On Monday, we met our guide John in Naoibi, hopped in the Landcruiser, and set off for the Maasai Mara. The drive was pretty hectic, and in places, the gravel paths next to the roads were smoother (and used regularly), but we arrived safe and sound.
Lodge life takes a while to get used to. We're used to either Airbnb or cheapish Hostels / Hotels. But being waited on hand and foot, in a county with a colonial past feels a bit uneasy. But everyone is (maybe too) lovely and we've got used to the quirks. The one that really makes us laugh is being taken to a table for dinner, told to sit, then informed that it's a buffet and we are immediately told to stand and head over. We do this dance for nearly every meal.
The parks themselves are pretty amazing. So far we've seen Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Naivasha and Hells Gate National Park. Each has been quite different in terms of landscapes and animals you can spot. Highlights include:
Seeing a Leopard and her Cub within the first 2 hours in the Maasai Mara. Incredible, some people go years of trying without seeing one.
Spotting Hippos whist walking along Crescent Island, then quickly walking away when they looked a bit scarily at us...
Row spotting 2 Cheeters just walking next to us after spending all day trying to find some
Cycling through Hells Gate National Park. There are no predators so it's safe, and you just stroll past Giraffe, Zebras, Buffalo, and loads of cool stuff.
Hiking through Hell's Gate Gorge and seeing the inspiration for Pride Rock from The Lion King.
Getting stuck in the mud, our guide panicked a bit but luckily waved someone down to give us a tow out of the mud
I've discovered the drink "Bitter Lemon". It's basically made/sold as a mixer, but it's a lot nicer to drink thanks to endless Coke/Fanta/Sprite etc.
When we went cycling, I ended up with a mid-90s GT mountain bike, triple triangle and all. Loved it. I think it's confirmed I want to convert my old frame into more of a rigid mtb type of city bike. Maybe try and get some old 26-inch wheels or something fun.
We've got a couple more days in Amboseli before we head to Watamu to spend a few days by the coast.