Monday, 22 July 2013

Day 11 - So fari so good!

24 hours later than planned we were on safari.  Although at one point we did think we were jinxed as it took us an hour to get our tickets and start our safari adventure.  It would seem that the Kenyan staff at Lake Nakuru National Park are unable to read British passports,  especially to distinguish between those students in our group who were born in 1995 and are already 18 and those whose birthdays are after July and have yet to turn 18.  Initially they charged us adult prices for anyone born in 1995 – what a nightmare but we got there in the end but it took an hour to sort out!

Elle, Emily, Rachel, Lucy, Molly, Eleanor and Lara ready for safari

The pictures of our morning on safari speak for themselves…….what an amazing experience – we even saw lions which the groups who went on Saturday didn’t.

 














 
 Lake Nakuru
 
 
Mr Hodges, Mrs Hadley, Miss Sibley and Mr Hill
There were a couple of memorable moments when one of our safari buses got stuck in the mud.  There was much wheel spinning to try to get free and all of this was complicated by the location when this happened – the worst possible place by the pride of lions.  We did ask the driver what would happen if the bus couldn’t get free and he said he had a chain on his van.  Luckily, we didn’t need it as the bus that was stuck eventually managed to free itself much to our relief – we’re not quite sure who was going to get off the bus to attach the chain if it was needed, I don’t think there would be many volunteers!

Watching the pride of lions (the green bus on the right is stuck in the mud)

After our safari we went to practice our bartering skills and for some souvenir shopping to the Nakuru craft market.  Its good fun bartering but the stall holders never leave you alone, someone is always saying “friend, come and look at my shop” and it becomes quite exhausting after a while as does negotiating down the inflated tourist prices.

Trying our raw sugar can - a local snack!

Back at Kivu, things have been interesting in the last 24 hours with no wifi, intermittent electricity (more off than on) and no water.
Playing cards in the bar by the light of the hurricane lamp
during yet another power cut

No comments:

Post a Comment