A Kenyan Safari

We’ve all watched those wildlife documentaries on TV, often accompanied by the dulcet tones of Sir David Attenborough’s narration trying to instill in us a sense of what it feels like to be observing the animal kingdom in their natural home.

The magic that comes with being on safari experiencing a ‘live’ wildlife documentary is a bit like the difference between listening to your favourite musician on your phone and seeing them live in concert.

I hasten to add that I was never one of those kids who grew up obsessed by animals or watched hours and hours of Nat Geo or the Animal Planet channel (though the latest series “Our Planet” on Netflix is probably one of the most incredible television productions I have ever seen) but to be there on the African savannah in Kenya’s famous Masai Mara National Reserve is like being transported into another world. But we’ll get to that…

What also makes this place so significant is that it truly is the cradle of civilisation.

Prior to leaving on the safari I spent time in Kenya’s impressive National Museum in Nairobi where I was able to see for myself the unique discoveries by the British paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey who in 1959 unearthed the earliest recorded hominid fossil at Olduvai George, Tanzania - very near Masai Mara.

At the time the discoveries caused something of a sensation in the scientific world and placed the first known human existence in Africa; rather than Asia or Europe as had previously been thought.

Subsequent diggings would go on to unearth one of the most diverse and densely packed accumulations of fossil bone in Africa.

One of Mary Leakey's famous discoveries...

Bedded down in lava flows and representing a unique archaeological record in Africa, the fossil beds incorporate that most elusive period of human history between 14 and four million years ago when the largely primate Kenyapithecus (appropriately named!) evolved into our earliest bipedal ancestor Australopithecus afarensis.

Amazingly, in the sandy clay, seven of the 18 hominoid specimens known from that period were found. You can only begin to imagine how those discoveries 60 years ago changed everything we had known about mankind’s early existence and collectively they represent the single most important collection of human fossils in the world.

My visit to the museum also included a visit to the adjoining Nairobi Snake Park...and a warning, those who suffer from ophiophobia (fear of snakes) might want to skip the next photo!



Don't try this next time you visit the zoo! For snake fans I'm holding
an African Rock Python which can grow up to 9m in length...

The range and diversity of Kenya’s snakes is not for the faint hearted, though I was obviously hoping to avoid any direct contact with some of the more poisonous varieties during my visit!

The day before I depart on safari, I meet my three fellow adventurers. There’s Johnny from Ireland who quickly charms us with his Irish brogue, Mark from the UK who informs us he’s on ‘gardening leave’ and Lois, a high school counsellor from California. We quickly form that bond common amongst travellers swapping stories and sharing our anticipation of hoped for animal sightings. We retire early full of expectations for our big adventure.

Day 1 of our safari dawns bright and clear and after a quick breakfast we meet our “new” guide Rose who steps in after our previously assigned guide is unable to join us at short notice. We’re soon on our way headed for Masai Mara, a seven hour and at times bone shaking journey from the capital Nairobi.

The reserve is located within Africa’s famed Great Rift Valley, one of the most extensive rifts on Earth's surface, which extends from Jordan in southwestern Asia southward through eastern Africa to Mozambique, almost 6,400 km in length and averaging between 48–64 km in width. It truly is spectacular to witness it first-hand.



Africa's famed Great Rift Valley

The Masai Mara Reserve itself, which attracts more than 160,000 visitors annually, is regarded as the jewel of Kenya’s wildlife viewing areas. The annual wildebeest migration alone involves over 1.5 million animals while almost 100 species of mammals, amphibians and reptiles and over 400 bird species are contained within the reserve.

We finally arrive late afternoon feeling a bit like milkshakes that have gone through an extra blending as a result of the road conditions. All part of the safari experience Rose our guide assures us. (Quick side note, I was intrigued that locals dig large holes in the road forcing the safari vans to veer onto private land whereupon they are charged a toll by the enterprising landowners. With employment prospects all but zero, you can’t blame them wanting to extract a few dollars from the tourism sector which provides few financial benefits for the local Masai population.)

The permanent bush camp which will be our home for the next 48 hours could be straight out of a film set. Complete with permanent tents, beds and even boasting hot showers, we’re all a bit taken aback by the high standard of our accommodation. It’s almost ‘glamping’ and hardly the image most of us had in mind when we signed up for a camping safari thinking we would be “roughing it"...but we're not complaining!

Not exactly roughing it, our tents came complete with very comfortable beds!

We’re introduced to the resident chef Franco who will keep us well fed during our short two day stay and we also meet some of the local Masai staff, resplendent in their distinctive coloured blankets designed to keep lions and leopards at bay - supposedly put off by their vibrant colours - not that I’m willing to put the theory to the test myself.

After settling in, we’re soon off on our first game drive. Being out in the open in our specially designed mini-van, complete with pop up roof for enhanced viewing, the experience is exhilarating as you scan the surrounding landscape for wildlife while bouncing along the off-road tracks, wind in your face and your adrenaline pumping. This is truly Africa at its best!

It’s not long before we spot a herd of wildebeest preparing for their own travel adventure. Few animals evoke the spirit of the African plain as much as the wildebeest. There are more than one million of them in Masai Mara and we watch as the various herds begin to unite in preparation for one of the animal kingdom’s great overland journeys - the annual migration.

The annual migration of Masai Mara's one million wildebeest is spectacular

We hear an elephant before we see him. Hidden behind bushes, the sound of branches being torn from a nearby tree is classic elephant behaviour. And then he reveals himself. Weighing up to 6300kg, the African elephant is certainly intimidating and not to be messed with. I’m told of one tourist who chanced upon an elephant while walking outside the park only to be charged down and trampled to death when he attempted to take a photo. They have also been known to charge safari vans, so our driver Patrick is wary, and we keep our distance. Though the elephant is commonly referred to as ‘the king of the beasts’, elephant society is largely ruled by a lineage of elder females.



Slowly revealing himself the African elephant is impressive to see in the wild

We also see herds of zebras, giraffes, gazelles and buffalos. It’s like the entrée to the main course which will involve a more extensive game drive the following day.

Zebra's are numerous in Masai Mara

Fresh from a mud bath, this buffalo seems happy

Built for speed, an estimated 400,000 gazelle's also migrate annually

But just as we're preparing to head for home we spot a group of vans gathering up ahead; always a sign of animal activity. When we join them we're surprised to find a group of female lions napping right next to the road no doubt wondering what all the fuss is about!

A female lion enjoys a late afternoon nap in preparation for another busy night's hunting

We return to camp weary but exhilarated at what we’ve seen and feast on the three-course dinner Franco has prepared for us.

The next morning disaster strikes - at least for me personally. I wake feeling very nauseous while also discovering I have contracted a bad case of “the runs!” Of all days for it to strike after being largely spared any real health issues during my time away.

Not relishing the thought of spending a day in an enclosed van and of course not being permitted to step outside the vehicle whilst inside the park, I reluctantly inform Rose that I will be confining myself to camp for the day. I’m obviously disappointed but philosophical that when it comes to travel you have to take each day as it comes; particularly when it involves your health.

Franco quickly shifts from chef to nurse and prepares some welcome hot ginger tea and banana sandwiches for me and between hasty visits to the bathroom I enjoy learning more about his life and the various Kenyan tribes, of which there are 42, the Masai being one of the largest. 

Gradually I begin to feel better and later that afternoon we head off on a nature walk, accompanied by one of our resident Masai guides. I’m comforted he is with us knowing there are no fences enclosing the nearby game reserve and various animals are known to venture close to the camps. But just to be sure I'm made an honorary Masai and given a blanket to wear and told I look the part - tall and thin just, like a Masai should be!

Honoured to be made a Masai for a day!

He quickly takes a liking to my wide brimmed hat so on the spot I decide to gift it to him. He’s very pleased with his new acquisition and not having seen a single Masai wearing any sort of headwear since arriving I know the hat will prove to be something of a novelty amongst his fellow Masais.
 

The only Masai in the Rift Valley with a new hat to wear...

During our walk I learn more from Franco about the amazing medicinal qualities contained in the various trees and bushes we pass ranging from treatment for stings and bites, leaves that when rubbed on your skin will stop irritation and the well-known red stinkwood (Prunus Africana), which has been exploited internationally for the treatment of prostate cancer.

I rejoin the rest of the group mid-afternoon for a visit to a local Masai village where we are treated to traditional dances and a Q&A session on the elements of Masai culture. Surprisingly, it seems the women do most of the hard labour including building the mud houses, which have animal dung as a key ingredient in the mix, while the males tend the animals. All cooking is also done by the women inside the house on open fires but surprisingly there’s no chimney or ventilation. It’s no wonder many Masai women suffer from respiratory issues later in the life as a result of ongoing smoke inhalation.

I buy a few souvenirs from the village stall. All are hand made and I notice I’m being waved over by one enterprising young man aged about 12 who it seems has been eyeing me up and is clearly ready to extract some money from me.

I spot one of his wrist bands and offer him 300 shillings (around $NZ3). He’s not biting and insists on 500 shillings. I up my offer to 400 but he holds out for his price. Clearly, he’s been through this routine many times before and I’m no match for his sales technique. Impressed with his tenacity I agree to his price. Satisfied he takes the money and hands over the wrist band with a wry smile. I shake hands and tell him he should be selling real estate! He doesn’t quite understand but senses that I approve of his technique and returns the smile.

Is this Kenya's most accomplished salesman? He gets my vote!

We gather for dinner and reflect on the day. It quickly becomes obvious that the rest of the group have agreed a pact not to talk up the day too much in sympathy of my absence. I tell them it’s okay and out come the stories of lions, leopards and cheetahs. I’m not too worried as I know I will return to Africa for another visit at some point in the future; I’m already addicted. Plus, we have one final game drive before we depart, so I pin my hopes on a few more animal encounters to make up for things.

We’re up early the next morning. The air is cool and inviting and filled with a scent that is unique to Africa. During the night I'm woken by something going through the rubbish bins near my tent. I decide not to investigate fearful of what I might confront but energised by the fact that whatever it was had shown no fear at all to help him or herself to our leftovers.

We enjoy our final breakfast, make a small presentation of thanks to Franco, our driver Patrick and our Masai hosts then its into the van for one final game drive. It’s 6.30am and hunting is almost over for another night. We spy a pair of cheetahs and our driver positions the van to get us the best shot. Just metres away, I’m in awe of how close we are to these world-class sprinters with the ability to go from zero to 75km/h in less than two seconds and capable of reaching speeds in excess of 110km/h. But to actually see them run at these speeds is rare as it is to see them make a kill and once again I’m full of admiration for wildlife documentary producers who must spend hundreds of hours waiting around to gain those rare 30 seconds of footage which capture just how impressive the cheetah is at full speed.

Would love to have seen this guy at full speed...

I wonder if Kenya’s famous Olympic athletes draw inspiration from the cheetah which might be described as natures true embodiment of hunting perfection. (Quick side note, since 1956 Kenyan athletes have won 91 Olympic medals in total, all from boxing and track and field events. Of these, 61 medals come from long-distance running events.)

It’s not long before we spy a tower of giraffes. (NB. Yes, bet you didn’t know the collective noun for giraffes is in fact a tower!) They are oblivious to our presence content to enjoy a breakfast of fresh shoots and leaves plucked from the very tops of trees. And given their reach, it’s foliage they largely have all to themselves.

Enjoying an early morning breakfast...

As we leave the giraffes, I spot a kettle of vultures. (I know, you’re starting to think I’m showing off all the collective nouns I’ve never been able to use previously and you’re probably right, but it does make for a great trivia game!) There are more than 20 of them in the trees waiting to feast on the left-over carcasses from the kills that have occurred during the night. It’s not a pretty sight when gore-encrusted vultures take over a rotting carcass that no other scavenger wants, but even the animal kingdom has its acknowledged waste masters to clean up the leftovers. 

Vultures can always be relied upon to clean up the scraps

Rounding a corner, we discover a lone ostrich breakfasting on a patch of fresh grass. Standing tall and weighing upwards of 130kg, these ancient flightless birds escape predators by running at 70km/h which looking at them just doesn’t seem possible. They are also known to disguise themselves by lying flat on the ground to resemble a pile of dirt. Who knew ostriches could be so clever?



These guys can run when they have to...

We pass more zebras, one of which is hobbling with a fresh gash above its hind leg suggesting it had been attacked during the night and looked unlikely to survive. Stopping momentarily, we watch a jackal feasting on the remains of a carcass and then, just like that the park gates emerge and our African safari adventure is at an end.

A jackal with some early morning breakfast still in its mouth

As we pass through the park gates I reluctantly begin to pack up my camera gear and reflect on an amazing 36-hour visit. I decide then and there that I will be back for another safari in the future. As that infamous advertising slogan so appropriately says ‘once just isn’t enough.’

But I also fear what state Masai Mara will be in another decade or two from now. A recent article in the Kenyan Standard newspaper pointed out that current signals point to a bleak future for the national reserve whose popularity has drawn droves of tourists and investors in numbers that have reached a point where its sustainability appears impossible.

It seems government officials, both at the national and county levels, who have chosen to simply add up the visitor numbers and the revenues that their visits bring and ignore the impact that this is having on the ecosystem, are guilty of poor management of this fragile and critically endangered eco-system. The hospitality industry too, whose players have cut corners in erecting facilities and tour operators that veer off track to get visitors closer to the animals forcing them to get up and walk in order to secure better photos for their passengers, also share the blame. I witnessed this first-hand myself and was appalled at the actions of obvious ‘cowboy’ operators who it seems simply pay off the rangers to gain ‘unofficial’ access to the park. Sadly, corruption is rife in Kenya and you don’t have to look far to find it.

Kenya’s natural environment is inspiring but also troubled. The county is home to some of East Africa’s most beautiful landscapes, from it’s signature savannah to palm fringed coastlines with towering mountains, parched deserts and dense forests in between. Aside from ongoing issues with corruption, Kenya also faces a host of environmental issues that challenge the very sustainability of its future, with impacts upon everything from climate change and food security through to the viability of protected areas and the ever present issue of poaching. Like so many things Kenyan, it’s a complicated, fascinating story.

I just hope in another few decades it can still be the wild, exhilarating and captivating place that it is currently. Sadly, I have my doubts which is why I decided to go now, before it’s too late. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Acknowledgement: With thanks to Lonely Planet Kenya for some of the factual material contained within this post

Soaking Up Life in Madagascar

I’ve heard it said that Africa “gets in your blood.” One month after arriving I now understand the meaning of this phrase...

Life here has a rhythm and a vibrancy all of its own. It’s difficult to describe, but once you experience it for yourself you begin to realise how values and priorities in this part of the world are very different to those in the West.

When 90% of the population are living on less than $2 a day everyone is grappling with the same issue; working hard to simply put food on the table. Yet despite the grinding poverty there’s a contentedness and almost a joy about life itself. You see it in the faces and the way people live their lives. We can all learn something from this humility to enrich our own lives...
 

Working hard to put food on the table.

I bade farewell to Sam Lucas and the Onja students last Sunday. It’s always hard saying goodbye after spending three weeks so immersed in the teaching programme but I have so many great memories of my time with this inspiring social enterprise.

 

Being able to help the students with skills such as confidence building, motivation and goal setting was particularly gratifying and a reminder that young people the world over have to traverse the same hurdles moving into adulthood; though in developing countries I believe these issues are much more pronounced because the barriers to success are so much greater.

Last Friday was a particular highlight. My sessions with the class over the last three weeks culminated in each student having to deliver a 3-5 minute speech in English, without notes. Bearing in mind these students have only been learning English for just over five months this was quite a challenge to impose on them. As you can well imagine, they were all extremely nervous at the prospect of having to speak in front of their peers and teachers in a language they are still learning.

Yet I knew they all desperately wanted to pass what I described to them as the ‘ultimate confidence challenge.’ And pass it they did, with flying colours.

It was so impressive to see the progress they had made in just a few weeks and the confidence they exhibited.  To say everyone, including the students themselves, were blown away by their talks would almost be an understatement!

On my last day I received letters from each of them and to read the impact this experience had on them is to realise the extent of their personal development in recent weeks and what they have achieved.

Here are a couple of quotes from some of the letters I particularly liked:

I had never thought I could talk in front of such a large group of people. I was completely amazed at myself – Manjaka

At school I was absolutely terrified about speaking in front of people. Now I am proud of myself that I am no longer afraid to speak in public – Fanilo

Confidence has now become my new best friend. Thank you for making that happen for me - Prisca

To have contributed in a small way to these student’s futures is and humbling. I know they have some big challenges in front of them in a few years as they seek to break into the world of professional work but I have come away inspired by their focus and dedication and enriched by their commitment to their studies and the goals they have set for themselves. I know each of them will do well.

But none of this would be possible without the visionary efforts of Onja founder Sam Lucas and his team.

 

My time getting to know Sam over the last few weeks and watching him in action made me realise the scale of the challenge he has taken on and the dedication required to pull off something like Onja.

This isn’t just a short term, overseas posting. It requires the same 24/7 dedication and commitment as any start-up business...but with all the added complications thrown in operating in a developing country; including having responsibility and guardianship for 26 talented young people most of whom are only 5-6 years his junior.

But it’s also what you give up to establish a project such as Onja: being close to family, having a decent salary, being able to spend time with friends and all the other trappings that we take for granted living a comfortable life in NZ.

Very few people can do it. I know I couldn’t. I told the students I wouldn’t have the patience!

It takes a special type of person to do what Sam has done. I’m looking forward to writing Onja’s story as the subject of a Herald feature on Social Entrepreneurship when I get back to NZ and spreading the word about what he has created here. Hopefully it will inspire a few people to contribute financially to the foundation he has established.

If you would like to do so yourself, here’s the link to his website www.onja.org It also details more about the project itself, including some great profiles of some of the students undertaking the two year programme of studies in English and computer coding.

After leaving Mahanoro I spent a few days in Toamasina, home to Madagascar’s only major port. Amazing to think virtually everything that comes into this country of around 24 million people has to pass through this city and most of it is then transported 7-8 hours by road to the capital Antananarivo (single lane in each direction, no passing lanes here!) The result is almost torturous, constantly being stuck behind large truck and trailer units transporting shipping containers to and from the port. Dangerous overtaking manoeuvres are the norm on a road that is riddled with potholes while young children take their lives in their hands walking to and from school with trucks hurtling past just centimetres from them. It’s extremely nerve wracking to watch. I can’t imagine what it must be like for the students who have to experience it every day.

Students in rural areas walking to school each day face constant danger...

 

Trucks hurtle past within centimetres of them.

 

Last Sunday, I also got to experience for myself Madagascar’s unique public transport system called the taxi-brousse. The name literally translates to “bush-taxi.” While it’s cheap (my 7 hour journey from Mahanoro to Toamasina cost just NZ$9!) it comes with its own set of challenges which included a scheduled departure time of 7am that in reality turned out to be 8.30am, seating that gives you almost zero leg room and a configuration that can literally squash 24 passengers into a van. It would certainly give New Zealand’s Land Transport Safety Authority nightmares.

Madagascar's infamous taxi brousse, though this is a 'luxury' version

 

The taxi brousse also acts as a public bus service constantly stopping to pick up and drop off passengers on route. While it’s chaotic and not particularly comfortable the service provides an important life line for those who would otherwise have no transport at all; which is basically most the population. With gendarmes placed seemingly every 50km on route checking for overloading and unauthorised operators, it defies belief how it would be possible to jam any more people into what is already a travelling sardine can!

However, living here does have its compensations. Restaurant meals are inexpensive, generally costing around $2-3 per person; and that usually includes drinks. Cheaper street food is also available and while the standard can be a bit inconsistent, few NZ restaurants could match the pricing.

Mahanaro's leading café! 25c coffee

Haircuts are cheap too at around $1. He wanted to cut my hair but I politely declined!

Always impressive to watch the women walking and balancing at the same time. Now that's really multitasking!

Speaking of eating out....this week I had lunch with possibly the only other New Zealander living in Madagascar. I first met Salvis Laurenson a few years ago when I spoke to a group of business students at Aorere College and since then Salvis has kept in touch with me. Putting his university studies aside last year, he is six months into a two year mission here with the Mormon Church. I was amazed at his fluency in Malagasy after just six months and he was very useful when it came to bargaining for a few souvenirs in the local markets. (Oh, quick side note. Have you ever wondered if those Mormon missionaries you see around actually have any success converting people they meet on the streets to their faith? I was surprised to discover they do; though NZ is considered pretty tough going! When you think about it, they have to be the world’s most extensive religious conversion team in action with more than 70,000 full-time LDS missionaries serving in 421 church missions throughout the world at any one time.  Missionaries are expected to converse in the local language where they are based and Salvis tells me that the Church’s language training centre in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he spent eight weeks undergoing extensive training prior to arriving in Madagascar, is one of the largest language training facilities in the world with more than 80 languages on offer. I was impressed with his dedication and commitment with only one day off each week for two years and wearing the distinctive white shirt and tie is compulsory - even on days off.)


With Salvis Laurenson. I'm sure he's the only Samoan kiwi in Madagascar!

 

We had lunch at a local burger restaurant (very few and far between in Madagascar) and I don’t think I have enjoyed my meal of sausages and eggs with baked beans and bacon so much after almost a month of only eating rice and beans.  So a bit of meat was extremely welcome. I was also very surprised to find the restaurant adorned with rugby jerseys from around the world only to discover All Black rugby jerseys here are particularly sought after. It seems the former French association is responsible for rugby being followed here with a great deal of interest, particularly if the ABs are playing France; though the locals are the first to admit they’re all too small to play the game themselves! Football is very much the sport of choice...

 

Very surprised to find an All Black jersey in a bar in Madagascar

 

Don't think this woman really understood why we made such a fuss of her or the significance of the t-shirt she was wearing! Seems she purchased it in a local second hand clothing stall and had absolutely no idea where NZ was...

If there’s one thing you associate with Madagascar its lemurs. Earlier this week I got to meet a few of them in person...

 

These guys are always hungry. Lemurs eat around 5-8% of their bodyweight every day.

 Lemurs can only be found in Madagascar. There are more than 100 different species many of which are sadly threatened with extinction due to deforestation.
 

 

This is a huge issue in Madagascar. Stoves are extremely rare here. Just about everyone in the rural areas, where the majority of the population live, uses open fires for cooking. Just consider how much firewood is required every day to feed around 20 million people and you quickly understand why Madagascar’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. This of course leads to serious erosion issues and a vicious cycle of land degradation is very apparent when you travel around the country.

A common sight in the rural areas. Huge piles of firewood for sale

And this is what deforestation looks like...

The current situation is unsustainable yet there seems to be little in the way of alternative cooking options being considered. I'm aware that in other parts of Africa attempts have been made to switch people to using kerosene stoves; yet they also come with their own set of safety hazards.

However, it’s obvious that a commitment to environmental issues is a low priority in a country when poverty is so prevalent, yet it’s an issue that is already causing serious damage and will continue to do so in the future.

 I’m now back in Antananarivo spending my last few days here before heading to Kenya for the second part of my African adventure.

Madagascar is a fascinating country with so much to offer visitors. Vast areas of the country are virtually uninhabited and unexplored. But this is a country where nothing comes easy and the thrill of an adventure off the beaten track is still apparent. It’s what makes Madagascar special but also what holds it back. If it could fix it’s roads and upgrade some of its tourism infrastructure it would go a long away to improving its attractiveness for visitors while creating obvious economic benefits and employment opportunities for the country as a whole. With world class beaches, an eco-tourism product that is truly unique and a culture that is welcoming and friendly, there is no reason why Madagascar should be so poor. Time will tell if the country’s new political leadership can improve its prospects for the future; though corruption also remains a huge problem.

I know these are issues uppermost in the minds of the students I met at Onja. If they are not addressed they are likely to vote with their feet and take their valuable, hard earned skills offshore. That would be a real pity.

 

Farewell Madagascar. I'll certainly miss those beautiful early morning sunrises from my deck!