Out of Africa

I believe experiences are worth ten times the money spent on “things”. Things go away, are used up, break or are consumed, experiences stay with you forever, the smell and sounds of the Medina in Fez Morocco, the sight of watching the sun break through the morning clouds on Machu Picchu, the damp smell of the inside of a pyramid or watching the sunrise on the Masai Mara. Wow!

The camp is right where the movie Out of Africa was filmed. This morning we awoke to the most beautiful sunrise and chorus of hyenas calling and birds chirping, as the Priscilla, our personal waitress, brought coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. Breakfast at the lodge came out on a big platter, yogurt, granola and honey, pineapple, mango, breads, cheeses. I think we might stay forever.

At 7:30am we headed out on safari again. One of the first things we saw was a leopard up in a tree, he was just chillin. In a tree about 100 feet away a half eaten impala was draped over a limb of another tree. The leopard had made it’s kill, eaten half of it and left it there for a snack later, then climbed another tree to rest.

We headed out driving across the African savannah, after a little while we came up on the Mara River and it was full of hippos, huge hippos, snorting and thrashing in the water. There were also a couple of crocks enjoying the water.

A short drive later we came across one of the hippo’s buddies, this guy was not faring too well. A pride of lions had nailed this poor guy and by the time we came up on him he was half eaten with two male lions enjoying their meal.

Sophy said there was no way two loins could have killed this huge hippo and sure enough after a few minutes, here comes a lioness to join in the meal. Loins will kill an animal, eat their fill and then most of the pride will go off to rest while a couple of them keep guard on the food. The jackals and vultures were waiting around the hippos carcass until the lions had their fill. We found the rest of the pride a couple of hundred yards away sleeping off their dinner under a tree.

One of the lions was feeling a little amorous and decided he liked one of the girls, anytime she tried to get up and join the rest of the group he got really upset and let her know she was his, anytime he tried to make his move she let him know that she had a headache. We stayed for a while but it seemed like a stalemate.

The day finished with a massage, another incredible meal, a glass of Baileys, and hot water bottles in the bed.