Buzzing Around The World With Fellette & Doug

Part 1: Three days in Kenya...

Part one of a three part series.

Your restful days are over, we are back!

The ship arrived in Mombasa at 8 AM Saturday. On the dock were about 30 Safari Drivers all in their khaki uniforms and safari hats, all lined up and clapping in unison and waving. It was a nice way to land in Kenya. Jim and I walked off shortly after and booked a three day safari from an independent operator on the dockfront, just like that! The girls had "sort of packed" in the event that we were able to arrange such an adventure. We had been thinking about it for some weeks.

By 10:00 we were being packed into our van and getting to know Dickson, our trusted guide. [Does this sound familiar?] We were somewhat sceptical to tell you the truth, because we knew what the price being charged for the ship's safaris were. We ended up with a driver that spoke exceptionally good English, four of us in an eight seater van, two nights accommodation in two different lodges, full board, admission to the National Parks, a city tour of Mombasa and four game drives. The cost was $385 U$ each. The ships cost was $999 for one night at Taita Hills, $1599 for one night at Amboseli, and $1899 for one night at the Mara, by air. There is an old saying, if things seem too good to be true, they usually are. We kept this in our minds as we trundled out of Mombasa and headed for Tsavo East, 110 k's to the west. Unknown to us at the time, our driver had come to the pier on speculation, hoping to pick up maybe a load of people wanting to take a half day tour of Mombasa. Little did he know that that night he would be in a lodge in the bush. He actually left on a three day trip without any change of clothing; he bought a toothbrush on his first night out!

Jim and I thought that we should not pay the entire amount just in case this turned out to be a scam. We had given the man on the dock $500 each, saying that we would have to get the rest from an ATM. We had the money but didn't want to give it all in case things started to go wrong. When our driver said that he needed the money for gas and entrance fees etc., we then found out that only Kenya shillings came out of a Kenyan ATM, Dah! So we had to cough up the rest of the money, using the lame excuse that the ladies had to surrender their "mad money", it was flimsy but the best we could come up with. After the tank was filled off we went. Our driver met a friend in town, gave him a handfull of money and said, "tell my wife I love her." We now began to realise his situation, he was not going to miss the opportunity of having three days work just because he didn't expect this trip.

The route out of Mombasa is absolutely disgusting, the smell of burning garbage and charcoal fires gives this part of Africa its own distinct smell. After half and hour of driving that can only be described as nerve-wracking, during which we learned where the seat belts were, we were out in the countryside again. So-far so good. The highway soon deteriorated to a jumble of broken blacktop, interspersed with giant potholes. I should have known when I saw the two spare tires and a section of leaf-spring in the luggage area. Dickson had warned us of fifty kilometres of bad road. The 110 k's would take one hour at home, but it took us three. That included a stop for a drink and a bit of Africana at a gift shop.

We passed through numerous Police Check points with spike tracks on the road. This is to stop thiefs and others from rapidly leaving an area, this is normal throughout Kenya. Vehicles with tourists in them are not required to stop, it just made the ride interesting.

We arrived at The VOI Mountain Lodge around 1.30, where we were met with cold drinks, a chilled wash cloth and a smiling face,

as we registered. Next off to the dining room for an ample buffet lunch and of course large cold drinks, staff then took our bags to our rooms, which were simple but clean. They overlooked the National Park of Tsavo East, just under 10,000 square miles of preserved African wilderness. We were told that we would go on a game drive at 3.30. By this time I, and I think everybody else knew that this was the real thing, no scam, no cheapo short cut safari. We killed the time with a cooling swim in a pristine pool full of young Europeans.

At 3.30 we took off on a three hour game drive during which we saw what seemed to be an endless parade of animals and birds.

Some of you may know that we have been to Africa many times. We have never counted the number of actual "game drives" that we have been on but after this three hour National Geographic Special we did. We figured well over 100 ventures out in search of game. This was amongst the top 10! Our driver was very knowledgeable, he has been a Safari driver for 15 years, and we were in good hands indeed. During the three hours we saw 29 species of game and birds. We never drove for more than five to ten minutes before we met something to stop and observe.

We 'ood and awed endlessly. Jim and Gail have also been to Africa and Kenya before, so we all have The African Affliction, and we love it. It was like a dream, only 12 hours before we were in the lap of luxury and now out in the great African plains and all it has to offer. Every single minute is an adventure.

When we arrived back at the camp, the first stop was to the bar, overlooking the waterhole

we sat and looked at each other as if we were in a dream. The words "I can't believe we are doing this" was uttered several times as well as thanks. Fellette and I deliberately did not book any Safaris through the ship because I did not want to taint our memories of wonderful times in the bush with son, sister and grandkids. The ship tours are with vast numbers of passengers and we did not want to have a time in the bush that was merely an extension of the cruise.

After pre-dinner drinks we went to the room and cleaned up for dinner. The odd bug started to be visible in the room, the first I saw was crawling on the mosquito net. I squished it thinking that is the end of that. Soon another, and another and then hundreds of his friends. Not mosquitos, but a crawly kind of ant thing with tiny wings. We finally ignored them and washed and cleaned up. When we went to dinner I mentioned to the desk and they said that when we are at dinner the rooms will be sprayed. OK. Lovely dinner, we shared the large open air dining room with Italians, Germans and French. We were about the oldest in the room. A nice change. Soon a walk out to the observation deck overlooking the illuminated waterhole is in order. That is when Jim discovered the 30th species of the day, a very, very large tarantula creeping across the outside deck. We were shortly on the observation deck where there was not much to be seen but the sounds were beautiful. Frogs starting their melodious courting calls, and other night sounds.

Back at the room, no bugs to speak of, however there were a few holes in the mosquito net over our bed. However they were small enough to make entry by a small sparrow somewhat awkward. I figured out how to get the fan going fast enough to deter mosquitoes but slow enough that the motor noise did not impair our hearing. The heat was almost unbearable. Do you remember when you were a kid and went to bed after a bath without drying thoroughly? That was it, times 10! I wanted to keep covered because of Malaria mosquitos, [we were not taking medicine], but that made me hotter. Soon weariness took over and I fell asleep.

We were awakened at 5.30 for the early morning game drive, we ignored the three new species of bugs that had taken up residence with us during the night as we got dressed. The small ones and the crawly ones on the floor we could ignore but the large flying ones that appeared to be flying with learners licences interfered with our comfort level. Soon, at the lodge for coffee where our driver, who slept in a nearby village was waiting. After coffee, off we went.

The park entrance is about 1/2 kilometre from the lodge.

We were soon driving up to higher levels, I think the driver was looking for leopard, amongst the most elusive of the large animals. No luck, and it looked like what is usually the best drive of the day was going to be a bust. We did see small groups of common antelope and other interesting sights but not anything really great. We stopped to survey the distant horizon that was before us, four pairs of binoculars trained for anything unusual. I spotted off to the right about two miles away a sight I have never seen before. A large herd of cape buffalo were coming out of the bush, into the savannah, heading for a waterhole at the foot of a mini-mountain.

Soon we all saw it. It was spine tingling, one lone bull was leading this herd of over 600 buffalo to water. They looked like fleas on a dogs belly. Slowly, seemingly endlessly, no rushing or jostling for position, like a moving army that was unstoppable.

Our driver said he would get us a better view. Off we went, the chase was on, forget the breakfast, we can eat later. Soon we were at the lodge on the mountain. We off-loaded and before us was this massive herd, now at the water hole.

The sound of splashing and mooing filled the air as went down about 100 stairs to the "underground pit" that is constructed for very close viewing of the water hole with only bars between you and the animals outside. There were only two other people there, the rest were out on game drives! We stayed there for 15-20 minutes witnessing the jostling and splashing as they each got their fill of water. At one time F. counted 30 buffalo in the water, plus others lapping at the side. It was magnificent, amongst the most exciting thing we have had the privilege of witnessing.

Back to the lodge for a full English breakfast then to get our bags from the rooms where the carnage in the cabin was accelerating as the little bugs were consuming the big bugs that had crash-landed during their early morning training flights. Goodbye VOI Wildlife Lodge. I believe the bug thing was a phenomena caused by the very recent rain after long drought conditions. We have seen this before. We then loaded into the van and headed out to Shimba Hills, near the coast, south of Mombasa. To do this we had a three hour game drive through the park to the main road. That is tomorrow's story.

End of Part one of Three days in Kenya.

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 7:24 PM