Hi everybody,
One of my best Kenyan trips included a visit to a Masai Mara at the very start of the migration season.
I went with my boss to meet a leader in the Kenyan GIS community at the time to discuss future Africa-Africa data cooperation.The meeting followed a strong indication at AARSE (African Association for Remote Sensing of the Environment) Conference held the previous year in Nairobi. At the time many Africans enrolled for high-level studies (MSc and PhD) in remote sensing but notwithstanding promises could not get up-to-date high resolution remote sending data to service their own communities. This caused these remote sensing professionals untold misery and accusations of worthless studies abounded from within their own local communities.
The success of SUNSAT, an African-built earth observation satellite, provided hope for these remote sensing professionals with a promise of more relevant and up-to-date remote sensing data.
It was a noble mission.
We landed at Jomo Kenyatta International, made our way to Wilson International by taxi and there we met the Kenyan luminary. We checked in for a local flight to the Masai Mara where the meeting was scheduled to take place. We have visited this same gentleman at his place of work outside Nairobi before but he was so busy and our meeting was constantly interrupted, so much so that keeping a single train of thought became impossible. The idea then was to meet far from the "maddening crowd" among the lions and other large animals.
At the time I've not yet flown in a turboprop aircraft but the trip from Wilson International was in such a raucous aircraft. Preflight the pilot explained that we will make two stops before reaching our final destination. Now I was a bit uncomfortable with this shaking mass of metal when we took off at Wilson but imagine my surprise when, in the middle of nowhere, the pilot announced that we will make our first stop. No amount of scouting helped me to pinpoint anything on the ground even remotely resembling an airfield.
The rest of the about 30 passengers were completely unconcerned, so I calmed down and adopted the "when in Rome ... " attitude. The plane screamed downwards into what looked like wild veld to me but he was aiming for a narrow dusty strip that would not even easily qualify as a dirt road where I was from. The pilot however landed the plane perfectly and after some passengers alighted with, what looked to me like undue haste, we took off down this strip in a choking cloud of dust. Everyone else seemed happy, so I put my game-face on as well. This manoeuvre was repeated once more before we got to the Masai-Mara. By this time however my game-face was plastered in place with high quality mortar.
So at the aerodrome near the Masai-Mara camp, we alighted and were picked up by an open safari camp 4x4. All the shaking that accompanied the trip to the camp was an ode to the condition of the early season road and then some. It was still about two to three weeks before the annual migration was expected so we saw little by the way of wildlife on the approximately 4km trip to the camp.
Arriving at my first wildlife camp I was surprised to notice the lack of any fencing or gates. Now, I was tolf that we were in the middle of the Serengeti and the Lions are still hungrily awaiting the annual migration and we were going to stay in an open camp??? This turn of events did not help settle my nerves. It got worse when we were given a 'pep' talk by the camp leaders. They told us that wild animals had free rein throughout the camp and that we are not to walk anywhere unless accompanied by minder. We were then shown our tents and they were in the bushes, more than 100m from the main campsite.
I had a beautiful tent but just as my minder and I got to it, a lion spoilt the idyllic scene with an earth-shattering roar and a troop of elephants let out some shrill trumpet notes.
This was it for my nerves!!! I asked my minder how he thought the lion and the elephants were and he nonchalantly replied that they were probably around 200 metres away. My next question, one of necessity was where I could find the closest toilet. It was inside my tent and so was my shower - luxurious was the word. But my stomach at the insistence of my frayed nerves was in no mood to admire my amazing surroundings and I made the toilet just in time.
I spent the afternoon convincing myself that this safari meeting was such a bad idea. I was not so much worried that the lions would break through my secure tent but I was wondering what would be left of it and me if something causes the herd of elephants to stampede right through my tent. Being from the wine country, I have mashed red grapes with my feet and these images, so re-assuring then, took on an ominous hue here in the Serengeti.
Our meeting later that evening, after a lovely dinner, went very well and that took the edge off my nervy state.
I actually slept very well that night. The lions and elephants had the good sense not to break out in further spontaneous raucusness. Not that I would have been able to do anything about it apart from further filling up my bush toilet.
The shower was filled up with hot water by the camp operators and I had a wonderful hot shower in the Kenyan bushveld the next morning.
After a good breakfast, we were taken to see a pride of lions on the fully airconditioned 4x4 that brought us from the aerodrome the previous day. When we reached pride the driver gave us a run-down of his observations i.e. when last did our pride feast on good steaks and he warned us not to clamber off the 4x4. This sincere warning was wasted on me until I saw a scrawny-looking Masai warrior walk all by himself (with just a long stick) about 70 metres from us. When I asked a stupid question about how moi, a strapping not so young man, had to remain cooped up around the lions while skin-and-bones walked about without a care in the world, I was told that 'skin-and-bones' grew up around the lions and knew how to handle himself. I was also reminded that, apart from acts of serious stupidity on my part, the camp staff was responsible for my well-being. Now I was not about to argue further with a gentleman who could leave me right there and walk off with the keys to the 4x4. So from me all he got was: "Asante sana".
Later on in the day we drove around close to the camp, happened upon a Cheetah and her two cubs as well as a herd of elephants. They can be a destructive bunch, those ellies! You should see what the trees close to them look like.scarred beyond recognition at times.
Being that close to the ellies and lions helped to settle my stomach for the day. Later that day we wrapped up our business and was driven to the aerodrome for our trip back to Nairobi. The Kenyans have a sense of humour out there in the outback. The 2m x 2m wood and iron curio shop at the aerodrome was named "Departure Terminal". The same turboprop that brought us to the beautful Masai Mara took flight with us aboard and we made it safely to Nairobi and after some overnighting we made the early morning flight from Jomo Kenyatta International to Johannesburg International.
Great time in Kenya!
Now squash but having been close enough to lions to rub their tummies was a new experience.
Keep safe fellow travellers, its a jungle out there!
To all who needs to go to the Masai Mara - karibu!
Cheers, kwa heri, Asante sana,
One of my best Kenyan trips included a visit to a Masai Mara at the very start of the migration season.
I went with my boss to meet a leader in the Kenyan GIS community at the time to discuss future Africa-Africa data cooperation.The meeting followed a strong indication at AARSE (African Association for Remote Sensing of the Environment) Conference held the previous year in Nairobi. At the time many Africans enrolled for high-level studies (MSc and PhD) in remote sensing but notwithstanding promises could not get up-to-date high resolution remote sending data to service their own communities. This caused these remote sensing professionals untold misery and accusations of worthless studies abounded from within their own local communities.
The success of SUNSAT, an African-built earth observation satellite, provided hope for these remote sensing professionals with a promise of more relevant and up-to-date remote sensing data.
It was a noble mission.
We landed at Jomo Kenyatta International, made our way to Wilson International by taxi and there we met the Kenyan luminary. We checked in for a local flight to the Masai Mara where the meeting was scheduled to take place. We have visited this same gentleman at his place of work outside Nairobi before but he was so busy and our meeting was constantly interrupted, so much so that keeping a single train of thought became impossible. The idea then was to meet far from the "maddening crowd" among the lions and other large animals.
At the time I've not yet flown in a turboprop aircraft but the trip from Wilson International was in such a raucous aircraft. Preflight the pilot explained that we will make two stops before reaching our final destination. Now I was a bit uncomfortable with this shaking mass of metal when we took off at Wilson but imagine my surprise when, in the middle of nowhere, the pilot announced that we will make our first stop. No amount of scouting helped me to pinpoint anything on the ground even remotely resembling an airfield.
The rest of the about 30 passengers were completely unconcerned, so I calmed down and adopted the "when in Rome ... " attitude. The plane screamed downwards into what looked like wild veld to me but he was aiming for a narrow dusty strip that would not even easily qualify as a dirt road where I was from. The pilot however landed the plane perfectly and after some passengers alighted with, what looked to me like undue haste, we took off down this strip in a choking cloud of dust. Everyone else seemed happy, so I put my game-face on as well. This manoeuvre was repeated once more before we got to the Masai-Mara. By this time however my game-face was plastered in place with high quality mortar.
So at the aerodrome near the Masai-Mara camp, we alighted and were picked up by an open safari camp 4x4. All the shaking that accompanied the trip to the camp was an ode to the condition of the early season road and then some. It was still about two to three weeks before the annual migration was expected so we saw little by the way of wildlife on the approximately 4km trip to the camp.
Arriving at my first wildlife camp I was surprised to notice the lack of any fencing or gates. Now, I was tolf that we were in the middle of the Serengeti and the Lions are still hungrily awaiting the annual migration and we were going to stay in an open camp??? This turn of events did not help settle my nerves. It got worse when we were given a 'pep' talk by the camp leaders. They told us that wild animals had free rein throughout the camp and that we are not to walk anywhere unless accompanied by minder. We were then shown our tents and they were in the bushes, more than 100m from the main campsite.
I had a beautiful tent but just as my minder and I got to it, a lion spoilt the idyllic scene with an earth-shattering roar and a troop of elephants let out some shrill trumpet notes.
This was it for my nerves!!! I asked my minder how he thought the lion and the elephants were and he nonchalantly replied that they were probably around 200 metres away. My next question, one of necessity was where I could find the closest toilet. It was inside my tent and so was my shower - luxurious was the word. But my stomach at the insistence of my frayed nerves was in no mood to admire my amazing surroundings and I made the toilet just in time.
I spent the afternoon convincing myself that this safari meeting was such a bad idea. I was not so much worried that the lions would break through my secure tent but I was wondering what would be left of it and me if something causes the herd of elephants to stampede right through my tent. Being from the wine country, I have mashed red grapes with my feet and these images, so re-assuring then, took on an ominous hue here in the Serengeti.
Our meeting later that evening, after a lovely dinner, went very well and that took the edge off my nervy state.
I actually slept very well that night. The lions and elephants had the good sense not to break out in further spontaneous raucusness. Not that I would have been able to do anything about it apart from further filling up my bush toilet.
The shower was filled up with hot water by the camp operators and I had a wonderful hot shower in the Kenyan bushveld the next morning.
After a good breakfast, we were taken to see a pride of lions on the fully airconditioned 4x4 that brought us from the aerodrome the previous day. When we reached pride the driver gave us a run-down of his observations i.e. when last did our pride feast on good steaks and he warned us not to clamber off the 4x4. This sincere warning was wasted on me until I saw a scrawny-looking Masai warrior walk all by himself (with just a long stick) about 70 metres from us. When I asked a stupid question about how moi, a strapping not so young man, had to remain cooped up around the lions while skin-and-bones walked about without a care in the world, I was told that 'skin-and-bones' grew up around the lions and knew how to handle himself. I was also reminded that, apart from acts of serious stupidity on my part, the camp staff was responsible for my well-being. Now I was not about to argue further with a gentleman who could leave me right there and walk off with the keys to the 4x4. So from me all he got was: "Asante sana".
Later on in the day we drove around close to the camp, happened upon a Cheetah and her two cubs as well as a herd of elephants. They can be a destructive bunch, those ellies! You should see what the trees close to them look like.scarred beyond recognition at times.
Being that close to the ellies and lions helped to settle my stomach for the day. Later that day we wrapped up our business and was driven to the aerodrome for our trip back to Nairobi. The Kenyans have a sense of humour out there in the outback. The 2m x 2m wood and iron curio shop at the aerodrome was named "Departure Terminal". The same turboprop that brought us to the beautful Masai Mara took flight with us aboard and we made it safely to Nairobi and after some overnighting we made the early morning flight from Jomo Kenyatta International to Johannesburg International.
Great time in Kenya!
Now squash but having been close enough to lions to rub their tummies was a new experience.
Keep safe fellow travellers, its a jungle out there!
To all who needs to go to the Masai Mara - karibu!
Cheers, kwa heri, Asante sana,
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