How is it possible that I have not posted anything that has gone on in the last 8 months? No, I’ve not traveled anywhere spectacular, but I do have grand plans. Some are tremendously close too!
I was home from Kenya for about a month before I realized I really, really need to go back. This should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone who knows me. It was back in my blood and fresh in my head, and try as I might, nothing would shake it free. I first looked at flights to see what timing would result in cheaper fares, had a couple of blocks in January and February 2024 sketched out and I reached out to Richard again at Expert Africa. I told him only that I wanted to go to Lewa Wilderness and return to Kicheche Valley Camp (where I’d ended my February safari). I want to see rhinos this time as I’ve only really had good luck with them in Nairobi National Park. And Lewa is one of the best places to see them, as well as Lewa Wilderness being where Anthony Bourdain stayed in Kenya just before his death. That resonates with me, to be where he was, experiencing what he did. And I know from research it is an outstanding camp.
Richard was quick to book 3 nights each in those camps and suggested Kicheche Laikipia in Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Ol Pejeta was actually the first place I ever stayed in Kenya back in 2014, but at another family of camps. Given how much I loved Kicheche last time, I’m good with going to experience their version of Ol Pejeta. Richard included time to see the last two remaining northern white rhinos there (literally, the last of their species) which I did not do the first time I visited Ol P. Not sure how I missed that! But I think now that I know so much more about both Kenya and wildlife conservation, it will be a much more meaningful visit.
Through some fancy internet tools (ok, Google Flights) I also managed to find Business Class fares all the way around, with my preferred routing via Amsterdam going over, and a less fun routing via Paris on Kenya Airways coming home. BC is still good no matter how you go, so I bought it. This was all signed, sealed and delivered in April. And the wait began. And then just last week, I got a surprise of the good sort, and was notified that the less desirable routing via Paris was changed to via Amsterdam, so now all is right in my world. And I cannot hide the fact that I’m most excited about getting two little Delft houses now that I’ll be on KLM for two BC flights! Woot!
Sis and I managed a quick jaunt to Amsterdam late March to see the Vermeer exhibition at the Rijksmuseum, which was epic and thoroughly enjoyable. We walked our feet down to the ground and enjoyed a lovely new gin bar I discovered. It was a lovely long weekend.
The rest of the summer saw me embroiled in a massive project at work, so time away was hard to find. I managed a stay-cation of sorts the week of my birthday in July. It wasn’t until October that I got away again, and only for two nights to enjoy Morrissey at the United Palace Theater on the upper west side of NYC. While that was fun, it was a lot of driving for me, and not quite the vacation I needed after the summer I had with work.
My original “next-up” list of places to go included both Turkey (twice postponed now due to covid concerns), Jordan and Egypt, but not on one trip. But when war broke out in Israel, I decided to press pause there and look for another destination in Europe. I wanted some place I’ve not been yet. After browsing more than a few Internet forums and travel specialists, I signed on to a small group tour to the Adriatic coast with just one spot remaining on the April departure that works for my schedule. It will start in Ljubljana, Slovenia and go through Bosnia-Herzegovina, ending in Dubrovnik, Croatia. If I needed validation that it was the right choice, the current season of Amazing Race just landed there in last week’s episode, so I went with it. It’s more than I wanted to pay for a second vacation next year, but my cheaper options dried up with the war. Maybe I’ll get to Turkey in the fall next year, who knows. But for now, I’m working to find convenient, affordable and efficient airfare to the Dalmatian coast in April. My treadmill has a few different series in this part of the world, so I’ve been walking and running at some of these sights too!
Once I nail the airfare and trip insurance for the April trip, I need to work in earnest on packing for Kenya, getting the visa and learning my new camera (oh yeah, there’s that too!). My Sony RX10 that died last January was replaced by a Canon mirrorless with interchangeable lenses! Gulp! It’s a learning curve but I’m starting to feel like I have a handle on it. I already have a lot of my toiletries set aside for safari, buying sunblock is a joy in the post-summer months!) and I carefully folded and stored my summer clothes when the season ended. With Thanksgiving and Christmas to kill the next month or so, I know the time will fly and I’ll be boarding that plane before I know it.
