On safari in the Masai Mara

The twelve of us who have been volunteering in Kenya for Kenya Connect for the past eight days have been whittled down to eight who are extending our trip by two nights to go on safari in the Masai Mara. It’s my dream. Ever since I was eight years old and was bought A Treasury of Natural History by Bertha Morris Parker and saw watercolours of Elephants and Giraffes and Hippopotamuses I have wanted to be here.

I’m here. In Africa. Surrounded by wildlife.

We’re staying at the Mara Ngenche camp which is on the banks of the Mara River. I can’t quite believe how luxurious the camp is. There are twelve glorious tents perched up high overlooking the River. I’m in tent six, which is on the outer limit of the camp. The tent has no fence and wild creatures wander around it day and night. At night, Hippos come to the small lawns outside the tents to browse on the vegetation. We have to have our own personal Masai to stand outside our tent all night and guard us. I’m looking forward to keeping my zip done up.

Here I am in the recommended wide-brimmed hat on the river cliffs of the River Mara.

Thanks so much to my friend Scott for the photo.

You might notice some grey shapes in the River behind me. Those are Hippopotamuses. They’re not able to scale the high banks of the River, apart from directly outside my tent, where a path leads up to my lawn. This is going to be interesting.

I love the gradation between grey and pink on their skin.

I head to the dining area to get closer to them.

I wonder if I’m going to be even closer to them tonight.

My Masai guard tells me there is a simple ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign for my tent. I must take a Masai spear and plunge it into the path so my guard will see it and not disturb me. For a second I wonder whether it’s a little cheesy, but then I’m carried away with the place. I love it.

I think my problem is that Hippopotamuses won’t understand the spear convention.