Giraffe Center Nairobi, Kenya

What a morning! Seeing all most of the Nairobi touristy sights with my personal guide Max. Started off at the Giraffe Center and fed Daisy and her babies. They are Rothschild Giraffes and hang out at the very posh Giraffe Manor. Check it out...quite the place to stay here. 

Next the Kobe Tough Bead Factory. Single mothers, young women without families are hired here to make the clay beads, paint them, and make jewelry that is sold in the shop. I had planned to see another bead factory but Max told me about this one. It was started by a woman who was laid off at the other factory during covid. 

Next, the highlight, Sheldrick Elephant Orphange. Lots of people but was able to get a spot thanks to Max walking quickly in front of me. They brought out little Raha the black rhino. She is 2 but very tiny because of her injuries when they rescued her in the Mara. Then out came 5 or 6 of the 23 Elephant orphans. They are bottle fed and had fun playing with each other. The rest except 3 came our for their bottles. The 3 that stayed back were the newest orphan who was injured and 2 two yr old females who decided to adopt the new one. Unfortunately for me, one of the 2 yr olds was my adopted Nyambeni. I adopted her 2 yes ago right after she was rescued. 

The final stop was the Karen Blixen Museum. Her house and parts of the coffee farm have been preserved in recognition of all the she did for Kenya. The neighborhood is called Karen in her honor and is full of huge walled estates of politicians, CEOs, doctors, etc. If you have seen the movie "Out of Africa" then you have seen the house. 

Now back to hotel for lunch. I was going to do the buffet. But it is a mad house. They go through a buffet like they drive...any little small space and they will sneak in. I said f that and just ordered off the menu. 🤦‍♀️

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Daisy the Giraffe

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Babies at Giraffe Center

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More Rothschild Giraffes

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Feeding Daisy

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A friend of Daisy

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Lady at Kobe Tough Bead Factory finishing something for my BFF

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Karen Blixen Museum

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Karen's drawing of property 

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Warthog wandering around Sheldrick. The Elephant Orphange is inside the Nairobi National Park. The park is a reserve. So, animals have free reign of area. Various parts are walled off to protect the orphanage, Giraffe Center, and others. We were inside Sheldrick so we were safe. But these warthogs got in. Max told me of a time he was there and a young lion came sauntering passed everyone. 

They are different than ones we saw in the Mara and Amboseli.

Raha's entrance!

Raha the baby rhino at Sheldrick Elephant Orphange 

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The babies at the orphanage

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Feeding and playing

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They don't seem aware of all of us

Relaxing day at the mall! Nairobi, Kenya

Spent last night going through everything and rearranging for trip home.  At the new hotel, Park Inn.  This AM was a huge breakfast buffet. Like the other hotels it included items we would consider lunch-ish. 

Off to the Sarit Center. One of the big shopping centers in Westlands. Well the Two Rivers Mall can't hold a candle to this place. Lots to look at. Hit up the bank for more Kenya shillings, another trip to Carrefour again. Can you believe after spending 10 months packing and repacking I am a week short on socks and over packed underwear. 🤦‍♀️ Got socks and munchies...like red skinned Peanuts. I normally do not care for this kind of peanut but there is something different. Something way better than Peanuts at home. Maybe the oil used, roasting method, type of salt?? There was an organic store and they had some dried apricots that were tasty. So have some snacks. 

Stopped for Lunch at food court which included a Chinese place, Middle Eastern, Healthy/organic, American Fried Chicken (nope, not KFC but logo and menu looked exactly same 🤣), and my stop, Chicago Pizza Place and Eat Indian. I had the beef pepperoni thick "base"pizza. Not thick like we are used to but good. Like the other pizza I tried, the sauce is very light and needs a little seasoning. Mozzarella cheese seems different here as well. Overall, tasty but I am looking forward to spicy pork pepperoni at home. 

Tomorrow, off to the Giraffe Center, Sheldrick Elephant Orphange, and the Karen Blixen Museum.

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The Kenyan version of Chicago pizza

After safari! Nairobi, Kenya

Back in Nairobi! Plane rides were a little like game drives this time but noone tossed their cookies. 

On the drive from Wilson Airfield to Park Inn hotel was a completely different sight. Alot of military services housing, hospitals, and the State House where the new president lives. And we passed the State House All Girls' School. It is HUGE. Size of small city. Streets are lined with makeshift markets selling anything from socks and underwear to handmade tools. And food stands busy with people getting their lunch. Speaking of lunch...I'm off to get some. 

Nothing for tomorrow except find a bank, rest, get a shower, laundry....whatever else. This hotel is very friendly, near stores, near CBD. Room is nice size and simply but nicely appointed.

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Park Inn room tour

Hotel lunch buffet with local dishes

Last day in the Maasai Mara Mara-Olkiombo airstrip, Kenya

The Mara-Olkiombo airstrip. The cafe, the gift shop, the gate waiting area.😁 

No air traffic control. Just look up, left, right, and go

Airport market

Waiting area/market/food stall

Definitely a track but all weather?

Landing at another strip for more passengers

Last evening drive in the Mara

Last day...had a nice massage and facial after lunch. 

I'll post menus and pics of food later in one post. The food here is outstanding. 

Then Morris decided to start PM drive early because he got a tip of black rhino sighting near the public bathrooms. Yes, this massive conservancy/park has public bathrooms...no I didn't check them out because you could come out and find a rhino. 

No rhino but did see a Serval...very small cat, elephant, Warthog family, baby giraffe, and last stop to check on the baby lion cubs. The vids are long but you could spend hours just watching their cute antics. We got a close viewing spot about 5 ft from them. 

Then a Sundowner few sips of wine and a nice conversation about travel with Angel. Goodbye to Morris as he will be on AM drive with Angel and someone else will take me to airport. 

Africa can really get into your heart! Back to Nairobi tomorrow AM to new hotel.

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Warthog family pout for evening walk

A serval out of nowhere

Serval on the prowl

Male ostrich following a female in the distance

Starting to run

Baboons stopping for a bite

And giraffe...

Some sort of bird...

And back to the lion cubs having dinner

All cuteness but no rhinos

Stop for a Sundowner to celebrate the trip

Another beautiful sunset on the Mara

Supper menu

Baked onion soup

Time to pack and hit the hay for tomorrow return to Nairobi.

Day three AM drive in the Mara

Morning game drive and bush breakfast. Morris likes to make us wake up early. 

First thing we saw is my little friend who likes to dig around the steps of my tent. I thought was a rodent called digdig but something got lost in the English to Maasai Maa to Swahili conversion. The creature is a very small antelope called a dik-dik. 

Next, off to see hyenas eating breakfast, cheetah eating breakfast, the last wildebeest that haven't decided to migrate to Tanzania yet, the cheetah mom and 4 tween cubs searching for food but trucks in way. Out came the Mara po po aka Sheldrick Wildlife rangers to tell us to get back so we are not between them and food. Oh hippos and one crocodile and a committee of vultures. Great audio on cheetahs, hippos, hyena crunching! 

Signed up for another facial that is supposed to make me look 20 years younger and a shoulder/neck massage. 

I can't believe I have only 9 days left on the beautiful continent. I HIGHLY recommend seeing it...you don't have stay in a tent. I saw all the big 5 while doing day trips from a fabulous 5 star resort in Zambia...with spa and pool!😁

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Start with the early morning sounds at camp...birds, hippos. Just ignore the hand 

The digging dik-dik. He's about a foot tall.

Hyena enjoying breakfast 

Sunrise 

Solitary elephant

Bring on the hippos. These are the ones we hear at night.

Hippos playing

Hippos

More hippos

Ostrich

The indecisive wildebeest

Vultures eating breakfast

Cheetah eating breakfast

Cheetah looking for more?

It's not all about the animals

The cheetah family

Momma cheetah looking for the kids 

Calling for the kids

Momma senses food...we were about 10 ft away

The cubs follow

Momma back at the tree calling cubs back

Back to camp for lunch

I had the veggies Nicoise salad and it was delish!

Sounds of early morning

Good morning, Another early AM game drive and bush breakfast. I would really like a hot scambled egg. 🤣🤣 So here are the sounds of morning. You can hear the hippos a little better. Ignore my hand in front of the lens. Not about the visual!🤣

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