The safari vacation lifestyle is amazing. People tell you how great it is and you don't believe them. I'm going to tell you how great it is and I know you won't believe me, because I don't even know how to begin to describe it.
After our 45 min flight from Nairobi we arrived in the Masi Mara and were greeted with drinks and snacks, set up right by the airstrip (a patch of dirt) on a table with a table cloth. We met Wilson, our safari guide while we are at Bateleur, and the couple we are sharing the safari vehicle with. (Amazingly, the woman is starting her MBA at HBS this fall; they are from Romania.) Wilson said we would just do a quick drive before going to the lodge for lunch.
It was unbelievable. There were so many animals and none were afraid of us; it seemed like we were in a theme park and they were put there just for us to see (a la the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which we agree Disney got perfect.) Too many zebra to count, including little ones (maybe in the 50's, all within sight at a time), tons of warthogs (already a favorite), water buck, Thompson's gazelles, buffalo, elephants, amazing birds (this coming from someone who doesn't enjoy bird-watching)....literally everywhere. We could drive into the middle of them and they'd just mosey away. And the trees!! Just like in the Lion King. I find them as amazing as the animals. But the real highlight of the first drive was the cheetah - a much more rare sighting, as well as a mother lion and her cubs on the way home. It started to pour, and Wilson magically pulled out ponchos for us. We zoomed back to the lodge (very bumpy) and were taken to our rooms to freshen up for lunch. At 4 we went back out for another game drive. Highlights this time were a huge family of hyenas, including some very little ones (they start out black then become spotted, and live in holes that aardvarks make), at least 5 giraffe including a few babies, and the lion family sleeping again.
Here are a few pictures I snapped on my iPad on the first safari since I had it with me anyways. It is not the ideal safari picture taking tool, but it's the only way I could share pictures with you before I get home.
Now, I haven't even gotten started on the lodge we are staying at. It is incredible. I have never been anywhere like it. My room is magical. It's a tent, but it's not. The sides are all mesh, with canvas they pull down at night, but it has a stone shower, two beautiful sinks, tons of light and candles, a "gym in a basket" which I am excited to try, and the largest bed I have seen. Oh, with a hot water bottle warming it for me. The front of the room / tent is all mesh and opens onto a deck with two oversized leather chairs and a view of the plains. Tons of zebra were out there when I arrived.
The service is fantastic and the food is even better. Dinner was soup, salad, tilapia and lamb, and this amazing coconut ice cream and almond macaroon sandwich. You can tell which course I liked best :) our table was covered in rose petals. It was so romantic we almost held hands. That's enough from me for now. Here are some pictures of our digs for the next few days. I better get to sleep; my Masai warrior is waking me up at 6am with tea and hot milk. I might never come home.
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