It has been a wundervoll time at Basecamp Eagle View Camp in Naboisho Conservancy, the nature in the Mara never disapoints and thanks to our great guide Seki the the sightings were amazing. One last short morning game drive is waiting for us bevor take of to the coast and Diani Beach.
After four beautiful but also exhausting days on safari I’m now looking forward to four lazy days at the beach. Well, this was actually the main reason to fly to Kenia, to have coffee with my Mama, who has been staying here since half a year now.
Well, the weather welcomed me with an unusual chill and clouds.
Not to bad actually, a reason to go to bed early. I didn’t get all that much sleep the lasts nights on safari with all the wildlife around anyway. Said and done and kept awake all night by an extended frog concert. Who could have imagined that such small animals can cause such a noise…
Anyway, who hat thought there is so much wildlife around the beaches….
Also the next morning presented himself with a very, hm, let’s say fotographicwise interesting sky rather than the expected boring blue.
Anyway, in Kenya eating and drinking is a very important part of life, so that’s what we did, eating and enjoying the food…
Friday night is barbeque night at my hotel, meaning many outdoor guests will join the barbeque buffet, time to flee for me. I got a tip that African Pot served delicious african food. Therefore, I hopped in a Tucktuck and the funny trip started, first he got lost on the 2 km trip to the restaurant and asked me, „do you know the way“. Well, me being the stupid tourist I of course didn’t know the way, just the aproximate location. Then he stoped to pick up two other guests, two Maasai women squeesing in. Immediately startung a conversation they if course had some bracelets to sekl with them. What shall I say, they were friendly, the price reasonsble and I had to buy one… A typical african experience, never boring.
Besides food the main attraction here in Diani are the sunrises and the pristneg white beaches.
This place, meaning a hamac somewhere at a beach under palmtrees is just the perfect spot to finish the last blog of my short trip to Kenya.
Obwohl ich eigentlich ganz gerne selbständig und flexibel unterwegs bin, hat das Babysitting der Thais doch etwas für sich. Man latscht abends in eine Travel Agency und wird am nächsten Tag per Sammeltaxi in der Unterkunft abgeholt, zum Ferry Pier gekarrt, auf das Boot verfrachtet und auf die nächste Insel geschippert. Alles ohne handeln, Stress und über drei Boote auf die richtige Fähre zu kraxeln, sondern ganz einfach per Speedboot, fast schon unheimlich so bequem.
Wir sind in Tong Nai Pan gelandet, die etwas abgelegenen Zwillingsbuchten im Osten von Koh Phangan sind ein Traum. Leider ist die kleinere, nördliche Bucht, Baan Thong Nai Pan Noi mittlerweile von zwei grossen Resorts zugebaut und hat viel von ihrem Charme verloren, die Südbucht dagegen, Baan Thong Nai Pan Yai hat es geschafft, sich diesen Charme zu erhalten und ist wohl immer noch einer der schönsten Strände in Thailand. Unsere Bungalow direkt am Strand inklusive Hängematte schadet natürlich ebenfalls nicht. Schade nur, dass sich am flach abfallenden Strand mittlerweile eher Familien als junges Volk tummeln. Dafür hört man hier wieder kaum Russisch im Vergleich zu Samui, sehr angenehm.
Das zugehörige Örtchen ist klein, hat aber alles, was man braucht, sogar Kaffe gibts, mit Milch und Eis ist der sogar richtig toll🤩.
Ansonsten bietet ein grösseres Kloster etwas Abwechslung von der Strandidylle.
Oberhalb des Beaches gibts eine Bar mit absoluter Hammeraussicht, die 2C Bar. Angeblich gibt es einen steilen Pfad durch den Dschungel, den wir eigentlich hochkraxeln wollten. Der vehemente Hinweis auf Kobras hat dann aber sogar mich abgeschreckt.
So, nach zwei erzfaulen Strandtagen gehts heute auf Entdeckungstour quer über die Insel, freue mich, weiss nämlich langsam nicht mehr wie sitzen oder liegen, habe Schwielen am Arsch…!
Also, einmal quer über die gebirgige, von dichtem Dschungel bewachsene Insel bin doch umso mehr froh, haben wir uns fūr ein Auto und nicht Motorbikes entschieden, habe eifach schon zu viele Verletzungen gesehen.,
Haad Rin Beach ist berühmt-berüchtigt für seine Fullmoon Parties, dabei geht oft vergessen, dass der weisse, feinsandige Strand eigentlich traumhaft schön ist. Vorausgesetzt es fallen nicht gerade tausende feierwütige, mit leuchtfarben bemalte Menschen darüber her und verwandeln den Strand in eine Müllhalde und das Meer in eine Kloake. Aktuell wirkt Haad Rin auf uns eher wie eine Geisterstadt, viele Bars und Läden sind nach der jahrelangen Schliessung wegen Covid Konkurs, verlassen, abbruchreif oder renovierungsbedürftig.
Nach Haad Rin gondeln wir der West Coast entlang nach Norden.
Ganz überraschend sind wir immer mal wieder über Street Art gestolpert!
Fruits
Wieso Koh Maa, die durch eine Sandbank mit Koh Phangan verbundene Insel, von allen organisierten Tagesausflügen angefahren wird, war uns nach einem Besuch nicht ganz klar, die schlickige Sandbank ist zwar ganz fotogen, aber ansonsten nichts schönes, dafür war es schön voll und das Bier kalt…
Heute steht der Thong Sadet Waterfall auf dem Programm, die grösste Attraktion der Insel. Angeblich kann man etwa 3 km dem Fluss entlang wandern, der immer wieder kleine Fälle bildet, wir sind gespannt.
Weil Markus kein Picknick eingepackt hat und wir hungrig und durstig sind, fahren wir weiter Richtung Meer, Baan Thong Sadet. Plötzlich eine Zahlstation, wir wundern uns etwas und befürchten einen Privatstrand eines Luxusresorts. Weit gefehlt wie ein Nationalparkschild zeigt, zudem befinden sich hier irgendwo die Inschriften der verstorbene und amtierenden Königs, die das Plätzchen besucht haben. Egal, uns interessieren der Strand und das Restaurant viiiiiiel mehr.
Sodeli, bleibt nur noch ein quicker Besuch unserer nördlichen Zwillingsbucht Baan Thong Nai Pan Noi, ich bin gespannt, was hier in den letzten 10 Jahren gegangen ist. Der Strand ist natürlich immer noch schön, nur halt leider von zwei grossen Luxusressorts verbaut, nicht mehr für uns…
Happy Back Home
Jetzt aber, nach traumhaften 6 Tagen auf Koh Phangan sind wir ready to travel on….
It’s been about 10 years since we’ve been in the Andaman Sea and Kos Samuii. And I admit there are still some beautiful places to find. Bliss Chaweng is most probabely the last ressort with wooden bungalows and we’ve loved them.
Despite all the noise, loud music, party people and crowes at the beach for me it remains one of the most beautiful beaches ever and beeing here feels like coming home. The soft, powdery white sand and crystal clear water is just to beautiful.
I love the food at the beach, be it in a restaurant of from small grills.
A stroll along the beach towards the center shows a less idyllic picture….
Food is still heavenly and night life is a blast, you’ll find everything from bars via beach clubs with hammering techno sound to pubs with life rock music, from pretty amazing cover band to singer with even less singing talent than mine…
For us it’s time to leave…
Well since nowadays I’ve to fly to Kenya to drink a coffee with my mum I’ve decided to combine it with some days at Basecamp Eagle View, my currently favorite safari camp in Eastern Africa. After a rather stressful night flight to Nairobi and a luckily quiet inland flight
I’ve arrived in Naboisho Conservancy which kind of feels like coming home. Already the drive from the Airstrip to Eagle View was an adventure. First thing that appeared was a giraffe with a one day old baby, to cute to be true.
Next just along the road was Leteipa a male cheetah laying lazy in the shade.
Eagle View camp with it’s stunning view over the Savanna is as beautiful as ever as well as the warm welcome.
Afternoon started withe a big elephant bull breaking a big tree.
Afterwards we got to see a part of the over 30 head big Ilkisiusiu Pride with their cubs. Funny enough it was me who spotted them first, tapping proudly my shoulder cuz it’s very rare to spot an animal before you local guide does!
Right next to this sighting were lions feeding on a baby warthog whilst a naughty schakal was sneaking around trying to steal his prey and succeded😂.
Suddenly late in the day even after sunrise we got the chance to see a leopard, Nolari a beautiful female.
Well, one couldn’t wish more for a day in the Mara, except for a nice dinner, a cold drink, a nice camp fire and a good sleep.
After a long night in the airplane with hardly any sleep, an inland flight with a Cessna and a full day on game drives I’ve slept like a baby and honestly getting up before 6 a.m on vacation isn’t my favorite thing to do, but… Yea, there is always a but… This sunrise compensate for the lack of sleep.
And the following drama even more. When the three lioness of the by far to small Enisikiria pride showed up just I nfront of our camp, they looked very hungry and seemed to be on a mission.
However, just closeby was a male lion if the Ilkisiusiu pride feeding on a zebra.
When the three lioness from Enisikiria came closer my guide smelled troubles and we left the anyway to crowed kill in order to see, if there is a territorial fight to be started. And indeed, I swear I’ve never ever heard such a scary lions roaring like when the lionesses from Ilkisiusiu followed the feeling Enisikiria lionesses.
Unluckily the ran into three young lions from Sanpanguare pride, meaning more roaring, fighting and running, there was just a bit of action and drama this morning.
After all this excitement we’ve earned ourselfs a nice bush breakfast. Unfortunately my guide sent me back into the vehicle because a to close coming elephant bull made him nervous.
On the way back to the camp for lunch we passed again Ilkisiusiu Pride which interestingwise hadn’t finished off this por zebra. The subadult male lying in the shade of a bush just along the road was to funny to watch he was so bothered by flies that he downright jumped madly around.
What shall follow after a morning full of lions? Right, more lions. Ilkisiusiu Pride was still feeding when we left the camp.
After this it was time for something else, therefore we welcomed to watch a group of elephants as well as a big heard of buffalos afterwards.
But what’s a sundowner without lions…
After this all to exciting day we managed it just into camp before the storm arrived, literally a storm.
My second day in Naboisho started with another beautiful sunrise but also with fog in the dells, this time all alone on the safari vehicle.
First sighting were two male lions from Molibany pride, majestic.
We spent the rest of the morning game drive taking ourself time to watch elephants and giraffes.
.. And some more…
Visitors at lunch time…
For the afternoon I unfortunately got to say goodbye to my guide Edward who took some time off to visit his family, therefore we got a new guide Dickson and three more people on the vehicle. All of then for the first time on safari for which I really envy them. Safari is always exciting but the very first one is just magic and newbies tend to appreciate any sighting not only the very special and rare ones. The downside was that our new guide drove me almost crazy with giving information I’ve already heard dozens of times. I wouldn’t mind so much, cuz information is important, if he hadn’t chosen a spot just outside of the camp with no wildlife around, why not stop in a place with one of these beautifully mixed herds of zebras, gnus, Thompsons and Impalas and lecture us there for this half an hour?
Anyway, we got quickly lucky and found a schakal which was feeding on a baby impala, a fascinating sighting but also a bit sad because the mother was still nearby looking for her young.
The rest of the afternoon was rather quiet with a long drive trough Whistleblow thorn bushes with no wildlife around at all.
Strangely enough our guide was actually looking for a leopard… Luckily we suddenly spotted Molybany pride with its two lionesses and their eight cubs of different ages on a Rocky hill. Unfortunately they were neither in the mood to hunt nor to play and also a bit to far away, whish makes watching lions surprisingly boring.
We therefore proceeded to a safe place to take a sundowner and watch the beautiful sunset.
Just after returning to the camp a fierce thunder storm drove over the savannah and destroid my hopes of a refreshing drink at the camp fire this night.
Well, in the meantime I’ve already left the Mara and am just a bit behind writing my daybook. Doesn’t matter, the safari was just to busy to write as well as my brain with processing all the experiences.
Short in short, despite seeing all the big cats in the afternoon on one single game drive my personal favorit of this magnificent day were the elephants with their play fight, very unique and memorable.
The day started of with an unlucky change of tyre which cost us the usualy magnificent colors of the heaven just before sunrise…
The lions we saw attempted to hunt but finally didn’t due to zebras giving alarm.
We therefore focused on seeing other things
until we crossed the path of this two elephants drinking water and play fight, I could have watched them all day.
We were already on the way back to camp for lunch when we spotted several vehicle o nthe other side of the plains – a leopard. Nolari again, hiding in thick bushes, her prey up, in a tree nearby. Unfortunately some cows with their very young Massai shepperd were closeby and on one hand endangered on the other putting pressure on this all to elusive cat and she disappeared I to thicker bushes taking her cub of whish we’ve only seen a flicking tail with her.
Well, what shall I write about an afternoon like this, it was an absolute dream for every cat lover. Just outside of the camp we encountered the lions of Ilkisiusiu again.
First of all we drove back to Nolari, hoping to catch her climbing the tree, but with all the hyenas sniffing around the three with her prey on it, she wasn’t in the mood to climb.
In consens with all guests on the vehicle we decided to drive on and see what the drive had ready for us. And soon Dickson Losos eyes spotted a moving Cheetah. Unfortunately I’ve missed to photograph her moving but got her in the beautiful soft sunset light laying down. We all hoped to see her hunting, but with a hyena literally circling her, she refrained.
In an again democratic voting we all decided to try our luck again with the leopard, but the hyenas have chased her into the bushes and we finished off this exciting day wit a beautiful sunset and some storytelling at the campfire.
It’s time for a last game drive and then time to say goodbye to my beloved Masai Mara.
A special thank you goes to all the staff of Basecamp Explorer Eagle View which made my stay in the Mara so memorable. And another one to the man who is responsible for all the amazing food we got to enjoy here.
Chef Benson, an amazing cook with a very inspiring story which he allowed me to share. Benson is a Massai as all staff here and has grown up in the region. His career in tourism started of as an Askari (security man), but his interest onto cooking brought him into kitchen, first for cleaning duties, then peeling and cutting vegetables but son started to cook himself. By now this successful Maasai has become a fully educated chef and has been trained in Italy, Zürich and Oslo. His food is great but moreso is his intention to give something back to the community. To do so he’s written a cook book and all proceeds from the sale go into education of young Maasai who get a chance to attend an 18 month training to become a chef themselfs. Benson has become a dear friend and I very much admire his self made success and his intention to give other people a chance to do the same by investing into their education.
A long 2.5 hours flight brought me down to the coast.
Well, there is not much to say when lying lazy at the white powdery sandy Beach with pristine green and blue water and having lots of coffees with Mama.
