---------Mara Game Reserve Lodge was so full of animals--------- giraffe, zebras,elephants etc--- --that we were told not to come to the dining hall by ourselves so we had to have some gaurds to escort us so that we were safe.Is'nt it amazing that animals n humans are in such close proximity and all are happy.I feel we are little bit scared of each other.Any way we all went to boat riding in the morning on lake Naivasha , lake has lot of Hippoopotamus but these were submerged in water and these won't come out.It was early morning and we had fun in long walk to the boat and took lots of pictures. We had to start our next journey to Masai Mara through _ Great Rift Valley .It was a beautiful drive , Africa's Great Rift Valley is a 6,000-mile crack (fissure) in the earth's crust, stretching from Lebanon to Mozambique.It has huge plantations of coffee ,corn table trees and other vegetations . These table trees look like real table tops,as if someone has put a green table of well knit leaves and branches on a tree trunk.Actually I had never seen such trees before .We saw many small schools on our way .At one of our stops we had a friendly encounter with small kids and they really liked the choclates and cookies we gave them to eat.We reached Mara Sopa Lodge by noon n had some leisure time .We had to leave for Game Drive at 4 in the afternoon. This resort has very beautiful small cottages with all amenities ,huge dining hall, moderen lobby with well laid sitting furniture and moderen bar.I will write about Game Drive next time

----in continuation to Mt.Kenya Safari Club--------------- Resort has a sprawling colonial design which has a strong bearing of late actor William Holden ,who was the founder of this club in the year 1959.He loved nature so much that this club was his home for almost 25 years.Even now, one can observe his imprints at the resort .We took lots of pictures and got ready for the next day"s long journey for Lake Nakuru National Park.
On our way to next Park we stopped at the equator for abt.20 mts.I had seen EQUATOR at Quito in Equador(a South American Countary).Surprisingly our guide there had told us that one can see equator only in Quito and now Africans were showing us the same equator thounds of miles away-----any way it was fun as the guy was doing wonderful gimmicks to distinguish between northeren and southeren hemisphere. We really got educated on it .Our next stop was at Thomas Falls.These Falls were not very huge but all the fun was there.we were all excited to see many Zebras on our way and these were running here n there without any one to tame them.I am sure these animals are really happy to be free and not in capitivity of humans.We did witness many small villages and wondered as to how people cud live in such wilderness--------- no good roads,shops,houses,cars and clubs.It looked very pensive ,and sad.We saw couple of Depleted old torn small buildings labeled as schools but wondered as to how the education can be done in such conditions .after having lunch at Sarova Lion Hill Lodge and Game drive for few hours we drove to Lake Naivasha Area.We saw many animals---- giraffe,buffalo,waterbucks,impalas and lots of pelicans ---- lake is full of pink colored big birds ,so much that it looks like a pink lace border of big lake.Some of our friends saw a big pride of lions too. We stayed for the night at Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge.

so from Chicago ,we straightway landed in Nairobi (through London) on 19th of July in the midlle of night .we were greeted by our tour manager "Jagdish Bhatt" and after lavish Indian dinner we reached Intercontinental Hotel and had comfortable stay of one night.
At abt.7.30 in the morning after hearty breakfast ,we were divided in to 4 groups of 6 each for our onward SAFARI.we were six , Sue,Asha,Veena,Roop,Mridula & Nancy .Our driver cum guide was Charls.Nairobi is capital of Kenya ,it looks like an old city esp.the route we took ,looked like a poor shanty town.Well I should not pass judgement like that but to me it did look like a poor site ---------- broken roads ,dirt roads --------- we were on our way to Mt.Kenya Safari Club.Oh my God when we reached there I realised how beautiful it was.It was very moderen ,neat, very well kept( with all moderen amenities) resort.We had our lunch amidst absolutely beautiful mountanious surroundings.Lots of monkeys were jumping here n there.lawns were lush green .Our cottages were very scenic and well stocked.I had my first look of animals------ giraff,peecock,monkey.In the evening 5-6 trible African men n women came to present their Tribal Dance.It was hilarious ,we all danced with them ,had dinner and retired to beds.We had to get up early for our onward journey. O k bye see u later

Hi

I am writing after my exciting trip to Africa------------- it is amazingly beautiful--------- all of it.ours was a group of 25 people and we visited East as well as South africa.well our first stop from California iiiwas Chicago.I found this So called Windy City very beautiful.We were staying in a magnificient condo.on Michigan Ave. in the heart of Down-Town Chicago.Michigan Ave.is very well kept,with lots of flower - beds looking like sheets of decorated paintings.High Rise buildings add to the glamour.shopping was a pleasure ----- all the fashion stores were there-----.did some actual as well as window shopping-,when we R with our friends -- it is a different state of mind in itself.We were group of four---------- Veena,Sue,Ranjit & Myself (asha).We took river-cruise ,ferris-wheel,jay-walking and all the masti.