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Across the Fence:  THIS IS AFRICA  |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 08:20:46 AM
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Fascinating, Frannie. You narrate very well!
There is a Redeemer. |
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 11:41:03 AM
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Wonderful, Frannie. I had tears running down my face as you spoke of Daniel. I can see things through your eyes. You are a great narrator.
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 7:52:28 PM
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lots of pictures in this chapter of my journal .. can't post them here .. too many .. but i'll be happy to e-mail them to you!
AFRICA
babboons .. elephants .. cape buffalo and a lazy LION!
SATURDAY 1/13
We meet for early morning coffee and cake .. then head on Safari.
.. this big babboon greets us and thumbs a ride
and check out each other's butts ...
whatta' way to start the day!
we see herds and herds of elephants. They travel in families .. mothers and aunts and babies.
Males are NOT invited .. except at mating times. BOY elephants are tolerated until they are young teenagers .. and then are told to leave! hmmmm .. perhaps humans should do likewise??? (kidding!!!!!!!!!) Elephants travel slowly .. together .. always led by a dominant female.
Male elephants do not have to be related to join 'the gang .. just buddies ..
but females will rarely accept an outsider we are told.
momma elephants surely seem to ADORE their babies!
They cross the road in front of us .. close enough to reach out and touch! An astounding site!
Males travel alone or with a few other males.
Boy elephants will seem to 'challenge' you if you get close.
They do watch us and 'smell' us! They do not seem afraid of the vans we travel in.
We see a lone teen-age elephant that has gotten lost from his family (or shooed away).
He panics .. not because of the vehicles .. but because he can not 'smell' or hear his family. He runs .. sways from side to side .. He is is visually in a PANIC~It is hard to watch his trauma.
~ He trumpets loudly and staggers. He crosses directly in front of us .. running.
We watch as he disappears into high grass. Paul tells us that he can become so frightend and excited that he can faint and become prey to lions. Sometimes so sad to us humans .. this process of nature!
I am sure we saw several hundred elephants today.
Interesting observation: WE seem to be the 'caged' ones in the 'zoo' .. that is our van. The animals run free.
I asked Paul what would happen if someone got out of the vehicle and approached them. He assured me they would be trampled to death. We all STAYED in the van!
It is illegal to get out of your vehicle in the park .. except at the overlook. HOWEVER .. Barbara dnd Priscilla's hats blew off at the same time .. and a passing guide got out and retrieved them from the road and brought them to us. But not without first looking around. Last night we spied two more cheetahs crouched in tall grass!
***
LUNCH: Another meal where we all ate too much. We have some free time for a few hours. I am writing in my journal. Hank, who had good intenitions of sitting outside to watch nature and read .. is snoring happily beside me. What a wonderful time we are having together!
At 3 p.m., we head for the camp of Cynthia Moss in Amboseli Park .. where she has done Elephant Research for 40 years. We drive through thick brush to several large tents. Solar power is being installed in her 'business' tent so Cynthia invites us to sit outside her private/home tent for our discussion.
This is a real treat .. few visitors are invited to meet with her. (YEAH!! Travel Learn! I HIGHLY recommend them when travelling outside the United States .. a wealth of information and education about the areas you visit. We went to GREECE with them and it, too, was a phenomenal trip!) Cynthia tells us many interesting facts .. most I must admit I have already forgotten. A few I remember: elephants travel in 'families' .. females and young females and young males. At about 13 to 14 years of age, the males leave (or are encourged to leave) by their mothers. The young suckle for about 4 years. A momma's boobies are near her front legs so that she does not step on her baby! A mother elephant is VERY protective of her young!! Young female elephants are 'caretakers' .. young boy elephants are troublemakers! (Ha! big surprize!) The boys 'play fighting much of the time. Elephants are fiercely loyal .. scent is their strongest sense. Elephants continue to grow .. ALL of their lives! Bulls from about 30 to 60 years of age are favored as mates .. (the bigger the better says Cynthia). The females have a sense of 'survival of the fittest' and choose the strongest, largest, healthiest bulls to father their offspring. Elephants live to about 70 years of age. Death is caused by olde age, disease, injury but rarely fighting. They are strictly vegetarians. When a bull elephant comes into heat he finds a female family and waits until the females come into 'eustress'. He may very sell 'service' several female elephants in several families. Pregnancy lasts 22 months. The oldest female is almost always the matriarch and is the herd leader. She has 6 sets of molars (teeth) and about every ten years, a set wears down and a new set emerges and push out the previous set. When the 6th and final set grows and begins to weaken .. the matriarch is prepared to die. She often roams from the herd at the end of her life searching for soft food to chew. And the next oldest becomes the matriarch.
******
Today we spot our first lion taking a 'lazy afternoon nap'.
Lions sleep 20 hours out of 24!
Another large herd of elephants pass directly in front of us. There is a very large male with them! (happy times are a-coming!)
*********
Then a huge herd of Cape Buffalo crosses the road in front .. so close we could reach out the window and touch them .. (IF we are stupid enough to attempt this little trick!) Cape Buffalo are the fiercest of animals here .. but appear to ignore us. Any herd of these larger animals would easily be capable of ramming us .. turning us over and turning us into mincemeat pie! They have gotten used to people travelling in tourist vans .. but we are respectful of them!
***********!
Back to the lodge .. oh lordy .. yet another decadent meal. Our lodge serves delicious curries .. and tonight we are served outside .. a barbeque .. always goat is available and pork, beef, chicken and sometimes crocodile and camel. I am still not eating meat here (except for breakfast bacon.) After once again stuffing ourselves, Barbara and I go see a wonderful film about an elephant family. ECHO the matriarch and her son ELI who is born crippled. Amazed at the love and protection and dedication of this little guy and his momma! His knees will not straighten in the front and he has to scoot on them. unable to keep up with the herd.
Finally, the herd moves on .. his mother remains behind with him. His doting older sister is torn between doing the 'natural' thing and keeping up with the herd .. and staying behind with her mom and little brother. Up to now, she has stayed close to Eli's side and encouraged him. The herding instinct finally takes over .. and she hurries to catch up with the rest of the herd. Little Eli ries over and over and over again to stand .. always finally falling over. I am surpized to learn that the woman we met today (Cynthia Moss) made this film 20 years ago. We see a young Cynthia in this film and see the very camp we visited earlier today. Cynthia is from New York .. visited Africa 40 years ago .. volunteered to be an assistant to another elephant reseracher. Loved Africa, elephants and this life so much .. that she returned to America .. packed her suitcase and left for Africa forver.
We continue to watch Cynthia's film as Eli's sister suddenly returns and runs back to her baby brother. A few days later the rest of the family returns and as Cynthia films this miraculous event .. with much continued prodding from other herd members, Eli again, in a very weakened condition .. from hunger, thirst and tiring effort, wobbily gets to his feet .. takes a few faltering steps .. falls again .. gets up again .. and after several more tries .. begins to stumble along. I swear .. you rejoice with the elephant family! I know these are animals and not 'human' .. but you feel their emotions as Eli stands and begins to suckle. Afternote: Barbara tells me there were follow-up films to Echo and her family. Years later, Echo dies and Eli grows to be a very large strong Bull Elephant. Barbara did not remember how Echo dies (but it was befeore she lost her six set of teeth though).
There was a huge elephant skull on both sides of Cynthia's tent today .. I sat beside one and asked her about them. She told me they are the skulls of two of her favorites. I did not ask the names but firmly believe one was Echo.
I also learn that Eli was not 'crippled" (which would have meant certain death for him here in the wild .. but Cynthia said Eli was the largest baby elephant she had ever seen born. and he had been cramped inside the womb which temporarily crippled him.
OH .. we asked Cynthia when we met with her today if she had ever had any dangeorus animal or SNAKE encounters at her campsite. She said the worse was when a six foot BLACK MAMBO (their bite will kill you almost instantly!) had slithered into her tent and was going after her pet 'kitty' .. she screamed and help came and saved her and her kitty. She moved her kitty to the city after this!
There are more than 700 elephants in Amboseli .. Cynthia knows every one of them and has named every elephant. She said there is a high incidence of new born elephants who do not survive so she does not name them until she feels they are strong and healthy. All families receive an 'alphabeet' sassignment of names.
Echo, Eli, Ellen, Eva, Emily, Eric, etc. and she has gone thorugh the alphabeet several times with new familes since living her and doing research.
SUCH a fascinating time we are having!
****
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 8:40:39 PM
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AFRICA .. Sunday 1/14
Today was toooo long! Time passes quickly at the same time! But today, the pace has caught up to me .. and several times I feel as I will just up and fall asleep mid-sentnece! Up early .. breakfast .. and another 6 hour ride to our next lodge on atrocious roads.~ A full day through extremely distressed third-world villages .. which will forever be burned into my memory~ I feel overwhelmed and see no hope for generations to come and possibly never. (hope as defined by my American standards!) Today, this poverty evokes talk of politics in our van. I just listen. There is some wealth in pockets of Kenya but mostly, the country is overwhelmingly poor. Poorer than any American can even fathom. We stop at a roadside 'market' .. more African trinkets. I pass on these goods. Then on to a crocodilie farm. Lunch is here .. I do not trust the cleanliness of the prepartion of the food .. so while the others eat .. I tour the crocodile farm. Only three tanks ... one teeming with the small crocks (about 3 or 4 feet long).
(and these little dudes have a 'date with destiny' to someday become 'croc-a-bobs'!
The second with 'teenagers'
and the third with the larger, older of these long snouted .. many -teethed reptiles.
I have a private tour guide who gives me many croc facts in a very heavy African accent. He actually gets into the pit with them and irritates them with a pointed stick. They suddenly .. VERY suddenly curl their thorny tails and heads toward each other in a "C" shape .. and a very LOUD .. POP sound comes from them as they snap their jaws shout! I jump three feet off the ground .. every time!
I am told that a large crock can snap a human in half! (I stay on MY side of the fence!)
*
After lunch, we drive to a 'tourist' site where different African tribal villages of earlier times are built.
(HA! i just 'think' these are outdated, antiquated .. i have a real shocker coming in a few days time!)
Mostly mud huts with thatched roofs. Always there is a 'husband's hut .. first wife's hut, second and sometimes third and fourth wife's hut (and so on and on)!
We listen to a lecture from a very bright young African woman who is doing research on African heritage and cultures. We learn there are over 50 'main' groups (or tribes) in Kenya alone. The most well known being the Maisi .. who have pretty much remained true to their olde nomadic cultures. But there are others she tells us who live in more remote areas that are even more primitive. The Maisi live close to the large city of Nairobi .. therefore have somewhat become more commercialized than other groups.
After our lecture, we go to a HUGE arena with other tourists to see traditional dances by various tribes in their traditional beautiful and brightly colored clothing.
At intermission time, "G", Hank and I roam outside and out of the several hundred people there .. wouldn't you know that KENYAN TV would walk up to HANK to ask his impression of the program! Knowing Hank and his perchant to 'perform" .. I scooted away and watched and listened from behind a big post .. so I could not be seen .. cuz' he surely would have brought me in to be a "Laurel to his Hardy" .. When asked what he thought of the music .. he replied: "It's good .. but it ain't American Rock and Roll". He continued to regale them with 'one-liners" .. the reporter's faces going from "HUH?" to big grins and smiles. I do believe they found him a delightful difference! We were all sorry that we were not near a TV that evening to see Hank's performance!
Hank has amused everyone on our trip with is stories and knowledge of nature, politics and world affairs! Our driver especially is enjoying his adventures of 35 years ago .. when he was in his "immortal period" of life .. fearing NOTHING! Stories about when he came to Africa and walked among the animals .. alone .. someetimes sleeping trees at night! And drinking fresh cow's blood and clotted milk with them! Walking in the parks is now strictly prohibited and there are many tour buses and park rangers to prevent such acts of endangerment to humans. But then, the picture of those two little Maisi boys strolling inside the park flashes before me! Being older (and prehaps wiser), Hank says he now wonders how he ever did some of the things he did in his younger years! But then .. don't we all! Walking where lions tred, has never been on MY life agenda!
Hank told me many years ago .. that once you have lived through and survived the Viet Nam war .. nothing much scares you anymore!
Sleep overtakes me and I nod off on Hank's shoulder from time to time despite the lively and often loud music. I did so much enjoy the sounds of their music and the movements of their dance.
After the 'performance' .. we have another couple hours drive into Nairobi. We were scheduled to have dinner and dancing at the famous CARNIVORE restauarant which is one of the few restaurants licensed to serve EXOCTIC WILD MEAT .. in addition to crocodile, goat, camel .. also zebra, elephant and all manner of 'wild thangs'! Everyone is exhausted and 'beg off' this exciting place and ask to be allowed to simpy have dinner at our hotel .. where we all retire shortly thereafater.
I fall asleep fully clothed without even taking the time to clear my bed of all I had dropped on it .. books .. journal .. meds, and fully-opened suitcase. Hank attempts to clear the bed from under me .. but I am already asleep lying on TOP of most of it .. and mumble to just leave me on top of the heap!!
(to be continued)
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 8:42:14 PM
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really have been enjoying the photos you have shared with this. very nice. what a wonderful experience for you!
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2007 : 8:43:20 PM
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AFRICA .. Sunday 1/14
Today was toooo long! Time passes quickly at the same time! But today, the pace has caught up to me .. and several times I feel as I will just up and fall asleep mid-sentnece! Up early .. breakfast .. and another 6 hour ride to our next lodge on atrocious roads.~ A full day through extremely distressed third-world villages .. which will forever be burned into my memory~ I feel overwhelmed and see no hope for generations to come and possibly never. (hope as defined by my American standards!) Today, this poverty evokes talk of politics in our van. I just listen. There is some wealth in pockets of Kenya but mostly, the country is overwhelmingly poor. Poorer than any American can even fathom. We stop at a roadside 'market' .. more African trinkets. I pass on these goods. Then on to a crocodilie farm. Lunch is here .. I do not trust the cleanliness of the prepartion of the food .. so while the others eat .. I tour the crocodile farm. Only three tanks ... one teeming with the small crocks (about 3 or 4 feet long).
(and these little dudes have a 'date with destiny' to someday become 'croc-a-bobs'!
The second with 'teenagers'
and the third with the larger, older of these long snouted .. many -teethed reptiles.
I have a private tour guide who gives me many croc facts in a very heavy African accent. He actually gets into the pit with them and irritates them with a pointed stick. They suddenly .. VERY suddenly curl their thorny tails and heads toward each other in a "C" shape .. and a very LOUD .. POP sound comes from them as they snap their jaws shout! I jump three feet off the ground .. every time!
I am told that a large crock can snap a human in half! (I stay on MY side of the fence!)
*
After lunch, we drive to a 'tourist' site where different African tribal villages of earlier times are built.
(HA! i just 'think' these are outdated, antiquated .. i have a real shocker coming in a few days time!)
Mostly mud huts with thatched roofs. Always there is a 'husband's hut .. first wife's hut, second and sometimes third and fourth wife's hut (and so on and on)!
We listen to a lecture from a very bright young African woman who is doing research on African heritage and cultures. We learn there are over 50 'main' groups (or tribes) in Kenya alone. The most well known being the Maisi .. who have pretty much remained true to their olde nomadic cultures. But there are others she tells us who live in more remote areas that are even more primitive. The Maisi live close to the large city of Nairobi .. therefore have somewhat become more commercialized than other groups.
After our lecture, we go to a HUGE arena with other tourists to see traditional dances by various tribes in their traditional beautiful and brightly colored clothing.
At intermission time, "G", Hank and I roam outside and out of the several hundred people there .. wouldn't you know that KENYAN TV would walk up to HANK to ask his impression of the program! Knowing Hank and his perchant to 'perform" .. I scooted away and watched and listened from behind a big post .. so I could not be seen .. cuz' he surely would have brought me in to be a "Laurel to his Hardy" .. When asked what he thought of the music .. he replied: "It's good .. but it ain't American Rock and Roll". He continued to regale them with 'one-liners" .. the reporter's faces going from "HUH?" to big grins and smiles. I do believe they found him a delightful difference! We were all sorry that we were not near a TV that evening to see Hank's performance!
Hank has amused everyone on our trip with is stories and knowledge of nature, politics and world affairs! Our driver especially is enjoying his adventures of 35 years ago .. when he was in his "immortal period" of life .. fearing NOTHING! Stories about when he came to Africa and walked among the animals .. alone .. someetimes sleeping trees at night! And drinking fresh cow's blood and clotted milk with them! Walking in the parks is now strictly prohibited and there are many tour buses and park rangers to prevent such acts of endangerment to humans. But then, the picture of those two little Maisi boys strolling inside the park flashes before me! Being older (and prehaps wiser), Hank says he now wonders how he ever did some of the things he did in his younger years! But then .. don't we all! Walking where lions tred, has never been on MY life agenda!
Hank told me many years ago .. that once you have lived through and survived the Viet Nam war .. nothing much scares you anymore!
Sleep overtakes me and I nod off on Hank's shoulder from time to time despite the lively and often loud music. I did so much enjoy the sounds of their music and the movements of their dance.
After the 'performance' .. we have another couple hours drive into Nairobi. We were scheduled to have dinner and dancing at the famous CARNIVORE restauarant which is one of the few restaurants licensed to serve EXOCTIC WILD MEAT .. in addition to crocodile, goat, camel .. also zebra, elephant and all manner of 'wild thangs'! Everyone is exhausted and 'beg off' this exciting place and ask to be allowed to simpy have dinner at our hotel .. where we all retire shortly thereafater.
I fall asleep fully clothed without even taking the time to clear my bed of all I had dropped on it .. books .. journal .. meds, and fully-opened suitcase. Hank attempts to clear the bed from under me .. but I am already asleep lying on TOP of most of it .. and mumble to just leave me on top of the heap!!
(to be continued)
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 07:28:52 AM
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Africa .. THE ARK
Monday, 1/15 ..
Tuesday, 1/16
and travelling back to Monday 1/15 again
THE ARK
The Ark was built to resemble Noah's Ark .. the right side view in this photo is the Salt Lick/Watering Hole.
This area is bathed in dusk/dawn light all night so that visitors have a 24-hour view of them up close and personal. The viewing deck is three stories high. The lower and middle floors are 'glassed in' on three sides .. lower level putting you AT the ground with the animals .. as if you are standing/sitting in the MIDST of them! The middle level raises you just slightly .. so that you are looking 'slightly' down onto them .. for a wider view. And the OPEN DECK level at top .. puts you over them looking down at them .. with no glass between you and the animals. I ran from floor to floor to floor all night long (WELL .. i didn't go to the OPEN DECK during the night because the 'dawn/dusk' light brought LOTSA' bugs!!!
Yesterday when I arrived at The Ark from our 'side-safari' .. Hank, Priscilla and "G" were already there .. having missed out on what I believe to be the most important Safari of our whole trip.
When I arrived, they were sitting at the back of the Ark "having tea" and watching elephants, cape buffalo and all manner of wild critters through the glass.
I could not speak .. I could not tell them of the odyssey I had just been on.
It was too early to talk of it.
For that fact, until NOW .. I have not even been able to write of it.
It was like having visited Heaven and returning to Earth.
I believe this day/night to be the most 'spiritual' of all my time in Africa.
Each tiny 'ship's bedroom has a window view to catch the animals as they come down a path to the watering hole .. needless to say .. I did NOT sleep this night. You felt as though you were living right there with the animals during their nighttime (albeit .. protected by the ark).
O.K. ... I'm going to start this chapter the MORNING of this grande adaventure .. I am awaking at the Safari Park Hotel in Amboseli Game Reserve.
We will travel today to the magnificent ARK and my 'grandest of African adventures'.
(I did not take photos while at the Ark because we were asked to not use flash photograpy through the windows .. I believe it was actually more because at this point, BEING THERE was all that was important to me. The 'pictures' are embedded deeply into my mind forever.)
As some 'films' do .. I will go backwards and forwards in time only to travel back and forward again. Travel along with me my friends.
Monday, 1/15 .. 2:00 a.m. and I am wide awake. I lie here for another hour .. finally decide to get up .. take my skirt and blouse off .. clear my bed (in the dark so I do not wake Hank). I crawl back into bed and count zebra .. to no avail .. I am still wide awake .. sooooo .. I take pen in hand and my journal into the bathroom where there is light and write for an hour.
It is now 5 a.m. and I take a long shower to wash the African dust and soil from my body!
6:00 a.m. I have re-packed my suitcase (lots of packing .. unpacking and re-packing on this trip!!!) I am now sitting in a tropical paradise on the patio at the lodge restaurant having a "European" breakfast of freshly baked, flakey croissants .. slathered with rich creamy butter .. and baked tomatoes stuffed with savory cheeses and Strong African coffee with hot cream. So much more to choose from at each buffet breakfast .. local tropical fruits (which I have still 'mostly' declined eating .. however, I did eat my first fresh salad at dinner last night. Then imagined I had a stomach ache! We were admonished by the international travel health organization in America to NOT eat fresh fruits, vegetables, undercooked meats or fish .. and never, ever to drink the water .. I think I have brought a paranoia with me .. because everyone else is gobbling down these things and not getting sick! (well .. except for the water .. NO ONE drinks the water!)
This morning everyone else is still sleeping or packing and I am enjoying the solitude with only a a few early risers .. each enjoying their own quiet revelry. I am visited at my table only by attentive and always very polite and friendly servers .. a beautiful bird or two that fly near and settle just long enough to chirp me a cherry good morning and beg a crumb or two of my croissant.
Surprisingly to me .. I have managed to mostly keep fairly good blood sugar levels this past week! Our guide, Paul has had a cold the last few days and G's allergies have been wreaking havoc with him. Except for Hank's headache the first day he has felt great. And all the women have been 'fit as a fiddle' so far.
Finally, everyone joins me for breakfast .. we are all packed and ready for today's adventures. We will safari through Kikuyu country (both Paul and "G" are "Kikuyu"). We will travel through THIKA (the setting of Elspeth Huxley's book: The Flame Trees of Thika) .. I WILL find that book when I get home and read it! Also on our agenda today is lunch at the Aberdare Country Club looking out upon Mt. Kenya. Safari through the Aberdare Forest to THE ARK!!!. The verandah overlooks a waterhole and saltlick, which is bathed in light all night and visited by many wild animals. We will spend the night on THE ARK!
****
A time to forever remember!! One momentous moment after another! I must start BACKWARDS:
Tuesday 1/16 5:30 a.m. At "THE ARK"
I arise and in the dark before dawn, I hurry to the huge windows overlooking the salt licks. They are now clear of the larger elephants and cape buffalo .. a landscape of hyennas .. I count eight of them before the sun rises. Swift nervous antelope tip-toe their way into the landscape. One lone cape buffalo decides to join the scene .. scattering the less brave antelope. Egyptian geese flock slowly into view. It is still dark. I am alone with the animals .. everyone else still sleeping. I am in awe!
*
A pale light on the horizon .. and the Captain of the Ark arrives and points out Mt. Kenya to me. My heart pounds with gratitude.~Moments arrive where suddenly I am overwhelmed, and I cannot stop the tears. I have been here before .. at this holy church. I thank god I have been given the privilege to be alone with nature. I am astounded the room does not overflow with humans and at the same time whisper "asanta sana" to God for allowing me to sit alone in the presence of God and sunrise in Africa.
*
Backwards in time:
MIDNIGHT .. and two bells ring loudly in our room. I have chosen to sleep in my cothes so as to not waste a single second in dressing to arrive within moments to view whatever has arrived and is signalled by a night watchman whose job it is to stay awake and alert all night to 'alarm' us of unusual sightings. ONE bell is elephants .. there are so many elephants that visit in the day and night .. that this bell does not ring. TWO bells if a rhinocerous appears .. 3 bells for wild cats and four bells for something unusual
(such as suppertime!!!) .. a KILL!!
TWO bells ring .. and I am barefooted and at the back of the ark within moments to see a huge rhino wobble into view and stand head to head with a large cape buffalo licking the salt from the ground. There are lots of elephants here too. From time to time a large 'momma' elephant will chase the rhino away if it wanders too closely to her baby! He skitters away .. only to slowly return again and again. I stay .. sleepy but mesmerized until the rhino decides to seek other pastures. The watering hole and salt lick behind the ark is perpetuallyl bathed in light to resemble dusk and dawn.
I am forever changed .. and I cananot explain it. Not in words .. not in thoughts. But, I feel it deep in my bones and from my soul. I know a holiness that I have never known in any building constructed by man to worship God.
The sun rises gently, slowly and in the near distance, I hear a woman singing an African song. I cry.
Forward to 6:30 a.m ..
'wake up' bells ring and humans appear. I am .. I am .. irritated is too strong a word .. disappointed .. yes .. saddened .. yes .. but it is MORE .. I suppose I am feeling as the animals do when peacefully grazing and they are suddenly aware of strangers on the edge of their revery.
For every second that passes now .. I feel a prodding panic .. that these moments will pass as every moment in our lives must. Never to return except as memories that will be tarnished with the passing of time ..
and I cry.
(to be continued)
BACK to Monday, 1/15
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Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Feb 08 2007 2:22:25 PM |
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 08:57:48 AM
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Whoa. Your words transport me to Africa - what a life changing experience. Lovely.
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
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jo Thompson
True Blue Farmgirl
603 Posts
Jo
the mountainside of the Chugach
in Alaska
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 11:07:37 AM
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Frannie, your travel journal is wonderfully written........ when I think of places I've been, special moments, you have MANY now. When the moose are grazing in my meadow it is so grounding to me, that connection to the earth. Very sweet your story. jo
"life is drab without a lab"
http://homepage.mac.com/thomja/Anchorage/PhotoAlbum15.html |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 12:33:56 PM
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| I for one am thoroughly enjoying your postings Frannie. Please keep them going! |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2007 : 4:30:16 PM
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thanks gurlfrenz .. i hope you will all 'journal' the stories of your lives. even everyday stuff .. cuz' THAT is what life is TRULY made up of!
I have yet to write down my experinces on a safari that only barbara and i took where we sat with cape buffalo (OUTSIDE the van!) .. and were surrounded by a huge herd of forest elephants after going off the road .. and tracking their path through the woods! oh .. and walking with zebra, gazelle and giraffe! when we got back to the ARK .. we were both speechless and were not able to even talk about it .. as i have not been able to write of it .. but will try to tomorrow!
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 09:18:10 AM
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LOTS OF PHOTOS TO THIS JOURNAL ENTRY .. REMEMBER .. E-MAIL ME TO GET ON THAT LIST.
JANUARY 15
LUNCH AT THE ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB
AND
"I WALK WITH THE ANIMALS"
ABADARE COUNTRY CLUB
OH MY! was this place ever lovely!!! it used to be a 'private plantation' years ago .. but is
now a beautiful 'country club' .. and the 'travelling point' to THE ARK.
Only Park vehicles are allowed to travel to THE ARK. Sooo .. Paul brought us here to take a 'bus' to THE ARK after an incredibly decadent lunch. I swear .. it felt as if we had stepped back to Colonial times in Africa.
We had the BEST fresh-squeezed LEMONADE that had ever dribbled over any of our lips!
And NOWHERE else in Africa .. could we find lemonade!
We sat on a hillside beside the Club overlooking a magnificent view, surrounded by Peacocks Strutting Their Stuff .. and lunch was on the 'verandah'. This was my most favorite place we had a meal in Africa!
The ride to the Country Club had Giraffe, Gazelle, Zebra and
WART HOGS!
A babboon sashays past three sleeping Wart Hogs on the lawn!
I decide to take my camera and get up 'close and personal'
with the Wart Hogs!
SUDDENLY .. theY bolted upright as I was about 5 feet from them
and I swear .. I 'bout crapped my pants! Skeeered the be-jeeeezuz outta' me!
*
And just LOOK at this POINSETTA TREE in their garden!
breathtakingly beautiful!
and what a surprize to find it here in AFRICA!
I WALK WITH A GIRAFFE!
Now begins the most exciting day of my trip to Africa!!
After Lunch, we learn that there is a 'special safari' that you can take
(for an extra $25.) .. (and it was so phenomenal .. we tipped them an extra $30!) Only Lady Barbara and I opt to take it! It is about 2 hours long .. and the guides take us into the Aberdares Forest!
Our two guides were AMAZING!
We were still on the 'grounds' of the Country Club ..
and we drove into the midst of herds of gazelle and zebra ..
they asked if we wanted to get 'out' of the jeep.
I don't think I would have been more shocked if I had just
been informed that I was having TRIPLETS!
(Which is a pretty good trick considering I had a hysterectomy many years ago!)
.. not to mention I am also 65 years old!!
Barbara and Me
(LORD! I've been eating too much on this trip!!!)
I was more scared of stepping on a deadly snake than I was in
approaching wild animals!
I swear .. I do believe you could say I actually 'romped' with the animals!
The zebra were pretty shy .. but the
ELAN (i think) looked me square in the eye!!
the GIRAFFE and I made friends
(the guide had to actually tell me to WHOAH FRANNIE .. not so close!)
EARTH SHATTERING EXPERIENCE!!!!
*
Giraffe Poop!
NO! that is not MY hand!
check out the TUSKS on this dude! We had to laugh .. because this
field was an olde soccer field and overflowed with wart hogs!
Giraffe seldom sit down .. but this fella' was taking a rest!
*
O.K.!!!!!! I'm wondering if this is 'previews of coming attractions' ...
for when we enter 'the forest'!!
Our two wonderful guides and Barbara!
We enter the gate to the forest!
we stay in the car from here on ...
... well ... MOSTLY we do!
the forest through the trees.
Gazelle
WART HOGS
Cape Buffalo and one lone gazelle
GRASS-EATERS don't tend to fight with each other
Babboons
BIG DADDY!!!
We have searched and searched the hillsides for the FOREST ELEPHANT.
We cannot find any .. soooo .. those wonderful guides decide to surprize us ...
(to be continued)
(In Which we are Surrounded by a Huge Elephant Family)
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 11:10:33 AM
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Frannie, I stay on the edge of my seat reading your chapters. Gotta wait until tomorrow???! (to be continued )
XO,
Ann
There is a Redeemer. |
Edited by - Phils Ann on Feb 08 2007 11:11:32 AM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 1:37:10 PM
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ann .. a few more coming today!! xo (and i'm only half-way through my trip at this point! xo
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 1:54:07 PM
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LOTS of pictures with this journal entry too gurlfrenz! so sorry i can't post them here!
AFRICAN "FOREST ELEPHANT" PATH ..
Monday, January 15, 2007
First, I thank God for opening up this path to Africa
for me and preparing and laying before me all these
incredible adventures. I thank you God.
Second, I thank my 'handsome honey hunk husband hank'
for making it possible for me to travel to Africa on Safari.
For going with me and watching over me and just 'being there' with me.
(oh .. and did I mention the buckets of money you spent!!)
We had such a wonderful time together .. there truly are no words
to describe just how wonderful!!! I
I delighted in his delight at me .. my joy .. my wonderment of it all!
I Thank You .. forever and eternity .. I Thank You!
I love you my dear husband Hank!!!
Our great guides were determined to show us Forest Elephants .. but they
just refused to show up on the road (it is more 'forest' here than open plains).
Sooooo .. suddenly .. they looked at each other .. and took a sharp left off the
little road onto a 'path' that only rangers take.
They told us this was an 'elephant trail' ..
the path they walk through the forest.
Before long .. we could no longer see the road ..
and we were riding through bushes taller than our van
.. so closed in it actually enveloped us as we disappeared
into the brush.
As we travelled along .. a family of
WART HOGS walked in front of us .. as if magically
guiding our way!
Suddenly, from a distance .. our guides pointed to HUGE BROWN ROCKS
on a hillside. They told us to just 'watch' ... and suddenly ..
the rocks MOVED .. and a 'trunk' was raised in the air!
Oh my gosh! these were ELEPHANTS!
We rounded a bend .. and found this big elephant herd
far off the beaten path!
As we approached .. one of the elephants
whipped around ... 'smelled us' .. and ...
went back to the business of 'eating'!
sooooooooo .. we drive yet a little closer and stop.
i look up to the right .. and there is a momma and a baby having a little 'nosh'.
momma notices us .. gives us a 'smell' and a LOUD verbal warning!
and ... goes back to EATING!
we inch closer .. and a big brother dashes towards us and
trumpets a warning!
our guides tell us to not be afraid .. again .. they are
just 'smelling' us.
baby sister enters the scene .. big brother sees this .. and ...
CALLS IN REINFORCEMENTS!!!!!
I so wish I had a 'movie camera' at this point .. these three
big mommas came running toward us .. lifted their noses and
BLATTED at us!
Our driver stopped the van .. (kept the motor running) .. and
told us again to 'not worry' .. HA! I don't think there was a single 'worry'
in either Barbara's or my mind at this point .. we were ecstatic!!
I believe I would point this to be the single most INCREDIBLE moment of
my trip to Africa!
(soon to be followed by another and another and another .. as you read further in my journal)!
with Baby Boo safely behind her .. Momma goes back to ..
yep! you guessed it! EATING!
and EATING!
and EATING!
One of the BIG BROWN ROCKS up closer than our first sighting!
I think the family has had enough of our visit .. and for the
next 15 to 20 minutes .. try to 'cajole' Baby Boo off the path and back into the woods!
Our guides say that they will NOT allow us to pass
until 'the baby' is safely out of our way.
They talked fondly of 'the baby' .. we were sure that they
have watched this little one since birth.
At one point .. and oh .. I do wish I had snapped a picture of it in time ..
Momma .. took her knee .. and 'nudged' Baby Boo to encourage him
to leave the path. (Still, he took his time .. it was obvious that like most
'human' babies .. he was the BOSS of this family!)
We waited for about 45 minutes .. and were thankful for every moment!
THEN .. one by one .. some of the elephant family made their
way slowly down to a small river for a drink of water.
And then there were three .. two young ones and one teenager.
BOO has decided to join his 'siblings' ..
and the Elephant Parade begins!
What pure JOY it was to witness these Forest Elephants
in their own backyard!
With the path clear ... we slowly start to leave .. I hear 'rustling'
over my right shoulder .. and am startled to discover .. a 'guard' who has been
standing on the hillside all this time watching us and overseeing
her family!
Seeing her family safely on the other side.
She quickly turns around and scoots behind us ...
She makes her way down to the river ...
splashes along ..
drinks deeply ...
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
then, she too joins her family travelling up the hill into the recesses of the Forest!
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 1:57:59 PM
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JANUARY 15 .. I SIT WITH CAPE BUFFALO!
There is a little 'hilltop' in the Aberdares
(you know .. one of those 'hilltops' .. where
animals RARELY visit .. soooo .. we humans
can stop for a quick pee-break!
Our wonderful guides .. after our wonderful
FOREST ELEPHANT adventure
bring us here for a quick look-see and pee.
As I approach the 'privy' .. I am warned to watch
for poisonous snakes and a 'weed' that grows all over ..
as it is very toxic to the skin!
OH YES! that's all I needed to hear to convince
me to pee my underoos if I must! This is as close
as I got to that little hut!
all around this 'woman-eating' plant is Snake City!
We walk along with our guides and they point out
a large depression in the 'grass' and tell us that
not long ago .. Cape Buffalo slept here!
O.K. .. this only gets better! ... so we take ten more steps to the edge of the hill
and two 'good olde boys' greet us!!
THIS is the icing on the Elephant Cake!!!
The large 'fierce' Cape Buffalo took turns getting up and sitting down .. seeming to not mind
that we have come for a visit .. and I will always believe they
each were 'bowing' to us. SEE .. I told you Lady Barbara
had sneaked out of her English Palace to come on this Safari!
Bravely, I walk a little toooooo close to them .. camera in hand!
Again .. I hear "STOP .. don't go any closer .. back up slowly."
Now all this is pretty dang amazing .. I have very little 'fear' of
Africa's BIG creatures .. but I am here to tell you that I almost didn't survive
an attack of a "dragon fly" that innocently flew into our van window ..
Suddenly .. I looked like a
deranged windmill .. with arms twirling and head spinning 90 degrees .. and
I think I must have landed in everyone's lap in that van until the
'deadly dragon fly' escaped my gyrations!
OH .. lord! and dung beetles, hut flies, tse tse flies, and the dreaded "cricket"
would send me into an epileptic fit!
There were two great wooden benches up there (the Cape Buffalo
are to Barbara's right and down the hill a tad). The other guide
and I sat on the bench in front of the Buffalo. They never did
leave us .. we just sat and enjoyed them and the magnificent view
until the sky got a little duskier.
I looked before me (that is the bench I was sitting on) and
THERE in the sky was the most beautiful rainbow!
I knew with all my heart and soul
that God was smiling at me on this blessed day.
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Feb 08 2007 1:59:12 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 7:11:11 PM
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Tuesday, 1/16 - WE CROSS THE EQUATOR
Just rambling notes and thoughts:
We cross the equator .. big African Market .. cleaner than most. See demonstration of gravitational pull of water. Buckets within small hole in the bottom. 20 feet NORTH of the equator .. bucket is filled with water and a small stick is dropped in it. As it drains, the stick spins clockwise (as would your toilet when flushed). We walk 20 feet SOUTH of the equator .. and the same water/bucket/stick trick is performed .. and the water drains counter-clocwise. We walk to the exact equator line .. sam-o .. same-o .. stick will not spin at all! The further you travel from the equator .. the stronger and faster the spin of water.
We are descended on by people to visit their booths. I am still buying tiny colorful baskets with beaded handles. After MUCH haggling (oh yeah! my flea marketing skills has kicked in!) .. I now have 14 of those cute little baskets in my possession!
*
I come to realize that as a tourist I am viewing the people and the animals of Africa in much the same way .. with curiosity, reverence, awe. So far, the 'service people' at the lodges are the only Africans we have had social conversation with.
*
Priscilla is allergic to bee stings .. she carries an epi-pen .. a bee gets into our van .. buzzing aroaund MY window. "G" goes into automataic drive and smashes the beee-jeeezuz out of him .. but not quite enough to send him to bee heaven .. he falls into my seat .. stinger still quivering and bites me in the ass!
*
We now travel the bumpy, torn up road to our next destination. Shaba Saarova Lodge in the Samburu Game Reserve. The villages along the way teem with hundreds of people, goats and cows and ramshackle houses, unimaginable to most Americans .
LOTS of coca-cola tin billboards .. often we see store fronts and home fronts
made from discarded rusty tin pieces.
This is a country of slow moving. Roads always lined with people walking .. walking. Each going on their way to somewhere. The most endearing sight to me is always an African woman dressed in colorful cloths with a baby swaddled in an equally colorful 'sack' riding on her back.
such a contrast of 'clothes that we recognize'
and colorful wraps!
typical village scene
I note that NEVER*** have I seen a white person standing among these hard-working people.
*** .. looking back over my journal .. there was ONE incredible exception to never seeing white people walking among the black Africans ... this was in a small village (much like pictured above) .. there were 8 or 9 white teenage girls dressed in jeans and t-shirts walking along a village road.) Paul said these were daughters of Missionaries who lived in the area .. that there is a "Mission School" for them .. and they were walking at lunchtime. This came upon us so quickly (as did many, many sights that I could not get
*
We pass through an agrarian area with more successful looking farms than the usual small weedy cornfields .. next to small wooden or tin homes. More often than not .. these are coffee or tea farms run by wealthier white people.
my camera up quickly enough .. although for much of the trip .. it stayed in my hand!)
Paul tells us that lusher family gardens grow out of sight off the road with only narrow dirt foot paths leading to them. Often the produce must be packed in and out by goat or piled high on bicycles pushed along or by family members carrying it on their backs .. and taken to the many small roadside stands. I wonder who buys all these foods.
These are the foods I realize that we are warned against ever eating while in Africa for fear of illness and disease and for which innoculations are mandatory before leaving our own country. It is the 'soil' and the water that is used to grow them. I am sure these are the very foods that are served to us in our sumptous meals at our lodges .. only hopefully, washed in 'clean' water. Most baskets look to be overflowing the lush lettuces, firm potatoes and onions, beautiful tropical fruits.
I think about our early settlers to America .. when all farming was done by hand .. no modern mechanical equipment whatsoever. That is how it is done here (except, perhaps at the small hand-full of commercial farms dotting this country of Kenya.
*
The countryside has just opened up to verdant green hills with a ribbon of slightly better road running grey thorugh it. I see distant mountains and feel for a moment as if I might be back in my beloved Kentucky.
*
I am not a big 'souvenir' collector, but Hank has purchased a magnificent necklace for me made with leather and bone and stones with a brass amulet.
*
I miss our children! Each night at bedtime, I hold my hand to my heart .. gather all the day's love and adventure and raise my arm .. open my fingers and send it across the world to them!
I miss my family .. I miss my friends .. I miss Cabin and Creek. I miss our home .. and I miss Kentucky!
*
(to be continued)
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Feb 08 2007 7:13:05 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 7:14:10 PM
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Tuesday, 1/16 .. Our Journey Gets Scary!
We have entered a Somolian area of Kenya. We must stop to register at a check-point to travel here. We are suddenly swarmed by Somali Kenyans attempting to sell their wares. They are more aggressive than have approached us before .. poking arms through every open window filled with jewelry and other knick-knacks.
For the first time on our jouney .. I do not .. I can not .. look out the car windows of either side of the van and I find myself scooting to the middle of the van to avoid the outreached hands. Real or Imagined .. I feel somewhat threatened. We are oooooooh .. mayhaps .. 8 or 9 minutes from the SOMALIA BORDER .. (or in my wild-imagination .. so it seems!) ... but I have never been anywhere in the world so close to enemy territory. We are asked where we are from .. Hank replies: "Canada". I would have been more inclined to make-up a fictiocious country in a poor part of the world and start speaking 'in tongues' (or childhood pig-latin!)
Somalia/Kenyans
a mosque in this town .. what a contrast to the surrounding homes!
Paul has told us that these people truly believe that all Americans "Walk on Gold". The moment we cross the check point, there are no more 'roads' for the remaining million (o.k. .. Paul swears it is only TEN miles .. but we all took a vote .. and decided it is indeed closer to a MILLION miles to our lodge. (which we find is literally in the midde of a remote dessert .. not close to anywhere!) I have never felt so isolated! We wonder why so many people are willing to pay so much money to travel so far away. Paul says it is this remoteness .. this isolation .. they seek. NOT SO FOR ME! (see NOTE below!) Mostly I suppose because I feel more vulnerable now than I hever have before.
I wrote the entire time we rode to our lodge from the Somali/Kenyan checkpoint. Kenya is made up of 'districts' and when you leave one and enter another .. you have to present 'papers'. I wrote because I did not want one moment of what was running through my mind to get lost ... and probably also to occupy my time to keep me calmer than I might be if i let my fear take over. The road was so bumpy and Paul was driving so fast .. that my words were all over the page and barely intelligble .. looked like scribblings of a deranged woman
(which .. I was not far from being at the time!)
The gully we travelled on .. seldom was the view this 'grassy'!!
And mostly the only animals we saw were camels and goats.
There are NO roads .. just dessert floor sandwiched between scraggly grass which keeps the lifestock barely alive.
And being so close to the equator it is deathly HOT in this broken air-conditioned van. We travel at a very fast speed .. being jostled at every bump which come constantly.
Paul looks back for a moment and asks if we are all buckeld up? I am not! I sit at the back of the van .. in the middle .. in the 'catapult seat'. Paul swerves off the upper dessert 'road' .. into a gully, worn smoother over time by the herds of goats, cows and donkeys that relentelssly travel this route seemingly coming from no where travelling seemingly to nowhwere.
Paul does NOT slow down for these animals and their lone herders. They scatter at the last moment, barely preventing themselves from becoming dessertburgers!
I feel fear .. I sense danger. We rarely speak .. except for an occasional nervous humorous comment followed by equally nevous laughter. Fear truly is contageous. I try to get a sense of whether or not Paul is afraid.
A story he told a few days ago is brought to mind. We asked him at dinner, whether he had ever had any frightenhing events happen as a tour guide on Safari. He had us all on the edge of our seats as he unravelled a tale of being on a 'dusk' Safari with some clients. The time had gotten away from them and it got dark. He found himself trying to negotiate a deep puddle of mud on a very narrow road. The van was an old one and very open. He had two couples in the van and had to put the car in forwad and reverse .. forward and reverse several times in an attempt to get unstuck. He then saw a flash of 'cat' eyes shining in front of him in the dark. As the van lurched forward, a very frightened and angry leopard lept at the van .. glazing off the windshield. The clients were too busy holding on as the car lurched and they did not see the leopard. Luckily, the leopard jumped aside at the last second avoiding a head-on crash into the windshield and Paul said they were luckier still that the last lurch got them out of the mud ... and flooring the gas pedal, Paul was able to outrun the dazed leopard. His clients never realized the danger they were in and Paul certainly did not enlighten them.
Was he NOT enlightening us now?
I envisioned armed Somalian Soldiers riding camels from behind the next hill. (Ha! re-reading this journal entry later, I realize I do have quite an active imagniation when fearful! And by the way .. NO insurgents showed up!)
I continued to write in my journal. Hot, dry, dusty, scared .. I am getting grumpy as I wonder why Travel Learn does not provide a guarantee of 'air-conditioned' vans! How spoiled American of me!
(Very FEW cars in Africa are air-conditioned!!!!)
A herd of over a hundred camels appear with a lone herder dressed in Biblical times! Paul tells us to NOT take photos .. when we do pass these herders and they are close to 'the road' .. they have huge rocks in their hands .. and Paul said they WOULD throw them if they saw a camera pointed their way!
Suddenly, out of nowhere .. a van appears in front of us .. and we travel in the dust of another lone van .. rushing to pass him so that he may have his turn to 'eat our dust'.
The van continues to bump along .. tossing us in our seats. Paul tells us we are being treated to a free
"African Massage". We respond with 'nervous laughter'.
OH CRAP! We have just passed a sign that reads COMBAT SCHOOL .. out in the middle of nowwhere!!!
Awhile back we passed a sign that said: INTREPID ZONE. My brain is racing back to my high school days for the literal meaning of the word INTREPID!
I am as close to "IRAQ" as I'll ever be! This is the most frightened I have been .. and I have walked among Cape Buffalo .. the strongest, fiercest animal in the jungle!!
Why this vehicle has not broken completey down by now is one of the mysteries of the universe!
We arrive at our lodge .. and I do not like it .. mostly because I am scared, frazzled and frustrated! Even the service people here seem unfriendly, pushy, condescending . I am not the only one that feels that way. I am trying to understand the many many years of unrest, poverty and whatever else has molded their disposition .. but find, that I tend to 'skulk and hide' like the hyena .. and perhaps that is how we are viewed!
Paul does admit that these Somali/Kenyans do not have the cherry disposition of most Africans .. it is just the way they are he tells us .. it is their 'history'.
This Chapter should be entitled:
We Sleep With Crickets and Walk in Monkey Poo
Wednesday, 1/17
It is now the following morning .. a day and a half and a lifetime has passed since I last wrote in my journal. There is a crocodile infested BROWN river beside our lodge ..
that's CROCODILE CITY beside the bridge we walk over!
we walk along the path to the dining room with three to four foot prehistoric-looking lizards roaming the grounds.
Dinner and we crash early .. everyone is fatigued from all this adventure! Too much rich food .. and bumpy, bumpy roads. We go to our room after dinner .. our mosquito netting has been pulled closed for us .. curtains drawn and bed covers pulled back. I 'flop down' onto the bed only to 'flop up' at warp speed, as two huge crickets leap onto my forehead and bounce off somewhere in the crevices of my bed covers!
I "de-sheet' my bed .. searching for night crawlies .. re-make my bed .. and sleep with my head UNDER the sheets all night! I have not been eating meat on this trip and I was NOT going to start with crickets!
In the morning, i hear "WHEEEP! WHEEEEP! THUD! I look out the window (Hank pulled the curtains open last night to get a cross-wind. NOWHERE is air-conditioned! There is a native outside our window with a sling shot .. shooing/shooting monkeys out of the trees!
I drag myself to breakfast hop-skotching over monkey poop!
My stomach is queasy this morning (Priscilla got the African Trots last night .. is it now to be my turn??? We have a full-day Safari planned. Boxed Lunch picnic planned too! I can't bear to even think 'food'!
Not far into the trip I am getting sicker and sicker to my stomach! I lie down in the back seat .. get up to view elephants that are within 2 arms length! Most exciting was "G" spied a cheetah sitting erect and staring. We follow with our eyes where his eyes are looking. A herd of gazelle. He slowly starts to stalk them .. they sense danger! They stop eating and stand at rapt attention. Cheetah stops and slinks low.
(see the CHEETAH at 'alert' middle of photo .. slightly to the right)
Gazelle slowly move on. Cheetah slowly follows .. then .. ZOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! like a streak of ligtening he takes off after them. He passes several of them with his eye on a particular one. He gets his prey .. but in the brush so we do not see the actual kill. I don't know if I am disappointed or thankful we did not witness
wild nature at feeding time!
(still stalking)
(cheetah on the run .. gazelle (lunch) in front of him)
That might have been my own 'undoing' .. as I lie back down in the back seat after downing a hand-full of TUMS! After about an hour of jostling .. we come to another oppulent lodge .. there are four lodges in this HUGE preserve.. but VERY far apart from each other. We stop for a 'tea and pee' break. I order a bottled COKE. Then on to an overlook for a picnic lunch. Tummy is churning. I drink my coke and nibble at a roll. And go back to lying on the back seat.
We pass a Samburu village .. VERY primitive .. dirt and dung huts from another era of history. Yet there is a group of villagers who live here. They are beautifully dressed in native clothing and jewelry. We were to take a tour .. I am so sick by now. Hank did not want to leave me alone. "G" and Priscilla don't want to tour the village. We are all very hot and tired.
Paul tells the villagers that I am sick. They surround the car and look at me with sorry eyes that tell me to get well. I ask Paul if we could see the village tomorrow. He says yes.
I barely make it back to my room. My stomach is wretching .. I feel so sick i am disoriented! I fall into the bed .. not caring if there is a village of 400 crickets in there with me! I am so sick. I crawl out of bed .. take a cold shower .. put my finger down my throat and release the coke and roll .. and fall back into bed until tomorrow!
Thursday, 1/18
WHEEP! WHEEEP! THUD! Monkey man is at it again! I feel better .. but wisely have only 'toast and tea' for breakfast.
"On The Road Again"
(to be continued)
NOTE: Sitting in my cozy little log cabin in the 'holler' here in Kentucky .. and feeling very safe .. I look back upon our experience, surroundings and the 'lodge' at Samburu .. it did have an "African Charm" to it. Even the 'scary' million-mile ride! And we did see sites that will remain romantically in our memories forever!
As you can see .. the lodge at Samburu is quite lovely! This is the 'pool'!
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2007 : 8:41:50 PM
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SAMBURU VILLAGE
Thursday Morning .. 1/18
As we leave the Samburu area .. we stop at the Samburu Village
that we stopped briefly at last night .. and I was too sick to visit.
The villagers surround the car and ask how I am feeling this morning.
They smile and are pleased when I bounce out and tell them that I feel great!
(Paul later tells me that they said they all prayed for my recovery last night
and are pleased to see that their prayers were answered).
(I am sorry that I did not have the opportunity to sit down with one of the villagers and ask them all about their religious/spiritual beliefs. Paul told us that they DO believe in GOD .. but they do not believe in an 'afterlife'.
Three of the villagers speak very good English .. one being the lady in blue on the far left in this photo.
She and a young man were pretty much their 'spokespeople and interpreters' to the tribes as to what WE said.
There was also a young man who is well educated. The village has paid for him to go to school away from the Village.
The women greet us with a 'welcoming dance'.
It doesn't take me long to jump in and join the 'chorus line'
and of course, I had to show them some American Moves!
AND .. some rock and roll 'jitterbugging'!!!
We do not understand each other's 'words', but the smiles and giggles are universal!
*
The Samburu in this Village were nomads .. if there is a drought .. no food .. or if someone in the village died .. they would leave .. never to return. We were told that there are two other Samburu Villages in this area along with this village and this place is now their home and they have not moved in five years. (HA! they got a good thing going in this location .. because when tourists leave the lodge .. they have to pass their village on the way out .. and they do depend on the tourists to spend money and donate money to their village. They charge $20. per person to tour ... and then have lots of jewelry and other trinkets to sell you before you leave!
As our visit ended .. we were led past their 'marketplace' .. just a little area of the village with jewelry and other knick-knacks laid out for purchase. Ordinarily, tourists would 'haggle' with the prices .. but after being so welcomed and seeing such need .. I can't imagine anyone attempting to ask for a lower price for something .. EVEN THOUGH .. the prices quoted are always quite high in comparison to what you would pay 'off the street'.
Now here was a LIE .. that in hind-sight .. I really didn't appreciate:
There was an olde man and a very antiquated 'blacksmith's metal anvil' (NOT HOT)
sitting among the ladies selling their wares.
We were told that he MADE the metal jewelry.
I know that is not true because:
(1) men don't WORK!
(2) there is NO WAY some of the more intricate designs could possibly have been made with
that equipment .. being a 'crafter' .. we know these things!
(3) after we leave the village and go pass through that Somali/Kenya town again at the checkpoint .. two brown arms with a big ring and about TWENTY of the very same bracelets that I had just paid $15.00 each for .. and they are offered to me for: "ALL for only $10.!!!!!"
However, I just considered my purchases a 'donation' to the tribe .. and I bought three metal bracelets for $45. Two little tiny beaded bracelets for our baby granddaughter for $10. each and a beaded one for our daughter for another $15. I add another twenty and just gave them a hundred dollars for my purchases.
Barbara did the same .. so .. after you tack on the extra $60. they made from our 'entrance fee' .. they made out pretty well from our little visit.
But again ..
WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!
We dance our way through the thorny bush (see it at left in the photo below).
It surrounds the village to keep 'wild animals' out at night.
(especially leopard and lion .. and hyenas!)
I
the men and women's clothes are wonderfully colorful.
They do not make these cloths .. they buy them. I think they
both make and purchase all the beaded jewelry.
I do a HALLELUJAH dance unknowingly with Hank's future 'SECOND WIFE'!!!
Hank and his Honies!
The girls giggle as Hank tries to impress one of the women!
He finally gives up the 'jumping game' .. and 'gets down and boogies'
with the ladies!
Paul later tells us that the Samburu had a really fun time with us
and will never forget us! That makes our heart smile! We will surely
carry them in our memories forever!
The Samburu (along with many other primitive tribes)
do not use 'matches' to start fires .. it is always done
with sticks rubbed together .. straw, cow dung and the breath!
FIRE!
We watch and participate in 'ceremonial dances'.
The native men can jump incredibly HIGH
... especially the Maisi.
The Samburu are a tribe that broke off from the Maisi years ago.
They are a little less nomadic.
Hank gives the native men a good 'giggle' at his jumping ability.
I guess this is where the term:
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP
came from!!!
Paul (our guide) looks on with a smile as a young Samburu
leaps and towers over him!
O.K. .. here we go ... READY! SET!
JUMP!!!!!
These men would get rich playing BASKETBALL in America!
A COURTING DANCE
me thinks me sees honey hunk holding hands!!!!
I pronounce Hank's partner his SECOND WIFE!
She and the villagers get a real giggle out of this!!!
As we were preparing to leave the village .. Hank's Second Wife made
her way to the front of the line of villagers there to say farewell to us ..
she looked at me .. and touched her heart with her hand .. and extended her
hand to me with a smile. I do the same.
We are told that all wives get along. They tell us that they do not 'inter-marry' but find
wives from other tribes. But I am not sure that is totally true because of other things that we are told by the Maisi. (more on that later).
The dances they shared with us this day were 'welcoming dances, rite of passage' dances, courting dances.
This young man has just been circumcised.
LOVE the GREEN SHOES!!!
We were told that the Samburu do not really count age in 'years' .. they count
ceremonies, events.
Before it became illegal to kill lions, a group of three or four recently
circumcised boys would all go out on a LION HUNT with spears and bows and
arrows. They would have to bring home one of his 'parts' (NO!!! not THAT PART!!!)
a paw, mane or something to prove they had killed the lion .. as part of his
rite of passage into manhood.
NOW .. they told us that they go out and steal COWS!
ALSO, circumcision is done wide awake and you DO NOT WANT TO KNOW THE PROCESS ..
it had something to do with dirt and a big stick .. AND .. if the young boy/man even
utters so much as a tiny ouch or any utterance of pain .. he must leave the village for TWO years.
His family will feed him .. but he may not come back into the village for two years. He spends this
time outside herding their cattle and goats.
Their huts (homes) are very low and very dark. Three rooms are separated
only by 'half-walls'. The one we visited .. had a very small fireplace in
the middle .. but no 'smoke stack' at the top. Air filtered through the hut
and escaped through side slits. These are made of mud, cow dung, twigs and any plastic they can find to keep the rain out.
There is no true privacy in these huts .. the one we visited was the 'first wife's hut' .. where the husband and his wife sleep in one little triangle of the hut. then a small entrance .. (think of these spaces as a 'pie' that is cut in 4 uneven pieces .. but not all the way into the center of the pie. The grandparents slept in one of the slices on the other side of the entrance way. And ALL the children of the first wife slept in the larger 'slice' .. on a dirty cow hide. No pillows (they showed us a short wooden stool and said that was the 'father's pillow'.) We also saw no 'covers'. Hank and Barbara very hospitably took a seat on the children's 'rug' .. albeit it FOOLISHLY .. cuz' they both got lots of flea bites! I stood barely controlling myself from jumping up and down trying to avoid the fleas~ (my head would have gone through the 'ceiling' had I tried that little trick!
The SECOND and THIRD and FOURTH, etc. etc. WIVES would have their own huts all next to each other.
(more on that little subject when we visit the Maisi Village on our last day in Kenya.)!!!
This is the story we were told about both the Masai and the Samburu.
The boy's FATHER chooses his FIRST wife. He can choose his own second and third and so on.
But the boys keep as good a relationship with their father as they can .. out of respect .. and knowing
that they will choose their wife for them. AND it is MANDATORY that you marry your father's choice.
I ask about 'death' and 'burial' .. and it is explained to me that when the tribes are 'nomadic' .. when someone dies .. they wrap them in a cow hide and leave his body in the village .. they abandon the village . .never to return. It was further explained that sometimes they will 'burn' the huts .. but not always .. and that no other tribe will ever come into an abandoned village because they know death has occurred there and they do not know if it is a contagious disease.
Since this tribe is no longer nomadic, they simply wrap the body, (mother, father, grandparents and babies) .. in a cow hide and take them to a field outside the village and leave it for the animals.
I swear to you .. I almost fainted when they told me that! The look of anguish on my face elicited a further response from the woman who was telling me this (the lady in the blue dress that speaks English). She said "we mourn .. but not for long". We are simply returning to the earth what is the earth's .. we are born, we live, we die .. and we forget!
That statement has haunted me ever since hearing it and I do not think if I live forever, it will cease to haunt me!
I wondered the age of this Samburu woman .. she
certainly looks to be older than 49 .. but women
(in my opinion) have a very very hard life in these tribes.
THEY are the 'workers'. They tend the children and BUILD THE HUTS.
The men walk about all day with the cattle and goats.
Now I know full well that I surely do not have the 'whole story' .. but
Barbara, Priscilla and I all felt that the women had very hard lives!
Isn't it interesting to note the clothing and jewelry ..
versus the condition (lack of decor) and cleanliness
of their homes????
We were also introduced to this young girl who had
just been circumcised .. and it IS MANDATORY" at about age ten.
A Maisi told me they circumcise them early because they do not
want them to have sex before circumcision. GOOD GRIEF .. Sex with babies!
(There goes my American Attitude again!!!)
The best I remember is that they marry at about 14 or 16 years of age.
But then .. the life expectancy of Kenyans is 49 years old.
A young mother and her daughter.
NEVER did we see anyone, man, woman, child .. with LONG hair!
I cannot help but see the children wherever we go.
And I am consistently amazed in these villages how shabby
and dirty the children are always dressed .. especially in
comparison to the colorful beads and cloth the adults wear.
We visit the school .. which shocks me that it is on the OUTSIDE
of the village compound. I ask about this .. and they tell me
that no one is there during the nighttime when animals might come calling.
I so admire people from other countries who can go up to these beautiful little
souls and gather them up into their arms. I just could not do this. The little child
in the left corner of this photo (behind the little girl in the yellow dress) .. the child
with the blue crochet wool hat .. his poor little eyes had something dreadfully wrong with them
... I did not want to stare .. but Barbara said part of his face was missing. The little one in
the front in the purple shirt had no underwear on. The floor of the school is dirt .. and
there were no desks. I can't believe that tourists don't come through here all the time and leave school supplies (I was just sick that I had given all mine to Boys Town) .. and had none to leave here. But I wondered
where these supplies were. (Priscilla told me that the tribes SELL them). We were told that all monies given to this tribe went to the 'Chief' who lived elsewhere. It all seems so hopeless .. and I just pray that there are indeed lots of legitimate organizations that are helping poor people all over the world and that the poor are reaping the benefits.
The children sing "I'm a Little Teapot" in English for us.
I join in .. showing my handle, my spout and my 'tipping over' moves!
They laugh at me!
This dear little soul grabbed my heart!
It might have been her bright yellow dress
because they are all very dear!
Styrofoam cups with numbers 1 - 31 (calendar I suppose)
and a hand-embroidered alphabet.
Hank engages the kids in 'high five, low five, cool five, jive five
FUNKY FIVE!
they were shy at first .. but eventually all wanted to do "FIVES" with him!
their beautiful young teacher.
We say farewell to the Samburu of Africa
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 08:21:29 AM
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Oh Frannie, so much heartbreak.
Ann
There is a Redeemer. |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 08:41:49 AM
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Thursday, January 18
We visit Jane Goodall's Chimpanzee Preserve
and hang out with MORANI .. the only TAME RHINO in the WORLD!
After more endless driving on more endless rough roads
.. we arrive at a Chimpanzee and Preserve
that was started by Jane Goodall.
We walk with guides to a brown river .. young chimpanzees are sitting in trees across the river .. with their backsides (butts) to us .. showing either disdain or simple 'non-interest' in their visitors. I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes and rush back to the van to bathe in DEET!
We then walk up a tower to view olde chimpanzees ..
a picture is worth a thousand words!
and .. as usual .. I walk up close to the fence!!!
and
receive a friendly greeting from this young man!!!
after watching their 'antics' for a few minutes
we say a fond farewell!!
literally: THE END!!!!
Next we visit a 'bone museum' that shows the bone structures of
many African wild animals
see how MILITARY the rangers uniforms are?
same is true for the policemen!!
and next .. we visit
MORANI .. the only TAME RHINOCEROS in the WORLD!
I'm pretty sure they mean this .. and a foreigner wouldn't have
a snowball's chance on the Equator of suing for any damages or death!
We were allowed to SLOWLY approach him with our guide who constantly said over and over .. and very softly: "Morani .. Morani .. Morani" .. We took turns being photographed with him as we 'patted him".
When we left, he followed us like a docile puppy.
An attempt was made to 'mate' Morani and a female rhino was brought into Morani's 150 acre compoound .. he KILLED her!!! (hence .. the term "somewhat" tame! Several attempts were made to release Morani into the wild. He kept returning and on the last attempt he got into a fight with another male rhino and was 'castrated' by the bull rhino. So he was brought home and no more attempts are made to release him. He is guarded 24 hours a day -- 7 days a week .. by an armed ranger. The gun is to keep poachers from killing Morani.
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 08:43:24 AM
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Friday, January 19
Nyahururu Game Park
Lion Hill Lodge
We have passed through the gates of the Nyahururu Game Park and have been driving along for awhile and a loud clunking metal sound comes from the bottom of the car. We are isolated .. no other cars pass us and we are in wild animal territory (big cats and poisonous snakes being the biggest fear if contemplating getting out of the van!) Finally Paul tells us to keep a watch out becuse he has to get out and look under the car. Meanwhile, the ladies' heads are swiveling in complete circles on top of our necks looking for 'wild thangs' as Hank and "G" get out too and "G" sees a piece of bent metal. Paul pushes it back into place and we make it to the lodge .. uneaten!
I am like a cat on a hot tin roof! Feeling a little 'queasy' again .. so after nibbling a little salad and bread for lunch, I climb half way up a mountain to our room .. exhausted! A shower and a nap is what I need. No fans .. but we are on a mountainside. Our window looks into the forest and I did not see any fences or gates as we drove into this lodge. Simply a sign that said: DO NO WALK BEYOND LODGE! We have a safari at 4 p.m.. I do not want to misse it .. but sleep sounds so devine .. after our five hour drive today!
Paul tells us tomorow is SIX hours .. and on worse roads than we have yet travelled!)
Safari in Africa is NOT for the faint of heart!
Sleep wins .. and I miss the dusk safari .. and of course, they sighted lots of rhino and saw the 'ears' of a baby leopard .. which is as close to spotting the fifth of the BIG FIVE that we will come to on this whole trip! They also saw a lake filled with pink flamingos .. giraffe, zebra, ya-da-ya-da!
Suddenly, at dark .. I hear TRUMPETS and decide it is a warning sound that true to the lodge's name (Lion Hill) .. there is a lion loose in the compound. Soon the trumpets are followed by drums, music and DANCING at the Lodge. What a way to celebrate a wild lion among us!
O.K.!! O.K.!!! It was never a warning .. never a lion .. just in my imagination!
Hank and I amble down the hillside and watch a great dance program just before dinner. I only eat 'watermellon' for dinner! My appetite has just disappeared! And I do not want to tempt the fates that brought on that earlier stomach ache crud!
Saturday, January 20
OH YEAH! I think my stomach ache was also in my wild imagination. But decide to play it safe and have another 'light breakfast of tea and bread!
VERY LONG drive to next destination to Tented Camps at Masai Mara. More extreme poverty .. everywhere .. this is so third world!
We stop at a lake and take a canoe ride to see a family of hippos. About 2 dozen. They submerge themselves during the day with only tops of their heads showing .. occasionally opening their mouths very wide. They come out at night to feed. We're told that more humans are killed by HIPPO than any other African animal. Mostly by accident. Fishing boats (hmmmmmmmm .. and sight-seeing canoes???) hover over them not knowing they are there. The hippos surface for air and tip the boats over .. not a stalking of prey .. but just because they happen to both be in the same place at the same time! Fishermen either drown or are indeed bitten by the hippo. Hippos are vegetarians. We are told that they are slow in the water but can run faster than humans on land!
When I return home .. my daughter reminds me that she had warned me against taking a canoe ride when ther are hippos in the water! I guess I forgot .. ignorance is bliss .. because we did have a great time!
This area is where part of Out of Africa was filmed.
We glide around a large lake .. seeing beautiful birds and into narrow coves surrounded by grassy reeds where hippos hide. I can only think of the child's game: Hungry Hungry Hippo .. and am pleased they did NOT come out to play!
PELICANS
I forget what these were called .. we must have seen a MILLION
species of birds in Africa!
We canoe past an embankment with many women and children who have come to this lake to wash their laundry. Paul tells us that crocodiles swim along this banks and do from time to time kill someone doing wash or an inattentive child. What an amazing lifestyle! THIS IS the lake where the HIPPOS live too!
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 11:33:58 AM
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Oh, Frannie, I am really enjoying your photos and comments; hopefully you are putting this all together in a book!
DH and I have been thinking about doing a safari in Africa; and friends of ours were just transferred to Kenya for a three year assignment last month, so we really are starting to plan. Your postings are really whetting my appetite for my own trip!
WHen you come up for air, do you have a website link or contact number / address for Travel Learn? I couldn't seem to bring anything up on a general internet search of just their name.
Thanks much...
Jo
Jo
"There are no strangers here, only friends you've yet to meet." |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2007 : 11:48:01 AM
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HI JO .. I'LL DIG OUT THE INFOR FOR TRAVELEARN FOR YOU REAL SOON! THANKS FOR THE SWEET WORDS!
HA GURLFREN .. THIS "is" MY BOOK .. MY GIFT TO YOU ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS! XO
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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Across the Fence: THIS IS AFRICA |
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THIS IS AFRICA
