Leaving Masai Mara

The night before we left, we were treated to a performance by members of the Masai tribe, who danced, jumped and sang to a rhythmic beat they kept with their breathing pattern. Unfortunately we didn’t have the change to visit a Masai village, though members of the tribe were often present in and around our camp.

Our last game drive out to the Mara was a morning jaunt, and it was COLD! By the third day, we had seen enough zebras and ostriches that whenever someone sighted one of them, the rest of us would lift our eyes, smile, and return to our conversation or daydreams. We couldn’t seem to get enough of the elephants though, and when we saw a large group we begged Edward to keep us out a bit longer so we could get pictures of the mothers and adorable babies.

That morning’s ride found us driving a similar route as some American tourists we’d seen on other game drives. This older couple was dressed head to toe in safari gear that they’d obviously bought for this trip, cameras around their necks, poised for an action shot at any moment. When we saw the baby elephants, they would call out to the animals, imploring them to come closer and “look at the cameras.” We asked our Swiss friends if we carried ourselves like these people and received a reassuring “no, not at all.” Then they told us, “…but this is who we think of when we think of Americans.” Great.

On the drive back to the camp, we all took in the landscape for a last time, enjoying the crisp air rushing through the car and the feeling of being on an adventure that felt at once foreign and completely natural.

Elissa and I managed to catch an earlier flight back to Nairobi, this time on a 12 passenger plane. Our early return gave us more time to enjoy the capital together, and one last chance for me to stroll around a city with a coffee in hand.