Elephants Safari
June 29, 2018

Day 1 in Meru National Park

Patricia Awori
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!
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Safari
September 26, 2017

Day 9 ..Chris Gordon & Friends Expedition …Day 4 in Maasai Mara …Part 1 early morning Game drive

Patricia Awori

This morning dawned without the customary fanfare of a sunrise and we headed out at 0630 to see what we could find….in no time we found the 5 Cheetah brothers and we decided to stay with them and see whether they would have some success in finding food and surely we were not disappointed…..after a few half hearted attempts …a larger heard of wildebeest came running their way….ahhh just the chance they were waiting for and they began running towards them. In the ensuing melee when the wildebeest spotted the cheetah one of them was grabbed and quickly subdued and all the brothers got down on their haunches to tuck into their feast of wildebeest ! We were so happy that they were successful and that they have a chance at survival ..we left them enjoying their meal .Driving around the river produced elephants enjoying their own feast of leaves, small plants and assorted veg. All the antelope and gazelles mixed freely with one another enjoying grazing on the lovely green grass. What a beautiful morning …

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Safari
September 26, 2017

Day 8 of the Chris Gordon & friends Expedition – Day 3 in the Maasai Mara

Patricia Awori
What a glorious day we have had had and how appropriate that it was a Sunday where we could not only reflect upon but gaze and be amazed by all the wonders of the natural world that abound this amazing ecosystem !! Chris & Kathy woke up at 0430 to go to do Hot Air Ballooning for the first time and they absolutely enjoyed…these days Balloons Pilots at least with this company are Kenyans!! Theresa and I had an early breakfast and then we headed out across the plains to meet Chris and Kathy and head out to see what we could find. We decided to go to Lookout Hill and see if there was any of the migration crossing and indeed some Zebra had gathered together at the river bank so we thought we would try our luck…what a scene unfolded for us….a few Zebra crossed and one of them was grabbed by the leg by a crocodile…he struggled for a while but the crocodile remoreslesly dragged him down until he was completely submerged and drowned…that crocodile was over 20 feet long …we were torn between hoping the zebra would escape the jaws of the crocodile and understanding and accepting nature to take its course but the whole drama that unfolded was quite a spectacle!! After the Mara River which has been so drastically reduced in depth as to be barely recognizable…we headed across the plain make our way slowly back to camp when looo and behold a male leopard up a tree …he was  very full and seemed to be also uncomfortably hot …he kept adjusting his position and panting all the while!! In the afternoon we came upon the 5 brothers …a group of Cheetah who have remained together since they were very small and it is too good to see that they have survived and hopefully will contribute meaningfully to the survival of Cheetah!!
It was a day for cats and particularly spotted cats and the suddenness of life and death on the Mara Plains…and even with this so many Topi about to give birth!!!
Another special day in paradise
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Safari
September 23, 2017

Day 7 of Chris Gordon & friends Expedition, Day 2 Maasai Mara Early morning Game Drive

Patricia Awori

After an early morning wake up call and a hot beverage…it was time to shower dress and head out to see what we could find!! A most spectacular sunrise awaited us and from then onwards it became more and more magical….Migrating Wildebeest fell into formation and began running across the plains…elsewhere the cats were active this morning!! A pride of lions had feasted in the course of the night and so were leaving the carcass to find some shade , nice to see them looking healthy! A short distance away we found a lioness with very small cubs….Elephant mums were supervising calves eating and eventually we found the cheetah sisters who seemed content to conserve their energy dozing on and off in the shade of the Acacia!! A magical morning

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Safari
September 23, 2017

Day 6 – Chris Gordon & friends Expedition – Day 2 afternoon in the Maasai Mara

Patricia Awori
This afternoon we did Yoga led by Chris on her verandah and after feeling invigorated we headed out on a game drive to see what we could see!! This afternoon we went in a slightly different area and WOW leopard had been spotted. A young male leopard sitting in the middle of a croton bush making it very difficult to see him well and photograph him and i am sure he knew this. This was our first encounter with very many vehicle and i must say it wasn’t pleasant!! We have to go the extra mile and ensure that training of driver guides and certification and national registration happens so that we avoid the scenario of harassing wildlife!! After a while we spotted the young males mother who came back in search of her son. It was wonderful to see her and she posed beautifully before heading into the bush!!! More searching produced 2 beautiful big Males. 
What an extraordinary day it has been …lovely weather and incredible vistas and good game sightings!!! Cant wait for tomorrow!!!
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Safari
September 23, 2017

Day 5 of the Gordon & friends Expedition and Day 3 at Satao Camp in Tsavo East “The Theatre in the Wild”

Patricia Awori

Our third day in the Majestic Tsavo East dawned a little more brightly than the previous ones had and we began to have hope that we might be a little less wet than the previous couple of days. And that proved to be the case , after a short squall….and strong strong winds …the normal weather in Tsavo was restored again and we had a lovely game drive seeing the Dika plains and remains of a couple of elephants who were unable to withstand the drought…..the elephants that we did see looked thin but find food. family groups have split into smaller groups and are wandering further away each trying to find food and the new shoots that the rain brought were enjoyed by all the animals…unique animals were on display…the rare Hirola , Steinbok to name but a few. It was a lovely morning in this Theatre in the Wild and we capped it off with a lunch and briefing about Tsavo Trust and its varied work by Richard Moller!!! After lunch the ladies busied themselves with Massages by the amazing Doris , Yoga and brisk Walking!!! Our first real sunset and boy was it spectacular!  It has been a very nice stay at Satao Camp but time to pack up and prepare for our journey back to Nairobi and on to the Mara

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