devoted to stunning landscaped gardens in which low-slung structures support a kitchen, dining nooks, a bar, a lobby, etc. We were led to our tables where we sat down and very casually ordered drinks (not included in our package). It was decided to order a bottle of white wine for the table (Llew had red) and together we sipped, for the last time, at the refreshing elixir on a warm but humidity-free afternoon.

Lunch took the form of a grand buffet that offered everything one could possibly desire—yes, there was soup (I had some—Carrot-Ginger Soup) and a plate of delightfully fresh greens: arugula with fresh strawberries and a sprinkling of golden raisins and seeds. Others gravitated towards the Indian selection picking dal, curries, etc. I requested fresh penne pasta be made for me with alfredo sauce and with some cold cuts (ham, salami), it made a very handsome lunch indeed. Yes, there was also a laden desserts bar that was simply swarming with yellow jacket bees—which scared me! However, I managed to get at some of the chocolate mousse and enjoyed it immensely.

this point in time, several of our group members had already begun to say their last goodbyes to us as they were headed to Zanzibar and needed to be dropped off to the airport for their flight. Others had late-afternoon flights to board back to the US as they too said their long and sad farewells to us. At our table, Frances and Ayaz would be spending two more days in Nairobi. They were already worn out and preferred to take the rest of the afternoon very easy. Marilyn and Brian chose to hang out with them.

Llew and I, however, had other plans. I could not imagine leaving Nairobi without visiting the Karen Blixen Museum as we were literally just a five-minute ride away from it. We requested our driver Peter (who would also be driving us to the airport, later in the evening) to take us there. He readily agreed. Doreen, who is also deeply interested in authors and literature and who had seen both movies, ‘Out of Africa’ and ‘Babette’s Feast’—both of which are based on literary works by Blixen—decided to come along with us. And so, we had the last memorable excursion of our trip.

A Visit to the Karen Blixen Museum:

The writer in me was deeply excited. I love visiting the homes of fellow-writers: Shakespeare at Stratford-on-Avon; Charles Dickens and Thomas Carlyle in London; Jane Austen in Hampshire; the Brontes in Haworth, Yorkshire; Virginia Woolf’s Home in Lewes in Sussex, England; Thomas Hardy in Dorchester in Dorset, England; Victor Hugo in Paris, France; William Faulkner in Oxford, Mississippi; R.K. Narayan in Mysore; R. L. Stevenson in Edinburgh, Scotland; Hemingway in Key Werst, Florida—the list goes on, of the author homes I have visited. If a city that I am visiting has the home/museum of a writer to visit, you can bet I will be inside. So to have the opportunity to visit the home of Karen Blixen (aka Issac Dinesen) was not to be sneezed at. I was thrilled that we had two hours in which to become better acquainted with the writer before the museum closed for the day at 6.00 pm. Arriving at the museum, we paid $10 each to enter and were presented with a sweet female Docent who would take us on a guided tour of the house.

A Word About Karen Blixen:

Karen Blixen was born in 1885 in Rungsted, Denmark, where she grew up. After meeting and marrying the Swedish Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke, she became known as Baroness Blixen. Her husband’s family invested $500,000 in creating coffee plantations in Kenya. This brought the newly-weds to Nairobi, where in the shadow of the Ngong Hills, they set up the Mbopani Coffee Estate.

As a bored colonial wife with not much to do in the early 20th century, Blixen turned to writing. She wrote originally in Danish, then translated her own books to English. Her husband was famously unfaithful to her and it was not long before she contracted syphilis from him (in 1915). All sorts of medical remedies were tried out on her and she soon showed symptoms of heavy metal poisoning. Struggling with ill health and a crumbling marriage, she was shocked that her books, when selected for Books of the Month Club, became best sellers and made an internationally famous writer of her. She was repeatedly nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature, but she never won it.

A few years later, she and the Baron were divorced and Karen was free to pursue her relationship with the British big game hunter, Denys Finch-Hatton. This love affair is detailed in her autobiographical book, ‘Out of Africa’ which became an Academy Award film starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. He began to lead safaris in Africa for wealthy clients and eventually died in the crash of his Gypsy Moth in 1931. Plagued with poor health and with her coffee plantation in the financial doldrums, Blixen returned to Denmark where she lived for many decades until her own death in 1962, by which time she had become a celebrated writer.

Visiting the Inside of Blixen’s Home:

To visit Karen Blixen’s Home in Nairobi is to enter a colonial time-capsule. Indeed, time stands still on this homestead which features a low, one-story structure surrounded by sprawling gardens in vast property. Inside, we were walked along a long corridor where we saw large blow-up photographic portraits of Karen as she looked while she lived in this home. She was always a slim and elegant woman and her portraits present her in this manner, surrounded by gardens or dogs—all the trappings of European colonial life.

Next, we walked into her Dining room which carried the original furniture of her years, several of her paintings (she was also an artist who, in her younger years, had studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen, Denmark). Portraits of two native Africans who had served on her staff are in this room. There is also the original china that she used while entertaining and the table is set for guests.

In the next room, the living room-cum-study, we saw her in her favorite room which features a cozy fireplace, bookcases and a large desk at which she wrote most of her books. I am always enchanted by these settings as I do believe that in an earlier life, I was actually an Edwardian lady myself! I loved the pictures on the wall, the knick-knacks with which she surrounded herself, her own set of clothing in one of the closets, the elephant leg bedside table in her bedroom and other little elements that are too numerous to enlist. We were also taken into the kitchen which still sports some of the rudimentary implements and utensils that were used in her day. The toilets were outside the home as there was no running water and no electricity in her time. Sadly, we were not allowed to take any pictures inside the house—so I had to commit all of it to memory.

Exploring the Garden:

Once our tour of the Home was completed, we were led out into the gardens where we examined a pair of granite grinding stones that had been shipped to Nairobi from India and which were fashioned into coffee tables for the garden. We then walked to the far end of the garden where we were able to look upon a huge original coffee grinding machine that was used by the family in their coffee business—the one that, eventually, went bust. It was in one of the nooks of this machine that we spotted a hirrack—a small rodent-like creature with great beady eyes that is found all over the African Bush.

With our tour of the garden done—we could take pictures of the exterior of the house and the gardens but not the interior—we looked at some paintings and sculptural art in the grounds that were for sale before we stepped into the gift shop. Here I was fortunate enough to find a magnet of Kilimanjaro (as I had not bought one while we were in the vicinity and could not find another one anywhere else—this was sheer luck indeed). I also bought a set of spoon, fork and knife—the handles were made of horn, the rest were made from bone. I thought it was a fitting souvenir of our travels in Africa and I was delighted to have them be my final buy in this country and at a museum that I really did want to remember.

Journey to Nairobi Airport…and then Back Home (to India):

And with that marvelous, memorable visit to Blixen’s Home and Museum, our travels in East Africa came to an end. All that was left was for Peter, our driver, to take us back to the restaurant to pick up John, Brian and Marilyn so that we could all be dropped off at the airport. The drive took about 45 minutes and once there, we went through Security and other formalities before being given our boarding passes. We said Bye to our friends for the last time—thinking we would not se them again—and were off. Llew and I did some duty free shopping for alcohol and chocolates to take back to India and could then relax fully.

That done, we made our way up to the Pride of Africa Lounge on the upper floor and having about two hours to kill before boarding time, we ordered drinks. I had a gin and tonic while Llew had a glass of South African Stellenbosch red wine as we helped ourselves to some of the bar snacks. And then, when it came time to board our flight, we made our way downstairs.

Unbelievably, we ran into Doreen, John, Brian and Marilyn too as they were at their gate, not far from ours, waiting for their own flight to New York. We found out that our flight was delayed by about an hour and so we had some more time to shoot the breeze with them before the last and final call for our flight was announced and we said our goodbyes to them and left.

A Most Comfortable Flight to India:

And so, we took the red eye flight to Bombay. This time round, we were awake and enjoyed the comfortable Business Class seats and Service including drinks and dinner—both of us had a glass of champagne followed by a lovely new cocktail that I had discovered in Africa—a mixture of Bailey Irish Cream and Cognac. Llew declined to have dinner (he was not hungry) but I had the Fish Curry with Pilaf as the Lamb Chops I had ordered were gone—they had only received one order of it and it was taken by a passenger just before me—drat! Still, my Fish Curry was not half bad and I enjoyed it before I made myself comfortable for the night on the reclining seat that became almost as flat as a bed.

By the time dawn was breaking in the Eastern sky, six hours later, it was time for us to land. It would be about 7.00 am in Bombay, a perfect time to arrive on a Saturday morning when the city had not yet stirred. We cleared Immigration and Customs and arrived at the Pre-Paid Taxi counter from where we made our way home to Bandra in under two hours. It was about 9.00 am when we entered our flat and I have to say that despite having had the best, most memorable time in the world, it was terrific to enter our Home Sweet Home. I feel like this after ever single trip we take—this intense feeling of pleasure when you get back home, sink into your own sofa, shower in your own bath tub and sleep in your own bed. It gives truth to the adage: Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like Home.

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for following me on this wild (pun intended) voyage to the middle of nowhere on Planet Earth. Safaris are truly trips like no other as they take you into the natural habitat of creatures other than human ones. We had enjoyed close contact with some of the earth’s most fascinating creatures, we had learned so much about them and made friends with the people who share their space with them on a daily basis.

We’d seen one of our party members go through a medical emergency (John) and come through it unscathed; we’d seen another member of our group suffer a life-threatening crisis (Amani) and we’d been instrumental in saving his life; we’d changed a tire on the Mara in the midst of roaring lions; we’d had frights in close quarters with terrifying animals; we’d seen the Big Five, the Ugly Five and what I like to call the Small Thousands! Most important of all, our purpose in coming on this safari had been vindicated: We were part and parcel of the Great Migration, having walked in the vicinity of thousands of animals on their annual journey across the African plains. It was a sight we would never forget—and we had photographs and video to remind us, when our memories blurred. We made wonderful new friends among our tour party and renewed friendship with others whom we’ve known for years. We now share experiences in common that bind us forever.

We have a lot of folks to thank for making these travel experiences and memories possible—and I had done so, at the appropriate times on our journey. All that is left now is for me to thank you all for being my armchair-companions over the past ten days and for the encouraging comments you have sent my way as you have read each installment. Please feel free to tag my blog post links to your Facebook and Instagram accounts. Also, please note that my blog, Rochelle’s Roost in London, contains hundreds of blog posts on the dozens of countries in which I have lived or traveled through the decades. Please feel free to browse through any or all of the entries, when time permits or the travel bug bites you.

I now take your leave. Until the road rises up to greet us—whether we travel in the same direction or indeed go our separate ways—God Speed!

Until next time, Hakuna Matata (No Troubles, No Worries).

Day Five of Our East African Safari: Leaving Nairobi After Breakfast; Six-Hour Drive to the Maasai Mara; Arrival at Mara Maisha Tented Camp; First Game Drive in the Mara; Dinner at Mara Maisha.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Day Five of Our East African Safari

Leaving Nairobi After Breakfast; Six-Hour Drive to the Maasai Mara; Arrival at Mara Maisha Tented Camp; First Game Drive in the Mara; Dinner at Mara Maisha.

Breakfast of Champions at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Nairobi Westlands:

Of all the hotels at which we stayed on this trip, the Hyatt Regency at Nairobi Westlands was, in my humble opinion, simply the best! For one thing, it had this gigantic TV screen which enabled us to finally catch up on international news after living in a Safari Bubble for almost a week. Secondly, it had decaff coffee sachets in the tea/coffee station in each room (how thoughtful and considerate is that?). Thirdly, while I am usually not one to wax eloquent about hotel breakfast buffets, this place had the most magnificent breakfast ever—with smoked salmon (one of my favorite things in the world to eat) and real, genuine, Parisian-style croissants and pain au chocolat (which is to say, they were not just bread rolls shaped like croissants, but the real thing, complete with glazed lamination)! No marks for guessing that we ate really well. My travel-companions had saved their decaff sachets for me, as requested, and for the rest of our breakfast, they came trooping to our table carrying the precious sachets in their hands and depositing them with me. Suffice it to say that we had enough decaff coffee to cure the insomniacs in us for the rest of our trip—maybe for the rest of our lives!

Being spoiled for choice, I made a ‘no-carbs at brekkie’ exception to my own rule and helped myself to a small croissant, a small helping of scrambled eggs (they were soft and creamy--the way I like them), baked beans, half a grilled tomato, a pork sausage, rolls of smoked salmon and some orange juice. Yummy! It was perhaps one of my most enjoyable breakfasts. It was good to have John and Doreen join us at our table and to obtain more tidbits from them about their adventures in Nairobi. And as if this bounty were inadequate, Amani came around to our tables and told us (after we’d had our fill) that we were welcome to help ourselves to a take-out snack or sandwich—one or two for the road! Boy oh boy! Were we thrilled! It would save us the agony of another packed lunch!

Did we just swoop on the buffet once again? Yes, Sirree Bob! Did those croissants and pain au chocolat just fly off those shelves? You bet! Miraculously, the hotel provided us with brown paper take-out bags! Can you imagine anything more thoughtful? Never, ever, in my experience with buffets was such generosity in evidence. Needless to say, we did not have to be told twice. I fixed myself two smoked salmon sandwiches in croissants–even including some slices of raw onion from the salad bar. Llew, who does not eat fish, was presented by me with two ham and cheese croissant sandwiches which I fixed for him. I saw folks help themselves to madeleines (yes, the buffet carried those) and financiers (yes, we could have been in a patisserie/boulangerie in the South of France) and every conceivable kind of mini bread roll. We were like kids in a candy shop!

Passing by the large picture windows—for we were on the eighth floor of a high-rise building—I had great views of the Westlands area of Nairobi—I stopped to admire the view of other skyscrapers surrounding our building and I took a few photographs. Then, it was time for us to pile into our transport for another long ride—for we were headed to another highlight of our travels—a stint in the Maasai Mara.

Just before we boarded our vehicle, however, I remember that it was my brother Russel’s Birthday. Using our international calling plan, I was able to call him in Bombay and both Llew and I were able to wish him well and tell him that we were thinking of him and praying for his health and happiness. It was already 11.30 am in Bombay and my cousin, Linnet and her mother Ruby, his other cousins Meera and Ashley had, upon my request, gone over this place with a cake. There, they sang a ‘Happy Birthday’ to him as he cut his cake and blew his candle and made him feel very special indeed. I felt very sorry that we had missed his birthday, but to make up for it, we had organized a party for him, a few days before our departure on this safari. That sufficed to keep him happy and with relatives and guests trooping into his home on his birthday itself, he was a very happy camper.

Long Drive from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara:

Our morning’s drive from Nairobi to the Mara was a huge study in contrasts. As we passed through the urban heart of Kenya’s most populous city, Nairobi, we had glimpses of the daily routine of Kenyans. The industrious working set were out in droves, well-dressed in professional garb, for the start of their day. Public transport, in the form of local buses, were packed, commuters crammed inside like in a sardine can, strap-hangers swaying. Streets were simply filled with people, walking purposefully towards their destinations or standing at bus-stops in a disorderly crowd waiting to board local buses. Vendors, their wares spread all over the pavements, were setting up for the day as they sold cheap clothing and footwear. There were large bill-boards on the roads advertising everything from telecommunications packages like Airtel’s services to KFC’s meal deals. Buses honked, brakes screeched, people dodged traffic as they crossed busy streets, regardless of traffic light controls. Yes, indeed, all the confusion and assault on the senses that one associates with Third World cities anywhere in the world—at least the one’s I’ve visited--(Cairo, Fez, Bangkok, Calcutta, Bombay) was evident everywhere. In fact, downtown Nairobi reminded me of Bombay as it had been about thirty years ago (i.e. before the great Economic Revolution for re-development of the late, former Prime Minister and economist, Dr. Manmohan Singh, that had taken the country from a socialist model to a quasi-capitalist one). I was really really happy to receive this glimpse into the city (because, upon our return to Nairobi), we would be skirting around the most exclusive, affluent, former colonialist parts of the city, such as Karen, which were completely different from the chaos of this average, everyday world.

Gradually, passing under lofty flyovers (again, similar to Bombay in its current avatar), we made our way out of the city, flying through the suburbs on terrific tarmac roads. We were making our way into the beating rural heartland of Kenya and to do this, we had to pass through the scenic Rift Valley.

Pausing at the Spectacular Rift Valley for Photo Ops:

The Rift Fault, by the way, runs through the backbone of Kenya and Tanzania and makes the region susceptible to the earth’s tremors. This accounts for the sudden appearance of the single mountain—Kilimanjaro—and the vast crater surrounding the caldera of Ngorongoro. It has given its name to the range of low mountains that surround the suburbs and, in the post-monsoon season, the area remains lush, verdant and inviting. In the higher reaches, the air is delightfully nippy and pleasantly clean, free from the urban pollution of motor vehicles.

We stopped in a particularly appealing bend in the road in the Rift Valley to take pictures. It allowed us to stretch our legs and take in some of the most visually charming sights in the valley below, basking in anemic sunshine: fields and farms and occasional farm houses and barns. In couples or in snug groups, we posed for pictures, our drivers obligingly playing photographers or posing with us. Maasai huts lined the road selling the usual tourist tat and a few of us inspected the goods. There were a lot of sheep skin throws and sheep skin hats as well as cow hide floor coverings. We looked at small piles of local fruits and vegetables (loads of corn on the cob—the depleted stalks make excellent cattle food) that are regularly consumed by the local population, most of whom are Maasai nomadic cowherds.

And so we inched deeper into the rural territory. Yes, we did make a few rest room stops, every two hours, at the highway shops-cum-restaurants-cum-restrooms that allow travelers to find relief. They are usually clean enough, offer running water and toilet paper amenities (although no paper towels to wipe hands) and are uniformly well-maintained. But, I have to say that as we passed by small towns, looking at ordinary people going about their daily activity—filling gas at pumps, buying large bags of oranges or onions--I was struck by the names of the shops and business establishments. They were quite comical, some of them (Bless this Shop was one; this Blessed Shop was another; Get Well Clinic was a third). Stray dogs were evident (another Third World appendage), pools in potholes (yet another one) and make-shift stalls sold wares on the pavement.

It was very clear to us when we were nearing Maasai Country. The scenes changed dramatically. Hundreds of heads of cattle (cows and goats) walked alongside our vans on the roads, led by shepherds of varying age. But all of them wore the distinctive red Maasai blankets and carried shepherd’s staff--which are certainly their signature trademark. Wide open expanses of field and farm came into view as agriculture and animal husbandry are their chief forms of livelihood. That, and selling and making tourist trinkets (bead jewelry, wood carvings, paintings). Homes became far less permanent. Most looked like tin or asbestos shanties, rudimentary in the extreme. Steve informed me that the Maasai receiuve large government subsidies as they are the original owners of the land but find its maintenance taxing. They are extraordinarily insular in their customs and behavior and brook no interference in their traditional ways of life. Hence, they are treated with kid gloves. Over the years, the Maasai have come to realize how lucrative their unique culture can be—foreign tourists lap up the opportunity to visit their villages, to interact with them and pose for pictures, to watch them whoop and dance in customary fashion—all for a price, of course, We were told to pay $25 per head for the privilege. But the plan was cancelled for want of takers from our group.

Yes, we did feast on our sandwiches—kind courtesy of Hyatt--in the van. Someone pulled out a bag of crisps, another munched on an apple. And so, hunger pangs were kept at bay and we did not feel the need to make a stop for lunch. And after what seemed like an interminably long time, our drive ended and we were entering the property called Mara Maisha Tented Camp.

Checking Into and Having Lunch at Mara Maisha Safari Camp:

The owners of Mara Maisha Safari Camp are the same ones who own the Kibo Safari Camp at Amboseli. The layout of their establishment is identical—both outside and in our individual tents, capped with rustic thatched roofs. We were presented with a hot towel and a cold Welcome Drink at the entrance as the tedious task of giving us room keys and taking our baggage to our rooms commenced. By this point in time, we were pros at the process, but we were also pretty fed up with the frequent changes in accommodation. One of the greatest aspects of our prior safari, in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, ten years ago, was that we had checked into one camp (Hamilton Tented Camp) and had stayed put there for a whole week. This eliminated the tedium of checking in and out every single night.

Llew and I were led to our villa which was so far away from the main Reception tent that I almost believed the two of us were camping out on the Mara! (Not surprising that I heard lions roar at night and woke Llew up to hear them too). Here too, we loved the manner in which local materials (sand, stone, terracotta) were incorporated into the architectural design of the space. Little toadstools, studded with black basaltic stone, led us into our tent. But all we could do was have a really lightning lie-down and use the toilet before we were expected to return to the Lobby for lunch and the start of our next game drive.

Yes, lunch we did eat—it was a very late lunch but riding in a safari van for hours on end whets one’s appetite! The buffet was still open at the Dining Hall and we ate well. Soup and salad always do the trick. With our bellies satisfied, we trooped back into our vans for our next game drive. This time John and Doreen left us to ride in another van and Em and Jude joined us in ours. This drive would be on the Mara itself. And oh my! What a game drive it turned out to be!!! We won the safari lottery with the big cats!

Stalking Big Cats on the Mara:

Our drive started off tamely enough. We passed by herds of antelope, impalas and wart hogs. There were also dozens of zebra everywhere we looked. By this point in the game (hunt), these animals had lost their novelty and we no longer went crazy with our cameras.

However, very shortly, word got out that a pride of lions had been spied. And so the mad race to catch a glimpse of them before they sauntered off, began. Steve stepped on the gas on the long, winding, bumpy, dusty roads with us hanging on for dear life. Radio communication brought the other vans in our party to the same spot and then, hey presto, there it was. At first, all we could see was a lone lioness walking rather restlessly about ten meters away from us. Yes, we did keep safe distance as she was clearly on the prowl. Once we followed her movements, however, we made the charming discovery that there were two more felines lazing in the shade of some low-growing shrubs. They turned out to be a mother and her cub, lying side by side, trying hard to ignore our presence. There was another safari van that was much closer to the pride—Steve told us that these vans are especially equipped to handle the needs of professional international photographers who pay handsomely for government permission to go off road and get close-up shots of the creatures.

We got our fair share of photographs too—albeit from a greater distance. The mother stretched occasionally, threw her head back and yawned lazily—allowing us to get some really terrific action shots. The cub remained motionless for most of the time. The other lioness continued her aimless strolls, back and forth. All the while, our van drivers changed position to enable us to get better shots of them. But although we stayed there for almost half an hour, it was clear that the family did not intend to budge from their cool spot and after a while, we moved on.

Then Along Came the Show-Off Cheetah:

Our scouring of the plain continued. Rhinos had still remained elusive and as we were nearing the end of our safari drives, all of us kept wishing we’d hit the lucky jackpot and find them, sooner or later. And then just as these thoughts were invading our minds, Steve received word that a cheetah had been sighted. So, it was time to go out in search of him.

Another mad, tearing drive brought us to a flat clearing, almost entirely devoid of vegetation. And then, after we’d inched closer, we caught sight of him—this splendid, dotted creature whose antennae were clearly on alert. We followed his glance and saw that his sights were set on a pair of Thompson’s gazelles, in the distance. The cheetah was very clearly on the hunt. He was probably hungry and trying to figure out how he could get as close as possible and as stealthily as possible to his prey, without alerting the gazelles to its presence. He started to move in classic predatory fashion, one small, sly step forward at a time.

But then, to his annoyance, he found that his progress towards his target was entirely thwarted by the fact that our vans had fully encircled him and blocked his chosen path. The poor creature had no straight course to his gazelle. He looked around him in frustration, trying to find a spot through which he could squeeze to get past our vans and over on to the other side of our circle. Of course, this was all high-quality drama for us. But, by being so close to the animal, we had deprived ourselves of one of the rarest safari sightings ever—a predator moving in for the kill and grabbing its prey. Had we seen this, we’d have hit pure safari gold.

But no, we would not have that thrill. We had jeopardized our own joy. The cheetah walked with royal and slow splendor along the flat, grassless plain in front of us. And then, as if to taunt us, he came to the very wheels of two vans that were standing, nose to tail, and began to show off with a series of acrobatic moves that exposed the awesome muscularity of its lean structure. Yes, we were able to capture a lot of wonderful photographs. But we missed out on the real prize—watching the thrill of the chase and the almost certain possibility of fresh kill. After preening in front of us for a good ten minutes, the cheetah become tired of his own stunts and deciding that he had given us enough opportunity to be voyeurs, he grew tired of his own games and bounded away into the undergrowth. It was a lost opportunity that we would never get back.

For the rest of the morning, we saw a number of animals that we had never seen before but with which Em and Jude seemed very familiar. We saw an eland, for example, a kind of large horned ox with a pronounced hump that resembled an Indian cow. We also saw a sizeable antelope called a Topi, for the very first time. He was clad in ‘blue jeans’—a darker shade on his upper lags. For the next few days, we would continue to see large herds of topi, so that they would become for us as ubiquitous as gazelles

The best part of being out on the Mara, as twilight fell, was that we were in the midst of a splendid sunset. The sun’s slanting rays formed sharp luminous fingers in the sky and as they illuminated a herd of zebra alongside which we drove, we got some really evocative pictures of the Mara. More animals that we snapped as they wended their way home, in a hazy dusk across the land, were gazelles, antelopes, giraffes, impalas and more zebras. Yes, there are thousands of animals on the Mara and yet, you never tire of them as they remain constant companions on every game drive.

Drinks and Dinner with Friends:

At dinner this time, Llew and I found ourselves seated with Nama and Yair, the lovey Israeli couple who had joined us on the tour—they are friends/relatives of Sol and Dalia. I was pleased to have the opportunity to get to know another couple from our group a little better. Llew ordered red wine and Yair ordered a bottle of white wine. He offered me a glass and I graciously accepted and with our drinks in front of us, we started up a happy conversation.

Deciding to try and eat lighter, this evening, I enjoyed the Beef Bouillon (a most delicious clear consomme) and a plate filled with cheese, crackers and Greek Salad. They served as delightful appetizers. Later, I moved on to Steak Frites—yes, I had the Beef Pepper Steak with a flavorful mushroom sauce, a small helping of French fries, another small helping of pasta in marinara sauce and a small salad with loads of seeds and nuts. I finished with fresh grapefruit for dessert—something I do not get to eat too often in India. It was one of the nicest meals I had eaten all week. There was another birthday procession that brought music, noise and a dance procession to the space before we could call it a night.

Just when we thought we could make a dash to our rooms for an early relaxing evening, Em told us that a few of them would be sittign down to play bards. Llew joined them as well as Louella, Albin, Doreen and John to play Bluff while I joined a group that lingered on for post-dinner chatting—among them Brian, Marilyn, Frances and Ayaz, Ralph and Lynn.

It had been a long and tiring day but indeed a very productive one and all of us hunkered down in our rooms for the night filled with gratification for what we had seen.

Until tomorrow, Hakuna Matata (No Troubles, No Worries).

Day Four of our East African Safari --Amboseli National Park; Pit Stop at Oltukai Lodge and Pictures with Maasai Warrior; Lunch at Kibo Safari Camp; Long Van-Ride to Nairobi; Dinner at Carnivore Restaurant.

Monday, July 14, 2025:

Day Four of our East African Safari

Amboseli National Park; Pit Stop at Oltukai Lodge and Pictures with Maasai Warrior; Lunch at Kibo Safari Camp; Long Van-Ride to Nairobi; Dinner at Carnivore Restaurant.

Breakfast at Kibo Tented Camp:

For all its modesty. the Kibo Tented Camp offered us the most sumptuous banquets. Arriving first, as usual, to partake of breakfast, after what had been a very peaceful and restful night for us, Llew and I chose our seats and ordered our meal. As usual, Llew went for Eggs while I chose to do something different and ordered freshly-made crepes. Douzed with Chocolate and Butterscotch sauces, I have to admit that it was a bit like eating dessert first thing in the morning. But hey, I was on vacation and was quite happy to throw convention to the winds of the Mara. To wash it down, I chose watermelon juice and was quite happy with my much lighter breakfast. A saving grace for the day was that we did not need worry about those dreaded ‘packed’ lunches as our itinerary informed us that we would return to this same camp for a hot buffet lunch. And if breakfast offerings were anything to go by, I could be sure I’d be lunching well, for a change.

A Second Exploration of Amboseli National Park:

Breakfast consumed and our baggage placed in our vans (as we’d be staying in yet another place tonight), we set off. This morning, Mount Kilimanjaro was completely invisible and the Mara was covered with a fine mist. As we inched out of the gates of the park, we saw our first herd of zebras—they made for lovely hazy pictures in the softness of fog. Further on, we saw a small family of elephants, walking sluggishly towards us. Steve, our driver, informed us that their daily pattern is to wake early and make their leisurely way to a nearby swamp where they wallow in the waters, have a mud bath, give themselves showers and then slowly, at twilight, make their way back to where they came from—all the while they are tearing the Savannah grass off its roots and grazing for they eat at least half of their body weight daily.

Heading Towards the Swamp and Oltukai Lodge:

After about an hour, during which time we saw the usual suspects: loads of gazelles, impalas, wart hogs, zebras and a great deal of birds (Guinea fowl, eagles, black and white magpie-like birds, cranes and storks of various kinds, as well as Egyptian geese that were everywhere), we arrived at the watery reaches of a swamp. Steve pointed out a series of buildings to us in the distance and informed us that they were an intended resort whose construction was abandoned because litigation had commenced, for some reason. Finding this a safe haven, many animals, including baboons, had made the deserted, half-completed buildings, their home. He was sure that if he went closer, we’d get to see many of them.

Also, close to this series of building was another rather beautiful property called Oltukai Lodge where our tour group had permission to use the facilities. I fell in love with this place as soon as I entered its precincts. We walked to the main lobby along a wooden walkway called the Bird Walk over a very shallow pond. It was cozy but classy. I loved the décor which was decidedly African Bush, of course, but with a designer twist. Lovely solid teak furniture in the lobby was sprinkled over with staggering art work: a mural of embossed elephants on one wall, a series of Maasai shields on another, gorgeous paintings of local wild life by local artists on a third. Decorative items like lamps, vases and occasional stool were in a uniformly appealing aesthetic that I found hugely appealing. Yes, we did use the rest rooms here and some members of our group ordered coffee-to-go from the beautiful bar that overlooked a wide patio.

Posing for Photographs with a Maasai Warrior:

It was while wandering on to the patio to take in the interesting architectural elements of this space that I noticed a Maasai warrior, in full regimental garb, loitering around. I asked him if he would kindly pose with us for pictures (as we were unable to do so with the performing Maasai troupe at our hotel last night). He agreed (for nominal payment, of course). So while Llew was busying himself with trying to get free hotel wifi, I beckoned him over to the patio to enable us to get some pictures. By the way, American greenbacks are a parallel currency all over Tanzania and Kenya. One need not even bother about exchanging money for Tanzanian or Kenyan shillings—everyone, including the casual Maasai vendors and the salesmen in the hotel shops, take dollars.

For the next ten minutes, we posed with the Maasai warrior—I asked him his name but am afraid I found it unpronounceable. As Llew and I were in the process of finding the perfect backdrops for our pictures, our friend Frances came along and said she wanted pictures with him too. He made it clear that he would expect more payment! Of course, she was willing to pay and after we’d had our fill of pictures (much to his protests that we were taking too many!), we each parted with a dollar and left him to find more tourists in whose photo albums he could immortalize his presence.

On our return to our van, we found that a few cheeky, black-faced monkey had taken them over. They were all over the roofs (thankfully all closed up) but provided us with perfect photo ops and much entertainment. There were also large families of baboons but those we avoided as they were much less tame.

Skirting a Swamp in Search of Flamingos:

On our way out of the hotel, Steve told us that we would spend the next hour continuing to look for wildlife (mainly birds) as the swamp area breeds a whole lot of colorful birds. We were pleased to do so but we also kept out eyes peeled for hippos, a few of which we wallowing lazily in the waters.

The weather, I have to say, was always pleasant. It was warm enough for us to wear shorts but never oppressive or humid or uncomfortable. Winter is indeed a really perfect time to explore Africa. It is considered high tourist season and though the prices are higher, they are worth the extra bucks.

It was at this point, that we spotted pink flamingos. This was an unexpected sighting as most of them have flown out of Africa by the end of the monsoon season. These few stragglers had stayed on and were enjoying the pond. They allowed us to get some really good pictures of their strikingly pink wings, legs and necks while, in the distance, a single elephant, went on with the joys of his daily toilette as he showered and sprayed himself with swamp waters.

A little further on, following the course of the swamp, Steve brought us to a narrow channel of the swamp in which elephants were all lined up waiting for a wallow. It was indeed a charming sight, to see only a few inches of their back and the tops of their heads as they lay hidden in the cooling waters. Birds such as white egrets, fluttered about their backs seeking sustenance in the insects that they had picked up from the swamp’s waters. There were also many grey herons and storks near these waters. We took more pictures and moved on.

As it was nearing mid-day, Steve told us that we’d be driving back to our Kibo Tented Camp for lunch—as we’d need to fortify ourselves for our long and dreary ride to Nairobi (which would take anything between 5-6 hours). When we reached our hotel lobby, and before we dispersed for lunch or disappeared into the gift shop seeking goodies to take home for friends, Amani informed us that the traffic in Nairobi was crazy. He suggested we go directly to our dinner venue—the famous Carnivore Restaurant which is on every tourist’s agenda. We groaned as we knew we’d want a bit of a rest in our next hotel before showering and dressing for dinner. But Amani explained that if he went this route, we’d finish dinner and return to our hotels after 11.00 am—not a good idea as we’d have an early start tomorrow. Eventually, the consensus was that we’d go directly for dinner. As Llew and I were the only two folks wearing shorts and as we had at least two hours at the Kibo Resort before the long drive to Nairobi, I decided to pull out a better set of clothes from my baggage that would be more suitable to diner in a fancy restaurant. These (a silk shirt and a silk scarf and a pair of trousers), I stuffed into my bag with the idea of changing in the restaurant’s rest room when we arrived there.

Drinks and Lunch at Kibo Tented Camp:

With time on our hands, we finally had the chance to enjoy the beautiful environs of the Kibo Tented Resort. The Lobby and the Bar (in a separate tent) were just stunning with their log-cabin type of décor. The fireplace in the Bar tent was simply arresting with its large elephant head centerpiece flanked by life size logs. As it was a warm afternoon, most of us opted for a chilled glass of white wine as we loitered around the property, waiting for the buffet lunch service to begin, or posing for pictures with groups of our new friends. We missed our friends John and Doreen who were still in Nairobi having had to spend the night there while John received medical treatment. Reportedly, they were enjoying themselves in the city and looked forward to their reunion with us in the evening at Carnivore Restaurant.

The wine was cold and delicious. We sat and shot the breeze and talked about the most memorable parts of our safari experiences thus far until the buffet was opened and we trooped into the Dining Tent. There we began with Butternut Squash Soup that was just wonderful, a lovely selection of salads, including fresh avocado which was very popular, pasta with a selection of sauces, an Indian section offering eggplant bharta, dal, pullao, and a whole Continental section with perfectly steamed vegetables, a beef steak carving section, fried chicken plus pizza. Around the large tree that grew right in the center of the tent was the Desserts Section where many of us virtuously went for the fresh fruit although we could not resist the creamy custards and selection of cakes.

Off to Nairobi:

And then, stuffed to the gills with our delicious meal, we trooped back into our vans to begin the long ride to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. There is not much to comment on about the journey. For a good part of it, we were in the Rift Valley, our van swooping down into the dips and then climbing on to the sloping road snaking ahead of us. Roasted corn was available to passing motorists as we passed miles of corn fields filled with ripened grain. Business ingenuity had led casual street vendors to set up roasting spits by the side of the road and for 50 cents (500 Kenyan shillings), one could partake of an impromptu snack. We also passed by a number of rural village schools, all sporting Christian names, and the occasional tiny church which clearly served the spiritual needs of the community. Every two hours, we stopped at wayside washrooms which included the mandatory handicrafts shops. By this time, we had become wise to the fact that highway robbery was literally committed at these shops and we avoided them like a plague. The vendors were particularly aggressive and atrocious at this stop, one of them clearly having alcohol on his breath as he tried to interest me in Maasai carvings. However, a nicer salesman stepped in and with some astute haggling, I managed to procure (at a price that pleased me) a Maasai couple in ebony with horn embellishments that I thought would make a lovely souvenir of our travels in East Africa. These were duly wrapped up and carried to our van.

Our journey to Nairobi continued until, about four hours later, we had clearly arrived on the outskirts of a big city. Long rustic dusty pathways made way for tarmacked roads and the bumps of our rural rides were history. Now, clear signs pointed the way to the various exits in and out of Kenya’s most important commercial city. We recognized signs for KFC and Art Caffe, the chain of upscale coffee shops that is Kenya’s answer to Starbucks (which does not exist in this country).

We drove around the city’s periphery for about an hour, fully embroiled in its notorious traffic before we took a diversion to make our way to the restaurant. We were more than ready, by this point, to attack a horse, and it was with great anticipation that we hopped out of our vans after we entered the wide and impressive gates of Carnivore Restaurant.

Dining at Carnivore Restaurant:

Carnivore Restaurant is one of those places in Africa that offers a taste of its distinctive cuisine mingled with a cultural show. It reminded us of the Boma Dinner we’d enjoyed on our South African Safari exactly ten years ago. Please see: https://rochellesroost.blogspot.com/search?q=boma+dinner for more details.

This dining experience was distinctly different. While our Boma Dinner was another buffet affair featuring all of the exotic meats of Africa including Cape Buffalo steaks, Kudu Stew and Antelope culets, this was a complete and identical reproduction of the Brazilian churrascaria meal with which all of us were familiar. We were seated at a very long table and left to order drinks. An African man, dressed in traditional long robes and fez-like cap, came around with a drinks tray around his neck. He called himself the Dawa Man or Medicine Man and he dispensed a particular house cocktail called Dawa. I ordered one and found it to be very similar to a Gimlet—a gin and lime cocktail but with added lemon juice and simple syrup. It was delicious and refreshing enough and was certainly very popular among the diners.

From this point on, after warmed metal plates were placed in front of us, we were treated to a steady stream of food brought it by waiters who plonked the offerings on our plates. It began with a carousel of tiered stands each bearing a variety of relishes and sauces placed before us and continued with a number of salads (chickpeas, corn, gren salads) and snacks (chicken meatballs, veggie spring rolls) and other nibbles. Then came the stars of the show: the grilled meats—and there were so many of them I forget what we were offered. Suffice it to say that there were ostrich meatballs that were quite good indeed (not made from wild ostrich but from the farmed kind) and beef sausages, fried chicken, grilled lamb, pork spare ribs, beef sirloin and tenderloin, leg of lamb, rump steak, leg of pork, turkey, chicken yakitori, filleted fish (no shell fish was offered, much to Llew’s disappointment). These were brought on roasting, skewers and carved at our table. Indeed, we were so inundated with every meat and game bird imaginable that by the time it came to the crowning dish—fried crocodile tail—we were simply too stuffed. However, determined to partake of the local food, I did opt to taste it. Not only did I find it very delicious but it tasted like…you guessed it…why, chicken, of course! It’s always so funny to me that all unfamiliar, exotic meat always tastes like chicken.

While we were in the middle of our meal, John and Doreen arrived We gave them a rousing welcome as we had missed their presence (especially in our van as they were part of our particular Sexy Six-some). John looked none the worse for his medical crisis and Doreen told us how impressed and satisfied they had been with the kind of medical attention they had received in a really fine, well-run and impeccably clean facility, the Aga Khan Hospital, in Nairobi. They had used their free day to explore the city on their own and have bravely used Uber cars to ferry them from one venue to the next, including the beautiful Botanical Gardens where they had lingered for a bit before moving to the Malls and checking out the merchandise.

Finally, dessert was offered: cheesecake. vanilla crème brule, chocolate brownies with chocolate ice-cream (the only time we ate ice-cream on this trip as, for some confounded reason, none of the hotel buffet dessert counters offer ice-cream). Well, we were simply too full to do justice to our dessert or really enjoy it, but it was wonderful.

Checking into the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Westlands:

With this memorable meal behind us, we piled back into our vans and were driven by Steve to the Nairobi Westlands Hyatt Regency Hotel, our abode for the night. This was the only modern hotel at which we stayed—it was your typical high-rise, five-star hotel, complete with sprawling lobby, huge Reception area and very classy décor. Amani and our drivers dealt with the onerous task of getting the right baggage to the right rooms after we’d identified it and, as we made our way to our rooms, just drooping with fatgue (for the long drive had truly tired us out), we were ready to have quick showers and sink into our beds.

Our rooms turned out to be really lovely—this place had the largest TV set I’d seen (the rural lodges did not have TV sets) as well as all mod cons. To our delight, we actually found decaff coffee sachets in the tea/coffee station in our room and eagerly seized on a cuppa—as both and Llew and I are habitual decaff coffee drinkers. This gave me the brainwave of using our Whatsapp group mode to request those members of our group not using their decaff sachets to save them for us. I was overwhelmed by the instant response. People immediately agreed to hand them over to us and for the rest of our trip, we had warming cups of decaff to enjoy upon our return to our rooms.

And with these occurrences today, our day came to a quiet but very exhausted end. We hoped to sleep soundly and awake refreshed on the morrow, ready to tackle the sight-seeing associated with a busy next day in Africa.

tomorrow, Hakuna Matata (No Troubles, No Worries)

It's a Long Journey from Nairobi to Karatu through Kilimanjaro

Thursday, July 10, 2025:

Nairobi-Kilimanjaro.

It's a Long Journey from Nairobi to Karatu through Kilimanjaro

We need not have worried for we were out for the count during the entire flight. I have to say that traveling Business Class on Kenya Airways turned out to be a bit of a waste for the two of us as we merely sat down in our seats when we fell fast asleep. In fact, the last thing I remember was our aircraft picking up speed as it taxied on the runway and then climbing into the sky. That was it. It was almost 3.00 am in Bombay and we’d had no sleep at all through the night. Little wonder that we just sank back into our roomy seats, placed them in reclining position, accepted the offer of a drink (both of us had a glass of champagne) and were out like a light. We were so dead asleep that we did not even hear the trolly go by with the drinks and cocktail service, nor did we hear the trolley go by with dinner. We simply missed it all as we caught up on our sleep.

By the time we surfaced, it was about 6.00 am (local Kenyan time) and fellow-passengers were requesting the cabin crew for coffee. Assuming that we would be served at least a light breakfast before we disembarked, I was surprised when the stewardess told me that we’d be landing in under an hour and no breakfast would be served. My companion turned out to be a very nice man named Atul Mohod, who happened to be the CEO of Pepsico in Nairobi. This flight was a regular one for him as he moved back and forth between Africa and Nagpur, where his Indian home is based. Atul turned out to have a wealth of information about Africa as he has lived in various countries in Africa for over 25 years (including Tanzania and Kenya). He gave me a great number of tips about going on a safari and, when the plane was about to land, he very kindly offered me his window seat to enable me to see Nairobi National Park (NP) from the window (as it borders the airport). Needless to say, I took a few pictures while airborne and landing, little knowing that ten days later, we would actually be in Nairobi NP ourselves.

It was Atul who told me that Indians deliberately choose to fly to the West on Kenya Airways and opt for a long 7-8 hour layover (after obtaining a multiple entry visa) as it enables them to clear Immigration and head straight to the Kenya Tourism Board counter in the airport lobby. Here, they purchase a 4-5 hour safari (in Nairobi NP) which costs $50 per head. They are then picked up from the airport by the Safari company, taken on a morning game drive and returned to the airport well in time to board their connecting flight to other parts of the West (having, in the process, seen four of the Big Five—there are no elephants in Nairobi NP). It seems like such a brilliant idea to me and one I well might opt for in years to come).

Our touchdown in Nairobi was very smooth and as I looked around Nairobi airport from the aircraft, it seemed to be a very small one with very limited traffic. Atul confirmed this—it was small, he said, and had a very tiny duty free shopping area. He volunteered to lead us to the Pride of Africa Lounge which we could use for free as Business Class passengers. I had also done some prior research and had found out that the Aspire Lounge is also available for regular passengers who were offered some snacks and beverages for free (although they would have to pay for meals and alcoholic drinks).

Using the Pride of Africa Lounge at Nairobi Airport:

Well, having arrived in the Pride of Africa Lounge (take lift from Gate 17 to Second floor), thanks to Atul, we had about eight hours to kill before leaving to join a big group of our co-travelers who would be arriving later in the day from the USA. Llew and I surveyed the massive expanse of Lounge space that included bathrooms with full showering facilities, individual cubicles in a ‘silent zone’ with full size single beds for those wanting to catch up on sleep, a full bar with a vast range of alcoholic drinks and various food stations offering everything from soup to pizza, pasta and sandwiches to hot meals and desserts.

Not having had breakfast on the flight, we treated ourselves to a good feed. Llew had the FEB (Full English Breakfasts) by feasting on scrambled eggs, beef sausages, beef bacon, grilled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, hash browns and toast while I chose waffles with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. We both finished off with orange juice and really good Kenyan decaff coffee. It was a very full meal indeed (and the first of the huge meals we would continue to consume for the next ten days). Wifi facilities were available and we kept track of the progress of our fellow-passengers in different parts of the world. Some of them had arrived in Doha as they were flying Qatar Airways from New York and needed to transit in Doha. It was all fun and very exciting. After a while, we went looking for free bed cubicles so that we could stretch out and go to sleep and we did this too. Both of us were too full to have lunch but we did have coffee and dessert at tea-time and then had drinks (wine and gin and tonic) and dinner (tomato soup, salad, pasta in marinara sauce) before leaving to look for our connecting flight to Kilimanjaro. That all this was complimentary was truly amazing. It was a fabulous way to stretch our legs, get used to a new time zone and ease into our travels in Africa with a whole, quiet, free day to ourselves.

By this time, having sent out an inquiring txt, we discovered that a group of our travel companions were in the Aspire Lounge on the Ground floor, We finished up our drinks and snacks and got organized to go down to meet them as our Boarding time was nearing. En route to the Lounge, we met them—I recognized them from the many pictures that they had kept posting on our ‘Africa 2025’ Whatsapp group ever since their departure from the US (Gino and company). They were delighted to meet us and after introductions were made, we continued walking towards our gate where we took the first of the many group pictures we would click for the rest of the week. They were a jolly lot and clearly close friends. However, they welcomed us warmly in their midst.

Fight to Kilimanjaro:

I was excited to take a flight to Kilimanjaro. Ever since I had become familiar with the work of Ernest Hemingway (his A Farewell to Arms is one of my favorite novels of all time), I had been fascinated by his novella, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and had actually downloaded it on my Ipad with the idea of reading it while we were actually in Kilimanjaro. I also hoped to catch a glimpse of the great mountain (the tallest on the African continent) just before we landed at our destination. I was told by the stewardess that it would be visible on the left side of the plane and since Business Class on this leg of our travel was almost empty, I positioned myself strategically to see the mountain.

Alas! Twilight was fast falling over the land and there was heavy cloud cover that was certain to obscure the views. The stewardess spoke to the Captain who confirmed that while ordinarily I would have seen the mountain from my left side window, it was highly doubtful we would see it this evening. It was already too dark and too cloudy. Oh well…perhaps we would catch a glimpse of it from one of our lodges later in the week. Much later, I discovered that one of my travel companions and close friends, Doreen, had received quite a stunning view of it from her aircraft window. She shared her picture with me and I was satisfied.

Accordingly, we settled down to enjoy the short (one hour) flight and alighted at Kilimanjaro airport from where we had to walk about five minutes along the tarmac with our carry-on baggage to reach the airport terminal where we had to clear Immigration (as we had already crossed the border while in flight and were now in Tanzania). Llew and I posed by the ‘Welcome to Tanzania’ sign that featured Mount Kilimanjaro, the most iconic landmark in Africa. The border crossing took a vast amount of time as we were a large group and all of them had checked in their baggage. It took ages before the entire group retrieved their baggage from the carousel and we were able to get outside to meet our tour representative who was standing with a sign that said, “Farina”—the last name of one of the members of their group, Gino Farina. I identified myself to him and before long, he led us to a tall, strapping, young man who introduced himself to me as Amani. He said he was the tour representative for Faith Holidays. While waiting for the others to pick up their baggage, clear Immigration and join us, we discovered, through Amani, that the trip had started off on the wrong foot for two of our friends and fellow-travelers, Brian and Marilyn, whose baggage had not reached, the previous evening (they had opted to fly in early and take an extra day-trip that they had planned out themselves). What’s worse, Marilyn had left her phone in the transport that would take us to the Lodge and was stressed out about retreiving. She was eagerly awaiting our arrival in the hope that we would bring their baggage and her phone with us. Sadly, their baggage had not yet reached (more than 24 hours later) and we were unable to bring it with us.

Finally, almost an hour later, the entire group was out and able to follow Amani’s lead. We were taken to our waiting coaches where our baggage was piled in and, in the pitch darkness, we began our long drive to Karatu to our accommodation for the night, a place called The Retreat at Ngorongoro. Most of the group were dead tired or half asleep by this point as, unlike us, they had traveled halfway around the world to reach Africa—plus they’d had a seven-hour layover at Nairobi too. Many dozed off as the miles were eaten between Kilimanjaro and Karatu. There was some initial excited conversation in the coach, but very soon people nodded off and silence descended upon our van—there was another van that traveled alongside ours as we were a very large group indeed and could not all be accommodated in one van. Aside from Arusha, a large city, through whose outskirts we passed, we were basically in the rural heartland of Tanzania with nothing of real interest to see.

Arrival and Dinner at The Retreat at Ngorongoro:

I had assumed that upon arrival at The Retreat, we would check in and go directly to our rooms to crash. But the three hour drive had caused unexpected hunger pangs and, by the time we neared our hotel, we were all thinking about dinner. Fortunately for us, Amani reassured us that the Hotel was aware of our late arrival and would be staying up to serve us a hot meal.

The Retreat is indeed a gorgeous space—beautifully decorated with African Bush motifs and in earthy colors, it is a warm, welcoming place set in sprawling gardens that are superbly landscaped. We had a very quick check in before we piled into the Dining Hall. The buffet had been cleared out (as it was long past midnight) but we were treated to a delicious sit-down dinner with a vast number of interesting and delicious things to eat. There was Cream of Pumpkin Soup to begin our meal. This was followed by Candied Pineapple, Creamed Spinach, Beef Stew, Fried Tilapia, Sauteed Carrots and Green Beans, Cucumber Salad, Cauliflower Tempura, and three desserts including one they called “Creamy Cheese” which was like Panna Cotta. There were also African donuts called Mandazi (like New Orleans’ beignets without the icing sugar) that are found all over the hotels in which we stayed. Despite the lateness of the hour, we were hungry enough to devor it all and we did justice to the skills of the chefs who had taken immense time and trouble to feed our needs.

Settling Down in our Room at The Retreat at Ngorongoro—Finally!

After our dinner, our room key was handed to us. Our keychain was just wonderful. It was a large and very colorful bird! We soon discovered that room keys in each hotel are unique and charming: made of bone or horn or beaded, they were quite distinctive indeed. Our room turned out to be an individual villa set in delightful gardens—rather like the lovely resorts that have sprouted in Goa. As it was dark, we were escorted to our villa by hotel bell boys who showed us how light switches and bathroom fitments worked. It was a beautiful suite—very well appointed with an entrance lobby that doubled as a study and a bedroom with a large double bed fitted fully with mosquito nets (that brought an “Out of Africa” vibe to the setting). A fully working fireplace was a welcome sight as it was indeed really cold and we were grateful for our layers of warm clothing. There was a colonial ambience to it all, but sadly, we were simply too exhausted to enjoy the deluxe surroundings; and after unpacking our night clothes, brushing and flossing our teeth, we fell straight into bed (grateful for the freshly-filled hot water bottles that were nestled in our beds—such an unexpected but totally welcome luxury).

We looked forward very much to awaking at dawn in time for a big breakfast and a reunion with most of our friends—no to mention all the expected safari treats that lay in store.

Until tomorrow, Hakuna Matata…

Jambo East Africa--Adventures in Tanzania and Kenya. A Most Luxurious Departure from Bombay to Nairobi

JAMBO EAST AFRICA: ADVENTURES IN KENYA AN TANZANIA

JULY 10-20, 2025

Most people refer to an African Safari as “the trip of a lifetime”. For Llew and me, it was not quite the same thing as we had been on an African Safari about ten years ago. However, we had spent a whole week in Krueger National Park (NP) in South Africa and had never been to East Africa. We had also heard so much about the Great Migration of about a million beasts (mainly wildebeest—also known as gnu--and zebras) that occurs in East Africa in the months from July-October that we had promised ourselves that our next safari would be in this part of the world. Hence, when we heard in January from our friends in Connecticut, Ralph and Lynn, that a group of them had booked a safari in Kenya and Tanzania, we thought it the perfect opportunity to take in one of the great Natural Wonders of the World—the Great Migration—in person (as opposed to watching it on You Tube videos). By January of this year, we had booked a tour to join them and could not wait to depart, While a majority of the group would be traveling from the US to Africa, we’d be departing from Bombay, India, with the idea of picking up their arriving flight in Nairobi and then traveling onwards with them. Llew did a great job coordinating our flight bookings with theirs and before you knew it, we were ready to say Bye Bye Bombay and Jambo (Hello) Africa.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025:

Bombay-Nairobi.

A Most Luxurious Departure from Bombay.

Since our flight was to depart from Bombay at 2.45 am on July 10, we arranged an Uber car that arrived on schedule at our apartment in Bandra at 10.30 pm and dropped us off at Bombay International Airport at 11.30 pm. As we were not checking in any baggage, we had a smooth check-in process, cleared Immigration easily and had about two hours to use the Adani Lounge for free as we were traveling in Business Class. This facility was simply wonderful as we were able to get complimentary drinks (Llew had red wine, I had a glass of sparkling wine) and an array of buffet-style cocktail snacks and a full dinner. We opted for cheese and crackers, olives, hummus and beetroot dip with pita chips, and vegetarian sushi as we sipped our drinks and used wifi. We were also following the travel progress of other members of our vast team who were leaving from different parts of the world (US, UK and Israel) to connect with the entire team at the lodge in Karatu in Kenya where our first resort was located. These folks were already sending funny pictures of their departure and one could sense the excitement and enthusiasm of the group members as they set out on their own adventure of a lifetime. At boarding time, we used the Lounge restroom facilities and made our way to our gate—by this time, it was past midnight and already Thursday, July 10, 2025. It had been a really luxurious and very smooth departure from Bombay and we looked forward to getting some shut-eye on the aircraft.