Kenya Part 1

Fiona and James with our driver/guide Anthony

Day -1

Fingers on the button for check in at 09.45. We'd promised Fiona and James that we didn't need to pay to book seats, we would get seats together, and so we did. We were packed and ready, so rather than fidget we went to Argentine tango, for the first time in weeks. I really struggled I have to admit, even walking was difficult.

Breakfast at Heathrow airport before our flight

Lunch, chill and to Fiona and James for just after 15.00. Into their car and off to Heathrow. It wasn't a hideously early start, but check in at 06.45 made staying the night before sensible. Walk to the pub for dinner and a couple of drinks and an early night.

Arrival at the Eka Hotel Nairobi after our 8.5 hour flight

Day 1

Uber to the airport, painless baggage drop, and not too bad through security. Wethespoons for breakfast and a drink for Fi&J. I couldn't do it! I did go for a G&T on the plane though, before 11.00. she gave us 2 each so in to the bag with our seconds. This was joined later by a bottle of wine. We are such lightweights!

One drink of the local Tusker lager at the hotel and an early night

I can't remember the last time we did a long haul day flight but it passed quite quickly and before we knew it we were landing. Immigration however was painful, and we were close to the front!

The first part of the journey took us past the slums on the outskirts of Nairobi

Out the door and there was Isaac from Best Memory Safaris with our name on a card. It's always such a relief. To our vehicle and driver Anthony for the next 10 days. It's going to be good.

But soon we were out of the city and heading to our first stop at Lake Nakuru

Can't really say much about the first hotel but a quick pint and bed, although it feels early, it'll feel even earlier in the morning!

On the way rising to over 2000m with a fabulous view over  the Great Rift Valley that stretches from Lebanon in the Middle East and right down the east of Africa to Mozambique, parts of it below sea level

Day 2

07.30 depart to Lake Nakuru, we've been going 2.5 hours, shocked Fi&J with the slums, stopped for a view into the Rift valley and seen a rock hyrax and zebra.

Zebras on the way 

Not long after I finished writing 2 baboons sauntered but and we saw a maribou stork. There may have been more, but this was just a road so no stopping and Anthony was concentrating on driving, a whole new experience!

Here we go then, Warthogs to start

We arrived at Lake Nakuru national park about 11.30 for warthogs even before we'd gone through the gate. The pop top on the van was up and we were off. A picture will speak a 1000 words so apart from saying we were late for lunch because we had to visit rhinos 

Our transport for the trip, complete with pop up top. Plenty of room for the four of us plus driver and luggage

I'll leave it there.

There's so much we saw we can't put it all on, so here's a few. This is a monitor lizard that we saw swimming across the lake then crawl out onto this log. As usual, eagle eyed Anthony spotted these things while driving

Lovely lunch, check in, an hour or so to chill and then out again at 16.00. Anthony had a fab route planned for the afternoon drive, but he knew I needed a leopard, so when the call came over the radio, he turned round and we were off, but it was worth it. Lying there posing, right in front of us, wow. We almost ignored our first giraffes till we decided it was someone else's turn with the leopard. The giraffe were fab, and for some reason decided to have a little trot, very funny.

Baboons

Off to a couple of lions, the male just lying on his back with his paws in the air looking absolutely ridiculous. Two beautiful jackal and a slinky hyena before arriving at the waterfall. Parking area was full so we walked past the scary baboons who were scary, or cute if you are Fi&J!  Back k to the lions who had turned into 4, 2 male, 2 female all lying together, licking, playing, magical. One lioness walked off and flopped right in front of us, so close, real eye contact and a slow blink, just a big pussycat. A male walked past so close that if I'd put my hand out the window I would have touched him. How I controlled myself I don't know, and nor will anyone who knows me! We got back to the lodge to be greeted by the lodge cat who said hello to all of us, just to be fair.

These are white Rhinos that have been brought back from almost extinction to a healthy population in this park of over 500. They were and are still hunted by poachers who saw off their horns and sell them to China and Vietnam amongst other places, where the horns command a price weight for weight higher than gold

Fabulous lamb for dinner and a very early night. What a day, absolutely amazing, four of the big five and there are no elephants in this park so we couldn't see them! We just hope we haven't peaked too soon!

Look at this cute baby rhino, estimated by Anthony as probably 8 months old

Day 3

Breakfast at 6, meet at 7. This isn't the relaxing holiday Fi&J are used to. Peaceful drive through the park, finally saw some flamingo for which the park used to be famous. Numbers have dropped dramatically since the water levels have risen.

A stop by the lake to see buffalo (one of the Big 5) and a huge quantity of pelicans and numerous other bird species

Out of the park at 09.00 ISH and we are heading to the Masai mara. The road is atrocious so what I've written I have no idea!

Then to our Lake Nakuru Lodge for lunch and a brief rest before an afternoon game drive

I'm going to try to catch up on some sleep as I woke at 02.00!!

And a brief moment to enjoy the view out over the lake from our balcony

Horrendous journey to our next camp, and we've got a full day tomorrow, so this afternoon is pool, chilling and blog.

Before an amazing afternoon game drive that ended just  after the sun set at 6:30pm, starting with these grey crowned cranes

Hippos

And then, after a radio call, a mad dash across the park for a leopard encounter

Lazing in a fairly relaxed position looking at giraffe (to big for him)

Quite a few giraffe

How about that for a nice African scene, Giraffe and Zebra

But it didn't stop there, lion encounter was next, there are actually four here, two males and two females who froliced about in front of us for a long time, walking past our vehicle, so close Jackie could have reached over and stroked one

Past two Jackal of which I got so many photos this one being the best

A stop  at a waterfall with many baboons playing nearby, one doing a photobomb in this one

Got  lots of photos of baboons but liked this one of mum and baby

Past these - Eland, I think

Then, in fading light James spotted these rhino bedding down for the night

Jackie spotted this Hyena creeping through the long grass

Back past the lions who were still putting on a display. I took some video of them all playing, which I'm trying to upload to Youtube as I write.. If it uploads successfully (it's only 26% complete at the moment) I'll add it on the end. If not, I'll put it on the next blog

And then back to the lodge for dinner, beer and early night. This was this morning at about 7:00am, ready for our morning game drive followed by a long drive to Masai Mara

What did we see today? well, a huge herd of buffalo, including this baby just a few hours old

This sea eagle

Lots of flamingos

Maribou storks

More white rhino, who may have been the same ones from yesterday, who insisted on stopping the vehicles so they could cross the road

And then a very long drive through lots of countryside and some towns and villages

In our Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle

To our tented camp in Masi Mara, where we are for two nights. What will tomorrow bring we wonder... By the way, I'm giving up on the Youtube of the lions, the internet is just too slow. I'll do it another time!