Travel Day

The Masai Mara

Travel Day

Today is a travel day - six hours south on rough roads to the Masai Mara.  On the border with Tanzania, this home to the highest number and most variety of animals in Kenya.  One of the natural wonders of the world is the great migration that happens twice a year - six million animals move from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara each July, and then return each October.  This is what I imagined Africa would look like: great, wide open grasslands interrupted only occasionally by Acacia trees and looming rocks.  A dark rainstorm in the distance, a warm breeze blowing across the savanna, the big, boastful sky overhead.  This environment is magical.

Flat tire in the middle of the African Tundra

We travelled in a convoy of seven vans, single-file down the punishing trail.  At one point, driving over an area with sharp rocks, we realized one of the rear tires was flat.  We were the last van in the convoy, and the others were all far ahead.  It was hot, dusty, and deserted; there was no cell signal.  We unloaded the luggage and pulled out the spare tire.  The jack was old and stripped, so we had to improvise a tool to get the van jacked up.  A man in an ancient Toyota pickup stopped to help, but realized immediately that he too had a flat tire.  What a hot mess.  We felt like Walt and Jesse trickle charging the battery in the New Mexico desert.  

Shortly after we caught up to the convoy, the driver of Van 2, carrying Dutch and Pat, and three excitable, energetic gals - Beth, Elise, Christina, decided to deviate from the road and head out into the mud.  That decision had dire consequences.  Within 30 seconds, they were stuck fast.  Luckily we pulled up in time to watch the trio, barefoot and ankle-deep in the sticky mud, pushing the van from the clutches of the earth.  They pushed and pushed, while everyone else in the group laughingly cheered them on and watched from the dry road.  Chivalry apparently is truly dead.  

The girls now bear a deep grudge, particularly against Rob and Rick.  Apparently forgiveness is dead too.

What started the feud

We arrived at the sprawling Fig Tree Camp in the early evening.  We are staying in tents along a muddy river populated by hippos and crocodiles.  Dad, Rob and I decided to go for a quick swim in the pool before dinner.  We were sitting there at the pool, with a few members of our group, having our daily Tusker, when the usual mzungu chatter suddenly went very quiet.  A massive mamma baboon had sauntered into the pool area.  I don’t like baboons; I’m not sure why God created them - they are ugly, poorly behaved, vile mammals with no sense of class.  Not an animal you want to run into when you’re weaponless and bare-chested.  We all watched, dead quiet, as she trotted past round the pool and away down the path.  There was a moment’s pause, while we pulled our jaws closed, then relieved, strained, ‘I wasn't afraid’ laughter.