Tanzania…To see the tail end of the Great Migration…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 14, 2013 with 2 Comments

It was difficult to fathom the massive size of this older male elephant we encountered as we began the drive to Tanzania

Later, we came across this mom and baby, the smallest of the baby elephants we’d seen in any of the prior days.

The drive to Tanzania offered stunning scenery with low lying clouds.

Hanging partway out the window of the sturdy Toyota Land Cruiser, I took this shot as Anderson made our way over terrain definitely not suited for road vehicles.

Gradually, the scenery began to change to include the migrating wildebeest, many of whom had yet to make the journey back to the Serengeti. Anderson explained they will continue on, instinctively finding their way to the large herds of millions.

Unable to get as close as we’d like due to the rough terrain we did our best to zoom to get the following photos on the remaining wildebeests.

Vultures love the Great Migration for the carcasses more readily available with the massive numbers of wildebeests falling prey to illness, attack, or injury in their lengthy migratory journey.

The closer we were to the Kenya/Tanzania border, everything changed; the temperature became hotter, more humid with fewer breezes, the flies clustered around us, the dust blew in our faces and eyes and the landscape became more sparse and unfriendly.

The wildebeest grazed for the few remaining green patches of vegetation, soon to realize that they must move on to meet up with their herds.

Increasing in numbers as we approached the border.

Although the sight of the two-plus million wildebeest would have been unbelievable, I began to wonder if doing so was as important to me as it had been in the past. It may sound as if its a rationalization for not having been able to see it but, the flies were a huge deterrent for both of us. They were flying into our noses, mouths, and ears. It was awful.

Finally, we were able to stand at the marker that separates Kenya from Tanzania, a pose worthy opportunity for all of us.

Wildebeests, not quite as homely as warthogs held less appeal for us. Warthogs are playful and funny. Wildebeests, not so much.

Several years ago, as Tom and I were seated on the comfy bar stools at the island in our kitchen in Minnesota, we watched a National geographic episode with a stunning video of the Great Migration.

Yeah, I know I looked goofy with my Bugs Away hat, a scarf tied on my face. Honestly, I didn’t care. If I’d had a paper bag on hand, I’d have worn that. We did everything we could to keep the flies out of our noses, mouths, and ears.

As we watched the two-plus million wildebeest and other migratory animals as they traveled from the Serengeti in Tanzania, crossing the winding Mara River several times, to end for the lush vegetation during the rainy season in the Masai Mara in Kenya, it proved to be a profound experience for me with my lifelong dreams of Africa.

(To see the map of Diani Beach to the Masai Mara Kenya and Tanzania, please click here).

As the show ended, I looked in Tom’s eyes and said, “I must see this in my lifetime.” He smiled and said, “Yeah sure, Sweetie.”

Tom, Anderson, and me, posing at the Kenya/Tanzania border marker, still smiling but not objecting when it was time to head back to the Masai Mara.

At this point, we had yet to conceive of the idea of traveling the world, not even as a distant thought, never as words spoken to one another. In January 2012, as Tom’s retirement was fast approaching in 11 months, in a single day, in a single conversation, we made the decision.

Our outstanding guide and new friend, Anderson. His exuded pure joy at our delight and enthusiasm to see what he sees every day, never taking it for granted, which surprised us.

The next day, the wheels were in motion to begin to contemplate the process of liquidating everything we owned: house, cars, furnishings, clothing, winter coats, stuff, stuff, and more stuff, a lifetime of stuff.

The small herds of wildebeest continued as we worked our back on yet another long rough road back to the Masai Mara.

Night after night when Tom returned home, we sorted out the details as to how this would all transpire. During the daylight hours, I set the plan in motion. To say I worked on my computer for 8 to 10 hours a day was an understatement; searching, researching, finding, booking, committing. Relentlessly.

No more than a few minutes into the return drive, we spotted another mom and baby elephant, tails swishing batting off the flies. They, too, must feel the effects of the dung of millions of animals.

There were two things we knew for sure:
1. Tom wanted to sail by ship through the Panama Canal: Done on January 13, 2013.
2. I wanted to see the Great Migration: Not completely done. But, completely satisfied for now having been on safari this past week and for having the opportunity to see the tail end of the Great Migration when Anderson drove the six of us to the border of Tanzania to witness the stragglers.

Although we were quite a distance from them, we enjoyed this photo of mom and bay making their way up a steep incline.

Cindy and David, a lovely couple, safari mates, had just returned from the full experience. We’d missed it by a week or more. Anxious to hear their reaction, I pumped them for details. Was I jealous? Not at all. was excited to glean whatever tidbits they’d share of their glorious experience. And they did.

After about an hour into the return drive, we saw the last of the wildebeest stragglers, facing a long walk home to the Serengeti in Tanzania. (80% of the Serengeti is in Tanzania with the remaining 20% in Kenya).

Oddly, they were not disappointed to see a portion of it again when Anderson promised to take us to see the tail end of the Migration on the third day of our safari.

As the landscape became less cluttered and the flies no longer nipped at us, we were happy to be returning to the Masai Mara.

We’d already found the rhinos Cindy and David longed to see earlier that morning, that we had already seen and photographed the previous day when they weren’t with us. Once they had their photos, having also completed their Big 5, they gladly joined us, a feeling we well understood and appreciated.

And then, there were elephants lumbering across the road only feet from our vehicle.

The border of Kenya and Tanzania was an extraordinarily rough hour and a half drive from our location at the time in the Masai Mara. No words can describe how rough. The dirt and rock trail was a far cry from a road. As the crow flies it may have been a half-hour drive. Anderson masterfully maneuvered the Land Cruiser through rock creek beds, water-filled creeks, up steep inclines, and down treacherous rocky hills.

In my old life, you couldn’t have paid me to ride along on such a road. Here I was, that sh_ _ eating grin on my face, bouncing along with the rest of us, occasionally holding Tom’s hand out of pure delight, with the unfathomable knowledge that we were on our way to another country, albeit only the border, having the times of our lives. Besides, we had the dangerous road in Belize and the more frightening road in Tuscany behind us. We were now seasoned “road warriors.”

The closer we got to Tanzania, the flies were unbelievable. Imagine the dung of over two-plus million animals as they made their way across the same terrain we were traveling. The flies. OMG!

The “Retired Generals” lined up to welcome us back to the Masai Mara.

As they attempted to fly into our mouths, our eyes, our nostrils, our ears, I tied my BugsAway hat’s hanging fabric around my face, hoping to offer some protection. For whatever reasons mosquitoes love me, flies love me more. Remember the flies in Tuscany? This was 1000 times worse! I wrapped my hands into the parka I’d worn that morning leaving no exposed skin, except for what remained of my face which you can see in the included photos.

Suddenly, something hit me. Ah, maybe it was OK we didn’t see the Great Migration in its entirety. With the mind-blowing safari experience these past days, my desire to be in the bush was richly fulfilled, although not ended. Someday, we’ll go back.

In the end, the flies may deter us from seeing the Great Migration after all. I feel no disappointment or loss. Seeing the remaining wildebeest as we neared Tanzania was enriching. Leaving Tanzania to return to the fly-free Maasai Mara was equally enriching. GET ME OUT OF HERE! I didn’t say it, not wanting to be a wimp, but I sure thought it.

The Masai gathered up their cows to return them to the security of the village, close to our camp, away from the risk attack.

By the time we headed back on an alternative equally rough dirt and rock road it was already 2:00 in the afternoon when we pulled into Camp Olonana. Having had breakfast the second day in the bush, I was hardly hungry for lunch, knowing we’d be having dinner after our later game drive, which we pushed to 4:30 pm instead of the usual 4:00 pm. After being in the vehicle for 7 1/2 hours, we all welcomed a little break.

We were covered with dust and dirt. We didn’t care. There was no sense in cleaning up to go out on safari again in a few hours. By the time we returned from the 4:30 drive at 7:00 pm, we were exhausted and hungry, ready for dinner.

The giraffes walked along the hillside at our camp as we wearily sauntered to the restaurant at Camp Olonana for late lunch, cold beverages, and time to regroup for the upcoming afternoon drive.

We made a quick stop at our tent to pick up our laptops to post photos and to brush our teeth to get the dirt and dust out of our mouths. For either of us not to shower and change to have dinner in a restaurant was beyond us. Somehow, we didn’t care.

Another fine safari day ended. The next day, we’d return to Diani Beach on yet a tinier plane at 1:30 pm, after our visit to the Masai Village for our tour with Chief Richard. We’ll share that story in a few days with many photos and surprising facts about these interesting tribespeople, living a sparse and primitive life, far removed from our own reality, to become deeply entrenched in our hearts.

But, Tom and I have decided on one extra post we’ll be presenting tomorrow that we’d intended to include with today’s post. However, after careful consideration for not only our young grandchildren and others who are enjoying looking at the animal photos, we’ve decided to present the “Romantic Lion Couple Mating Ritual.” (How did we get so lucky to observe this event?) with a warning that there are graphic mating photos to be posted tomorrow, October 15th. We’re placing a reminder in the heading should you decide to observe it.
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Rhino day…Lions, and more lion in a tree…Cheetahs…Tanzania tomorrow…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 13, 2013 with 2 Comments

How did we get so close, so lucky to get this shot? I must be dreaming!

I purposely shot this photo to include the window ledge of the Land Cruiser to illustrate how close we were to this female lion. Never once, did we feel at risk during any of our sightings.

The black tear line differentiates in part, the difference between a cheetah and a leopard.

She just wouldn’t open her eyes in the bright sun.

Notice the difference in coloration and the lack of the black tear lines, making this a leopard. We spotted this one and a few others at dusk. They are nocturnal, often difficult to spot.

Anderson spotted this scene from afar, taking off on a mad dash to ensure we could get as close as possible to see this oddity, a lion in a tree.

Lions seldom climb trees in the Masai Mara. Even Anderson, a guide in this area or 14 years, was excited to see this rare find. Actually, he was excited to find all that we were fortunate to see.

As the young male lounged in the tree, the remainder of the family engaged in some serious power lounging below him.

We couldn’t have moved any closer as were we all thrilled to be able to get these close-ups.

“What a glorious day! Brother in a tree. Me, under the tree with my mom and siblings.”

If you have a cat as a house pet, you sure can relate as to how these photo ops present themselves.

Getting more comfortable in a tree is tricky.

Finally, the perfect position for the lion in a tree, a rare sighting that we treasured.

As we work our way through the many stories and photos to share of our safari last week, we can’t help but marvel over the amount of action we’d witnessed in the short 3-day safari. Any longer and we’d have been overwhelmed trying to sort it all out.

With over 600 photos taken, approximately 400 saved for review, deciding which photos to post has been challenging. Daily, as I begin to write here, I mulled over those we haven’t posted, reviewing them with Tom for feedback.

Choosing our remaining favorites, our stories evolve along a natural course. At times, I find myself smiling so much that my face hurts. At other times, tears flood my eyes, tears of joy for the experience, tears of sadness for the hard lives of the animals and their young, and tears of hope to someday return.

In the bush, it became so clear to me about the life cycle, how every creature placed on this earth by God, your chosen higher power or by nature itself, has a purpose and a natural food supply in its nearby surroundings, man/woman, animal, and vegetation; animals, animal or vegetation. That’s it. Nothing more.

It part, it made me laugh since I guess I really have reverted to the beginnings of man/women in my diet. All I eat is animal and vegetation. Ironically, the Masai, whose story we’ll share in the next few days, only eating animals, no vegetation. They live very long lives and are slim and fit.

Today, we continue on, the smiles still on our faces for the dream we chose to chase, for the knowledge we chose to gain, for the people we’ll never forget, for the wildlife presenting itself into our willing hearts and in a small part, for our own desire to put aside fear and apprehension to stretch ourselves to the limits.

Rhinos are elusive, hard to find. We met several people on the return flight that never completed “The Big Five,” unable to spot the rhino or the leopard. The animals almost lined up for us to spot The Big Five in the first 10 hours on safari.

Anderson explained that there are 30 rhinos remaining in the Masai Mara with only 10 on the side we were on of the Mara River. During our safari, we photographed 5 of the 10.

When we spotted this mom and baby, we went nuts with enthusiasm, deciding to wait patiently to get a better shot. At this point, we were about around 100 feet from them. A skittish male, perhaps dad, took off when he saw our vehicle approaching.

Off they went with caution and bulk in search of their next vegetarian meal.

Finally, mom and baby were in view. My heart was pounding with excitement as I tried to hold the camera steady to get this photo.

Suddenly, what may have been dad appeared, rather grouchy and annoyed by our intrusion. We didn’t move or talk, practically holding our breath as she/he moved on.

Either this rhino has a partially pink lip or her tongue was sticking out. Look at the three birds sitting on her. We were thrilled for this close up as Anderson maneuvered the Land Cruiser to our best advantage.

Baby warthogs in the hole while lions waited…A kill….More photos and stories on safari…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 11, 2013 with 4 Comments

This scene taken at quite a distance is so depicts Africa, the scattered flat-topped acacia trees in the sparse landscape, mountains at a distance, and nature as the focal point. This landscape was in an area used in a scene in the movie “Out of Africa” which I had watched many years ago, dreaming of someday being in these breathtaking surroundings. Visiting the Masai Mara to go on safari with Tom at my side was more than I could ever have imagined occurring in my lifetime.

Warthogs, rather humorous characters, kneel on their front legs while grazing.

Some may say that warthogs are not worthy of many photos, but our safari group found them to be interesting, attentive, and totally fearless of us as provided we didn’t make sudden movements.

Early in the morning, we spotted this mother warthog nudging her babies along. We squealed with delight along with them as they scurried along. Anderson stopped the vehicle so we could watch, as we noted a few lions in wait in the directions she was headed. At this point, we were quite far away resulting in a less than perfect shot.

Each morning at 6:30 am sharp, we’d pile into the Land Cruiser without a plan, Anderson at the wheel, to go on the search for the next great sighting, the next great photo. With a cooler filled with chilled beverages, including beer, and on two mornings, a picnic basket filled with scrumptious breakfast goodies made fresh only minutes ago, off we went, expectations at peak levels.

Up and over a hill they went, mother warthog yet to see the lions that watched from afar.

We were never disappointed, especially not after seeing that which we’ll continue to share over the next several days including, our warthogs/lions story with photos today.

This young male lion lay in wait as he kept his eye on the warthog babies, a more manageable meal than the adult warthog.

The air was cool and crisp at 5000 feet above sea level this early in the day. We’d brought along jackets, putting them on only minutes into the drive as the cool wind whipped in our faces as we bounced along the rough roads.

Anderson explained that the female lions do most of the hunting to later have their kill taken over by a nearby awaiting male. Fortunately, when no male is within sight, she can keep the kill for herself and her cubs. The male lion after mating leaves the female to continue his life, although he may hover in the area of his family in order to partake of her kills.

I wore a BugsAway hat while on safari for a few reasons, one to keep my hair from obstructing my view and two, to keep insects away from my face and neck. The entire time in the Masai Mara both Tom and I wore our BugAway clothing

day and evening.

Difficult to see all the action, the mother warthog pushed her babies into a hole in the area of these bushes, often left by aardvarks. Mother warthog couldn’t also fit in the hole, thus she stood back a distance from her secured babies.

Complimentary laundry service was provided by Camp Olonana allowing us to wear fresh clothing each day. Covered with dirt and dust by the day’s end there was no way to wear the same pants and shirt more than once. Freshening up before dinner each night wasn’t an option when we returned to camp around 7:00 pm. We just stayed in our dusty clothes from the safari, wearing fresh the next day.

Mother warthog stood back a safe distance from the lions, hoping her little ones would be spared if the lions were eventually distracted by a more meaty opportunity. Anderson explained we could wait all day to see what would transpire. Note the two other safari vehicles in the background, its occupants also entranced by this worrisome event. Both Tom and I had accepted that we may see an actual kill in the wild, which we eventually did realize it’s all a part of the life cycle.

Dressing up for dinner wasn’t important to us. All we wanted was to be on safari, eat when necessary, sleep enough to refresh us, post what we could get online, and revel in our surroundings every single moment. That’s exactly what we did.

” I’m getting bored sitting here waiting for these mere appetizers. Let’s move onto something bigger and juicier,” lion says.

The female lion scans the area as she waits for the baby warthogs to reappear.

The male lion continues his wait for the warthog babies to appear.

The female lion never loses interest in the possible kill while the male languishes appearing bored and disinterested until there’s some “real action.”

Many others hadn’t been out for as many hours as we had. Anderson was determined to give us the time of our lives. Most visitors went on a three-hour morning drive and a two-hour late afternoon drive.

“I’ve had it,” the male lion says. “You’re on your own, Misses.”

This schedule left the guests time for lounging by the pool, sitting on their verandas overlooking the river, and dining on three meals a day of fabulous food. We barely had two meals a day and, the entire time at Camp Olonana, we rested on our veranda for less than one hour total. We didn’t care.

We never failed to be excited to see an elephant, their massive size and majesty continuing to astound us.

Elephant family on the move. Mom is holding up the rear, keeping a watchful eye on her offspring.

For us, it was almost eight hours each day on safari, a rare treat, appreciated by our safari mates, of which there were two on one day and four on the other days. None of us couldn’t get enough.

Male lion taking a break from his zebra meal.We shot this photo within 25 to 30 feet.

We were the only pair in our group never missing a game drive, except for the commitment we’d made to visit the Masai Village at 10:30 in the morning on the day we flew back to Diani Beach.

An extraordinary experience in itself, we’re grateful we didn’t miss the visit with Chief Richard and his extended family. (We’ll share photos and the story of the Maasai’s sparse lifestyle in the next few days, for which I wrote notes on my smartphone while flying back on the tiny plane to ensure I didn’t forget a tidbit).

He opened his eyes, giving us a toothy grin. He didn’t seem concerned, we were close, but we were quiet and nonthreatening.

The story of the warthogs and lions will be told in the captions in the photos included here.

Zebras are common in the bush. We’ll have plenty of Zebra photos when we live in South Africa in less than two months, where they’ll visit almost every day.

We often saw giraffes hanging out in groups.

Occasionally, we noticed a lone giraffe, perhaps hoping to find the others in her group.

Another cape buffalo, a Retired General, abandoned by the herd when he didn’t win the battle for dominance, left to his own devices. These lost souls, all bachelors, hang out in numbers for safety from lions.

A male impala based on the black striped on its hind end, a graceful animal, one of many in the deer/antelope family. There were many varieties, often hard to distinguish one from another.

Later in the day, from a distance, we spotted a pride of lions, a mother, and her cubs lounging under the shade of a tree. Little did we know until Anderson drove us within 20 feet, that they had a kill they were voraciously working over.

Mom growled in seeming happiness over her successful hunting day, without a single male in view to confiscate their meal.

We must have stayed in that spot for an hour, quietly savoring every moment of the manner in which they shared their meal, the way the mother tended over her cubs with her own needs secondary as well as the playful demeanor they exhibited when taking a break.

Life is good.

The cubs took a break to relax.

Moments later they were back at their meal again.

The cubs enjoyed the meal while mom stayed back keeping an eye out for danger.

“Eating is exhausting. I think I’ll rest for a minute or two.”

Finally, mom steps in for a bite.

Is someone coming to steal the kill? Mom constantly stays on the lookout.

Cubs sharing.

Tom was having a beer in the late afternoon, in awe of what we’ve experienced, having never expected it to be so rewarding and fulfilling in many aspects.

Camp Olonana Sanctuary Retreats…Photos…An ethereal dream of perfection…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 10, 2013 with 2 Comments

Upon our arrival at Camp Olonana, we were greeted by a Masai warrior playing a welcoming tune on his flute. Following him and our concierge Christine, who oversees the flow of their guest’s experience to the edge of the deck overlooking the Mara River, we knew we’d chosen the perfect environment to fulfill our dreams of a safari combined with exquisite accommodations and service.

After the other guests arrived at the landing strip, we began the 25-minute drive to the camp. Our combined enthusiasm and the sightings along the way, had all of us, including Anderson, chattering on simultaneously.

The fast flowing Mara River is muddy due to erosion and lack of man’s intervention. The local Masai tribes are dependent upon its waters as well as the wildlife and vegetation. It is this river that the Great Migration crosses over and again as it makes its way from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara. We missed the crossing of the millions of wildebeest but we did travel to Tanzania to see the tail end. By the time we made that journey, we were so satisfied with our safari experience that we hardly gave it a thought. Someday, we will return to see it at the right time and more than anything go on safari once again. Tom suggested we return the year of my 70th birthday, a little over 4 years away.

After our welcoming ceremony ended, we were escorted to lunch on the deck. Within minutes of being seated, our chef, Ambrose came out to introduce himself and to proudly explain, he was well prepared for my special diet.

We’ll be including food photos, a description of meals, quality of service, and a detailed review over the next several days. With over 600 photos to manage, it is a step by step process which we are striving to present as it occurred.

Ambrose, our well-trained chef, stopped at our table to get feedback on my special meals. Often before preparing my dinner, he’d stop by to assure me that my meal fit within the criteria I had sent them weeks before arrival. Not only were my meals the best prepared and tasting since beginning this way of eating, but the presentation was mouth-watering. Tom thoroughly enjoyed the same meals as presented to the other guests. My meal was always a variation of the main choices, leaving me wanting for nothing.

The all-inclusive camp consists of 3 meals daily, appetizers, snacks, beverages, high tea in the afternoon, and alcoholic drinks at any time of day or night. Glass bottles of purified water were presented at our table at all meals and in our tent for drinking and brushing teeth. I was so excited I failed to take a photo of our delicious GF chicken curry lunch.

All produce at Camp Olonana is organically grown in their on-site garden. A certified ecologically friendly resort, the care is given to the food, and the use of water, fuel, and electricity were refreshing in this distant setting. For example, all electrical outlets were shut off (lights stayed on) from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm and off again during the night. In consideration of our need to recharge our equipment, we were given a power strip connected to the generator that was available 24 hours a day. Many more measures were implemented to maintain the ecological integrity of the camp, which consisted of 14 tents, a spa tent, the lodge, gift shop, offices, and housing for staff.

The organic garden located at the camp, left unlocked for us to peruse at our leisure.

Our tent was #4 a short jaunt down this stone-paved walkway. The Camp Olonana, 5000 feet above sea level and cool at night had few mosquitoes and insects. The cool nights were heavenly, requiring a down comforter to keep us warm. That was a rather pleasant sensation!

Continuing along the tree-lined path to our tent, it was comforting to know our bags were already inside with little to unpack with a short time to unwind before taking off on our first official game drive at 4:00 pm.

We arrived at our tent, grateful for the walk after sitting on the plane, the vehicle, and the restaurant for the past several hours. The word on the sign is #4 in the Masai language, not the usual Swahili spoken in most of Kenya, a few words of which we’re learning. Here in Kenya, Tom accidentally says “grazie” for “thank you” which is Italian. When in Italy he said “gracias” which is “thank you” in Spanish. He says he’s always one location behind in his thank-yous. In Swahili, thank you is “asante” the language of most of the staff at the camp, which I couldn’t say often enough, occasionally correcting Tom on his “grazie.”

The veranda to our tent. Approaching, it took our breath away.

The view of the Mara River from our veranda. We would like to have spent more time sitting here, but with our busy safari schedule, we had little time left for lounging. We didn’t mind a bit! We came to Camp Olonanato safari and that, my friends, is what we did, hour after hour. We’ve yet to show the very best of the photos, beginning tomorrow. You know, the old adage, “saving the best for last?”

The comfy furnishings made is tempting to lay here and watch the wildlife to saunter or swim past from time to time. Actually, we only had time to sit here for one hour during the three day period.

Although we were escorted to our tent the first time, Tom wanted to handle the long, sturdy zipper to ensure we had no issues. Of course, it was a breeze, opening to a virtual paradise of tent interiors.

Soon, we were unpacked, with our equipment plugged in, anxious to write here to begin sharing the experience. With no Internet connection in the tent and neither of our WiFi devices able to connect, we comfortably sat in the lodge to go online to post. As we’d mentioned the connection was poor, preventing us from posting many photos until returning to Diani Beach, where still the connection isn’t strong. We slept in the bed on the left, keeping our electronics plugged in on the bed on the right. For the first time ever, my camera ran out of juice on safari forcing us to use the 2nd camera which Tom used less often.

Shortly after getting situated, we needed to get going for the afternoon game drive, taking one last shot in the daylight of the veranda view. Exquisite.

Additional view of our tent.

Our stone bathroom in our tent after we’d unpacked. The toilet is behind the door to the right and the shower is to the left as shown below in the next photo.

The stone shower in the tent, permanently built into the tent as were the closets. The walls in the tent as shown are actual tent material, tent windows, and tent exit as shown.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the beginning of our best safari photos with many unusual sightings in the wild, animals on the hunt, animal kills, dining in the bush, gorgeous scenery, and eventually, our trip to Tanzania.

Also, interspersed, we’ll include our communal evening barbecue with entertainment by a local Masai tribe. And, we’ll share our unbelievable visit, on our last day, to a nearby Masai village where we were welcomed and toured by Chief Richard learning the way of life for the Masai, so far removed from our own reality and so rich in its content.

Wildlife photos tomorrow…

We’re back in Diani Beach… The safari photos and stories continu…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 9, 2013 with 2 Comments

One of the Big Five, the Leopard, was one of our early sightings. They are nocturnal. This photo was taken midday, a rare treat. During early evening we had several other sightings
which we’ll post as we move along.

Upon arriving at the landing strip (no building) in the village of Kichwa, Kenya, we were greeted by our guide Anderson, a native of the area, a man of great character and knowledge.

The photos presented today were all taken in the first 90 minutes as Anderson, our amazing guide, took us on safari while we waited for a flight to arrive at the landing strip to pick up another couple.

He kept apologizing for the inconvenience of us having to wait for 90 minutes insisting that he takes us out to get a glimpse of what was yet to come.

Warthogs are funny creatures always on the run, snorting along the way. They seem as if they are rushing to “get to work.” They were oblivious to our vehicles, stares, and photo-taking, other than occasionally stopping for a decent pose.

Warthog babies running behind their mother. Watching their little legs rapidly scurrying along beside her was quite the laughter evoking experience.

Those first 90 minutes alone with Anderson set the pace for what proved to be the most awe-inspiring days in our travels, if not in our lives.

The only time we exited the Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle in the entire three days on safari was with Anderson that morning during those 90 minutes, as he often held my hand, as we quietly and quickly searched on foot for many of the following sightings. Never again, after the others had joined us, did we exit the vehicle other than to “check the tire pressure” and for two, picnic breakfasts, once with four of us, another time with six.

Whatever inspired Anderson to feel comfortable taking us out of the vehicle during those first 90 minutes escapes us. But, we couldn’t have been more thrilled about this private experience that we’ll never forget.

Somehow, we managed to keep up the pace with him on the fast trek over often rocky and steep terrain as we maneuvered around a massive beehive, quietly watching within a short distance of hungry crocodiles.

“WOW,” Tom continues to say. And, of course, I continue to agree.

We were up on a hill when we looked down to see these crocodiles. How exciting it was to be so close.

Often travelers post all of their photos on one of those sites giving others access able to peruse them at their leisure or, not.

The Topi is indigenous only to the Masai Mara. The locals refer to them as wearing “blue jeans” on the back legs and yellow socks on their feet. These graceful animals often fall prey to the alligators, lions, and cheetahs, all carnivorous. Most animals are herbivores or carnivores and will fight to the death if threatened, leaving the remains for vultures. Most animals in the “cat” family only eat fresh kill.

Topi, full-on. There are numerous animals in the deer/antelope family in the Masai Mara.

When we began writing this blog in March 2012, our intent was to share a “blow by blow” journal with photos, rather than posting hundreds of photos at once.

This is a different angle of photo already shown, but one we saw in our first 90-minute drive, along with Anderson, as we waited for Cindy and David’s flight to arrive. This huge 15-foot croc had captured an impala. With Anderson’s walkie talkie, he was alerted when their plane landed.

While on safari we had hoped to post photos in real-time using our MiFi or Hotspot and laptops while in the vehicle.

Unfortunately, after attempting to do so, we discovered that in the Masai Mara, contrary to what we’d heard, the signal is either non-existent or too poor for uploading photos.

Hippos are huge, dangerous, and fun to watch. At night, with our tent only a few feet from the river, we could hear their funny sounds.We found ourselves laughing in the middle of the night when a loud series of snorts wafted through the air. This hippo was sniffing the ground while the other hippos were napping on the shore.

We were in the vehicle taking this photo. This hippo wasn’t happy with an injury on her left shoulder. See the photo below for a closer shot of her injury.

It appears to be healing well. The Masai Mara has veterinarians that will treat certain animal injuries but not all. Many, huge in numbers, are left as food for the scavengers. We observed thoroughly picked clean carcasses. The rangers gather the largest skulls returning them to the entrance gate placing them in a neat pile for visitors to see. The Masai Mara is uncluttered. There’s no trash to be seen anywhere. The reverence the locals and visitors have for the wildlife, the vegetation, and the surroundings are astounding.

Please note that our intent has always been to take great photos. The glare of the sun, the bouncy conditions, the fleeting animals, the distances from animals at times made it difficult to get a good photo.

This amateur photographer using a lightweight, although reliable camera is unable to carry a professional-type camera with multiple lenses, due to a bad shoulder and the airline weight restrictions, did the very best possible.Tom also managed to take some good shots.

Hippos, vegetarians, aren’t interested in the crocs and crocs apparently aren’t interested in attempting to eat a hippo. In the wild, it’s interesting witnessing first hand, how animals are able to determine which animals are too massive for them to kill for food. In this case, they hang out together never giving it a second thought. We were standing on this ridge as shown. This photo is not zoomed in. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to keep from squealing.

Here’s a better shot of the above, sniffing hippo. We were so excited, we could hardly hold our two cameras steady.

Posting almost daily, we do not edit or improve our photos other than to remove power lines when obstructing a good scene, (We saw no power lines in the Masai Mara).

Otherwise, you see our photos exactly as we see them the moment they’re uploaded from the camera to my laptop. If we didn’t post almost every day, there would be more time to edit photos.

So, we continue…

The black and white stripes on the backside of this dainty impalas are an indication of the impala. They daintily leap through the air as they run. There are dozens of species in the deer/antelope family in the Masai Mara.

Anderson was angry to see these visitors being taken out on horseback, a rare occurrence in the Masai Mara. With the number of dangerous animals often frightened of horses, one could easily charge a horse putting the rider and horse in a life-threatening situation. Anderson explained that all recent tourist deaths in the Maasai Mara are a result of uncontrollable visitors taking unnecessary risks, resulting in serious injury and death.There’s no nearby hospital.

The Red-Billed Bird is this bird’s actual name. In-flight it’s wingspan is exquisite. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough to catch it in flight.

The Secretary Bird, fairly common in the Masai Mara got its name from the use of its quills used as writing instruments in times past.

Anderson’s warmth and desire for us to have a fulfilling experience were more than we could ever have expected, never to disappoint. Instead, he proved himself as the true “animal whisperer” helping us find and photograph The Big Five as shared in yesterday’s post in the first 10 hours on safari, a feat few guides can accomplish.

His eagle eye and innate sense of what was in the distance inspired him to step on the gas and safely maneuver to the scene of the next incredible find. Driving with gusto he was totally in control over the bumpy terrain. We held on with our hearts pounding over what we’d see next. Anderson’s determination to get us up close and personal made it possible for us to have the time of our lives.

It was difficult to wrap our brains around being so close to these massive animals. Although relatively gentle, they seldom attack humans in the wild unless provoked or if their babies are at risk. At times, they walked right in front of our vehicle in order to cross the road. We were never afraid as we sat motionlessly and waited quietly for them to pass. This is their home. We’re the intruders.

Please keep in mind that I am saving already posted photos in a separate folder. However, when on safari one may take several variations of a shot. My hope is that I don’t duplicate any photos, but at times, I may, in order to reiterate an important aspect of the safari.

Vultures travel in packs, anxious to spot the remains of any carcasses left by the carnivorous animals.

The Mara River, 245 miles long, winds through the Maasai Mara in Kenya continuing on to Tanzania when it dumps into Lake Victoria in Zimbabwe. Over 2 million wildebeest cross the river at various points during The Great Migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya and then back when the rains end. We missed the big event with little disappointment when we had the opportunity to see the wide array of animals that live in the Maasai Mara year-round. Anderson, aware that we had originally hoped to see the Great Migration, drove us to Tanzania to see the tail end over the rockiest roads on the planet, through water-filled creeks and washed out roads. What an adventure! We’ll also share this story with photos as we progress over the next several days.

The Cape Buffalo, in this case, “A Retired General,” often resided in groups with other such banished males. More photos and details in a later post.

If I know a photo is a repeat I will tell you in the captions. Although, with over 600 photos taken in three days, I could easily make an error. Please slough it off. I have to do just that or I’d make myself crazy, impinging upon the inordinate amount of fun I have writing here.

What we witnessed in that 90 minutes set the pace for the remaining 20 hours we spent riding in that open-sided Toyota Land Cruiser. At no point, did we ever feel we’d seen any particular animal too many times? At each viewing, our eyes widened in wonder. Tom kept commenting on how I never wiped the smile off of my face. Then again, nor did he.

Tomorrow, we’ll continue on with our story as to our welcomed arrival at Olonana Sanctuary Retreats with photos of our accommodations, the grounds, the lodge, and more.

If you get a minute, please stop back…

Day four…Safari…Beyond our wildest dreams…21 hours on safari…

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 8, 2013 with 2 Comments

Tom nudged me to turn around when I had the camera pointed in the opposite direction. I gasped when I saw this, a gift from the heavens. Thank you, Kenya.

As we wind down our stay at Olonana Sanctuary Retreats we feel that this has been the most enriching and pleasurable experience of our lives. In asking Tom for a description of our time here he smiled from ear and ear, simply saying, “WOW!” And WOW it was.

The story of our time at Olonana and spending 21 hours on safari in three days is only just the beginning. As I mentioned, once we return to a better Internet connection in Diani Beach and get situated, we’ll be able to post more photos in a day’s post as compared to the few we’ve posted the past few days.

This female lion as all animals in the wild is constantly on the lookout for the next meal to feed her cubs, also lying under this tree, as shown in the photo below.

Also, a full review of the retreat, the safari, the food, the service, and the extraordinary staff will be posted in the next week with photos of all of the above, definitely in the 5* category.

A kindly, frequent “commenter” asked a few good questions at the end of yesterday’s post, “While on safari for 6 to 10 hours at a time, what do you do for a restroom break or food?” Great questions! (Thanks for asking, Pat!)

Two of the three days, we had a picnic in the bush under a tree while Anderson set up a complete meal including all foods appropriate to my way of eating plus the goodies for everyone else.

This lion is at leisure with her cubs under the shade of a tree.

The passengers excluding Anderson, the guide and driver (the best ever!) in the open-sided Land Cruisers, was six, with only four of us the first half of the three days. They were all fun, animated, full of laughter, and equally in awe of every moment of our experiences.

As for the potty break, that was also in the bush behind a tree or a shrub or the vehicle if necessary which Anderson referred to as “checking the tire pressure.”

If we needed to stop, we need only say, “I need to check the tire pressure” and we’d all laugh. Obviously, this is an easy task for the guys. Us girls managed rather well.

Today, our return flight is scheduled at the landing strip at 2:00 pm. Anderson will drive us, leaving here at 1:00 pm, most likely with a few photo stops along the way.

The guys laughed when us girls said the hippos were cute.

With these small planes, the times are inconsistent, but we hope to return to our house in Diani Beach, Kenya no later than 6:00 pm, drop off our bags, and have Alfred, our cab driver, drop us at a local restaurant for dinner.

Tomorrow, we have much to do including organizing our 600+ photos, beginning “the rest of the story”, and wrapping up some details for our trip to Hawaii to meet up with our family for Christmas in 14 months, a seemingly long time away. Based on how fast this past year has gone, it will be in no time at all.

The acacia tree, usually flat on the top is a common tree in Kenya.

We’ll be back tomorrow with many more photos along with the progression of our time at Olonana with 21 hours on safari. UpWe’ll never forget the gift Mother Nature blissfully bestowed upon us, leaving us breathless, humbled and in awe.

“WOW,” he says. I agree!

Day three…Safari…Beyond our wildest dreams…The Big Five…Accomplished in our first 10 hours on safari!

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 7, 2013 with 2 Comments

Up close and personal! We were in a Toyota Land Cruiser with open sides, 25 feet from this lion. Much to our surprise we never felt frightened or at risk at close-range to any of these big animals, including this massive male lion who gave us a great show. Many more lion photos including a graphic kill and mating shots will follow in posts to come.

Anderson, our guide at the Olonana at the Sanctuary Retreat has far surpassed our hopes and expectations in ensuring that we have a memorable safari experience in our short three days at the camp.

Had the expense, not been $5000 including air, all-inclusive, we surely would have stayed longer. Maybe someday we’ll return to the Masai Mara and Olonana.

At this point, we don’t flinch over the cost. There is no amount of money that could have provided us with a more life-changing and valuable experience that which we’ve had thus far; 19 hours on safari in the 49 hours since we arrived on Saturday.

Encountering these creatures from close proximity was Anderson’s goal. In most cases, we were within 25 feet of any of the animals in our photo. Notice, this older elephant resting his trunk on his tusk. Anderson expected this one to be around 60 years old, close to his life expectancy.

With one more safari remaining tonight, we’ll begin to wind down, pack to return to Diani Beach on the tiny plane, with plans to continue to relive this experience over and over for years to come. Now we know that safaris will be an integral part of our ongoing travels.

The Big Five…we had few expectations. Now wanting to be the typical traveler, we made no requirements to Anderson that we accomplish this treasured undertaking that most safari attendees get stuck in their heads.

The Big Five may vary by certain standards. In Africa, it’s listed as follows:

1. Elephant
2. Black Rhino
3. Cape Buffalo
4. Leopard
5. Lion (particularly the male lion)

Leopards are nocturnal and seldom seen during daylight hours. We were so excited to see this leopard to round out the Big Five sightings in the first 10 hours we were on safari.

There’s so much to tell, I almost don’t know where to begin. With limited time and connectivity, we’ll continue as we have over the past few days, as many photos as we can with less dialogue.

But, there’s a story here from beginning to end that we’re anxious to tell, the rich experience of the gift of nature, the local people who regard it with reverence and, our own discovery of that which has remained inside us that is finally let free. We’ll never be the same, neither of us.

At this point in time, there are only 30 remaining rhinos in Kenya with 10 in the Masai Mara. So far we’ve seen 5 of these elusive and endangered animals. Lots more photos of rhinos and babies to follow.

When returning to Diani Beach, we’ll begin that story with many more photos as well as our own personal journey of a life-changing adventure we’ll never forget.

We took these photos posted today of The Big Five in our first 10 hours on safari. That story is but a small portion of the treasures we beheld day by day as we bounced around over winding rocky uneven road without concern or thought to any discomfort.

This old cape buffalo was covered with flies and mud, huddled close in the hot sun with other family members and friends. Most likely he was what Anderson referred to as the Retired Generals, male buffaloes who was been banned from the herd for life, having lost for dominance in battle with other males. The males hang out together in small groups for safety reasons.

We will highlight many additional photos of The Big Five and the many other amazing animals that we discovered each day on safari.

By the way, as we write this, we’re sitting in the outdoor restaurant at the lodge, soon to go on our second safari of the day. Across the river, we see giraffes and impalas (photos coming soon) and in the river, playful baby hippos. Ah, this is living!

Please come back as this story continues to unfold. Thanks to all of our readers for their comments and email messages and of course, for following along with us.

Day two, safari…Beyond our wildest dreams….

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 6, 2013 with 2 Comments

After a considerable wait this morning we were able to get these shots of a young lion with his head jutting out of a culvert. The mother and babies were living in the culvert for protection.

The lions, not all visible due to the narrow size of the culvert, came out to look, one at a time. We were less than 25 feet from this breathtaking event.

This lion kept a watchful eye on us. We didn’t feel any danger in watching them, making no quick movements or loud noises, very important in ensuring safety on safari, although the actual risks are minimal.

Suddenly, the young male lion in the above photo jumped out of the culvert, walked across the road to enter the culvert from the other end. What an experience for the four of us in our safari vehicle watching this event. With Anderson at the wheel, we were ensured an exquisite safari.

We can only post 12 to 15 photos a day with the slow Internet connection here in the Masai Mara, far from civilization. Over the next 48 hours, we’ll continue to post every photo we can.

Hippos, happy, homebodies, hanging around together!

We could sit for hours and watch the antics of the hippos. Their lethargic movement and playful personalities are a pleasure to behold.

A lone hippo arises from his nap to check things out.

We realize that this gruesome photo may be difficult for some to see. But, it’s a part of the food chain which we decided we would accept on our safaris as a reality of the life cycle. This crocodile was consuming either an impala or gazelle.

For now, with limited time to write more details after a 6-hour safari this morning (Sunday), with an additional 3 hours coming up this afternoon, we’ll continue to use the time to take more and more amazing photos.

The Mara River. Our tent is located on the shore where sounds of hippos fill the air beginning around 4:00 am as they awaken.

No swimming in this river!

Need I say…we are in safari heaven. In the past 24 hours, we’ve been on safari for 10 hours, and it’s not quite 2:00 PM. Exhausted, dirty, suffering from lack of sleep (the delightful hippo sounds kept waking us up!), Tom says I can’t wipe the smile off of my face. Nor can he!

This is a Topi only found in the Masai Mara.

“Please pinch me,” I told Tom. “I must be dreaming!”

We’ll share more photos tomorrow and continue upon returning to Diani Beach. Thanks to every single reader out there as you join us in the adventure of a lifetime!

Back soon with more!

Error correction from yesterday’s post. This photo of Mount Kilimanjaro was lost when uploading due to Internet constraints.

The windows on the plane were scratched and cracked making it difficult to take clear shots. For some reason, these photos wouldn’t didn’t upload yesterday.

Day one, safari…Beyond our wildest dreams….

Posted by worldwide-admin on October 5, 2013 with 4 Comments

Anderson, our safari guide took us on an unplanned 90-minute safari rather than wait at the airstrip for another couple to arrive on a later flight. This was one of the first photos we took along the Mara River. Our tent is located on the banks of the river where the hippos will awaken us with their hysterical morning calls. We couldn’t believe our eyes or our ears

Anderson referred to this ostracized male cape buffaloes (one of the Big Five) as Retired Generals. They lost the battle for dominance and are forced out of the herd to fen for themselves for the rest of their lives. Kind of sad. He gave us a nice pose, hungry not only for vegetation but also for attention.

I love warthogs. They are funny, actually quite friendly. Vegetarians, they amble around for the tiniest morsels. They are delightful to watch. Please pinch me! I can’t believe we are in the Masai Mara. We missed the Great Migration by one week. We’re not at all disappointed with what we’ve seen on the first day!

As we write and post photos, we make a valiant effort to take our readers through the step by step process of following our journey each step of the way.

After our experiences today, we are tempted to get right to the safari, as we know many of you’d prefer. Our arrival in itself was an adventure all of its own, not a story we could easily forgo.

So, in light of this, today, we’ll tell the story of our arrival at Camp Olonana of Sanctuary Retreats, an over a two-hour flight on a tiny rickety old plane including notes and photos from the flight and to whet your appetite for the treasures of safari a few of our photos from our over first four hours on safari on the first day.

Without a doubt, we’ll be posting photos every day, perhaps twice a day. There’s no Internet connection in our tent. In order to post, we have to sit in the lobby of the main building of the camp. With six hours a day on safari, the slow connection at the camp (not surprising), we’ll have no choice but to continue to post photos after we return to Diani Beach with a better connection.

In the first 90 minutes, we took almost 100 great photos. This afternoon we took hundreds more. Bear with us, you’ll see most of them over the next week. As a matter of fact, we can’t wait to share them.

For now, we’re pooped and at 8:02 pm have yet to eat dinner. Soon, we’ll stop for dinner which ends at 9:30 pm. We’ll be going out on safari for a breakfast picnic at 6:30 am. We’ll be back with more photos tomorrow afternoon.

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Traveling to the Masai Mara by plane

Our tiny 19 seat plane. Yes, I know, it could have been smaller.

The plane was fueled by using a hand crank typically used in WW2, according to Tom’s recollection of history.

View from the plane after leveling off.

Yes, that’s Mount Kilimanjaro, as viewed from the tiny single engine plane.

The inside of the plane was so small, it was difficult to get a good shot maneuvering around the other passengers, since we were on the opposite side.

This pristine lake was like a mirror.

Muddy rivers.

I’d never flown on a small plane. Oh, yes, opportunities were presented from time to time. But, I always dismissed them without a moment’s consideration.

Only recently, I’d begun to feel more at ease flying in commercial jumbo jets after the long flights we’ve tackled in this past year. I’ve had no desire to tackle the puddle jumper concept.

This appeared to be some type of horse farm. Look at the reflection of our plane on the ground! What a sight! I couldn’t believe we were inside that tiny thing!

When we’d decided to travel the world almost two years ago, I anticipated that it was time to let go of some of my irrational fears. As we planned our itinerary, I contemplating a few of the rational fears realizing it was time to let some of the fears waft away.

More muddy rivers.

With a torn shoulder injury escalating during the planning stages with no desire to have surgery to remedy it, I decided to forgo more physically challenging events and settle for combatting some other fears which included flying in small planes.

After three takes off and three landings, we finally arrived to meet our guide, Anderson who’s lived in the Masai Mara region all of his life. What a guy! We loved him the moment we met him!

This morning as I sat in my confining worn-out seat which included a number of tears and lumps in the rickety 19 seat plane, I found that I needed a diversion more distracting than reading mindless drivel on my phone.

My knees still a little wobbly from the flights. I was thrilled to be on the ground, meeting our guide Anderson for our time in Onolana. At that point, I knew I’d have be less fearful on the return flight.

Instead, I began to write on the “legal pad” app on my smartphone hoping to divert my attention from my usual overthinking, worrying, and speculation.

Tom was engrossed in a book on his phone, oblivious to any concerns, mine or his, occasionally looking my way, thrilled that my nails weren’t digging into his hand.

A person could spend a lifetime trying to analyze why one has such fears and others do not. Never having to combat small plane fear in the past leaves me with little interest or inclination to pursue answers at this point in life. Thinking I could bypass the necessity of facing it, I now knew the time had come in our travels to face a simple fact: either we get there in one piece or we don’t.

This is one situation I cannot control. There’s no going online and researching an answer, resulting in a bullet point list of myriad possibilities to consider, ultimately sharing those in a post.

All I could do is fly on the little plane with a determined attitude, saying a few prayers, while hoping this old beat up prop plane will make it safely to the Maasai Mara and the necessary two additional stops along the way resulting in three “ups and downs” until we arrived.

A half-hour into the two-hour flight, Tom alerted me to stand up to walk to the front of the plane to take a photo of Mount Kilimanjaro. I did. He did.

This, dear readers, is why we do this. The excitement of that which we had an opportunity to behold allayed my fears and I felt at peace.

We’ll be back with many more amazing photos of our safari, the fabulous resort, the outstanding food, the flawless service, and smemorable experience that fulfills a lifelong dream.

Tag: Diani Beach Kenya