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Happy New Year! We hope that you had a wonderful holiday
season. Ninian, Jamey and I are just back from Shaba, in
northern Kenya, where we had a safari of 31 people, eight
of whom were children. Idyllic days spent game viewing,
walking down the gorge and swimming in the rock pools of
the river made our time there fly by. We got everyone to
wear black tie on New Years Eve and had a great dinner to
see out 2003. On New Year’s morning we sneaked up
to a group of elephants crossing the river. They were completely
oblivious to us and we managed to get ourselves on top of
a large rock in the middle of the water, very close to them.
There we sat sipping hot coffee as we watched. I have to
say it’s a moment that has set a pretty high standard
for what I expect of the rest of the year!
We were invited to try out
Kenya’s newest toy ~ a five seater, air-conditioned
helicopter. The pilot, Humphrey Carter, a former captain
in the British army, flies with a skill that makes even
the most nervous passenger (me!) truly comfortable. Humphrey’s
helicopter is the ultimate in luxury, leather upholstery,
quiet engines, and with bubble windows all round even under
your feet giving you the most incredible sense of freedom.
With music playing through our earphones we set off over
the Ngong Hills, and as we soared over them, the Great Rift
Valley stretched out before us in all its glory. Skimming
low over acacia brush, Maasai manyattas, grassland and cattle
we headed for Olorgesalie Mountain. This is a special place
for us as my grandparents, Mary and Louis Leakey, made some
of their earliest discoveries of stone-age tools at the
base of the mountain.
Landing on a saddle at the
top of the mountain, Humphrey pulled out a kitbag containing
cushions, rugs and chilled champagne. As we sat up there
sipping champagne, with Lake Magadi pinkly shimmering below
us, I couldn’t imagine a more thrilling way to end
the day. I have decided that the only way to get to the
top of any mountain in the future is in this beautiful machine.
We are hoping to include the helicopter in some of our safaris,
the greatest advantage being that it can go to spectacular
destinations almost anywhere! An afternoon trout fishing
on Mount Kenya, breakfast at Lake Turkana, and a hop across
the Suguta Valley all become infinitely more accessible
in the middle of a safari.
In November we went to a wedding
in New Delhi, India. It was a truly incredible experience.
The celebrations lasted four days, each function had been
carefully planned down to the last detail with flower displays
that were out of this world, entertainment by Bollywood
stars, traditional singers and dancers, fireworks and sumptuous
food. The actual marriage ceremony was beautiful, with the
bride dressed in red and gold. A ceremonial tent was built
in the garden constructed entirely of flowers, the roof
of which was created from string upon string of jasmine
so the air was heavy with the scent. The whole week was
a feast for the senses, a vast array of colors, smells,
tastes and sounds that are incomparable.
Ninian and I also visited Kanha
National Park. Set in the highlands of central India the
wilderness is stunning; Sal forests, bamboo groves, crystal
clear rivers and streams, plentiful wildlife and birds.
We stayed at the enchanting Kipling Camp in the tiny village
of Mocha. The highlight of our time there, and in fact,
the reason for going all the way to Kanha was to fulfill
our dream to see tigers in their natural habitat. And we
saw not just one but four different cats. They are big powerful
animals with bewitching eyes. Our first sight was probably
the most exciting, a mother and her grown cub were out in
the evening light playing; romping around and standing on
their hind legs boxing with each other. It was incredible.
We have both been badly bitten by the “India Bug”
and long to visit some of the other regions of India as
well as other national parks such as Gir and Kaziranga.
Our time at home is never dull
and one day as I was setting off on my school run I came
across a black tipped mongoose and spitting cobra on our
driveway. The mongoose was baiting the cobra, which was
“standing” with its hood flared. I watched for
a while as they challenged one another. Eventually the snake
won the contest and the mongoose scuttled off up the drive.
What an exciting addition to my short drive. Our lettuce
patch is in danger of becoming extinct if the resident greedy
warthog ever works out a way to get through the fence. It
seems that “safari” begins at home, and I realize
that Jamey is experiencing a unique childhood.
We are planning all sorts
of new and exciting projects including lightweight camping
equipment for more adventurous safaris. This will enable
us to go on excursions from our main camp or visit remote
areas that our lorries cannot reach. More on that from Ninian
who is going to be back in the States in either April or
May and of course we hope he’ll be able to see you
and catch up. Otherwise we all look forward to seeing you
on safari sometime soon.
Lara, Ninian
and Jamey Lowis
Nairobi, January 2004
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