Here are some photos/highlights from my trip:
A safari van has a detachable roof so that you can stick your head out to take pictures.
A herd of African elephants
Maasai giraffes
Lions!
Zebras, my least favorite. They do nothing but eat all day long, their heads bowed low in the mud, perpetually stuffing their faces with grass.
Impalas. According to our driver Jimmy, each male impala can have up to 30 wives! Can you spot the male impala in the picture (it's the one with horns)? What a player.
In the distance, miniature wildebeests dot the savannah landscape. Our visit coincided with the annual wildebeest migration, so these somewhat plain-looking creatures, which gallop with an awkward strut, were everywhere.
Sausage(fest) tree. I later learnt from a Maasai that the “sausages” are fermented with honey and water to make beer. Interesting.
Sunset over the Mara. Gorgeous.
Sunrise over the Mara.
The ride, I must say, was extremely uncomfortable for one susceptible to spells of motion sickness. All day long our vehicle staggered across a rocky, sandy terrain, swaying left and right to dodge the countless potholes. The ride was so bumpy, I could feel my organs shifting inside my body after a while. Dust mercilessly stung my eyes. We (five of us volunteers) were cooped up in the van all day long, the tedium relieved only by the occasional animal sightings.
Our tents. Complete with hot showers, beds, and a toilet.
We also visited a Maasai village on our second day in the late afternoon.
Greeted with a traditional Maasai dance upon arrival. Male visitors were invited to dance along.
Traditional Maasai housing is constructed mostly out of cow dung, with a thatched roof.
The interior. Pitch black and suffocatingly smoky.
Making fire by friction.
The Maasais drink cow blood for breakfast. The animal is not killed; its vein is pierced with an arrow at close range, and when enough blood has been collected, the wound is sealed and the cow remains alive.
The Maasai in this picture offered us a sip of the sickly-looking red liquid, at which point we hastily backed off.
Maasai women display their colorful crafts at the Maasai Market
The highlight of my visit was probably buying a lion’s tooth necklace (at a very good price) off a Maasai gentleman. He claimed the canine came from a lion he killed years ago while undergoing his rite of passage as a young Maasai warrior.
An elusive purchase, my favorite thus far in Kenya.
P.S. Fell sick right after safari, and freaked out majorly thinking I caught malaria. Went to the clinic yesterday. Thankfully, no malaria, only the common cold.
kok hou, i see no photos! but it has been an enjoyable read. love all these inspiring stories. keep them coming and i hope you have your cold well under cover. take care!
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