Kenya and Tanzania - Day 15
This is the end of our tour group of 28. Many will be going their separate ways today.
We were up at 6:15 am and in the Jeeps by 7:30 am. We arrived at the airstrip within 15 minutes. It seemed as if almost every animal was along the roadway to say farewell. There was another tour group getting on their plane. They all had the same green Safari hat supplied by their Micato tour company. It looked rather silly but it made it easier for their tour director to spot individuals in a crowd. You can buy a used Micato green safari hat on eBay for $22.00.
The Maasai hags are clever and hung a “Duty Free” sign on their trinkets and trash bazaar at the airstrip. Once again I stayed away.
It is a good thing that incoming aircraft check the runway before landing because there were only a few minutes between the take off of their plane and the arrival of ours.
We had our usual quick and orderly boarding and were airborne within a few minutes. It was a 45 minute flight to Nairobi. Taryn told us the trip to hotel would be between 20 minutes and 2.5 hours depending on traffic. TIA. We did not land at the Nairobi International Airport. We landed at the nearby local Wilson airport.
The bus trip to the hotel had the slightest drama as one our two buses turned around. We were trying to figure out who was missing. It was our tour director Taryn. She had stopped to pay the porters and both bus drivers assumed she was on the other bus.
We had the 20 minute ride from the airport ( not airstrip ) to the Nairobi Serena Hotel. The traffic was light. All the road signs and billboards are in English. There are many construction cranes visible downtown which usually indicates their economy is doing well.
We are still a mile high in altitude as we have been for two weeks. When we return to sea level we should have more energy.
The Serena hotel is a change from living in a tent down by the river. Last night a pack of hyenas were on the hunt and howled incessantly until dawn. The hyrax was calling for a mate at 3:00 am. The mating call sounds like a baby being murdered. Tonight we will hear the sounds of the city. We will not go wandering. One of our group asked the front desk where they could find an ATM. There is one nearby but it is recommended that you only leave the hotel while accompanied by a security guard. That is more of what I had expected in Nairobi. The price of our room at the Nairobi Serena hotel is $248 per night
There was no warning about staying out of the water because of hippos and Nile crocodiles.
How does an aspiring ukulele player stay in practice on a two week trip. My soprano ukulele fits conveniently in my suitcase.
You might wonder why we are spending and extra night in Nairobi. Almost all of our fellow travelers have moved on or gone home. I booked our Ethiopian Air flights 11 months ago. The schedule had us arriving in Chicago on Friday. About a month ago we received notification that our flight was moved out one day. No flight to Chicago on that day anymore. Have a nice day. TIA. We just asked our travel agent Heidi to book an extra night at the Nairobi Serena. It has worked out perfectly.
With an extra day in Nairobi we went in search of our last new species. We hired a car and driver recommend by Taryn and went to the Giraffe Centre.
This is the Rothschild giraffe. It is the third species of giraffe. The other two giraffe species are Maasai and Reticulated. The Rothschild giraffe is differentiated by its white legs below the knees. No spots. They look like they are wearing white socks.
Priscilla is feeding the grass pellets to a giraffe. Giraffe’s have a really long tongue.
This is Fred our driver. He is holding a giraffe femur. It is solid bone with no marrow so it is very heavy.
Mind your head around giraffes.
Today is really, really our last day on this trip. Several people have inquired if we are ever coming home. We will depart the hotel at 2:30 pm to go the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Our flight departs at 6:00 pm to Addis Abada, Ethiopia. It is a two hour flight with a two hour layover. Then we board our flight for Chicago that makes a one hour stop in Rome. Then it is a direct flight to Chicago. If all goes as planned we will arrive in Chicago at 8:05 am Saturday morning.
It has been a lot of fun writing the blog. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. While this trip has finally ended the next trip is already planned. We are taking our two oldest grandchildren Jackson and Eleanor to the Galápagos Islands in June. Stay tuned.