On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
way2blue
I’d long wanted to hike in the Tsavo National Parks of Kenya and finally booked a two-week trek for August 2020. Which of course was postponed till 2021. International CoVID-19 protocol was confusing but I managed to navigate several glitchy websites to obtain the required documents for flying to Nairobi via Dubai. Plus lots of vaccines. When the safari folks reviewed our itinerary—with an extra five days in Nairobi before the trek—they suggested instead a side trip to the Maasi Mara to catch the beginning of the wildebeest migration. Yes! I’ve organized a series of six OTR submissions by day.
Our flight from Wilson Airport to the Musiara Airstrip hopscotched west from Nairobi, stopping at several airstrips, making me nervous I might miss getting off at the correct one
We were greeted by Jonathan, who was to be our Masi guide during our stay. He pointed out various wildlife on the way to camp—here, a quizzical Maaasi giraffe [Twiga in Swahili]. It had rained heavily the previous day so the roads were muddy with puddles filling large potholes, making for a slippery ride. But also making the Mara lush green.
A gorgeous bird posing for Albatrossity—the lilac-breasted roller (Coraciias caudata).
A mom, a teenager, and a toddler.…
A lazy lion.
A larger group of elephants, feeding out on the marsh (pronounced ‘mush’ to my ears). Elephant groups are matriarchal—with the males kicked out when they reach their feisty teenage years.
A male impala herds his harem away from our vehicle. Note, only the male has horns and he expends a lot of energy fighting off male competitors. Only to tire from ‘servicing his flock’, then to be dethroned & die alone… (A lot of variety in societal structures within the Mara.)
A couple baboon hanging out in the grass.
And Another Angel Appears! (Can we Get This Done Today?)
WaterGirl
This didn’t go up at 5am as expected, so On the Road is a few hours late!
WaterGirl
Especially love the elephant family and the yawning lion!
CaseyL
Wonderful photos! Really enjoying this adventure-by-proxy.
Benw
@WaterGirl: better late than never. I too dig the elephants!
Tenar Arha
Was that all on your first day? Wow!
Tdjr
I was in Kenya in 2006. It was the best adventure I ever had! We went to Botswana and Zambezi in 2010. I can’t wait to go back!
scav
Oh! I am hoping for a stop in Elephant Pepper Camp somehow.
way2blue
@Tenar Arha: Yes. All on the drive from the airstrip to camp.
trollhattan
When you say “hike” are you literally strolling amongst critters that might fancy stomping or eating you? Just curious as to the itinerary, and how one makes oneself appear unappetizing.
eclare
I was in Kenya and Tanzania in 1997 and loved it. So cool to see giraffes on the side of the road like you would see deer here!
Looking forward to all the photos!
Amir Khalid
@Benw:
The pachyderms may be on to something there with their ideas about social structure. FSM knows, we humans would probably do well to listen more to our own grandmothers.
lashonharangue
We are headed to Africa in less than a week for a trip that was postponed because of Covid. This is one of the places we are going to visit. Really excited.
eclare
@lashonharangue: You will love it! Along with the animals, the night sky is amazing.
Benw
@Amir Khalid: agreed! In fact, Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers just popped into my life because it was sampled in yesterday’s Number One song, in the writeup over on Stereogum. The link:
https://youtu.be/TdrChyGb574
Fair Economist
That looks great. Can hardly wait to see the hike parts. My mom always wanted to go to Africa but never got to and she could never go now.
Alison Rose ???
Lelliephants!!!
(my word for them as a little kid which has stuck with me into middle age)
way2blue
@trollhattan: That’s the second part of this trip. (I still need to pull those photos together.) But yes. A walking safari. About 10 miles each day for 10 days. With the camp leapfrogging ahead. Four guys with rifles and two with machete & spears. All Samburu bushmen except for the guide. Got very tuned in to how they carried their rifles (i.e., at ease, at alert, at full alert… )
way2blue
@lashonharangue: Lukcy—you’ll love it!
way2blue
@trollhattan: As for the Maasi Mara. You generally stay in the vehicle for safety. Did one walk along the Mara River near camp, but that required guides with spears…
Origuy
Great pictures. Looking forward to the others.
MazeDancer
Such good photos! Lucky you!
Albatrossity
Wonderful.
I remain firmly convinced that everyone should make every effort to get to Africa at least once in their life. I waited a long time to do it; I wanted to go there ever since I was 10 or so, but had to wait until I was 67. It was worth it, a thousand times over.
Looking forward to the next installments!
Steeplejack
@Benw:
With Stephen Stills on guitar!
Yutsano
HUFFALUMPS!!!