Pride on Kopjes - Serengeti NP

OK, here's my first attempt at uploading video. Just a few minutes of the pride we met in the Serengeti, resting atop a kopje. I guess it would have been on Sunday afternoon. We probably spent at least 20 minutes there, (which was OK b/c it wasn't crowded, otherwise you have to move on). These lions are beautiful! I hope you all enjoy it.

Happy Belated 4th to Everyone

OK, so I'm slow on getting this update out there, but until I can figure out how to upload my first video, (very cool video of that pride resting on the kopje in Serengeti), I'll stick with wishing everyone a safe and happy (albeit a belated) 4th of July. And especially to our co-adventurers from around the country - you all are just fantastic, and I hope your continued travels bring you as much joy and pleasure and we shared together almost two years ago (has it been that long).

I hope to climb Kilimanjaro one day, but until I do, I'll stick with pictures and dreams.

I understand more than one of you, after reading this blog, have requested and received Micato brochures. This is awesome! If I can help in any way, just ask. (But not with packing - you have to figure that one out for yourselves.) Also, you may find the linked article fascinating.

I'll be sure to get that video posted before too long. Again, hope everyone has a great summer!

Joe

New Micato Brochures are Here

Hey, just letting you all know, the new brochures are out. I'm telling you, just reading through them and viewing the photos is fun! http://www.micato.com/brochure/brochure_new.php

A friend made this comment (or variation of it) a few weeks ago over dinner, and I thought it worth sharing, because it captures the experience so well:

"One goes to Europe to worship man. One goes to Africa to worship God."

I couldn't agree more.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Joey V

Merry Christmas

I don't have a safari update today. In fact, I realized the other day that my written journal ended with the post at Mt. Kenya. Since I was writing those a day later, I would have written those notes on our Friday day, when I was really starting to feel down about leaving. In fact, I had to call home to talk to Momma, I was just so sad. Though I do remember a wonderful gesture from B and MJ to shuffle around spa times and to make one for me. (Thank you!) So anyway, I think I'm going to wrap up my safari postings here, but leave it with a few thoughts on this early Christmas morning.

All my preconceived notions about Africa were wrong. Africa is a thriving, vibrant world. It is full of wonderful people working hard to make life better for themselves and their countries. Yes, they have so many challenges and difficulties, but there is a genuine belief that it can all be better, with education, outreach, and time.

I thought I might feel like like an outsider during our safari. But that is far from the case. I felt at home. And not just at home with our safari mates and Micato guides. I mean at home in the bush. And no, I don't have visions of challenging Survivorman any time soon. I mean that being out in the bush, in the natural environment, is the right place to be. Like the wildlife was waiting for me, knowing that I needed to be there in person.

On this early Christmas morning (5:30, shouldn't I be in Betsy's room right now, playing cards together while we guess what Santa put under the tree, and thinking about going down to see but knowing it's too early and we're not supposed to do that and what if for some reason he hasn't arrived yet....), I want to wish you, my friends, here in the States, in Europe, and in Africa, a very, very Merry Christmas. To my safari mates and Micato family, that you for being a part of my experience. It is my true hope to return to Africa someday, and that would not be the case but for the experience we shared together last year. May the spirit fill everyone with good joy. and may you all have a very happy 2009.

Kuwa na Krismasi njema!!!

Thursday, 20 September 2007 - Mara to Mt. Kenya

Once again, the morning wake up call is irrelevant, as the hippo call is followed up by the avian chorus at 6. (Interestingly, we weren't allowed coffee service after 7am, because the restaurant is open at that time. It's a shame they don't serve the wake-up no matter what. But a small matter overall.)

We had a quick breakfast, then went back to say goodbye to the hippos. I could have stayed there all day, just having a drink and watching them sleep. I thought of Momma, and how much she would enjoy just doing that. So I really wanted to do it for her.

I think I was ready for the whole family to be back together, but in now way did I want to leave this incredible feeling behind. Is that what happens when you have an experience like this? I just have to take the feeling with me is all. That's not always easy.

We board the plane for Mt. Kenya, about a 40 minute flight. On the ground we bid farewell to the otehr tour, and eventually see them take off to Nairobi. They will be back in the States by Friday night.

Now began what I call the "re-Westernization" part of our safari. The Mt. Kenya Safari Club crosses the equator. Naturally, we stopped at a tourist trap, where dudes came out of nowhere to push their stores, right before some guy with a pitcher of water attempted to explain the Coriolis effect. This would be the first of several tourist traps we would see the next few days. None of us were interested, really, so we climbed back in the vans and proceeded to the Club.

It is owned by the Fairmont chain, which was making some major investments in improvements (much like the Norfolk). The end result was that reception and the bar are under white tents, though both are very nicely decorated and laid out.

For some rason we had to kill time while the limited staff got our cabins ready. This is why we had to hang out at the equator. I don't know why we wouldn't just wait at the bar or reception. We did that for about 10 minutes anyway.

The lodges were absolutely great. Tons of room, like lush cabins in the wilderness. But is still felt like the continued transition to "real life" - more of a resort than a safari location. And I didn't really like calling for the courtesy van every time we wanted to get to the main buildings, but again, that was all a function of the remodeling work being done.

One of our perks was a free admission to the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Sancutary. Betsy and I decided to go over around 4pm. This was a gift! We were the only two folks looking for a guide at the time. We were introduced to James, a very tall man, with a strong voice, the head animal keeper at the facility. He was just great. They call him the elephant man, because he was gored through the chest by a young bull, and spent 7 1/2 months in recovery. He now loves the hippos the best!

Anyway, James took us around the facility, like on a private tour. We got to feed everything! The pygmy hippos were precious. James would call them over, and they opened their mouths as wide as possible, so we could throw the food in.

There were so many wonderful animals here. And the monkeys in particular were fantastic. We fed them all by hand. They have such tiny little fingers. My favorite, of course, was the little 3-week old Colobus. It's mother was killed by wild dogs, so they took it in. When we saw it, it was crying very loudly, so James went and got a little bottle of milk. He handed it to me, so I got to do the actual feeding! The little guy grabbed my hand and held on while he ate. He was just so precious. At that point we knew we had become friends.

When the tour was over, we went back to the office, where we signed up and make a donation to officially become Friends. It turns out the facility had closed much earlier, but James stayed with us to make sure we had a full experience. When we were done, he shook our hands, thanked us, and wished us a blessing of "Go with God." It was a great end to a great experience. We both felt wonderful about what we had done.

This was a great experience to help me. I needed this transition back to the Western life. It was so very hard for me at that point, but I found a place where I can achieve some inner peace, and pure joy. It is the Soul of Africa that has a hold on me now.

Wednesday, 19 September Masai Mara

I woke up this morning to a cacophony of sounds. First the hippos returning from their nocturnal feast at 5 am. They are LOUD. I never knew how much noise they made. That was followed by something screaming like it was dying – turned out to be a tree hyrax. I was hoping we would see one, because I liked the name. It is sort of a shrew-squirrel like thing, distantly related to the elephant. Then the avian chorus kicked in at 6, right about the time our coffee and biscuits arrived. The porter put them on the night stand and we slowly got up, hippos still saying goodnight, like some sort of ending to an episode of The Waltons.

Our drives in the Mara were in cars provided by Mara Safari Club, as were the drivers themselves. Somehow we ended up with cars with open tops (ie no shade), limited leg room, and no cushions for the butt. All this would prove problematic (well, just a bit uncomfortable) as the day went on.

This would also make the writing even more difficult. I think everyone tries to come up with a shorthand to use in a vehicle. I couldn’t do it, so I just printed in very large caps. Does anyone have real skill in this department? I think E might, I remembered her being able to make good marks in her journal. Then again, she’s a teacher, so she’s probably had great practice in taking notes on the fly.

Somehow another group got the better cars, with roofs, the new ones. I would have enjoyed the shade. A slight hiccup.

It was a promising start. Not too far along we came across a leopard, just 20 feet away or so, enjoying a healthy breakfast of impala tar tar, with blood sauce. You could see the face a bit distorted. But it was the rump that was the main course. You could actually see inside! Mostly fleshy red meat. What was neat was seeing the leg of the impala twist up and down, much like when we eat chicken or turkey, and you pull it apart. Cool!

Not just 15 minutes later, we found a pack of vultures working on the remains of a former wildebeest. Before now I hadn’t really seen vultures eating up close. Now I can say this – it is VIOLENT. They make these horrible screeching sounds, they tear at the flesh, they fight amongst themselves for position. And there was one stork among them, just waiting his turn. After this, it looked like it was going to be a bloody Wednesday.

Alfred wanted to give us a big finish, so the goal was to drive out into the Reserve. Apparently our lodgings are not in the Reserve, but on private lands owned by the Maasai and donated in a joint venture with a private developer. The result is that we had about a three hour drive just to the gate, on roads closer to the Crater Rim style. When you combine the road with the cars in which we drove, and a fairly cloudless sky, we really took a beating.

However, looking back on it now, I wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else. The Mara Safari Club is so spectacular, I can’t imagine lodging elsewhere. That was a great decision on Micato’s part to put us there. The drive is long, yes, but in a covered vehicle it wouldn’t be a problem at all, and of course the three hours each way gives you all sorts of opportunities to spot game. And of course, Alfred did an amazing job making it a memorable experience…

Through the gate (and after a stop to check the tire pressure), it was about another hour to the Mara River. Along the way we took a moment to stop and listen to the thousands of animals across the plains. My Lord, I haven’t seen so many creatures in one place in my life. The Wildebeest make a really silly noise. I think that’s where the name “gnu” comes from.

Right around noon we made it to the river. At this location the animals make their final crossing into the Mara. We approached to about 20 or 30 cruisers all along the river, cameras ready and waiting. From what Alfred explained, all it takes is one brave (foolish? naive? hungry?) animal to jump, and then it’s a free-for-all. Water splashing everywhere, all sorts of noise, crocodiles making their selection, survivors scrambling up the other side, mayhem. But alas, after about 30 minutes, we concluding that nothing was happening yet, so we decided to break out the blankets for a picnic lunch just upstream.

The crew found a nice spot near some hippos and crocs; and, as we found out during “bush loo” time, a savannah monitor. I haven’t seen ladies jump that fast. Actually, I believe it was E trying to use the facilities when the lizard came running out. She screamed and ran – Alfred wasn’t too fazed. “Oh, that’s a savannah monitor. You’re fine.” I like Alfred!

Again we had wonderful box lunches, although this time I didn’t eat everything in sight. As always, there was more food than we could possibly ask for. R (R & B) put it best – “God forbid we have a hunger pain!”

After lunch we moved up river some more, as the herd was wondering that direction. A few animals would go so far as to get a drink, but none would jump. Several carcasses floated by. Given the degree of bloat, they had probably attempted a crossing early in the morning or the day before, much further upstream. We finally voted to pack it in, as it seemed clear there would be no suicide dives today (though I thought it would be easy to make it happen – just toss a few firecrackers and watch them move.) Just kidding.

(I’ve told Betsy that, when we go back, I’d like to time it so were closer to the peak migratory season. I really want to see a crossing. She’s not too keen on seeing that much “nature.” She might be up for a more reserved adventure while I’m out there hoping for blood.)

With the sun beating down on us all day, we were absolutely worn out. Alfred said we would try for some rhinos, and maybe a sundowner, but frankly at the time, we all would have been happy to just go back and rest. Thankfully, Alfred knew better.

Along the way one of the vehicles from the camp (not our party) broke down – an axle fell out. This did make me feel good! They gave the passengers a ride in another camp vehicle, and I have no idea what happened after that.

Closer to the camp we worked our way about ½ way up a mountain side, one that overlooked the land below. Here we were allowed to get out of our cars and, accompanied by a ranger, get within about 20 feet of three white rhinos. They are massive, beautiful animals. We were safe because of the armed guard – the rhinos know we are not a threat b/c of his presence. We stayed for just about three minutes, then gave them their space. Meanwhile, these guys keep guard 24/7. I think it is awesome.

We then worked our way a bit more up the hill, to where camp staff had set up sundowners and appetizers, around a fire, overlooking the African plains and the setting sun. I could paint that picture right now – this was another one of those “here’s the Africa of my dreams” moments. It was an amazing view. Here I am, sitting on the ground watching the sun set over the Masai Mara. Like Serengeti, I never imagined I would be here. But that landscape is burned in my brain forever.

Six in a Row!!!!

Congratulations to Micato Safaris, winner of Travel + Leisure World's Best Tour Operator & Safari Outfitter for the sixth year in a row! 2003 to 2008 .... that's pretty impressive!

Well done, and congratulations to Jane, Felix, Dennis, Alfred, Renny, Steven, Joe, and everyone else involved in making African dreams come true. Your awards are well earned!

And also, congratulations to the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, voted the #3 hotel in the world. Micato certainly knows how to pick them, and as you can guess from the post below, we loved it!