Our friend, Sachin Dave, made it clear that you haven’t been to Kenya until you’ve been on a safari, so away we went. We’re exactly halfway through the trip (month 4 out of 8 in total) and right on budget, so we decided that we could afford a splurge for the Maasai Mara Game Reserve (and what a good decision it was). The word “Mara” translates to something like “place of beauty” and it sure is (I just threw that line in to get brownie points with my wife). The landscape is one part big fluffy clouds in a blue bird sky and one part golden sea of grass. Above the surface is an incredible display of the power of evolution. There is such a diversity of large antelopes and grazers that no one can deny the science after seeing this place. Below the surface of the grass lurk the big cats and canines. We saw the “Big Five” and many more. But what impressed me more than anything else here was the people. The tourists from all over the world were, well, they just were. But the indigenous people, who have carved out a living in this wild country, give off an energy like I have none other I have experienced. Maybe it’s all the jumping, or the beautiful clothes, but I’ll never forget them. The Kenyan tour guides and drivers were even more fun. They speak in codes over the radio, smile and laugh constantly, and ultimately seem to be having a better time than the wealthy tourists who have spent so much time and money to get here. I think we could all learn a thing or two from these folks.
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