African Safari

It only took six flights to get from Southeast Asia (Flores, Indonesia) to Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) with rest stops in Bali, Seoul, and Cairo.

I decided to take some pressure off of my Africa itinerary by concentrating on a small part of East Africa. What better way to kick off my five week stint in Kenya and Tanzania than with a safari? The scenery is OK, but it's the wild animals that are the real attraction and those safari brochures are not exaggerating.

Getting there is part of the adventure: the roads here are horrific and punish vehicles along with their passengers. From Nairobi to Masai Mara takes six hours each way, not including a few stops for minor mechanical repairs. But even before you cross into the Game Reserves, the wildlife sightings begin.

Of course the place is crawling with zebras, buffalo, and antelope (ten types including my personal favorite, the Thomson's gazelle). A bit harder to find are the lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and elusive cheetahs. Then there are the birds... we spotted about forty different species without even trying, including flamingos by the thousands, massive eagles, crowned cranes, and the gorgeous lilac breasted rollers. Not to mention the miscellaneous baboons, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, and more.

Frederick, my personal driver/guide/teacher/mechanic/navigator, explained that the animals -- even those lions right next to us -- don't see you as long as you stay inside the vehicle. We drove around for hours identifying animals. I loved riding while standing on the seats, my head and shoulders poking through the open roof. I felt like I was outside... part of the scenery.