Doesn't everyone carry night vision goggles??

Dec. 24, Day 8 - Continued

 

 

We departed Entim among much heartache, having grown to love the place, the staff, and everything else. Earlier Dominic had told us he would transfer us to the rope bridge that we entered on because the river was too high to cross. When we got in the truck, though, he informed us that the crossing was open and he would be driving us directly to the airport.

 

This crossing was unreal. Again, we were struck by the similarity to a Disney ride! First, the jeep takes a nosedive over a steep cliff, the water raging below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we bounce down this incline into the water, the vehicle becomes stuck. We both expect an animatronic crocodile head to rear from the water! But, no, Dominic reverses, tries again, slips, slides, sticks, reverses – we struggle in water up to the doors for about 5 full minutes before clearing the river then four-wheeling up the virtually perpendicular cliff leading to the smooth veldt.

 

 

 

The airstrip is only a minute away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plane is much bigger this time, with overhead baggage compartments and everything. We do one 6 minute hop to another airport, and then the long haul to Nairobi.

 

When we disembark, they escort us outside the airport and instruct us to wait for our baggage. The baggage that had absolutely no airline markings or anything on it! Sure enough, though, within a few moments, a guy comes by pushing a wheeled cart with our luggage on it.

 

Justus, our driver from Somali meets us and whisks us off to a delectable lunch at a Brazilian BBQ where we have copious amounts of pork, beef, lamb, chicken, turkey and crocodile! The croc had the consistency of chicken but tasted like fish. You could live on it, but I don’t think I’d ever order it in a restaurant.

 

Then came an interminable drive, bad traffic, boring scenery, to arrive at Amboseli. And then, down a horrible washboard road for some 20 kilometers.

 

This place has a huge concentration of elephants, but not so many roads, so if you spot something in the distance you just look at it through field glasses. We got spoiled at Maasai Mara and getting with 10 feet of the animals.

 

We didn’t get in the park till 6pm and we had to be at the hotel at 630, so there was very little time for game viewing. There are lots of baboons lolling about, though.

 

The place was nice and resembled a Disney set yet again, but it couldn’t compare with our little camp at Entim.

 

We had gin and tonics at the campfire, then wandered out to the perimeter, protected by an electrified fence. I had brought along a night vision monocular, (doesn't everyone?) and we started scanning the darkness. Guess what we spotted not 30 yards away? Hippos! At least a dozen, bedding down for the night. Not much further on, we saw a few elephants.

 

There was something very cool about spotting these massive creatures only 75 yards or so from where a hundred guests cavorted, totally oblivious to what prowled the darkness.

 

Christmas eve dinner was a splendid spread of sail fish, chicken stuffed beer, and Christmas pudding with rum sauce. Afterwards Maasai dancers, acrobats, and other entertainment was performed outside on the veranda. We wore silly party hats, acted like total dorks, and had a lovely Christmas Eve.