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Tsavo National Park
Instead of going on our own safari (see Introduction in Part I), we joined a two nights, three days package tour with a guide and a van and four other people, which was offered by the African Safari Club. It was a very interesting and enjoyable trip but only because of the animals we saw and the lodges we stayed in. I don't know anything about our fellow package tour members, though, who were not very communicative and stayed by themselves (not like backpack travelers). There was also no encounter with any indigenous people like the Masai (except a few ones selling souvenirs at the road). And that was good so, because we didn't spoil them, especially the kids, as package tourists often do.
After around 200km from Mombasa we reached the entrance of the Tsavo National Park, which was divided into west and east of the road to Nairobi. As soon as we entered it by steering off the road we saw our first wild animals, or better: animals roaming freely around in their natural habitat.
Remark: The photos on the right side may not be correctly adjusted if you use Mozilla Firefox or Chrome. I propose to use the Explorer of Microsoft instead.
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| Watching beautiful zebras for a start
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| and impalas in the National Park
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| Zebras and antelopes graze peacefully together
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| But they have to watch their back for a predator
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There is actually not much to explain ... and to tell, because there was no serious single incident. Spectacular were just all the sights, of which the following pictures will give you some impressions.
| A lion family with a single mother
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| they don't care and do not bother
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| Shall we attack a zebra or an impala
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| or better wait for the lion king Simba
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| This antelope may not be so easy to get
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| At the water hole we may see Simba at sunset
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| It is still a tranquil atmosphere in the sun
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| but already on its way is the elephant caravan
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One of the two lodges we stayed overnight was the Salt Lick Lodge in the Taita Hills. Nicely located close to a water hole to be watched when the animals come for their evening drinks. Also the bar in the lodge was inviting for a drink after the sunset and before and after the fantastic dinner buffet accompanied by a real good sound played by a native life band.
| This is our lodge with the rooms all round
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| Fabulous dinner buffet and a real good sound
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| Driving is getting rough over a lake of asphalt
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| or through the dust of a cattle trail with no asphalt
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| Finally a close up look of an elephant family
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| That was too close. We got to run hastily
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| Zebras are not dangerous as they are known
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| Giraffes with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background
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| Really fantastic
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| and so majestic
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| This is a typical African landscape
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| We were lucky to see the snowy cap
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| And what a surprise
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| A rhino in the wild
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| Gnus are more common I have heard
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| They are always grazing and walking in a herd
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| Elephants are very family minded
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| except if a bad bull gets reprimanded
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Many African animals are very dangerous, even if you don't expect it, but that is their natural thing. What is very bad is that they are all endangered by mankind's carelessness and greed. Ok, this is also a natural thing, the human habits, which will also lead some day to our own extinction. Only our human intellect can prevent it if all politicians in the world are thinking long terms and are taking the right proactive actions.
| An ostrich can hack your head
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| and a hippo can crunch your neck
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| Also the baboon can be very bad
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| but mankind can all extinguish that
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| The birds may be the last to survive
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| Especially the vultures will thrive
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| The vultures are having their zebra feast
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| Marabous will eat what the vultures will leave
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| Marabous are in flocks
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| in the middle: wild hogs
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| The marabou is supposed to be wise
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| But these little birds look more nice
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Malindi
After the package tour wild life safari we went on our own human life safari, by taking the public bus, getting together with local passengers and looking at their houses and towns.
| From the nature back to civilization?
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| Malindi also has a mixed population
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| Some city dwellers
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| Some from the villages
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| Masais mostly in red and tall
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| Women are dressed very colorful
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| Market places are very important
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| where pineapples are most abundant
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| Many mothers with a baby
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| Only one she can carry
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| Next child in a row must be carried by an elder sibling
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| For many children my camera was very interesting
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Last night in a night club
One evening we celebrated our farewell from Kenya in a night club. There were several others but this was the best joint. There are also many people who come to Kenya just for that: flesh. Men flock to Mombasa and women to Malindi, where each gender will be especially catered for. Joachim and I had sworn to our girlfriends back home that we will not pursue any carnal adventures.
| Hello waitress, one beer please
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| It' s being served with a strip-tease
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| The dancers give all their best
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| With her I would like to take some rest
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| Oh, my blossom of the night
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| Isn't she/it beautiful, right?
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Ok, that was Kenya, though only a very small part of it. I could have seen and done a lot more. Also I could have written more. If you want to know more all about the places I have visited, then just look up any of the many guidebooks or in the internet.
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