I began the second day early, on a balloon ride, my second since I had also gone on one in Turkey a year ago. It was raining when we left, picking up the Swedish pilot enroute to the departure site in the national park. I figured the odds were 50/50 at best that we'd make it into the air, but we lucked out, or rather, the pilot was in touch with the base camp and judged that given the wind speed we had just the right window to make it. And we did.
The pilot managed to maneuver the balloon more than I had seen on my flight in Turkey, pulling on strings that shifted the balloon around so half the time we were in front, half the time in the back observing the wildlife below.
When they were taking the balloon down, I saw the hole in the top. The pilot on the way back said he had noted it early but it was small enough to not present a problem.
..topi from the air
We passed right over the elusive cheetah. I got this quick photo before it shot off so far I couldn't spot him.
My camera work is shaky, but you might be able to distinguish warthogs and topi's from the landscape as they scurry away upon hearing the fire in the balloon flare up.
We managed to get breakfast set up and mostly eaten before the rain fell.
How do you want your eggs?
I didn't count the number of glasses of champagne I had but it was a fitting end to the morning.
All the fixin's....plus fruit.
On the way back we had to stop to watch two male topi fight.
The loser was run off by the winner from the herd.
And the balloon was packed up and returned to base.
My cabin was next to the river that separated our lodge from the national park, so you could hear animals in the riverbed at night.
Most of us opted to visit a traditional Masai village near by. The temporary houses are located within a thatched compound.
The houses use local materials, bark, plant branches, mud and dung mixture, and very clever weaving techniques.
Our guide took us inside one house, which we thought was his, but turned out to be someone else's when we saw a foot appear from behind him where a man was sleeping.
The fire pit for cooking in the middle of the floor.
If you can't make a fool of yourself at my age, when can you? This is a chief's headdress.
I bought a knife off of this fellow.
I bought a necklace here as a gift.
And the final game drive began. I believe this is a Mongoose.
....another lion
.....the hippos....
...jackel
...male ostrich
...Gazelles
And my favorite, the giraffes.
This final "batch" of giraffes was thrilling...never saw this number together before.
