So we had our first break in December, Eid Al Adha. So the government gave everyone (in education) a week off. We wanted to go to Thailand for a golf vacation that was very well planned. It would have been a great trip except for the fact that the local people did not like the local government and occupied the airport so that we could not fly in. It was not great but hey we made due. 2 days before we were supposed to go to Thailand we had to make very quick changes to our plans and decided on Kenya, well really it was the only flight still available at a reasonable rate with a golf destination. Most people do not equate golf with Kenya but it is great. Anyway we got to Kenya on the Wednesday night and chilled out still not really understanding that we are in fact in Nairobi and were going to golf the first course the next morning. After a few Tuskers that night (the local grog in Kenya (60% of which is owned by a company in the US)) we went to bed and got up to golf with caddies. They were great, they knew the course like the back of their hands. David, my caddie had been carrying the bag for 20 years. I did not lose a ball all day and I did make every effort to make David’s job fairly tough.
Side note: Missionaries went into Kenya a few years back in order to save them all from themselves so now all Kenyans, well most anyway have a Christian name as well as their Swahili name that they go by. It was strange at first to have all the people we meet have North American names. Especially after we found out that most pick their Christian name well into their teens in order to fit in. Who says that the long arm of Christianity is dead. It is alive and kicking in Africa let me tell you.
The round of golf was great, had a ball Played way better after a few Tuskers at lunch and a sandwich, first round of golf was 50 front 9 and a 37 back....87 all said and done...not too bad I thought.
The next day we got into our Van and started to Head to Masi Mara Safari game camp. It was 6 hours of bumpy dust covered roads that was not expected. we did stop on the way at the Great Rift. We were told that is is sinking 1/2 and inch every 100 years and that it would eventually fall away and Kenya would be separated into 2 countries. We would not see this in our lifetimes though, or even our children's children lifetimes... it was a good stop to make along the way anyway, of course there were some things to buy at the stand as well too. I did indulge a purchase of some art, it is very cool and I am sure I paid way too much for it.
We got to Masi Mara and settled into our lodge, it was great and had electricity from 5am to 10am and from 4pm to 11pm only so if you needed light you would have to use a flashlight or sort out something else. We had our first game drive that yielded Elephants, Gazelles, Antalope, Lions and a Leopard (which after seeing this our Guide (John) stated the he would guarantee the big 5). It was very surreal experience, the animals were not too bothered by our presence and allowed us to take as many pictures as we needed to.
We got back to the camp that night and had a great meal and a few Tuskers...you may notice a trend here in my stories. It was fairly early to bed and up for a full day Safari to even cross into Tanzania, now I have been told that most people do not pronounce this courtry proerly, it is pronounced Tanzaanya not Tanzaneeia. It took a while to sort that out in my mind to tell the truth. The day was great, we saw over 120 Elephants, 50+ Hippos, at least 25 Lions and thousands of Zebra. with a few naps thrown in as we drove it was a great time to be had.
We got home that night and some great food again and a few (you guessed it...) Tuskers it was off to bed to get up and head to Lake Nakuru, it was a good 4-5 hour drive there as well over some of the worst roads but most amazing landscape that I have ever seen. We went over a mountain that was over 3000 M tall, I even got a head ache untill we started to come down from the elevation, it was very very beautiful.
The Baboons attacked us, well the van anyway as soon as we got to the park at Nakuru, there were hundreds of the things, I got some great shots and they were happy to show off themseleves in many of the photos....if ya know what I mean. We saw Water Buffalo and both the White and Black Rhinos. We were told that the Black Rhino was quite ellusive so we got lucky to see 7 of them in the park. The Heinia were all over the place too, they would harrass the Buffalo but they were not strong enough to attack one so the Buffalo were left alone for the most part. We went upto a look out called Baboon cliff and you guessed it there were tons of Baboons that you could walk amongst and take pictures of. They were fairly tame until a person brought out some food then they went a bit crazy where the guides had to shoo a few away fairly aggressivley so they would leave the tourists alone.
We made it back to the lodge and chilled out for the night, this was a great lodge too as it was on the side of a mountain so at dusk and early am we could see the sun set and come up over the lake. It was very stunning to see all of the life teaming everywhere. We did an early morning Safari that was way colder then I had expected so I sat down most of the trip and shivered, I do know as I write this that it is -20+ in Canada so I know I will not get much simpathy from family or friends.
We checked out that morning and went to another lodge at a Guyeser lake that is very warm to the touch and at the Guyeser we were unable to put our hands in the water it was so hot. many people boil eggs and corn in these waters to say they have done it.
the next day we left for the Great Rift Golf Club where we decided to stay 2 nights and play 2 rounds of golf there. (I did forget to mention that the USA team did win the first and second match but Canada came back to tie the games 2-2 with the scramble and stableford scoring.) The lodge was great, they course was really nice, my Caddie had carried the bag 4 times before and had no idea of the golf course so it was nice to have someone carry the clubs she was little to no use to me. She did laugh at most of my jokes so it was not all bad...
We played 2 rounds and then came back to Nairobi where we stayed the night and then golfed a the Windsor golf and country club, this is a very posh place, great course but I would say one of the hardest courses I have played. very tight fairways and lots of old trees on the course. Not for the golfer who spends more time in the trees then the fairway. It was a very nice place that was built in the 20-30s, it was very nice. lots of great pictures taken as well.
you can see my pictures on picassa, I will leave the link again for this.
It was a trip I will not forget, amazing animals and something I would be happy to go back and see, not soon but definatly if I got a chance to do it again I would take it.
C
http://picasaweb.google.com/cehegge
here is the link...
