To Kenya - Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara, Kenya  -  3 July
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   places                dates


The day began early so that we could meet our guide and drive from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara. We were scheduled to leave at 7:30am, so we set alarms for 6am.

We wantted to say good bye to some of our party who were leaving, but we missed a couple people, J and J who were traveling straight back to the U.S. yesterday. P and her family we saw and said goodbye to, the 3 others we thanked for dinner and said goodbye to on Saturday night at the Ethoipian restaurant.

We met our guide at 7:30 and drove out the rift valley, the same way as the previous monday on the way to Kisumu, past the escarpment, and satellite listening station. Francis, our guide, told us how the Maasai owned alot of land and had sold some to people on the way into the Mara. He talked aboiut how the Maasai are one of the only tribes in Kenya to retain so much of their culture, not integrating into the mainstream and losing it.

Other than stopping for expensive water in place of even more expensive hotel water, and one bathroom break we drove nice, then bumpy roads to the lodge. The Sopa lodge is inside the gates of the park, but technically outside of it.

We took lunch then went out again for the typical 4pm game drive. It was typical for the guides, but entirely new for us, of course. The top of the minivan popped up so that I could almost stand, and everyone else could easily.

By the time we had returned, we had seen at least 10 lions, hundreds of wildebeasts, many water buffalo,  many birds, and over 20 elephants in the gloom of falling night. And only one elephant had almost charged us.

To say that it was really cool is an understatement!

We reached the lodge and went straight to the lobby for some refreshment. The kids got non-alcoholic drinks (Dik-Dik for Ksh-300). Then we had dinner, which looked alot like lunch, with all kinds of food on a buffet. I chose the Indian food again, plus a spare rib and some wacky pastries that looked like chocolate but weren't. The best dessert was the cheese and crackers with fruit.

To Kenya - Restaurants and Guest Houses - Kisumu

Guest Houses and Restaurants

I'm not sure where I left off of the Guesthouses, but we are no longer in Nairobi, so

this is the Kisumu version anyway.

Jumia REsort
Groups and Religious groups might feel comfortable here. No hot water, spotty internet

service, religious praise music in the cafeteria. Oh, and the environmental consultants in our group suggested we not allow children in anything but the 1 ft. children's pool.
BTW: There is a one night cancellation fee unless you give notice 24 hours in advance.

Savannah
Larger hotel off the beaten road - bumps to get to a nice car parking area, with outdoor seating for evening gatherings. Nice looking rooms.
(full)

Dewchurch
We moved here. There were rooms available and they took my sick child and one adult for the day the rest of us went out to villages. They were very helpful and understanding and nice. We also dropped off our luggage in the morning with them, then came back at 3 or so. Nice place for an evening gathering with food and refreshments. They also delivered pizzas for the kids to our rooms. Pizza and vegetarian curry were our choices for food that night.

Classic Guest House
Not as nice as in Nairobi, but clean and neat. Would have been good enough for our family, but perhaps not for everyone's tastes.

Kenya - Maasai Market and National Park

Maasai Market
It's an art market like a farmers market, or maybe Pike Place Market in Seattle. There were masks, beads, necklaces, t-shirts, carved figures, fabric, toys, rings, cuffs, earings, and many people calling me "rasta-man" with fist bumps. Lots of people asked me how long have I had the dreads? and From where did I come?

It was a fairly typical high pressure market situation. Lots of encouragement to come and see/buy. It was also so good that we ate, then came back after looking for my wife's shoes...

... Because after 5 days, AJ's bag was found and was being delivered! She screamed in the shop. She screamed outside the shop. There was a public display of affection. People gawked. It's true I was there.


National Park

Animal Orphanage
Patrick introduced us to the animals by name. He introduced us to himself as the houseboy to the warthogs. He mentioned all kinds of details about the animals and why they were separated, gathered, or present in the orphanage.

The cheetahs were right   there   in   front    of    us.
Warthogs, lions, ostrich feeding, monkeys doing tricks - picking food from our heads, picking pockets, or grooming and protecting the amazing Patrick.

National Park Drive
We went through the park in private cars. It was a while before we found any animals, but we saw wildebeests, giraffes, ginea foul, and someone said our cars were speeding and chasing giraffes. So they are banned for life from all National Parks.

I think it was a tour operator, who saw several cars taking business away from him. But I don't have any evidence, though neither did they; just their word and - done.

To Kenya - Restaurants and Guest Houses

Methodist Guest House - Oloitoktok Road
Nice corporate church place. As someome else wrote, a good place for a
family or group.
They are the ones who stay there mostly. Strongly reminds me of old
large convents I've stayed in.
Each room has its own bath.
A pretty good chafing dish English breakfast, featuring beans, chips,
bacon, porridge, cut fruits, and okay juices.
Located in the international and government representative residence area.

Classic Guest House - Kileleshwa Road, 10m from the police station
Family or B&B style large home, now separated into rooms, each with
their own full bath.
Closer in to town. Maybe ten nice rooms with sitting areas, several
with balconies.
Family style breakfast, but with a good juices, instant coffee and
cocoa, cut fruit.
Eggs and sausage are a great hot addition for breakfast.
****
Chicken Inn
Pricey downtown place in whose building there is ice cream, pizza, as
well as chicken burgers.
That's what we all had, except for the one difference - a hamburger.
Plus drinks.
All that for about $45.
Puluma Restaurant
Nice neighborhood place. Kind of fancy for what my understanding of
local restaurants are like, but it has a nice ambience.
We got tilapia and ugali, chicken club sandwich,
and stuffed 1/4 chicken that was billed as "stuffed breast of chicken."
Sarit Center Food Court
Wimpys hamburgers. Indian food. We paid the same for our two meals
that we shared as the three kids having hamburgers and sodas.
It was all pretty good.

Taqueria - Center City
Too expensive, but good pizza at an Italian place in downtown Nairobi.
Okay salad ba - it wasn't quite a salad bar.
Nice view of a side street downtown.
Bomas - Near Lagatas and the National Park
Tribal dancing from many different traditions around Kenya and also Africa.
Then we had fish, chicken or vegetarian meals and drinks at the end of
the performance.
It was a little awkward to see it, since the tables were just out of
sight of the performers.
What more could you want? A downpour with lightning and thunder,
followed by dancing, lots of drumming, some singing,
some joking around, and some reasons why freaking wouldn't be a non
traditional idea.

To Kenya (ala Joe Bob Briggs movie review)

Sacramento to Seattle

We can't check your bags through to Nairobi

small plane, one snack, no bumps

quick trains to South satellite

I sat with one daughter against the back bulkhead

Too full to sit together

Seattle to Amsterdam

but we swapped inflight to one row

closer together we sat rows apart

Disney Rapunzel, an unknown Liam Neeson

half the disks of GreenDayKatyPerryFooFighters and blues

Now That's What I Call Music 77

5 Partner Interlude - "Sky Team"

We traveled using Horizon check-in at Sacramento

Alaska to Seattle, Delta to Amsterdam

Kenya Airways operated by KLM to Nairobi

But not all partners work the same way, so

Tickets and baggage don't check through

Check in again in Amsterdam "Transfer Stop 6"

Amsterdam to Nairobi

Kenyan man with Oregon Duck cap stares

Separated seats, NO knee room,

two mid-row seats, sleepers on each end

Milindi visitor from Des Moines

Visas, Entry Declarations, "Live-Scan" and photos, and

No baggage. Late night.

Up at 4am local, composing this journal

Sacked back to sleep

Good English breakfast of which,

the kids approve.

Traveler's Log Entry - pre-trip

Stockton - CA   -  15June2011
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City     -    Place    -     Dates


Purpose/Activity - Last Day of School

Lodging - "Our house, in the middle of our street..."

Restaurants - Chez Park, Victory Park for outdoor music tonight

Purchases - noshables, assorted beverages, chicken, veggies

Transportation - bikes? or car?

Weather - looks to be around 90-95 much of the day

(more...)

• Last Day of School for 2010-11
• Special Guest Magician and assembly
• Ice Cream and activities at Weber Point
• Return to class for Report Cards
• Get out of school at 1pm

Parent Conferences tomorrow
Teacher in-service and classroom cleanup Friday

Saturday/Sunday - Pack for Kenya
Monday - Chris comes to House-sit

Dum Dum Girls help me get ready for Kenya

Thursday, 9th June 2011

Nice day for summer to arrive, that's all I have to say.