'The 2nd most popular park!' they said, 'Home of Elephants!' they said, 'The best kept secret!' they said, and my personal favorite - 'If you must climb Mt.Kilimanjaro, go to Tanzania..but if you want to see Mt.Kilimanjaro in all her Glory, go to KENYA' (undeniably accurate)
That's basically whats running through my mind while on the way to Kenya's Amboseli National Park. My new friend Liz (check out seven wonders), gives the window a blank stare - Sure Liz; one day we'll talk about Nairobi's traffic... there after, we may solve the monstrous mess that is the Mlolongo stretch. What's a journey without good company.
We arrive at Kibo Safari Camp and the first thing I notice is the beautifully crafted lobby, complete with locally - inspired design. This charming facility has its own story. A story of tranquility, serenity and beauty all wrapped in one: much like a ham sandwich - or Shawarma - which I still owe Sue, curator at the Shaffiey.
See there's nothing like a fresh, cold welcome juice and warm towel after a long journey under the raging heat of the day. The warm towel is meant to cleanse the dirt off your hands, but like the bastards who wash their faces and gargle water in their mouths then spit in the sink at your local nyama choma joint? I smothered mine in it.
The pleasantly polite ladies at the reception hand me keys to room 60. My abode for the next X number of hours (were it up to me, X = infinity because i'd never find it). The tents are roomy, clean and very well appointed. It felt homey and wild still. The beds are carved out of bush logs and the hot showers feel better than the apple you have each day.
The pathways are lined with little rocks and night lights that provide such a subtle atmosphere that you'll most probably (unknowingly)be humming Roger Whittaker's 'My land is Kenya' Ballad. And do you know to where they lead? The restaurant! Everyone's favorite, right?
There's a massive, aesthetically pleasing piece of art right by the food, and It got my attention - not because its simply a good painting, but because it portrays an elephant. A gentle giant looking straight back at me. We're one and the same. My hunger is as big as its appetite and Kibo does not disappoint. Not with the food, not with the staff. I have yet to come across waiters, baristas and chefs more joyful in their service.We all love some time in the bush -the silence. Unsurprisingly, today Kibo is a bit busier than other camps. I found this to be their strength. It kept the atmosphere lively yet it didn't feel crowded at any point. How do you achieve that? the answer is all in the architecture. Meanwhile, this guys literally danced, sang and served patrons at the same darn time. The vibe? GREAT. Mzungus amongst us unapologetic-ally displaying their rigorous 'non-rhythmic' gyrations that seem like some sort of ritual from an extraterrestrial abyss. I want to be them when I grow up - Utterly no shame in my inability to dance...
What's a game drive like, in the Amboseli. Elephants, elephants and more ...you see them at every turn. You get so close as to hear them breath. I'm certain they realize that we're watching them - why else would they be so gentle and elegant in their gait? There's a large marsh/ swamp that gets its fresh water from underground streams, fed by the melting snow flowing down from the roof of Africa (Kilimanjaro), which gifts you with an amazing array of bird life, that compliments the black-ish/grey-ish color of the elephants. When Dr.Paula Kahumbu (one of my idols) once said, 'animals are just big people', I believed her; elephants and water pools are exactly like little kids and basins full of water! It was interesting to learn that Amboseli lake is dry for most part of the year, but then becomes very salty whenever it floods - what a paradox. ....(side note)-I hear Samburu is best in matters birds but until my feet set upon her? Amboseli takes it.
I must however confess to not paying any serious attention while in the park - with good reason! The blame falls flatly on Wangechi Gitahi who admittedly, is the long lost friend I finally found. She is the dreamer who stopped dreaming, woke up, packed up and started travelling. She's been all over the world and has gathered enough stories to outlive a political season in Kenya.
Did I mention the lady I spotted on the game drive in a bikini? story for another day. The Maasai are everywhere in the Amboseli locality, and they walk that earth with every right a Tusker has. Its not strange, seeing morans walking past big cats, without any worry in the world. The red shukas they adorn are their tickets into and out of the park. Animals won't dare cross them - if I had half as much courage, you'd have seen photos of me hugging Bengal tigers or snatching salmon from a bear's jaws already.
In summation, Amboseli is a gem too precious to ignore. Make time for her, see what beauty she has in store, fill your eyes with views so breathtaking that speaking about it is not nearly enough and when that time comes? may it all be at Kibo, underneath the night sky, circling around a roaring bonfire, with silence swallowed only by maasai morans belting out infectious, traditional tunes and capped off with a slow, subtle night on a bush-log bed. Good night.
That's basically whats running through my mind while on the way to Kenya's Amboseli National Park. My new friend Liz (check out seven wonders), gives the window a blank stare - Sure Liz; one day we'll talk about Nairobi's traffic... there after, we may solve the monstrous mess that is the Mlolongo stretch. What's a journey without good company.
We arrive at Kibo Safari Camp and the first thing I notice is the beautifully crafted lobby, complete with locally - inspired design. This charming facility has its own story. A story of tranquility, serenity and beauty all wrapped in one: much like a ham sandwich - or Shawarma - which I still owe Sue, curator at the Shaffiey.
See there's nothing like a fresh, cold welcome juice and warm towel after a long journey under the raging heat of the day. The warm towel is meant to cleanse the dirt off your hands, but like the bastards who wash their faces and gargle water in their mouths then spit in the sink at your local nyama choma joint? I smothered mine in it.
 |
| Source: Kibo |
 |
| Source: Kibo |
There's a massive, aesthetically pleasing piece of art right by the food, and It got my attention - not because its simply a good painting, but because it portrays an elephant. A gentle giant looking straight back at me. We're one and the same. My hunger is as big as its appetite and Kibo does not disappoint. Not with the food, not with the staff. I have yet to come across waiters, baristas and chefs more joyful in their service.We all love some time in the bush -the silence. Unsurprisingly, today Kibo is a bit busier than other camps. I found this to be their strength. It kept the atmosphere lively yet it didn't feel crowded at any point. How do you achieve that? the answer is all in the architecture. Meanwhile, this guys literally danced, sang and served patrons at the same darn time. The vibe? GREAT. Mzungus amongst us unapologetic-ally displaying their rigorous 'non-rhythmic' gyrations that seem like some sort of ritual from an extraterrestrial abyss. I want to be them when I grow up - Utterly no shame in my inability to dance...
 |
| Source: Kibo |
What's a game drive like, in the Amboseli. Elephants, elephants and more ...you see them at every turn. You get so close as to hear them breath. I'm certain they realize that we're watching them - why else would they be so gentle and elegant in their gait? There's a large marsh/ swamp that gets its fresh water from underground streams, fed by the melting snow flowing down from the roof of Africa (Kilimanjaro), which gifts you with an amazing array of bird life, that compliments the black-ish/grey-ish color of the elephants. When Dr.Paula Kahumbu (one of my idols) once said, 'animals are just big people', I believed her; elephants and water pools are exactly like little kids and basins full of water! It was interesting to learn that Amboseli lake is dry for most part of the year, but then becomes very salty whenever it floods - what a paradox. ....(side note)-I hear Samburu is best in matters birds but until my feet set upon her? Amboseli takes it.Did I mention the lady I spotted on the game drive in a bikini? story for another day. The Maasai are everywhere in the Amboseli locality, and they walk that earth with every right a Tusker has. Its not strange, seeing morans walking past big cats, without any worry in the world. The red shukas they adorn are their tickets into and out of the park. Animals won't dare cross them - if I had half as much courage, you'd have seen photos of me hugging Bengal tigers or snatching salmon from a bear's jaws already.
In summation, Amboseli is a gem too precious to ignore. Make time for her, see what beauty she has in store, fill your eyes with views so breathtaking that speaking about it is not nearly enough and when that time comes? may it all be at Kibo, underneath the night sky, circling around a roaring bonfire, with silence swallowed only by maasai morans belting out infectious, traditional tunes and capped off with a slow, subtle night on a bush-log bed. Good night.
 |
| Pic by Pauline Adewa (FB) |
No comments:
Post a Comment