“One’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things”
The magic of Africa has always excited me and this coupled with our get together was something I could not afford to miss.
The tiredness of a long journey vanished at Windsor on seeing our friends some of them after close to a decade. At Windsor castle meeting room curtains were drawn, plans were revealed and the show started.
The first group dinner at the Windsor castle bushes had its share of surprises. The exotic show of traditional African dance blended with acrobatics gave the tour an electrifying start.
Our traffic planner Ramesh ensured that we share our trip with different groups everyday, a great effort to mingle and mix with many. Our first leader was Suresh Stephen and family, my old school mate. The travel to OI-Pajeta was spent singing old songs and sharing old memories.
At OI-Pajeta entrance one could first feel the presence of the wild .A small marshy pond surrounded by some exotic birds & deers presented a beautiful sight.
OI-Pajeta Chimpanzee sanctuary provided Chimpanzees a safe haven freed from bush meat and pet trade. The game drive which followed turned out to be a thriller of all sorts .The ethnic Zebra was spotted and also a lonely Lioness and a variety of antelopes. Way back we visited Baraka the blind rhinoceros who became everyone’s favourite. Night was spent at tented camps with only a ZIP separating us from the wild
We were led on the second day by Pradeep and Ambika and with Ashok and Shalini for company. With Pradeep music soon became a hot topic of discussion and with Ashokan chipping in with some stock market updates we soon found ourselves in the middle of the earth “Nanyuki’s Equator point”. The water demonstration there looked to me as a clever gag. It is actually “Coriolis Effect” Ambika later clarified.
At Naivasa’s Sopa Lodge the receptionist warned us of the dangers of going out alone at night as it is a Hippo territory. For the first time the picture of a Hippo transformed in my mind from a quiet and harmless animal to a wild and ferocious one.
Naivasa Lake’s blue water looked harmless and the protruding trees in between reminded me of Thekkady. It is also a great place for bird watchers. While we joined others for a boat ride a pair of white eagles gave Ariel cover to us from time to time. A flock of pelican’s sailed with us. The trees on the side’s were colonised by Cormorants, herons and other birds. Time and again brown heads of Hippos popped up at a distance and blinked at us. As we continued our boat journey, a hippo’s head emerged from the water close to our boat. Pradeep raised an alarm and we rushed away from the perceived danger. It was a close call for all of us
The abundance of wild life around Sopa Lodge was a spectacular sight. We got down from our vehicles and walked to the hotel to see them. The tall trees on both sides provided ample food for the Giraffes and a whole family of them were busy feasting on them. Inside the hotel compound herds of Zebras and antelopes calmly grazed in the lush green lawns.
“Past Present and Future” was discussed at length by the group that evening. AnilRaj enthralled the audience with his witty notes on the past. Josy’s speech touched our hearts. On the way back to our rooms we could see Hippos grazing nearby with their brown bodies looking grey in the dim light.
I was awakened next morning by a conversation in the adjacent room. Capt Fazal was already up and was planning for the day ahead. Behind all the smooth arrangements was a man who worked hard and led from the front.
We finished our customary photo sessions and soon touched the roads on our journey towards MASAI MARA the mother of all reserves in Kenya. Our leaders today were Col Rajasekharan and Preeta. Satish and Anjana were the other members. After 5 hours of bumpy and dusty ride we reached Masai Mara.
A colorful bunch of Masai natives greeted us with their traditional dance and song. At our hotel in Acacia a Masai man with his beaded stick escorted us at all times.
After a brief ride to Masai village we continued our discussions on the “Past Present and Future”. Very soon Future took over from Past and present. Children with their bold and candid views impressed me a lot.
The huge gate of Masai Mara welcomed us the next day Morning. Small groups of Masai Ladies stood at the entrance selling Bangles and bracelets It was an ideal venue for a group photo. Appu seemed to have read our minds and was ready with his Camera.
Inside the gate was a vast grass land that stretched on as far as the eyes could see. Circles of trees, shrubs and cloud shadows made Masai Mara a unique sight. Groups of Zebra’s the beautiful Thompson Gazelle and Impala’s stood on the sides grazing. These unsung beauties of the bush and the grass lands are normally ignored by the tourists who aim for the big five.
Today we were part of the group led by Saji and Salin and Josy and Tina. Our drivers were in top form, in continuous conversation with each other, Saji encouraged them with his knowledge of Swahili. Not very far we came across a pair of Ostrich and cape buffaloes. A lonely Giraffe treaded its way crossing us.Still the Chettah remained elusive. A sleek agile body emerged from the bush with a lushly spotted coat. She stops, looks around as if to decide the best route and slowly walked towards us. Just a few meters away from our vehicle she changes her route and walks towards a nearby scrub. My first sight of a Cheetah will remain in my memory for ever.
It was almost an hour since we had entered Masai Mara and there was no sign of the famous Wild beast. Have we entered the wrong side of Masai Mara? my thoughts wandered. I was brought back by a rumbling sound and suddenly we found ourselves in the middle of countless wild beasts. Confusion and panic prevailed among them and our entry made matters worse. Scores of them were running helter-skelter, spreading like tiny black dots across the vast plain. Our drivers skillfully maneuvered among them without getting hit. This would be a Sadya for the Lions and Cheetah’s Tina commented
Another bumpy ride took us to the banks of the Mara river. The river which would be the scene for epic migrations of wildebeests and Zebras some days later. A group of Hippos lay in the banks like black rocks and a few crocodiles lay in wait for the hapless migrants. The narrow path leading to the river was a certain death trap where hundreds of wilde beests perish in the stampede that follows during migration the guide remarked . It reminded me of the narrow stair cases of the Mumbai suburban stations.
Our Lunch at the Kenyan-Tanzanian border under a tree brought memories of our childhood excursions from school. Ashok and others were busy packing unwanted food to be given to the hungry have-nots later.
On our journey back we saw a group of African Elephants and a lone tusker. The five Cheetah brothers under the tree was an awesome sight. They seemed to be least bothered about the attention they were receiving from our big group . We could also see wildebeests lining up for the migration of the season.
Campfire was a blessing in the nipping cold of Masai Mara. A big cake was cut in memory of this wonderful trip.
The next day early morning drive was intended to see hunting by the wild but we narrowly missed it. However we soon came across a group of vultures extracting the last pound of flesh from the carcass of a wildebeest. A little further away we came across a pride of lions resting after a meal. By now it was time to say Good bye to the Legendry MASAI MARA.
We had a brief stopover at The Rift valley. The sight of the deep valley was a refreshing change as compared to the grasslands which we were seeing for the last few days.
We reached Nairobi the same day evening. The evening was cold and we all were tired. It was also time to separate from our land-cruiser and our drivers. For the last 5 days they were an integral part of our lives with their total commitment and help.
The musical night later in the evening had the participation of many. Beginning with a kavitha from ACK we ended up showcasing the talents of many youngsters. Harsha’s Hindi song , Ann’s Tamil song and Shanti’s English song were the pick of the day.
Any trip to Kenya is incomplete without visiting the unique sight seeing spots of Nairobi. Nairobi is a city of contrasts. Poverty is a common undercurrent but it does not define the place. Security threats are common but groups of people still occupy the busy Nairobi streets.
At David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Elephant calves orphaned due to poaching are brought from all over Kenya. They receive specialised treatment here and are finally reintroduced into the wild . It is a great experience to see them coming and getting fed through big milk bottles by their surrogate mothers, the dedicated staff of the orphanage.
The Giraffe Centre was home to many Giraffes . The main attraction being feeding the Giraffes from a raised platform.
Interestingly we started our Kenyan tour with a dance programme and ended also with one. At Bomas Cultural centre we were feasted with a scintillating tribal dance in a large cultural auditorium. When the moments of applause and salutations died, I realised sadly that the tour had ended.
Farewell gathering that evening saw all of us happy and in good spirits. Many echoed common views of the success of this perfectly planned and executed tour .Satguru our travel operator expressed their thanks and gifted us with some momentos. They were wonderful.Fazal, Ninan, Jayashree, JP all stood with their heads held high. The finale was a dance performance which the entire group joined in unison.
More than anything, this tour could bring out the child in all of us. This did break the remaining mental barriers and we could all enjoy together. I had been telling people I am back but one never really returns from a trip like this.
Nostalgia EE 84 