Safari Day 1

Friday, November 2

Since I’ve never returned to some place over here that I’ve liked, it’s a really heartwarming feeling to be welcomed back like an old friend.  Anthony welcomed me warmly back to the Emakoko and many of the staff not only look familiar to me but they remember me as well. That’s really nice.

We had a nice game drive through Nairobi National Park on our way from the airport.  Saw mostly birds, a couple giraffe, some eland and paw prints of lions, but no cats.  My guide says that there is a pair of leopards mating nearby.  That would be a bonus, but I think I’d be happy with rhino and lions, especially since I’ve never seen lions here before.

One thing I remember clearly about Emakoko is that I was extremely well fed.  And it continues now.  Lunch was a cucumber shot (tiny diced cucumber bits) with a warm ricotta sauce on top.  There was homemade focaccia, a barley salad with tomato and mozzarella, roasted veggie skewers with a sweet and sour sauce and a frisée salad with beets.  I chose rose wine and water.  Dessert, as if I had room for it (but I did!) was a wonderful passion fruit tartlet.  Oh boy.  It’s coming back very quickly why I want to retire here!

My guide Rashid and I headed out at 3:30 for a game drive.  Of course we have lion or leopard on the mind but I was quite satisfied with 7 black rhino sightings, and two very close to the car and one was a mother-calf pair.  There is one thing this park is good for and that is rhino sightings.  Incredible.  Also saw lots of interesting birds, although I can’t say I’m a birder just yet.  It’s just nice to be here and warm and sunny after the cold and dreary of home lately.

An absolutely wonderful dinner tonight.  I joined a lovely couple from Toronto who are on a three week journey through Kenya and Tanzania.   I’m jealous of their time off but I suppose that is what comes with retirement.  Dinner tonight started with a potato soup with smoked salmon amuse bouche.  Then the main was fish topped with a light cream sauce and thinly sliced zucchini with mashed potato and carrots.  Dessert was a white chocolate cheesecake.  I had a dawa (or two) for a pre-dinner drink and a glass of sauvignon blanc with my fish.  An absolutely stellar ending to my first day here.  In bed at 10 for a 6:00 a.m. start time tomorrow.