Masai Mara National Park

We were able to take our big dragoman truck into the park for a whole day safari, this allowed us to sit on the roof seats so we could get spectacular view of the game. It was amazing as soon as we got into within the parks boundaries we saw many different species of antelope (elands, waterbucks, impala, etc) and herds of zebra- which our african guide describes as "disco donkeys!"
We had a really successful day on safari and saw loads of different animals. Here's a list: antelope, zebra, ostriches, hippos, crocodile, vulture, giraffes, lions (and a lion cub!) waterbuffalo, jackal, and probably quite a few more because I havent got my diary with me to remind me of all of them.
We saw lions on two separate occasions, firstly in a pack of about 10 who were sunbathing just 15m from the side of the road. Then towards the end of the day, we knew there was something ahead because there was a traffic jam of jeep safari trucks all presumabely looking at something. Two lioness and a cub were eating a carcass quite a way off, so it was quite difficult to see them. Some of the other
trucks may have actually spotted the hunt.

Other higlights were a walking safari along the banks of the Masai river. Where we saw many hippos, and the biggest crocodile I have ever seen. Simply enormous!! We were also metres away from a few girrafes who ran infront of the truck, and a large herd of elephants also traversed across really close to the truck. In this herd there was a baby one who couldnt have been more than a few months old, similar to the babies we saw at the elephant orphanage the day before.

Some masai warriors put on a dance show for us in the evening, around the fire, which was spectacular. Also the photo of the women was taken from the truck where they surrounded us trying to sell their trinkets. The colours of their dresses, jewelery and carvings were beautiful, but their persisitance in selling them was astounding.

ps. the picture of the lion is especially for Louie! Thank you all for your messages. Keep in touch. xx

safely arrived in Nairobi

It wasn't the most straight-forward get-away ever. Firstly 10 minutes before we left home I successfully updated my ipod with some new music, and in the process deleted all the other albums. So i was forced to leave it behind, much to my annoyance. Then we found ourselves at a stand-still on the M25 for over an hour on the way to the airport. We arrived an hour late for the last check-in, with worries that we would miss our flight, but in fact we were about the last people to get in. Once on the flight, we sat on the plane for an hour and half. As you can imagine, we were relieved to eventually arrive safely in Nairobi.

Mum and I explored the city as much as we could yesterday afternoon. We had been prewarned of the reputation of "Nairobbery"- and I have to say that we didnt feel particulary safe, but came to no harm.

We met the other truckers today- a mixure of ages and nationality and they seem really nice. Obviously it takes a while to get to know them but I'm sure we're up for a laugh. Then today we visited an Elephant Orphanage just outside Nairobi. A very informative guide, who I think secretly wanted to be an elephant himself becauase he was so enthusiastic about the animals, told us all about their development and introduction back into the wild.

The higlight of the day was probably a "giraffe sanctuary" that we visited this afternoon. We were able to feed the giraffes from a platform, some people even let the giraffe lick the pellet out of your mouth- hence a very slobbery kiss from these long necked beautiful animals.

We're camping tonight in a sophisticated campsite, and we drive to Masai Mara tomorrow for a proper safari.