We had a full day layover in Istanbul. For half of it we sought out the historic sites – Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia – but the weather was so lousy, cold, wind, snow turning to sleet that we changed our plans and took shelter back at the airport. Airports are exciting places: people, with their own stories, going someplace. The perfect spot to people-watch…..especially when this spot is at the centre of the world, at the divide between Asia and Europe. I found this departure board and was intrigued by the destinations – the exotic cities of the Orient and Central Asia – many of them old Silk Road stopovers. My mind soared as I contemplated the possibilities. Imagine having the resources to just pick out a spot, jump on a plane and go!
Our first destination upon landing in Nairobi was the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. The folks there rescue young (sometimes VERY young) elephants that have lost their parent for one reason or another – usually, but not always, due to poaching. They bring them to the centre, feed them in a social context (with other elephants) and then, in several years, help them reintegrate back into the wild, establishing themselves in a herd in a national park. At the time of our visit they were raising 25!
I love Nairobi National Park. It sits right on the boarder of the country’s biggest city with just a sturdy fence keeping the animals from walking the streets. I rent a taxi for the day (John has been driving me for the past 3 years) and spend most of meandering along the dirt roads in the park, looking for animals and birds – which are everywhere and easily seen. This year, though, it was a bit tougher. The rains, which usually end in the middle of December, had continued up until almost the end of January. So the water holes – big and small – were all full and the vegetation was green and lush. With these conditions the wildlife was dispersed and we needed to hunt more energetically to see it – you just couldn’t wait by a waterhole (although every waterhole had lots of life). Also, the lush vegetation hid many animals. But don’t get me wrong: animals are there and readily observable in good numbers.
The only downside of the park is that you can’t get out of your vehicle except in a very few places. So you have to crane pretty athletically to see that rare bird flying over or catch a glimpse of a fleeing antelope. I’m not that athletic any more…….
Some of the animals we encountered in the park:
And some of the birds:
And always of interest (and a good reason not to get out of the vehicle):
Rick