Day 20

Flight from Barcelona went without a hitch.

Came out from the terminal and there was a young man standing there with our name on a paper... There to pick us up and take us to the hotel (the Saab Royal Hotel). Felix the driver was crazier than a Mexican taxi driver. His philosophy is a good driver is reckless and has guts. He was true to both.

Day 2 started off with getting onto a Cessna Caravan.  There were only 4 passengers, 2 of which got off first at another camp. 

Within seconds after takeoff we saw ostriches. Then during the first 40 minute flight we saw a giraffe, elephant, and various antelope.

After the two Masai, who are our guide and driver for the full stay, picked us up we headed on a game drive that ended up in camp 3 hours later - the only guests for our four-day stay.

I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E.

We very quickly were spending time with a brother and sister lion. The guide told us there was also a lioness and a younger cub somewhere nearby but we never saw them. The flies were irritating us and apparently the two lions as well. They both decided that they should climb a tree to find some relief... it would be cooler and there'd a breeze to keep the flies away. The female tried one tree but didn't make it up. The male made it up his and was trying to get comfortable when his sister decided to join him.  At that point they both looked incredibly precariously perched up there and the situation didn't seem to improve while we watched. However, they were both still up there when we left them.

We continued on and saw several Cape Buffalo, many warthogs, Thompson Gazelles, Topi, hyena, jackals and bats.... 

Soon after we spotted a single male elephant who eventually came trotting by us.

A hippo appeared as did a journey of giraffes. 

The guides had heard that two other guests had seen a leopard on their way to the airstrip, so we went by the tree... There he was.

We headed to the camp after that. 

It was an amazing day. We arrived at camp to meet the two girls girls who would be caring for us (Tanya  from Kenya and Sophie from Argentina), our room stewards (Ken and Edna) and the majordomo Sammy. That night we had a thunderstorm and heard the hippos snorting in the river below the camp. It would have been a perfect day had Val not managed to get stung by a bee that was taking a drink of her wine at  the same time she did. Up her bottom lip and left cheek puffed! After several antihistamines and a night's sleep, she looked almost normal and ready to take on day 2.Read more