SAFARI

SO two days ago was our first Safari! We drove about 45 minutes to Amboseli National Park, which is just east of our camp. Before we even got inside the park, we could see elephants browsing right next to the entrance gate. Amboseli isn't fenced off, but instead it is just an area of protected land where no one is allowed to live, farm or herd. It is not maintained or taken care of by anyone, and is one of the only areas in Kenya that is just left alone so that nature can do its own work. If animals were fenced in, all of the resources would be depleted and nothing would be able to survive. So the National Park, along with the others in Kenya, is just protected land that no one can tamper with. Animals go there often to eat and drink, which is why it is such a tourist attraction. Once we got in the park we saw giraffe, gazelle, a warthog, zebras, elephants, lots of birds, and tonsss of baboons. They were amazing. There were a lot of little babies hanging on their parents, and also a bunch of young ones playing around and wrestling with each other. I can't wait to show everyone the pictures. They were the best.

After a few hours at the park everyone was exhausted so we headed back to camp. Our tour of the park was really just an introduction because we are going back two more times next week.

Yesterday we had a field lecture for class. To get to the location for the lecture we had to drive about 45 minutes to a giant, rocky hill. We had to start early so breakfast was moved up to 7am. I was on cook crew again, so I had to be in the kitchen at 6am. I was on donut duty. So I made donuts for the first time! It was really fun. I just cut up the dough and put it into the oil and flipped them and everything. I have made friends with the chef Arther, or Atha as he says it, because he knows I really like to cook, and we talk about what he makes a lot. After I finished the donutes I asked if I could make them cinnamon sugar donuts and he said I could so I mixed some up and put it on. I thought it made them even better. Arther is also from the Maasai tribe, and grew up around here. He is a big volleyball player, and I wear some of Mel's volleyball tshirts so he always talks about it, and he plays with all of us sometimes because most days we have a game or two.

Once breakfast was over we drove to the hill, which was more like a mini mountain. We hiked to the top, which took about a half hour, and it felt like we were going straight up. It was definitely one of the most difficult hikes I've ever been on, just because it was so steep and the "trail" was tiny. (Thought of you on Pre-O Mel haha). We were next to rock or thorns the whole time. Once we were at the top, we all took out our camp chairs and sat on a big rock and had a lecture up there. It was very, very hot, but it was gorgeous looking out into the savannah and nice to get out of the classroom. After the hour and a half or so we trecked back down. This hike was in open grassland so we had two ascari's, or guards, come with us with big guns in case anything dangerous was around and got too close. They were pretty intense, but didn't need to protect us from anything. On the drive there and back it was like we were off-roading, since there was no road and we were just driving through grass and dirt. All three land cruisers got stuck in some serious mud once each, but after about 30 minutes or so the drivers got us through. I thought we were going to tip a couple times which was a little scary, but overall the fishtailing and off-roading was fun! We also saw zebra, giraffes, lots of gazelle, ostriches, birds and wildebeests on the drives to and from camp. After the hike we came back for lunch, class and downtime.

At night all the guards wear long pants and jackets, boots, snow hats and gloves. I don't think it ever gets colder than 55 to 60 degrees... Their version of cold is so crazy. Even when we drive through town a lot of people wear jackets and hats, when we all have on shorts and tshirts! When we drive through town all the little kids run up to our cars and wave and smile and sing and yell. They aren't used to seeing "muzungu", or while people, and are very curious and excited when we drive through.

Thats all for now. We have an off day on Tuesday and we're going for another hike. This time we'll be going down into a gorge to see a waterfall. So I'll have some about that soon. Hope all is well back home, and it Europe for you guys over there : ) ttys!