Safari and Other Adventures

At the end of my last full day of work at Tenwek my adventurous cousin Sarah arrived and joined me while I was finishing up on nursery rounds. Sarah is working in Kenya doing a public health project this summer, and we had coordinated to meet at the end of my time and at the beginning of her time in Kenya to go on a safari together. It was really fun to show Sarah around Tenwek and to be able to introduce her to the many people that I have enjoyed getting to know this past month. On Friday morning we packed up and loaded our stuff into a vehicle, which carried us across rocky roads to the Masai Mara to go on a safari. The place where we stayed was incredible! The 2 nights that we stayed there were amazingly restful, and we enjoyed four 2-3 hour treks across the safari plains gazing at the wildlife. It was a wonderful way to end my month in Kenya and for Sarah to begin her work there.

We stayed in a very nice tent at the Mara. The tents overlooked the Mara River, which was full of hippos. Our wake-up call was earlier than we had hoped and consisted of hearing hippos snorting as they swam through the river.

The scenery was spectacular. Our game drives either ended at sunset or began at sunrise--allowing for some beautiful pictures.

We were fortunate to find several lions during our game drives. The lionesses were so regal, as they watched for prey and guarded their cubs. One lioness rose from her place out in the field and approached to just a couple of feet behind our vehicle's tire. She was seeking out some shade! The vehicles were completely open (no windows), so it was a little scary to see her come so close, but really cool at the same time.

During one of our evening game drives we saw a pack of hyenas devouring a zebra. It was crazy! There were probably 100 vultures waiting their turn for any scraps left behind. It was such a savage sight to behold as the hungry animals ate everything--skin, fur, bones, etc. If your stomach can handle it :), a short video clip is above.

We were allowed to get out of the vehicle and walk among the rhinos--such a neat experience!

Following the safari we headed back to Nairobi and stayed another restful night at the Mennonite Guest House. On Monday we explored Nairobi a bit and enjoyed riding the public transportation buses called matatus throughout the city. It was a fun and adventurous experience trying to figure out how to navigate the city, and it thankfully went very smoothly. We were able to head about 18 kilometers from the city to visit a giraffe park. At the park they have an elevated platform where the visitors can feed and pet the giraffes. Some people even let the giraffes kiss them (we were NOT among those brave individuals :) ).

Feeding the giraffe--check out his long tongue seeking out a food pellet.

After visiting the giraffe park, we went to a market and had a little time for souvenir shopping and bargaining. Then we headed back to the guest house for me to shower and finish packing. We then loaded in a taxi, dropped off Sarah to meet up with her group for the summer, and I continued on to the airport for my night flight to Amsterdam. Our weekend was a wonderful way to finish/start our time in Kenya, and we really enjoyed seeing the sites together.

After about 30 hours of traveling, I arrived home last night and was greeted by my loving husband and parents. I am so thankful to be back home! This month has been an incredible experience. I feel so blessed to have been able to work among the people at Tenwek and to see all that the Lord is doing there. Thank you for joining me on this amazing adventure!