HAKUNA MATATA!

Mambo (wassup) everyone!


The Siena Springs camp uses the generator from 5 am to 11 am then again at 6 pm to 11 pm. Off the grid experience! Game Drive is better if done early so we decided to leave by 6.30 giving us enough time for morning activities once the lights are turned on.Got ready and stepped out of the tent to complete darkness then rechecked the time - Sujith glared and flared at me. As the lights switched on I thought it was 5 am and woke him up, how was I to know the lights came an hour early!

Our co travelers were fashionably late so we started on our drive at 7.45. We clicked pictures at the entrance of the reserve and did a bit of haggling and bought a few souvenirs from the tribal peddlers. The roof of the van was lifted up 2 feet so we could stand and watch unhindered. We were strictly advised not to step out till the drive is complete, that's another 6 hours or so!


We were thrilled to see the numerous Zebras standing in various poses, most of them were oblivious to the intruders. Staring into the Zebras for some time and I was getting into a trance! A "Dazzle" indeed. Some jumped ahead of us and ambled away. The Thomsons Gazelles (named after the explorer Joseph Thomson) were petite and sprinted away. The Eland just stood in rows like kids in punishment. 
As we drove on, looking at the infinite horizon, me trying to adjust the binoculars on my bespectacled eyes, the bumpy ride making it an arduous task. Moses could spot animals however far they were, its like he had telescopic vision! We saw some weird looking birds, the Secretary bird with his black plume, walking with a steady gait among the grass. We saw the Kori Bustard and Barbets. While we were focussing on these birds, Moses spotted the Lion resting in the bushes. He was a bit far for a clear picture but I could almost touch him as I peered through my binoculars. Sujith and I exchanged the camera and the binoculars and he was thrilled to see the lion up close.


The Wildebeest migration was what brought us to the Masai Mara.  There were millions of them in groups- grazing, staring, walking in herds. Wherever you turn your head and however far you see, the vision was filled by a "Confusion" of Wildebeest.  What a SIGHT! YOU have got to see it to believe it.
We saw a family of Ostriches sitting lazily on the path. We took a detour and it was noon so decided to break for the picnic lunch packed from the camp. We parked under a tree and opened our boxes and munched on. Moses drove to an area where other vehicles couldn't spot us and quickly asked us to relieve and get back to the van. A very dangerous nature's call in the wild habitat (it was becoming  a dangerous habit).  A lion or cheetah could pounce on us but things had to be done!

We saw a lone Elephant standing majestic, the yellow grass and the blue skies formed a beautiful canvas. The grasses were too tall for Moses to maneuver so we had to suffice by clicking pictures from afar. We searched far and wide for a "memory" but had to do with this to last our memory. Then after a short while we saw the Masai river on which the wildebeest migration happens, that's the place where these hordes of millions of Wildebeest cross over amidst the hungry crocodiles and continue on their way to the Serengeti National park in Tanzania.  We saw a Lioness under a tree and whispered to each other and started clicking.  Then we saw another one saunter in front of the van. We were wary now and we stayed still to see another 2 Lionesses resting on to the left. All of us strained to see through the trees around and spotted another 3 Lionesses. We were 7 of us in the van and 7 Lionesses around us. A chillingly thrilling moment. Maybe the Lionesses were resting after a sumptuous lunch, we were not appealing enough. We slowly moved from the spot and all sighed collectively. Our pride in seeing the Pride of Lions will be regaled numerous times in the years to come.

Giraffes are an animal which I love to watch .The " tower" was a beautiful sight . The Masai Giraffes have a unique pattern. They posed for us in twos and threes and we were mesmerized as it reached above the
trees and plucked the leaves. We saw the "obstinacy" of Buffaloes staring at us lazily. There were many vehicles surrounding a cheetah which was stretched out under a tree, insouciant by the ruckus around him. We witnessed huge vultures preying on small birds, hovering above us menacingly. We  could not "crash" into the Rhinos (maybe in our next visit!) and Moses said we had to get back to the camp and had to meet the Tribal Masai folks too. We took off the dusty hat's and pulled down the roof of the van and reached the Tribal village just outside the Reserve.
The tribals welcomed us warmly. A guy was wearing a Lion head and on enquiry said he's called Simbha as he had killed a Lion when he was 10 years old (folklore). Back home in Dubai when I narrated this story and showed the picture to Parik my 10 year old friend, his face lit up, looking at me through his glasses excitedly said wow, he's like a superhero in the tribe like the "Black Panther" and the stalk Simbha has is the "vibranium" (I had to Google it).

The men presented us a dance performance. The chief's son explained to us the customs. The men after the dance, one by one came to the centre and jumped up high. The story being how high one jumps is how successful one will be in the matters of the "heart"! Then we entered the village fence met the women folk who entertained us with a song and dance. I joined them and tried to imitate them. Tribal men have 6 to 7 wives each and the men have to give cows to the bride's father to get married. All the wives live harmoniously as one big family(or so they believe!). The chief has 76 members in his family. We went to the chiefs house , a small hall kitchen and a bedroom .Two men showed us how to build a fire, the tribal way, using a soft and a hard wood piece. The chiefs son spoke in good English, he showed his school below the hills. I asked him how many wives he has?  He said in a few months he will have a wedding with the girl chosen by his parents and he will hopefully stay happy with one wife ! He said the first wife is always chosen by the parents and the rest of the wives can be one's  own choice. He invited us to attend his wedding in December and stay at his village. We bought a few tribal artifacts and were on our way to the camp.


I clicked some pictures of the tent and the surroundings before the sunset. The Sallows and the San Martins posed for us. Heavy rain with thunder and lightning ensued. We enjoyed the sound and light show and the chillness!

.......To be Contd