Day 1 in Meru National Park
Our morning started before the sun rose this morning as we prepared to tackle traffic to Wilson Airport . Happily we were able to reach Air Kenya in plenty of time and it was reaaaaally busy..it seems tourism has started early in the season and there were also many runners who were flying to Lewa in preparation for the Marathon that takes place there on Saturday!! Our flight was called and we were travelling on a Twin Otter de Havilland…a plane that is built for short landing and take off…In no time we were soaring upwards over Nairobi National Park where a lion looked up at us passing over him and some Giraffes wandered away….The Metropolis of Nairobi lay below us and until you fly over it you dont appreciate how big it has become !! Our flight took us East of the Mountain where dams looked to be full and greenery slowly starting to dry after the long rains….50 minutes later and we were landing in Meru National Park that was a good 10 degrees warmer than Nairobi…first time in a while that there was no need for a sweater…! Ahhh the joy to be in a National Park …the sounds of the birds happily singing …George received us warmly and directed us to his Landcruiser …our transport for the next 4 days!!!
Elsa’s Kopje is indeed that, a massive outcropping of granite on which this camp is built so there is a fair bit of climbing to be done to access rooms, restaurants and then back down again to go out on game drives but the joy of looking out over the plains and watching the hyrax running after each other on the lawns
As it happened i was give Room No 1 …the honeymoon suite…someone’s sense of humour ….!!!! Okay off we went to find it…and we climbed and we climbed and we climbed…puffing , sweating…knees nearly giving way we finally reached it…and the view from it was breathtaking …but was i going to be going up and down 3/4 times a day for the next 4 days…….I dont think my knees could handle it….happily no 2 which was one flight of stairs below was available and so i am comfortable ensconced in that one!!
Wonderful evening game viewing brought us elephants and buffalo…oh joy …a magical sunset and then the moon rose…as we enjoyed dinner on the terrace. We have retired to bed tired but happy with a lovely warm day in Meru!
