Last Installment

Here is the last installment of our great trip around Kenya with Rhett's parents. After our fun time on the farm we headed over to Nakuru National Park for an overnight stay and a drive through the game park. We stayed at a very cool place that was much more rustic (think lantern light) but really great. It took quite a bit of effort to get there but it was worth it.



This was the amazing common area in the "lobby" of the hotel which was really a collection of thatched roof lava rock open air buildings. If this doesn't beckon you to come have a lounge I don't know what does.



Rudy agreed.

We sat for a while and sipped mango juice then headed to our cottage.



We had a huge family cottage that had a queen bed, two twins and a crib with plenty of room to spare. When traveling with 3 small kids rooms like this are not taken for granted. It was fabulous. We had another great porch where we sat and read aloud in the afternoon.



I know, you are thinking how romantic those mosquito nets are draped around the bed. I have to tell you they go from sexy to annoying in about 15 minutes when you have to sleep under one every night. However, they do allow you to sleep without interruption from mosquitoes buzzing in your ear (the worst). I digress . . .



This is a terrible picture but bear with me it was dark. This is where we ate dinner - all. by. ourselves. Another dream of parents traveling with young children - a private dining room! It was a really beautiful setting and was so intimate and fun to be alone and feel like we had the whole place to ourselves. Someone ran out to the car to get something at some point before dinner (but after dark) and a security guy quickly was by their side. Apparently it isn't uncommon for water buffalo (very dangerous) to wander inside the camp to find water. Sooo, everywhere you went there was a nice guy with a lantern and big stick following you around looking cautiously around for buffalo (and I'm assuming other critters too). After dinner we were escorted back to our cottage to find it aglow in beautiful lantern light, beds prepared (mosquito nets drawn and hot water bottles under the sheets) beckoning us.



The bathroom was amazing and I really don't care too much about bathrooms. It was all made of stone and had shower for two and was just very unique. While Ford and Claire took advantage of the double shower (sweet! Two at once and no one complaining they are cold!) Gus completely vetoed the shower and ended up in the sink. Which made for a cute picture so it was OK.

Predawn I was slightly awakened by a rumbling noise. I couldn't place it so I just went back to sleep. At breakfast our server asked us if we had heard the LIONS roaring early that morning! Now that is what I call a wake up call! We took off for the park that morning. Our final stop on the way home to Kijabe.

Here are some pictures of the park. It is a little different of an experience that going to the bigger game parks. You can drive your own vehicle around Nakuru and it has a system of roads. It basically surrounds Lake Nakuru which once was almost completely pink because of the thousands of flamingos that came to the lake but drought has sent many of them away although there were more this time than when we were here over a year ago. It was a fun way to end our trip!