Greg's Journal in Kenya

Day 1
Sept. 21st/05

I finally arrived at the Nairobi Airport after my long 24 hr. flight and stayed at the Stanley Hotel over night. A well known hotel where famous travelers have stayed including Ernest Hemingway, who also went on Safari.

Day 2
Sept.22rd/05

In the morning I headed out to Samburu to Sarova Shaba Lodge with my guide, Albert. Got a few nice shots of animals along the way, but when we got there, the lodge as full! Can you believe I had to sleep on a mattress on a concrete floor till the next day when a room became available! However it offers a unique luxury seldom found in a large African Bush lodge, and my room when finally available, was very comfortable with many conveniences. There is evening entertainment and delicious meals. There is a river running by the Lodge full of Crocodiles. Didn't get any photos, but who wants pictures of crocs!

Day 3
Sept.23rd/05

Got up very early before the heat of the day finally settled in.. and headed out looking for Leopards

and white Rhino. Saw some waterbucks and got a few nice shots. Then followed a family of elephants to Buffalo Springs. I watched them eating and caring for there babies under an Acacia tree I saw some Giraffes running that were alerted by lions. Got some nice shots of Impalas, Giraffes, and Besai Onyx all running from the lions.

I saw some Gerenuk antelope with the long necks, eating from a tree, as pictured to the right. I met this Samburu warrior, 19 years of age. He had 3 wives! Ages 16, 15, and 12. The oldest wife had one child, a 2 year old boy. The 15 year old was pregnant and he has just married the 12 year old. They were all bought and paid for with a dowery of cows.

Day 4
Sept.24th/05

Spent a full day in the Shaba/Samburu game reserve. Stayed over night in the Sarovo Shaba Lodge again. Beautiful comfortable Lodge! Up early today and went looking for Leopards in the heavily wooded High Plains area of Samburu. was taking photos of Impalas, and Gazelles, when Albert ( my guide) got a call around 9:30 A.M.. Was told they found a Leopard around the Ewaso River.

He drove like a crazy man and we got there around 10:00 A.M. There were all kinds of animals feeding. Elephants Impala, Gazelles.. I saw a Leopard was sleeping in an Acacia tree, hanging on a limb with a fresh kill of a gazelle.. A family of elephants was right underneath, a Mom and her 2 babies, unaware of the sleeping leopard. Then I noticed a herd of Impalas in the background. Then the leopard woke up and came down out of the tree and walked right past the mini van I was in! Got some great photos!

Day 5
Sept. 25th//05

Got up early, at 6:00 A.M. Met albert at the Van at 6:30 and drove to Nyahururu falls to Lake Nakuru and to the Rift Valley. We drove up over the Kenya mountains. It took about 8.5 hrs. and we arrived about 2:30Pm. We went on a drive around the Lake, that was part of the game drive. Lake Nakuru is very famous for it's millions of flamingo. The first thing I saw was a Lake with a solid Pink edge all around it. That was millions of flamingos. Then I encountered a herd of 2 or 3 dozen Water Buffalo! Got some excellent shots.

Then we found a small family of White rhino. The male was massive! Possibly 1 or 2 tons! However big rhinos get! He was probably one of the largest! The female had 2 babies and I watched them nurse and, of course, took some great shots.

Albert drove me into a woodland area that came out on a Lake. We saw some other Safari vehicles backed up and dust flying. There were 4 male rhinos, 2 teenagers, and 2 huge male adults. All were sparing and running back and forth and fighting. It was a show! The smaller rhino would poke the large males and run away getting them to run after them. There was such a commotion the drivers got worried and backed up their vehicles. We all watched the show for half hour to 40 mins. It was fantastic! Utterly spectacular!

After they ran off to the lake. Then we headed back to the Lodge and encountered another huge white rhino on the side of the road. He was so close to me, and trying to cross the road, but we couldn't get out of the way. So Albert quickly backed up and let him cross right in front.! It started raining really hard, but we were heading back to Lodge anyway.

Day 6 Sept.26th/05

We left the hotel around 7:15 this morning and took a morning drive around Lake Nacuru and I took some beautiful pictures of Lake. We found a family of Rhino and I took a series of pictures. The father and baby were playing- pretending to, the father was pretending he was charging. and they were running and butting heads. I'm going to write a poem called "Father and Son" after we left and drove away above the lake, up high on the Bluffs. we were about 2000 ft. above Lake Narcuru.

Then we began our drive on the long winding road from Naruru to the Mara river. The roads were so bad, full of pot holes! The kids call the roads "free dancing". We arrived at the Kichwa Tembo Camp were we had stayed overnight.

Day 7
Sept 27th/.05

Not feeling too good today. Stomach has been upset. I drank a bottle of Coke without a straw. You have to be so careful... Will add some more details of the day a little later. Got some great shots ....

I went out early - looking for the "Wildebeest Crossing" Didn't see any. However I did get some photos of 2 male lions, sleeping on top of a big hill. They woke up when the Van pulled up near by. I was about 8-10 yards away from them. They changed positions quite a bit and I got some interesting photos.

Then after headed out to see the wildebeest migration. 100's of 1000's stampeding by! It was awesome!

Wildebeest and Zebras(they travel together) as far as I could see, migrating South. I'm listening to a Zebra bark right now! Then drove down to the Mara River. Saw a big group of Hippos lounging on the river bank. All lying together. They were enormous creatures!

I saw lots of giraffe, but missed the major crossing because I was up in the Highlands.

The sky is beautiful at night. The milky way is like you can reach out and touch it. The stars literally just twinkle so brightly! There is no artificial light anywhere!

Day 8 Sept.28th/05

Went on a morning game drive on the way to Mara Savova Camp. The tented lodge is in the eastern section of the Masai Mara and hidden in a wonderful little forested valley. Quite luxurious and has everything you would expect from a bush lodge and then some. Bird life is abundant. King Fishers are the specialty around here. Got some shots of some lions- We waited byt the Mara river for a crossing. It ddn't happen. Alot of Wiledbeest gathered at one spot, a couple of younger Wildebeest crossed earlier but the Zebras wouldn't cross due to Crocs in the river there. When the Zebra's don't go, nobody goes. Later we crossed the bridge over the Mara river-its a high bridge, a very rocky rapids area where the dead get caught up as they wash down the river. It's full of storks, vultures and other s who prey on the dead. The smell was so overwhelming it made me feel sick to my stomach. We then ventured to the Mara Sova camp.

Day 9 Sept.29th/05

Day 10 Sept.30th/05

Day 11 Oct.1st /05

Day 12 Oct.2nd/05