MY AFRICA TRIP CONTINUES NOV.8th, 2009

NOVEMBER 8th, 2009 – AFRICA

My friend Betsy left at 5:30 a.m. for a hot air balloon ride over the Mara Game Reserve. I chose not to spend $450.00 since I’ve already had an adventure in a hot air balloon in Orlando. I decided I could see the same animals closer up from the ground.

The rest of us left on the game safari at 7:30 a.m. What a blessing compared to yesterday, (remember the one I missed). The game safari was spectacular. We got to see more animals than I could count. The wildebeest, Zebras, Thompson Gazelles, Elephants, Eland, Impalas, and Topi Antelope, stretched as far as the eye could see. “The great migration” was amazing to say the least. We also saw Cheetah’s, which few people, if any, get to see on a safari. The big cats hide in the trees or the brush and are very hard to find because they blend in so well with the surrounding colors of the plains. They can be right in front of you and you could miss them. Our guide pointed out one Cheetah but he blended in so well all we could see was bits and pieces of him. We waited for a long time for him to come out and show himself, but he just laid his head down and went to sleep.

The highlight of the day was when came across three lions sitting on a rock just staring at us. I was so thrilled it brought tears to my eyes and took my breath away. Then I knew I was really in Africa. The lions just mesmerized me. I felt blessed to be so up close and personal with those beautiful animals.

Tomorrow we will start out at 6:30 a.m. because we will be driving further into the game reserve. The Mara Reserve is 1,530 km Sq. We will be going to the Mara River to see more of the migration. The Mara Reserve is so vast it’s hard take it all in. We still have four more Safaris to go. Wow! I am feeling home sick, but my adrenaline is keeping me pumped up. I want this to last forever.
When we got back from Safari we were told that a Leopard attacked a grounds keeper. It seemed the Leopard wandered into our camp early in the morning and couldn’t find his way out. The grounds keeper was in his way so he just knocked him down. The grounds keeper was bruised, but not badly hurt. The Leopard felt cornered and just wanted the poor grounds keeper to get out of his way. There are no gates or fences around our game camp, after all this is their land. I can’t wait until tomorrow to see the Mara River…MORE TO FOLLOW.